Central Otago is home to incredible scenery and some impressive New Zealand history. Of that history, some of best places to unearth the old photos, facts and relics of the past are the historical pubs.
If you are looking for things to do in Central Otago, then visiting these historical pubs should be on the list! Combining a friendly beer and a hearty meal with discovering more about this fascinating and iconic region sounds like an ideal day out to us.
In this article, we list several must visit pubs in Central Otago for your travels. Ones that are famous and iconic down to the lesser known but equally quirky local bars.
And when you visit these pubs, go wild and don’t just drink Speight’s!
The Vulcan Hotel, Saint Bathans
The Vulcan Hotel in the roaring heart of the small Saint Bathans township, located about an hour away from Cromwell. We highly recommend visiting this pace as it is off the beaten track and is rich in Central Otago history.
- Located in Saint Bathans
- Built in 1869
- Accommodation
- Opens from 11am, 7-days a week
- Famous for its links to the gold rush and its resident ghost, Rosie
- A great beer garden
- A menu that caters to allergens (which is rare for this area)
- Fantastic toilets!
History of The Vulcan Hotel
The Vulcan Hotel was one of thirteen pubs built in Saint Bathans during its peak gold rush era. This old mudbrick historical pub is located just opposite the famous Blue Lake, a man-made lake that was created by miners searching for wealth. It is also one of New Zealand’s most haunted buildings, with Rosie the ghost being a permanent resident here. There are many stories about Rosie where objects get moved or knocked over, and some who stay in room one can feel her presence.
The Vulcan Hotel is the heart and soul of this rural community. It has an outstanding beer garden, a fine selection of local beers, wines and spirits, and warm southern hospitality.
Out of all of the historical pubs in Central Otago, we think The Vulcan Hotel is the best example of what a rural, village pub should be.
What to do in Saint Bathans?
Visit the Blue Lake– a stunning, man-made lake bore through the efforts of the gold mining era where they extracted, in today’s currency, $40 million NZD worth of gold.
The Gold Office Shop– an exceptionally well-maintained building run by a lovely local in what is the best trinket shop in the town! For locally made arts and crafts, gifts for friends and family after your travels.
Go for a drive– this area is postcard picture worthy New Zealand. The muddy tracks, the rolling hills finished with mountains in the background, the dark night skies… You get the picture. It is stunning in a simplistic way.
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Visit The Vulcan Hotel's Website and Social Media
Blacks Hotel, Ophir
A warming and rustic pub with friendly staff. We loved the layout of this bar, it just felt really welcoming. A favourite of ours to visit on days off!
- Located in Ophir
- Opened in 1937
- Accommodation
- Locally sourced food and drinks menus
History of Blacks Hotel
A short history compared to some of the other pubs, this Art Deco style building opened in 1937 and has had various owners across the years.
What to do in Ophir?
Ophir is very small, but other attractions in the area would be:
- Pitcheys: a cute but gorgeous café
- The Ophir Historical Bridge: A small but fun historic bridge to cross that looks like you are driving into a huge rock!
Visit Blacks Hotel's Website and Social Media
The Cardrona Hotel, Cardrona
An impressive operation that has a great selection of drinks, a tasty food menu and a huge and very tastefully decorated beer garden. Complete with 17 rooms nestled into a cute courtyard area, The Cardrona Hotel is one of the biggest and most iconic in the region.
Found along the incredibly scenic Crown Range (the mountainous route that connects Wanaka and Queenstown), The Cardrona Hotel was established in 1863 and is one of two building in the area that remain from that gold rush period of the 1860s.
We went for Ben’s birthday and booked the Captain’s Room which was delightful!
- Located in Cardrona Valley
- Opened in 1863
- Accommodation
- An incredible and beautiful beer garden
- Tastefully decorated throughout
- Tasting notes on all of their spirits!!
History of The Cardrona Hotel
The beginning of the Gold Rush in the 1860s saw a huge influx of people looking to move to the area in search of wealth. Once the gold rush came to an end, farmers continued to farm the land and made it their home. By the 1890s, one two hotels remained: The Cardrona Hotel and the All-Nations Hotel.
James Patterson, now famed as a local legend, took over the pub in 1926 and, to this day, is the longest serving publican, owned the pub until his death in 1961. Following this, the pub was purchased by a local (as no one wanted it to be sold to an ‘outsider’) who let the building deteriorate.
In the 1970s, John Lee purchased the building and then sold it again to a bunch of locals who renovated it in the 1980s, finally opening the restaurant in 1983.
These days, The Cardrona Hotel has been owned by friends and business partners Cade Thornton and James Jenneson since 2013 and have built it into what you can experience today!
What to do in Cardrona?
Visit the Cardrona Distillery– genuinely the best New Zealand distillery in the country. Established in 2015, the distillers here have worked hard at mastering their craft and producing a fantastic range of products. We wrote an article on
Explore The Cardrona area– adjacent to the hotel is a charming gift store and diagonally opposite is a wee farm store
Skiing in the Winter– Quite possibly one of the largest attractions to this area is, of course, skiing! Book ahead to save disappointment on the slopes.
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Visit The Cardrona Hotel's Website and Social Media
We will update this article as and when we visit more must-visit, historic pubs in the Central Otago region!
Thank you for reading, we hope this article helps on your travels.
