Blenheim on a Budget

Mum and I recently went to Blenheim for a friend's wedding. Let's start with a budget travel tip! We decided to take the ferry, rather than fly. It was cheaper and we took our car with us - plus the views coming into the Queen Charlotte Sounds are spectacular. The bad thing is, it's three and a half hours long! But Bluebridge have a TV room with comfortable chairs or if you just want to sit at in the cafe, you can download stuff to watch on your device.

We arrived safely in Picton, it took just under 30 minutes to drive to Blenheim. We stayed at the Colonial Motel, a really nice husband and wife run it together, and they have a pool!

New World supermarket is right round the corner. That's my next budget travel tip! Buying dinner and eating at the motel, rather than going to a restaurant will save you big time. There's also a free DVD library at the motel too so you can watch a movie while you eat.

We were in Blenheim for a wedding, but it wasn't until later that day. So we went for a walk to Pollard Park. It has lovely gardens and ponds, a playground too! We walked through the park twice, that's how good it is.

The wedding was at Wither Hills. Another top budget tip, if you're a kid and you have a wedding to go to, H&M do an awesome range of formal wear that's just perfect. Mum picked my outfit up on sale for $35!

The next day we visited the vineyards. The Marlborough region is famous for making wine and my mum loves wine! We visited the Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen and the Twelve Trees Restaurant by Allan Scott. We loved these places! They are beautiful and here's mum's top tip for an affordable adventure: if you're keen to visit the vineyards but your budget can't stretch to tastings or lunch, why not pop in for coffee and cake! Many of the vineyard cafes offer coffee and this is a great way to see a number of the region's finest vineyards, without breaking the bank.

Blenheim is a beautiful town with a lot to see. Definitely worth a visit.

• MJ