Nelson is by far one of my favorite cities in New Zealand (so far). Even so, I’ve maybe spent a combined total of two weeks here and half that time was stormy. But! That means I know how to make the most of limited time and experience the perfect day in Nelson.
Depending on what you like, you can spend more time on some of these stops or cut out some altogether. Everyone’s perfect day looks a little different, so treat my advice here as a jumping off point.
Start at the Tower On a Hill
One of the most notable buildings in Nelson’s skyline is the Christ Church Cathedral. You certainly won’t miss it with its tall stone tower already sitting on the only hill in Nelson central.
I recommend walking up the first section of stairs and choosing one of the side paths around the hill to start. The paths are shaded and have beautiful landscaping so you can experience a bit of nature in the city. This will lead you to the front of the church where you can either pass right by or pop in for a peek. Children can visit for free, but adults are asked to make a donation.
Make your way back to the main stairs to see over bustling Trafalgar Street and onto the bay in the distance.Take the stairs down to head into Trafalgar Street for a bite to eat.
Head to the Market (Saturdays Only)
Obviously, most travelers don’t have that much control over their schedule to determine a specific day of the week to visit specific sites. But! If you do happen to be in the area for longer or coincidentally made your Nelson stop on a Saturday, you’re in luck!
By far one of my favorite things to do in Nelson is go to their Saturday market in Montgomery Square. Filled with food, crafts, artisans, plants, and more, you can spend 30 minutes to an hour fueling up on some delicious treats and finding some souvenirs to take home.
The market runs from 8am to 1pm year round so it’s the perfect way to start your perfect day in Nelson.
No Market? No Problem
If the market isn’t on while you’re there, fret not! There’s plenty of places to snag breakfast downtown. Trafalgar Street, Hardy Street, and Bridge Street are packed with restaurants and shops with both indoor and outdoor seating.
Try a cute restaurant like Sweet As, a cafe like the Baker’s Coffee Shop, or any of the dozens of eateries in the area.
Take some time to do some window shopping while exploring central Nelson, but unless you’re staying nearby, you might not want to weigh yourself down for your day in Nelson!
While you’re still downtown, grab some food for a picnic lunch for later!
A Free Treat for Art Fans
The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū is a small free gallery on Bridge Street that offers a local and intimate art experience for visitors. They’re often rotating exhibitions so you’re bound to see something new when you visit!
This is one of the oldest art galleries in New Zealand, so it has a rich history in Nelson. Their focus today is on contemporary art with both a permanent collection and rotating exhibitions.
There is also, as luck (or good planning) would have it, a cafe that looks over our next stop for a pretty beautiful mealtime view.
If It’s Good Enough for a Queen, It’s Good Enough for Me
From downtown, start heading west on either Hardy Street or Bridge Street until you see the gates for the Queen’s Garden. If you’re coming from Suter, then simply look to your right. This is a little slice of natural paradise in Nelson and makes for an easy stroll.
There’s a lake nestled in it, statues scattered throughout, a rose garden, dedicated fern section, and (my favorite) Huangshi Garden. Huangshi is Nelson’s city sister in China and this garden celebrates that partnership. Over a picturesque bridge, Huangshi Garden is a walled garden with its own pond and gazebo. You feel like you’ve just been transported to another continent!
You can either loop around the garden or simply meander your way to the other side. If you exit on Bridge Street, take a right and go down the pedestrian walkway to the side of the bridge to enjoy a riverside walk to Hardy Street. If you exit on Hardy Street, take a left and follow the signs for Centre of NZ across the pedestrian bridge.
Up, Up to the Center of New Zealand
On the other end of the Botanical Reserve (where New Zealand’s first rugby match was played and currently acts as a playground to all the local dogs), you’ll find the start of the trail up to the Centre of New Zealand. Follow the signs to wind your way up the shaded switch back trail. As you huff your way to the top, remind yourself of how good the views will be.
The walk up takes about 20 minutes and you can either add on a short detour to see the kauri tree or head straight up. At the top, there’s a huge needle structure marking the geographical center of New Zealand used by surveyors in the 1800s.
There’s a nice platform with some seating, so it’s a nice place to eat that picnic you packed earlier (remember that?) and enjoy the panoramic views over Nelson and Tasman Bay. On a clear (or even mostly clear) day, you can even see the mountains of Abel Tasman National Park across the bay!
Is it New Zealand If You Don’t See Sheep?
Looking for more views over the bay? Want to make the most of the effort you put in to get that high up? Head part way back down the track, but instead of turning to head back to the botanical reserve, keep straight and follow the signs for Sir Stanley Whitehead Track/Park.
This track runs through active grazing fields so you’ll probably encounter some sheep along the way. Because it’s grazing land, you don’t get many trees blocking your view so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. The full track takes about 45 minutes and if you follow the signs to Atawhai Drive, will drop you off right in front of the next stop (once again, spectacular planning).
A Blast From the Past
Welcome to Founders Heritage Park! This is the only stop that has an admission fee (currently NZ$11.50 for an adult), so if you’re tight on cash, this would be the one to cut. It also closes at 4:30pm so participation may depend on how long you spent on the activities leading up to here. Or how late your day started.
No judgment, we’ve all been there.
It’s also the stop I will give the biggest disclaimer to. Many of the buildings may be closed in the off-peak season (which seems to be anytime except the peak of summer). The train ride along the water only runs on weekends and public holidays, and has an additional fee because it’s run by someone other than the founders park.
It was cool to see some of the town’s history as well as actual tools from the past few centuries. You can read about individual stories and how the community changed and shaped itself over time. If you love transportation, they have trains, buses, and planes galore! The Founders Cafe inside is cute and a great spot to grab a pick me up drink and bite to eat.
Overall, it’s a nice little stop for an hour or so, but if you’re not in peak season and don’t want to spend the money, you can keep walking past this stop to our next one.
More Gardens? Yes, Please
A little ways from the Founders Heritage Park lies our next stop: the Miyazu Japanese Garden. Can you tell I’m a sucker for a good garden?
Like the Huangshi Garden, this Japanese garden is also tied to one of Nelson’s sister cities: Miyazu. Tucked between the Whitehead Bluffs and the sea, Miyazu Garden is a tranquil rest stop for visitors. There are a few ponds with wildlife to watch with bridges and stepping stones to transport you from one side to the next.
There’s a pondside pavilion that provides a nice shaded place to sit while listening to the water features and watching the ducks swim along. There’s also a sand garden and stone lanterns guiding your way.
Time to Wind Down
It’s about a 30 minute walk back to the city center from here, but you’ll have worked up quite the appetite for dinner. Central Nelson has plenty of pubs and restaurants (and, I’m surprised to say, at least one nightclub) that come alive at night. It will feel like a completely new city from the morning.
There is a lot of diversity in the cuisine you can find in Nelson to satisfy whatever craving you have. Jay’s Dumplings offers a wide selection of delicious dumplings for guests. Little India is my most-visited restaurant in Nelson by far and has never disappointed me. I’ve even met the owner’s parents around town!
For every place I’ve been, there’s dozens more restaurants I wish I could try. Follow your heart (and stomach) to find the perfect spot to spend the end of your perfect day in Nelson.
Then cheers to yourself and get ready for your next adventure!
Got More time?
If you have time to spend more than a day in Nelson and Tasman Bay, I encourage you to do it! With an extra day you can spend time at Tahunanui Beach (also a fantastic place to see the sunset).
You can head to a more local spot on Rabbit Island/Motorua about 30 minutes from Nelson for a long stretch of beach surrounded by pine trees. In the other direction, Cable Bay is about 30 minutes north of Nelson and has some tracks as well as a beautiful beach to enjoy.
Fan of peanut butter? Pic’s Peanut Butter World is just down the road in Stoke.
You can also explore Abel Tasman National Park which is about an hour’s drive away. There are a lot of activities available in the area so even if you only have a few hours, you can still visit this stunning sanctuary.
Have you visited Nelson? What was your favorite part? Anything I’m missing? Let me know in the comments below!
