For the best fries in Southland you can’t go past East Gore Takeaways. Their fries are award winning, and don’t get me started on their fresh fish! A great place to head if you just can’t be bothered cooking.

Hungry Hound has a lot to offer, including some of the tastiest fries around. They also do a mean hamburger, coupled with decent coffee and other delicious cafe and takeaway food. A great pit stop for a hungry family on a road trip.

The Woodlands Tavern crew know how to spin a great yarn, and make an unforgettable basket of fries. Top this off with a fantastic beef burger, tasty local beer and you’ve got a great night out!

Valley Takeaways certainly know how to turn potatoes in amazing, mouth-watering fries. Their chips along with their fresh deep fried fish is famous in Southland, and will not leave your mouth feeling greasy at all!

For some people amazing hot chips are not enough. They need to have them with fish and Chinese food too! At Rosedale Ascot the fries are good enough to stand on their own, paired with the classic Watties sauce. Guaranteed to satisfy I would say!

There’s a lot to love about this Hokitika institution, not to mention their famous fries and wedges. They are perfectly salted and come with an array of sauces. My favourite meal on the menu is the Bar Basket featuring chicken tenders, pork lanterns, samosas, spring rolls, wedges and fries for $19.

For the best takeaway chips in Hokitika, there should be only one shop on your list of places to visit. Dulcies! There thick cut chips are delicious with Watties sauce and their famous fresh battered bluff oysters (when they’re in season, of course).

Making the best chips in Westport, PortSide is a must visit. Their fish and chip nights on Friday are a real treat and include golden battered fish with salad, fries and a house drink for just $20.

The home of fantastic chips, 39 Cafe Restaurants is one of my all time favourites. Their thick cut chips are always perfectly cooked and never too greasy - try dipping them into a seafood chowder for a delicious lunch option!

A fantastic Greymouth takeaway shop and milk bar, Santa Fe makes award winning chips. Fresh, delicious and not dripping in fat, this is a place worth visiting. You must try their amazing blue cod too!

I love Bodyworx because they know how to get you fit and stay healthy. The personal training programmes are some of the best on the West Coast and I love their pilates classes as way to tone up and slim down.

Want to get fit at home and away from public viewing? Then Gymstick maybe just the ticket for you. For only $30 this fitness stick will enable you to practice hundreds of different exercises to help you tone up and slim down.

Get your stretch on at Jivana Yoga Retreat. They specialise in toning and stretching your body into some classic yoga poses. Expect a lovely environment, surrounded by helpful teachers and lovely class mates!

Run by Naomi, a qualified yoga teacher, Yoga Vibes Greymouth specialises in Hatha Yoga which is one of the most widely taught versions. It’s a great way to reduce stress, calm the mind and get limber.

I love Xtreme for their fresh and flavoursome ice cream varieties. Expect classic flavours like vanilla and chocolate that will have you coming back for more.

Not only does Sweet Alice make the best fudge in town but she also makes the best ice cream in Hokitika. She also dabbles in ice cream sundaes and thick shakes with a select flavours which will tickle your tastebuds.

New World has everything you need for your ice cream requirements, including the finest brands and toppings like cream, chocolate and sprinkles!

Four Square is all about quality not quantity so expect only the finest ice cream here and it’s from Tip Top. I love the chocolate ice cream but it’s also hard to beat the hokey pokey!

Blue Ice Cafe has the best type of ice cream. This cafe serves their ice cream with lashings of cream, chocolate and hundreds and thousands (if you fancy it). Go for a thickshake if you want something on the go.

Deep South Ice Cream is the best! Their flavours are hard to beat, particularly the gourmet range featuring Rum and Raisin, Maple and Walnut, Cookies and Cream and Licorce.

ComplEat is a health shop and wellness clinic with a range of delicious organic produce, and ice cream! Although their ice cream is a little different … it’s by Little Island, a company which makes ice cream made of coconut milk. It’s delicious, good for you and good for the cows.

You’ve got to love New World Gore for their amazing and comprehensive selection of the finest ice creams, sorbets, gelatos and frozen yoghurts around. You can’t beat Tip Top on a hot Gore day!

Head to Pak’n Save if you’re on a budget but still want the luxury of high quality ice cream. Take your pick from Kapiti, Deep South, Tip Top, and many more classic Kiwi ice cream brands.

I love Four Square because they are all about classic Kiwi service, products and brands, including my favourite … Tip Top. Take your pick from the best flavours, including Goody Goody Gumdrops and chocolate. Oh yes!

Get fit, strong and work on your balance at btpilates. This particular clinic is great if you need to recover from an operation or are currently going through rehabilitation.

An amazing way to get fit and to maintenance your fitness is with a bootcamp, and if you’re lucky and live in Invercargill, then Bootcamp South will whip you into shape in no time! Great for all fitness levels.

YMCA has a lot of equipment and classes to get you fit before summer but my favourite is their pilates class. Tone up, lose weight and strengthen those muscles at YMCA.

Reap the amazing benefits of yoga at Yoga Centre Southland. Perfect for all levels and abilities, there is a class that is perfect for you. Be part of the yogi community where everyone is welcome and encouraged to push themselves just a little every class.

What’s not to love about yoga? It helps balance your body and mind and enables you to strengthen and lengthen your muscles while maintaining a toned physique. At Freedom Yoga you’ll achieve all this and more - I particularly love their community-focused vibe.