When we visited New Zealand last spring, we started our 12 day adventure in Nelson on the north side of the country’s south island. Nelson certainly doesn’t get the most hype on lists of cities to visit in New Zealand, but don’t let that stop you! Not only are there some fun things to do nearby, but it’s a great jumping off point for day trips.
Here are some of the top things to do in Nelson and the surrounding areas:
Must Do in Nelson, New Zealand:
Queen’s Gardens
Our flight arrived in Nelson in the morning and we couldn’t check in to our Airbnb for awhile so we picked up the rental car and got right to exploring. Our first stop was the Queen’s Gardens located in Nelson’s downtown. It’s a quiet park that’s perfect for a stroll or even a picnic if you have the time.
The Suter Art Galley is adjacent to the Queen’s Gardens and it’s free to visit. There’s also a cafe overlooking the Gardens.
Visit Nearby Wineries
There are more than a dozen wineries in the Nelson Tasman region, many with tasting rooms (called cellar doors in New Zealand). Our favorite was Gravity Cellars (pictured above) which offers a spectacular view from its outdoor seating area, wines from six wineries, and a variety of food. Other popular Nelson cellar doors are Neudorf Vineyards, Moutere Hills, and Heaphy.
Don’t Forget Craft Beer!
Nelson is not just a wine region; there are lots of beer options as well! Among the breweries on the Nelson craft beer trail are Golden Bear, Hop Farm, Hop Federation, and Eddyline. With our limited time in Nelson, we tried some local beers, but didn’t get a chance to visit any of the breweries themselves.
Fun fact: Eddyline originated in our current home of Colorado, and the owners later expanded it to NZ! We’ve had the Colorado beer but didn’t get a chance to try it in Nelson.
Check Out Nelson’s Downtown
Downtown Nelson may be small but it packs a lot in. We only spent a couple hours wandering the downtown with our schedule. But with numerous art galleries, shops, restaurants, bars, there’s definitely enough to find something that interests you.
Wander the Miyazu Japanese Garden
The Miyazu Japanese Garden is just a couple minute’s outside of downtown and celebrate’s Nelson’s sister city –you guessed it– Miyazu. The garden pathways take you over a lily-pad covered pond and bridge, surrounded by a trees and bamboo. There’s also a small tea house. It won’t take you long to wander but it’s a peaceful detour if you have the time while in Nelson.
Pic’s Peanut Butter World
I’ll be honest, this one was on so many Nelson to-do lists, but we were totally underwhelmed! We didn’t take the tour (maybe we missed something there?) and found it basically just a gift shop. There is a cafe counter with baked goods and beverages that’s open to the public.
Have a Drink at the Oldest Pub in New Zealand
The Moutere Inn is the oldest pub in New Zealand in its original building. And it’s only about 30 minutes from Nelson! The pub has more than a dozen rotating beers from around the country and all the wine is sourced within 10km, according to the Inn’s website. Driving a camper van around New Zealand? They allow one-night stays in their parking lot, first-come, first-served!
Shop for Local Products at The Junction
On your way back to Nelson from wine tasting, hopefully you’ll be stocked with wine and ready for some cheese to pair with it! If so, we recommend The Junction Cheese Shop for a variety of local products: cheese, jams, honey, crackers, etc. After a long day of hiking (next recommendation on this list), we took these goodies back to our rental and had a charcuterie and wine dinner rather than going out.
Things To Do Nearby Nelson, New Zealand:
Hike Abel Tasman National Park
Abel Tasman National Park is such a must-do we wrote a whole post about it! In fact, this hike ended up being one of my top activities during our 12 days in New Zealand (though there were SO many highlights). The national park is a bit “off-the-beaten path,” about an hour drive from Nelson and requiring a water taxi. If you want to do the Anchorage to Marahau via Abel Tasman Coast Track (like we did), you’ll need to dedicate at least a day. Many people stay in the park for multi-day hikes, as well.
Sip Wine in the Marlborough Wine Region
The wine in Nelson is delicious, but the wine in Marlborough is some of New Zealand’s most famous! And being only about an hour and half from Nelson, it’s definitely worth the day trip to visit the Marlborough wine region. Just make sure you have a designated driver, of course!
Our favorite winery (we visited four) was Bladen Wines. The tasting experience was by far the most intimate and educational. It’s a family affair and the owner’s son, Blair, guided our tasting. We also visited the cellar doors for Nautilus, Forrest, and Huia, but there are many options to choose from.
Have Lunch in the Greenshell Mussel Capital of the World
You know we LOVE kitschy roadside attractions like the World’s Largest Prairie Dog in South Dakota or the opportunity to Stand on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona like the Eagles song. So, of course, we had to stop for lunch in the Greenshell Mussel Capital of the World: Havelock! There are several restaurants to choose from. We ordered from the counter at Mills Bay (near the marina) and sat outside to eat.
And that’s the Nelson highlights!
We only spent three nights in Nelson (two were day trips for Abel Tasman + Marlborough) so I’m sure there’s plenty we missed. Have a suggestion? We’d love to hear it! Comment below.
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