Invercargill sits at the crossroads of some of Southland's best day trips. The most popular is the short drive south to Bluff, the southernmost town in mainland New Zealand, where you can stand at Stirling Point and contemplate the signpost showing distances to cities around the world. Bluff is also famous for its oysters — if you visit between March and August, do not miss them.
The Catlins coast to the east offers waterfalls, petrified forests, and colonies of sea lions and penguins along a wild stretch of coastline that sees remarkably few visitors. To the west, the road to Riverton and on toward Tuatapere follows the Southern Scenic Route through rolling farmland and rugged coast.
Fiordland is further but worth it. Te Anau, the gateway town, is about two hours by road. From there you can take a boat trip on Doubtful Sound or continue to Milford Sound. A long day is enough to get there and back if you leave early.