If you have some extra time when driving from the West Coast (Westport) towards Abel Tasman National Park, it's possible to make a stop in St. Arnaud town in Nelson Lakes National Park. You can have a picnic next to the beautiful Lake Rotoiti. There are also a few short hikes and walks around the lake area. We were planning on making a stop here but skipped it eventually. There are also lots of paid campgrounds here if you want to stay the night and break up the journey.