Nelson Marlborough forWine and Food - Kayaking and Tramping Holidays!Nelson Marlborough is home to sunny Nelson City........which competes with its nearest neighbour sunny Blenheim in Marlborough, as to which town has the most sunshine hours annually for the whole of New Zealand.
Located at the top of the South Island, Nelson Marlborough is another very popular location for New Zealander’s to live. Nelson was New Zealand’s first city........by way of having a cathedral which was the determinant of a city in the 18th century. The cathedral is centrally located in this lovely harbourside city of 50,000. If you take the ferry from Wellington,you arrive at Picton. There is plenty of accommodation in Picton if you arrive late at night. If you arrive earlier you will probably prefer to travel at least some of the way toward your next stop. The drive through Havelock to Blenheim or Nelson, will give you a taste of the scenic beauty in this part of the country.
Havelock - Mussel Centre Marlborough’s Havelock is the Mussel Centre and you will find restaurants specialising in tasty mussel dishes. Try The Mussel Pot Restaurant for a delicious mussel treat! You can sit outside in the sun across from the water. It is a good place to have lunch en route to or from the Picton ferry . With Queen Charlotte Sound, Kenepuru Sound and Pelorous Sound where you can swim with dolphins....... you could spend some days exploring this gorgeous area. You can use water taxis to explore on the water. There are also kayaks for hire in several locations. There is a Greenshell Mussel Cruise through the inner section of Kenepuru and Pelorous Sounds, visiting a Green Shell Mussel Farm. The Marlborough Sounds have some stunning remote spots............with beautiful native bush including the beautiful rata – a red flowering tree similar to the northern pohutakawa.. The arms of the Sounds ..........often only accessed by boat........ make for some remote and very lovely places to explore. Blenheim is the centre of the wine area. Here you could spend a day or three touring the vineyards, or for an exercise- wine tasting combo do a bicycle vineyard tour tasting and eating your way around this area that has such an abundance of delicious fresh produce, fish and wines. Marlborough Wine Trail covers more than 40 vineyards for you to work your way around. Detour to the Makana Chocolate factory for a sweet treat . Nelson is reknowned as a fruit growing district , and has the largest fishing port in Australasia. Attracting a wide variety of arts and crafts artists........it was here that Jens Hansen made “The Ring” for The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. You can see the prototype in his studio.
The Wearable Arts Museum is a fascinating look at innovative artistic creations and a Classic Car Museum. The Wearable Arts Show originated from Nelson....but grew so large with many international participants, it was moved to Wellington. The clothes .............often made from rubbish...... are truly amazing. In summer you can pick fresh berries at Richmond. It is also a wonderful area to experience many outdoor activities. Have a look at the You Tube Video for inspiration!
Nelson Marlborough BeachesThere are beautiful golden sand beaches –
The northern most tip of the South Island........ the trip to the lighthouse is a fantastic experience. With a gannet colony and godwits nesting in the sands, the eco tours which started delivering mail to the lighthouse keeper, is a highly recommended tour. The tours start from Collingwood..............a small historic town in this area where goldmining was once the main industry. Takaka Hill You must traverse the hill to get to the Golden Bay/Farewell Spit area.Takaka is the main town for Golden Bay and caters to tourists wanting to enjoy the area. You will find a good choice of accommodation from backpackers to B&B’s . This park is famous for its magnificent scenery ....... and enjoyed by either bush hikers or kayakers. There are several kayak hire companies and you can either do a kayak tour or paddle independently. You do need to book, as the accommodation is limited. If time is short you can kayak one way and get a water taxi back. We took 3-4 days kayaking the Abel Tasman but there are also shorter tours where you can just cover a small area. St Arnaud – Nelson Lakes This beautiful Lakes area is another lovely location for bush walks, and alpine activities. If you are travelling across to the West Coast, travelling via the Nelson Lakes is a good route to take. Hiking and Tramping TracksHeaphy TrackThis area has a plethora of tramping tracks from short walks to the 78 kilometre Heaphy Track.....part of Kahurangi National Park...... Heaphy Track takes 4-6 days to hike, ending up at Karamea at the tip of the West Coast. CLICK HERE for Guided Walks If you haven’t got a lot of time try , do at least one or two short walks to experience the bush and natural beauty. Murchison - Buller River and Gorge If you are looking for some white water rafting the Buller Riverwill give you some excitement. Trout fishing is also excellent here. You can walk the swing bridge – New Zealand’s longest and explore the historic gold mining area. Nelson Marlborough Adrenaline ActivitiesIf you are looking for some excitement try some of the more extreme sports
Nelson Marlborough FestivalsThere are several annual Nelson Marlborough Festivals....... from Jazz to Wine ....... Nelson has always had a strong music following.You could plan your trip to coincide with.
AccommodationBecause Nelson Marlborough is such a popular holiday location for New Zealander’s as well as tourists, you have the full spectrum of possible accommodation.This includes everything from
Nelson Marlborough WineriesMany well known New Zealand wineries are found in Marlborough. Pick up a Wineart Trail Map or The Top of the South Wine Guide from the airport, Information Offices, or any wineries and take yourself on a guided tour.Or if you are doing a New Zealand Wine trail you could use The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail which starts in Hastings in the North Island. These tours also include gourmet food, farmers markets and the full wine/foodie experience! There are also several companies offering Wine Tours CLICK HERE to read more about Nelson Marlborough Wineries and Wines.
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