Summer 2026 the parkup area is being used as a base for the building of a new Akaroa Wharf... so there are trucks and it can be noisy and the toilets hidden behind the work space. You have to get there early to get a spot over summer. Instead I'd recommend the Little River Campground. Stay in nature, not a carpark, beside a small river, sheltered and safe, free wifi and travel advice. Only 60 minutes from Christchurch and 30 to Akaroa- (which can be too touristy and a bit over rated).

Quiet and perfectly situated. Self-contained, bit see there are toilets several hundred meters away. Cruised in around 5:30 amd snagged the last spot available (although I suspect someone may have just left).

Behind the boat compound but right at the harbour, toilets several hundred metres away but clean. Filled up around 4, Close to town, worth stopping - free!!!

Parking in the marina, limited spaces, fills up quickly. Toilets in the adjacent parking lot. Convenient.

Make sure you are here early as there are limited spaces and it's popular. About half the spaces are supposed to be available until 3 because they are set aside for bus parking, but when we were there this didn't seem to be enforced. Council comes nightly to check self contained stickers. Good phone signal and 3 min walk to a bathroom.

Best location in a beautiful town

A nice spot next to the seafront. We arrived around 2 pm and there was only one spot left. Two other spots were available but marked as parking spaces for buses between 10 am and 4 pm. In the evening a security officer came to check the self-contained vignette, the number of vehicles and the number of nights spent by taking the vehicle registration plates. Someone already present the previous day told us that another officer had already passed the previous evening.

Parking spots are already taken around 15:10 today. LMFAO Stay safe travellers

Arrived at 1:45pm and already full!

Public toilet about 400m walk away We arrived at 3:30pm and out of the roughly 15 spots there was only 3 left