Sport and leisure activities are a big part of life in Invercargill and there is plenty for both the participant and the observer.

A network of paths and tracks through Queens Park in the city centre allows the opportunity for a leisurely walk or for the energetic, a four-kilometre fitness trail. Queens Park is also host to a first cricket wicket within the park grounds. Other sports catered for include bowls, tennis, squash, hockey, golf, croquet and petanque. The Southland Museum & Art Gallery is situated on the edge of Queens Park and is home to historical displays, three art galleries and live Tuatara.

Invercargill is blessed with four unique and attractive 18-hole golf courses, all within minutes of the city centre. Golfers can enjoy a centrally located tree-lined course at Queens Park, two sandy based well draining courses at Otatara or Green Acres - a privately operated all-weather floodlit public driving range. All clubs offer clubroom comfort, refreshments, coaching and practice fairways.

For indoor swimming at the most versatile pool in New Zealand, Splash Palace is an Olympic sized pool and one of the greatest adventures to hit Invercargill. On the way to Tiwai Point, Awarua Bay is a popular spot for swimming, rowing, power boats, water-skiing and yachting. A 10-minute drive from Invercargill, Sandy Point and Oreti river/beach are also the home of popular water sports. A 13.5 kilometre network of well-formed, signed walking tracks makes it easy to explore Sandy Point on foot. Sandy Point is also host to several other activities including mountain biking, horse trekking, clay and pistol shooting and Southland Paintball.

Windsurfers, surf boards, scooters and single and tandem cycles are available for hire from retail outlets in the city. For skateboarding, check out the skateboard park on Elles Road, a half pipe on Mary Street, and a new skate park on Gore Street in Bluff.

Join in the excitement at any of the various motor sport venues. Car racing at Teretonga, stock car racing at Riverside Raceway and go-carts at Spin City. Even have a flutter at the Ascot Park Raceway on the horses or dogs.

Experience the atmosphere of rugby at Rugby Park Stadium, the intensity of hockey at Gala Street and take a visit to Southland’s best indoor sporting facility - Stadium Southland, where you will see many other team and individual sports in action. Stadium Southland is the most recent and modern leisure and events centre complex and is home of the "Southern Steel", our regional netball team. Tennis, squash, rock climbing and badminton facilities are also available for the public. Here you will also find the ILT Velodrome, which is New Zealands only International indoor cycling veledrome. Other facilities include the city’s numerous health and fitness centres, which offer a range of instructed training programmes and equipment, and welcome casual visitors.

The Superbowl Ten Pin Bowling Centre is a 12 lane ten pin bowling complex offering licensed bar and meal facilities. Reading Cinemas is the southernmost 5-screen multiplex cinema. It is an independent inner city theatre screening contemporary feature movies and old art house films, complete with digital sound. Check the paper or phone the movie line for the current movie schedule. A 1906 English renaissance style building on Tay Street, the Civic Theatre has been home to many national and international acts.

Invercargill has many excellent bars, cafes and restaurants that provide great service and entertainment. There are a number of restaurants that have recently opened in the city, which includeThai, Indian and Japanese cuisine and contribute to the wide variety of options available. For a complete list of eateries available in Invercargill, check out the Restaurants and Cafes listings under the Travel Guide section.

The performing arts are well supported in Invercargill and both touring and local artists perform regularly. Details of upcoming performances are published in The Southland Times and check the Arts page of the newspaper on Tuesdays. Also, obtain an Events Calendar from the Invercargill Visitor Information Centre on Gala Street or visit the events website at www.events.southlandnz.com