Picton itself is walkable from end to end in twenty minutes; everything in the town centre is on or just behind the foreshore. To reach the Marlborough Sounds, water taxis are the standard means of transport — Cougar Line, Beachcomber and Arrow run scheduled services to the main bays of Queen Charlotte Sound from the wharf. Charter operators do tailored trips for kayaking, fishing or one-off drop-offs.
For trips along Queen Charlotte Drive or further into the Pelorus Sound, a car is the only practical option. Several operators in town hire mountain bikes for the Queen Charlotte Track, with luggage transfer included.