ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Why You Must Visit Fabulous Nelson, New Zealand.

Updated on February 24, 2020
Victoria Hannah profile image

I love to write about and photograph places I have visited, discuss these with like-minded people and find out their perspective also.

Picton to Nelson

If you decide to cross the Cook Strait from Wellington by ferry, relishing the glorious Marlborough Sounds in the process, you must continue to enhance the senses and make a couple of small diversions after arriving in Picton.

Blenheim is a 25 minute drive south into the Marlborough wine growing region close to Cloudy Bay; there are so many wine tours you can do, by car, coach or bike if you want to spend a few days in this lovely city. The men will absolutely love the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre which has WWI&WWII memorabilia; Blenheim City is an easy place to walk around and enjoy the beautiful parks.

The next stop en route to Nelson is Havelock, via Springlands to pick up some huge juicy cherries, and again it is only a 30 minute drive north from Blenheim. Mussels are another delectable product of this region and they are both fresh and mouthwatering!

I am actually allergic to shellfish; I found that out the hard way whilst living in England in the 1980s. I had eaten a plate of mussels in Bath and did not realise they were not very fresh; after arriving back home to London I suddenly became seriously ill and the doctor had to come late in the evening to give me an injection to stop me being sick. Over the period of 7 days I lost over 1/2 stone in weight, that was nearly 30 years ago and has being inscribed in my memory bank permanently. Suffice to say I did have a slight hesitation before my friend and I ordered a kilo of mussels each for a late lunch, but she did assure me they were exceedingly fresh! They were so fat, we nearly couldn't fit one mussel in our mouth, consequently we were both slightly seedy afterwards, especially since I wasn't driving, I helped them down with a delicious local beer; but at least I wasn't sick and they were divine.




Delicious Food

Huge juicy cherries from Springlands
Huge juicy cherries from Springlands | Source
1 kilo plate of mussels each at Havelock
1 kilo plate of mussels each at Havelock | Source

Nelson City and Cable Bay

The drive from Havelock to Nelson is approximately 50 minutes through beautiful undulating countryside. I was last in this city in my early twenties, but I do remember it being a quiet, sunny and a 'nice little place' to visit. Nelson is hastily becoming a hot spot to live in, partly due to its temperate climate and, because it is slightly cheaper...but not for long. Its population has grown partly due to an influx from Auckland which has become a very expensive place to live, primarily since winning the America's Cup in 1995 which I might proudly add is currently held again by New Zealand...next series is to be held in 2021. Hmmm...now I digress, the America's Cup has a slightly murky history between New Zealand and the USA... but we won't discuss that here!

Nelson is a very different city now, it has its own vibrancy and is slowly gaining a classy affluence which certainly wasn't there years ago, it has become such a beautiful environment in which to live and visit. This time my visit was during Christmas/New Year 2019/20 and I stayed with a good friend whom I used to work with in Sydney. Like me, she has escaped the stress and dissatisfaction of fashion in Sydney; we are both now transitioning our careers into our first loves, mine is writing and art; hers is dog trials/training and gardens. How different from fashion can that be?

The centre of the city is very easy to navigate with a diverse selection of very good restaurants, quality boutiques and souvenir shops, including my friend's and my favourite, quirky Op shops. The designer in me is always on the hunt for large size natural fibre, offbeat print dresses I can unpick and re-design! We have had many a screeching halt in the car when we see an Op shop driving along.

The WOW Museum is an absolute must to visit, the World Of Wearable Art exhibition used to be held in Nelson every year but is now held in Wellington although the museum's permanent home is Nelson. Not only does it exhibit innovative clothes designs but literally next door is the most comprehensive collection of classic cars. The Mustangs and Thunderbirds are sublime!

The warm ambiance of the city is complemented by tree lined streets, restaurants and cafés serving luscious local produce almost everywhere; the local Nelson beer is so delish.

Galleries always enrich a city and the Suter Gallery certainly does that for Nelson, it sits within the Queens Gardens and a gentle river nearby beckons you to sit down and enjoy the surroundings. I spent a couple of hours by the water indulging in the peace and doing some photography whilst listening to the native birds in the trees. I miss the sound of New Zealand birds such as the Tui and Kakapo living in Australia; a wonderful aspect about New Zealand is that you can sit anywhere on the grass and nothing is going to eat you! No snakes, which terrifies the life out of me living in Sydney.

Cable Bay is another glorious place to visit from Nelson; it is an easy 30 minute drive north from the city although as you get closer to the beach the winding roads have a speed limit of 100km, very hard to understand why, so it can be a little hair raising. The beach itself is very stony so you have to wear shoes until you reach the sandy section very close to the water's edge but the real enjoyment of this bay is climbing the hill at the end of the walkway. The view over the beach and ocean is stunning; take a picnic up there and sit under the shelter to enjoy the space and quiet.



The City, Suter Gallery and WOW.

Click thumbnail to view full-size
Nelson City centreNelson City centreNelson City centreNelson City centreIdyllic river just outside Nelson City centreRiver through Nelson CityThe entrance to the WOW Museum's home in NelsonAmazing costume designs inside the WOW MuseumThe entrance to the Classic Cars at WOWClassic cars at WOWA gorgeous Mustang at WOWParts & Services restaurant in Nelson City. The food is sublime and the local beer just quenches the soulThe entrance to Queens Gardens beside the Suter GalleryInside the Suter GalleryCable BayClimbing up from Cable BayA wonderful place for a picnicOverlooking Cable Bay while the tide has receded
Nelson City centre
Nelson City centre | Source
Nelson City centre
Nelson City centre | Source
Nelson City centre
Nelson City centre | Source
Nelson City centre
Nelson City centre | Source
Idyllic river just outside Nelson City centre
Idyllic river just outside Nelson City centre | Source
River through Nelson City
River through Nelson City | Source
The entrance to the WOW Museum's home in Nelson
The entrance to the WOW Museum's home in Nelson | Source
Amazing costume designs inside the WOW Museum
Amazing costume designs inside the WOW Museum | Source
The entrance to the Classic Cars at WOW
The entrance to the Classic Cars at WOW | Source
Classic cars at WOW
Classic cars at WOW | Source
A gorgeous Mustang at WOW
A gorgeous Mustang at WOW | Source
Parts & Services restaurant in Nelson City. The food is sublime and the local beer just quenches the soul
Parts & Services restaurant in Nelson City. The food is sublime and the local beer just quenches the soul | Source
The entrance to Queens Gardens beside the Suter Gallery
The entrance to Queens Gardens beside the Suter Gallery | Source
Source
Inside the Suter Gallery
Inside the Suter Gallery | Source
Cable Bay
Cable Bay | Source
Climbing up from Cable Bay
Climbing up from Cable Bay | Source
A wonderful place for a picnic
A wonderful place for a picnic | Source
Overlooking Cable Bay while the tide has receded
Overlooking Cable Bay while the tide has receded | Source

Picton to Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park

Mapua and Kaiteriteri Beach

The drive from Nelson to Abel Tasman National Park takes about 2.25 hours but don't go too late in the day because the car park can get full fast. This is a wonderful area for climbing, kayaking and sailing; the natural beauty of this region brings in hundreds of tourists all times of the year. We had intentions of climbing the day we drove out there but it was unbearably hot so decided to head back to the very beautiful Kaiteriteri Beach, an immensely popular holiday destination a 1 hour drive from Nelson.

Another splendid place to visit is Mapua a 30 minute drive out of Nelson; it is quite touristy but the shops have a classy feel to them, all with tempting, locally produced products set against a backdrop of fabulous cafés on the water. There was a South American band playing while we were there, and for a few hours we thoroughly enjoyed our friends and an appetising lunch at the Jellyfish Café and Bar sitting on a verandah overlooking the scene. The ambiance with everyone enjoying themselves was sheer magic.





Relaxing In Beautiful Surroundings and Fabulous Food

Click thumbnail to view full-size
South American band playing at MapuaFabulous views from MapuaEnjoying the view from Jelly fish Café at MapuaOur lunch was scrumptiousThe young ones often dive from the boardwalkKaiteriteri BeachKaiteriteri BeachKaiteriteri BeachPōhutukawaPōhutkawa on Kaiteriteri Beach
South American band playing at Mapua
South American band playing at Mapua | Source
Fabulous views from Mapua
Fabulous views from Mapua | Source
Enjoying the view from Jelly fish Café at Mapua
Enjoying the view from Jelly fish Café at Mapua | Source
Our lunch was scrumptious
Our lunch was scrumptious | Source
The young ones often dive from the boardwalk
The young ones often dive from the boardwalk | Source
Kaiteriteri Beach
Kaiteriteri Beach | Source
Kaiteriteri Beach
Kaiteriteri Beach | Source
Kaiteriteri Beach
Kaiteriteri Beach | Source
Pōhutukawa
Pōhutukawa | Source
Pōhutkawa on Kaiteriteri Beach
Pōhutkawa on Kaiteriteri Beach | Source

Upper Moutere and Motueka

Motueka and Upper Moutere are absolutely fabulous places where you really must indulge a bit of time. My friend has relatives with a small farm in Upper Moutere so I finally got to feed some lambs; I was ecstatic! The countryside around here is sublime, it is so incredibly beautiful that photos cannot do it justice. We were driving along Neudorf Road in Upper Moutere when I just screamed at my friend to stop; the most beautiful old house was situated right on the main road. It is a very well known place called Wyperserfontein and is completely derelict but also unbelievably beautiful. The town is small but as with a lot of places I have visited in this part of the country, it is no hick town. There are some beautiful galleries here but they are certainly upmarket, especially Katie Gold and Owen Bartlett's Clay Gallery. I have wanted to see this studio for a long time and it did not disappoint at all. I love Katie Gold's work, she is so talented and her designs are exquisite; the studio is definitely worth a visit especially if you are an artist.

My absolute favourite place to visit aside from Nelson is Motueka, I love this gorgeous town. We went to the Motueka Markets on Sunday morning which are fabulous, they have such a diverse selection of food, quirky clothes, classy souvenir products and skin care ranges, absolutely nothing tacky at all. After this we went to Blooms Café on the High Street to have a superb lunch.

I enjoyed my stay with my friend immensely in Nelson, there is so much variety of things to do and of course Kiwis are so friendly!


Beautiful Old Architecture, Lambs and Delectable Food

Click thumbnail to view full-size
A very old building next to Clay Gallery in Upper MoutereKatie Gold's beautiful pottery at Clay Gallery in Upper Moutere Clay Gallery groundsWyperserfontein on Neudorf Road, Upper MoutereWyperserfontein in Upper Moutere, this is just beautifulMy watercolour painting of WyperserfonteinFeeding lambs on a friend's property...heaven!Sunday Motueka MarketsSunday Motueka Markets, parking is at a premium when they are onMotueka High StreetLunch at the fabulous Blooms CaféBlooms Café, this is a very popular place to eatEntrance to Blooms Café in High Street, Motueka
A very old building next to Clay Gallery in Upper Moutere
A very old building next to Clay Gallery in Upper Moutere | Source
Katie Gold's beautiful pottery at Clay Gallery in Upper Moutere
Katie Gold's beautiful pottery at Clay Gallery in Upper Moutere | Source
Clay Gallery grounds
Clay Gallery grounds | Source
Wyperserfontein on Neudorf Road, Upper Moutere
Wyperserfontein on Neudorf Road, Upper Moutere | Source
Wyperserfontein in Upper Moutere, this is just beautiful
Wyperserfontein in Upper Moutere, this is just beautiful | Source
My watercolour painting of Wyperserfontein
My watercolour painting of Wyperserfontein | Source
Feeding lambs on a friend's property...heaven!
Feeding lambs on a friend's property...heaven! | Source
Sunday Motueka Markets
Sunday Motueka Markets | Source
Sunday Motueka Markets, parking is at a premium when they are on
Sunday Motueka Markets, parking is at a premium when they are on | Source
Motueka High Street
Motueka High Street | Source
Lunch at the fabulous Blooms Café
Lunch at the fabulous Blooms Café | Source
Blooms Café, this is a very popular place to eat
Blooms Café, this is a very popular place to eat | Source
Entrance to Blooms Café in High Street, Motueka
Entrance to Blooms Café in High Street, Motueka | Source

© 2020 Victoria Hannah

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)