The Otago Peninsula deserves more than a day, as there are many great hiking trails and wild beaches. But if you don’t have the time, drive along coastal Portobello Road to Portobello, then return to Dunedin via Highcliff Road.
Both roads are fabulous in their own right, but Highcliff Road has the advantage of spectacular views as it climbs to 290 meters above Otago Harbour. Note that it is particularly narrow and windy at the Portobello end.
There is also the potential for stops at the small coastal town of Portobello, the prominent hill of Harbour Cone, Larnach Castle and the Otago Peninsula War Memorial.
The memorial is on a high point on Highcliff Road, about 1 km before the Dunedin suburb of Waverley. Walking up to the memorial only takes about 10 minutes and offers incredible views back to Dunedin.
