Little River, New Zealand 4.97

Little River is a town on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury region of New Zealand.LocationLittle River is approximately 30 minutes drive from Akaroa, a tourist destination on Banks Peninsula, and 45 minutes drive from Christchurch. It is on State Highway 75, which links Christchurch and Akaroa. Little River is a great place to visit for walks and mountain biking, and is a very popular stop over for its cafe and art gallery.The road from Christchurch is at sea level but once past Little River, the road rises steeply and twists and turns its way to the top of the summit road. From the summit at Hilltop, all of the bays on the peninsula are accessible on equally steep and twisting roads leading down to them. Not all roads are sealed and some are more suited to four wheel drive vehicles.Rail TrailThe Little River Rail Trail is a cycling and walking track that opened in 2006, which largely follows the course of the old Little River Branch railway that ran to Little River from its junction with the Southbridge Branch in Lincoln. This branch line was opened to Little River on 11 March 1886, closed to passengers on 14 April 1951, and closed to all traffic on 30 June 1962. Between 1927 and 1934, Little River railway passengers were served by the experimental and popular Edison battery-electric railcar, the only one of its type to be built.