Nelson works well for families because many of the best stops are cheap or free for young children, and the beach, a wildlife park and a pest-free sanctuary sit close together. This page groups the options by age. Prices are in New Zealand dollars (NZD), and hours change through the year, so check each place before you leave. Under 5 Most paid attractions are free for toddlers. Natureland, Hounsell Circle, Tahunanui Beach Reserve, opens daily from 9:30 to 16:30.

Couples come to Nelson for long lunches, cellar doors, a wharf at sunset and a day on Abel Tasman water. This page sorts the options by mood rather than by place, so you can build a weekend around how you want to feel. Prices are in New Zealand dollars (NZD), and several venues change their hours with the season, so book ahead and confirm times. Slow and indulgent Dinner on the waterfront.

Nelson has guided walks and plenty of free self-guided routes, so you can choose a walk by how much time you have. The list below runs from a short city stroll to a full-day coastal hike. Prices are in New Zealand dollars (NZD). Tracks can close for weather, fire risk or farm work, so check Nelson City Council and DOC notices before you set out. If you want a guide Sunny Nelson Tours runs a Nelson City Walking Tour and a shorter outing called Nelson in a Nutshell.

Three of the best multi-day trips near Nelson are walks with huts that need booking, and a fourth is a long bike ride on a purpose-built trail. Pick by how many days you have: three to five for the Abel Tasman, four to seven for the Heaphy or Travers-Sabine, and five or more for the road loop. All fees below are in New Zealand dollars (NZD). Check DOC alerts for the week you go, since storms and floods have closed sections before.

Nelson packs a good deal of sightseeing into a small centre, and the order you do it in depends on the weather. Start with the indoor stops if it is wet, then save the viewpoints and shorelines for clear hours. Prices are in New Zealand dollars (NZD). Check opening times before you go, because some places close on public holidays. Wet-day stops in the centre The Suter Art Gallery, 208 Bridge Street, opens every day from 9:30 to 16:30 and entry is free by koha (donation).

Nelson is easiest to enjoy when you match each plan to the day of the week, because several favourites only open on certain days. All prices are New Zealand dollars (NZD) and cards work almost everywhere. Rain, tides and slips can close roads and tracks, so look at DOC alerts and NZTA Journeys before you drive Takaka Hill or head onto a walking track. What opens on which day Day What is on Monday to Friday Pic’s Peanut Butter World tours in Stoke (booking needed) Wednesday Nelson Farmers’ Market, 8:00 to 13:00 Wednesday to Sunday Brook Waimarama Sanctuary, 10:00 to 16:00 Saturday Nelson Market, Montgomery Square, 8:00 to 13:00 Every day Skydiving, canyoning and the Skywire, weather allowing The farmers’ market sits at 23 Halifax Street beside Elma Turner Library.

The organised outings around Nelson fall into three lengths: a couple of hours in town, a half day on the water, and a full day that needs an early start. This page sorts them that way. Prices are in New Zealand dollars (NZD), and the figures taken from resellers are marked “about” because operators set their own rates by date. Two hours or less Nelson Classic Car Museum is at 1 Cadillac Way, Annesbrook, and opens daily from 10:00 to 16:00 except Christmas Day.

Nelson sits at the top of the South Island, so the best days out go by road, boat or track into the three nearby national parks. The trips below run from the easiest outing to the one that really wants an overnight stay. Check DOC alerts and NZTA Journeys the week you travel, because flood and slip repairs have affected both roads and tracks. Easiest: Mapua Wharf and Rabbit Island Mapua Wharf is the gentlest half day.