Travelling with a family is often done on a budget, and can be a very different-looking trip than you might do alone as adults. I thought it might be helpful to share my personal must-sees from my trip to Nelson New Zealand in January 2020 -as well as the costs- for anyone planning a trip of their own. Hope it’s helpful, and if you go, I’m jealous as I already want to return. It’s so good to get off social media, and get into nature in the Nelson bays and Golden Bay area and Abel Tasman National Park. We saw so many beautiful places, I thought I’d share some highlights with you to inspire you to plan a trip.
AUCKLAND TO NELSON
We flew Air NZ from Auckland to Nelson and the prices really vary for this but a good price is about $79 one way, up to $119 one way depending on peak season as off season it can be as low as $49 one way.
Airport parking
At Auckland Airport I used a new place that my brother had recommended to me called CarePark which cost $66.40 for ten days in their new years special and I found it incredibly professional and easy to use with a dedicated shuttle and offices with a customer lounge and toilets.
Car Rental
I researched a few small family car rentals and decided on Apex as I liked the full insurance with zero excess, for my peace of mind, and unlimited kilometres were free and extra drivers were free. It was $531 for 9 days hire of a Toyota Corolla mid size hatch. They give you an hour’s grace period to drop off or pick up either side of your booking. The only small downside of Apex was it was located offsite 1km down the road from Nelson Airport but they have a free shuttle you phone when you land to come get you and take you back at the end, which was fine.
NELSON CITY ACTIVITIES
MIDDLE OF NEW ZEALAND – free of charge
On top of the world! I’m atop the summit of this Nelson mountain, known as Middle of New Zealand, after a beautiful bush walk to the trig point at the geographical centre of NZ. It has beautiful views out to Nelson harbour and bays from the summit, as well as a tall sculpture for photos and information boards. It’s an easy walk for about twenty minutes or so and fine for primary school aged children to do.
MIYAZU JAPANESE GARDENS NELSON – free of charge
The Miyazu Garden celebrates Nelson’s relationship with its Japanese sister city of Miyazu, Japan, and was honestly one of the highlights for me of Nelson city. You enter through a gate made from old timber recycled from the port, to a world of reflective lily ponds, bamboo, cherry blossom, a house with a circular window (very popular on Instagram) and wooden and stone bridges.
WOW FASHION AWARDS AND CAR MUSEUM
WOW World of Wearable Art and Classic Cars Museum has 50 wearable art garments, alongside more than 140 veteran, vintage and classic cars in an unusual blend but one that is sure to please everyone. It was the most expensive attraction we visited ($58 per family of 4) but great value for so much to see and of such a high quality of exhibits.
MAPUA WHARF – free to visit the wharf
Mapua Wharf is a short drive on a turn off along the highway from Nelson to Motueka and definitely worth while with a quaint shopping village and restaurant area housed in old dockside buildings. The historical wharf was popular with kids jumping off it, and has a ferry ($7 I think) to a nearby small island for mountain bikers. The day was so hot I had to eat a fresh raspberry ice cream cone the size of my head, at Alberta’s Mapua Wharf, where you watch them make it from fresh berries in a machine that creates the soft freeze in front of you ($5). Incidentally the ice cream cost as much as my dress and scarf I just got at the op shop, funny but true. I love both purchases equally.
BERRY LANDS
A lovely idea for a family activity that doubles as a healthy snack, is a visit to pick your own berries at Berry Lands, at 108 Appleby Highway, Nelson. It’s a massive orchard with different fields of strawberries, boysenberries, raspberries to choose from. They give you trays at the office and weigh them at the end, ours were $15.30 for our 3 trays. You can also buy fresh berry icecreams at their cafe.
STOKE BREWERY
We visited McCashin’s brewery at Stoke in Nelson, the home of craft beer, and had to try their famous cider – it would’ve been rude not to 🙂 Loved the berry cider, delish. Tip – the kids burger at $10, pictured above, was as big as the adult burger which was $22. I often find this with kids’ meals, so big and so cheap.
TAKAKA HILLS HAWKES LOOKOUT – free of charge
From Nelson we drove over the Takaka hills and stopped on the way up to do a short hike at Hawkes Lookout. This carpark is located up Takaka hill on the left hand side just before the famous caves.
WAINUI FALLS – free of charge
Easily one of our best short walks in Abel Tasman, Wainui Falls Track has it all – nice and short for families to walk, lush native bush, weka birdlife, granite boulders on a stream bed, a swing bridge, and the stunning cascading Wainui Falls, the largest and most accessible falls in Golden Bay/Mohua.
You walk from the carpark, past granite boulders and over a suspension bridge which was a bit scary.
The walk was beautiful and easy for kids. We were joined by a little weka, and I took the cutest weka bottom-waddling video.
The waterfall at the end was absolutely beautiful. Apparently people swim, but it was pretty bracing, even in summer.
TOTARANUI BEACH
An idyllic day on Totaranui beach, the jewel of Abel Tasman National Park. The northern tip of Abel Tasman, Totaranui Beach campsite can hold 850 people in tents, no cabins, and is a great base for walks and hiking. On the downside it is a huge winding dusty road in and out.
Te Waikoro-pupū Springs
Te Waikoropupū Springs are the largest freshwater springs in New Zealand, the largest cold water springs in the Southern Hemisphere and contain some of the clearest water ever measured. It’s a peerless spot of natural beauty, and a national treasure. You can park at the entrance carpark and read the excellent information boards and walk the wooden track which is accessible for all.
FAREWELL SPIT
Farewell Spit is a narrow sand spit at the northern end of the Golden Bay, 20km from Collingwood. It stretches 34km long, making it one of the longest natural sandspits in the world. A wetland of international importance, it has been a bird sanctuary since the 1930’s and provides a home for over 90 bird species. You can hire tours to drive you to the end, or walk as far as you wish from the carpark; you can’t drive private vehicles on the spit.
WHARARIKI BEACH SEAL COLONY AND ARCH ROCK
At the top of the South Island 6km along a dirt road from Farewell Spit lies beautiful Wharariki beach. The massive sand dunes and white sandy beach has various caves, and rocky outcrops on the shore line with seal colonies. Arch Rock, just glimpsed beyond me to the right of the pic, is like Hole in the Rock.
We were lucky enough to have seen baby seals playing in the water here which was a fabulous memory for the children. Do stay well away from the seals for both their safety and your own.
You access the beach across a farmland walk from Wharariki carpark 6kms from Farewell Spit turnoff.
THE MUSSEL INN
NEUDORF VINEYARDS, MOUTERE
Neudorf Vineyards in Moutere has amazing wines plus a deli fridge of local food that you choose from and they bring it to you to enjoy on platters with this incredible grapevine and mountain view as well as the European buildings that look picture perfect for a wedding backdrop. It is producing fabulous wines, and was doing wine tastings for $10 with proceeds to Australia bush fire relief when we visited, very cool. Definitely check out Neudorf Vineyards if you’re in the area.
ST ARNAUD
You should go on a day hike or overnight hiking while in Abel Tasman region to enjoy the scenery at its best. We went hiking overnight to a DOC hut in the beech forest at Lake Rotoiti at St Arnaud, guided by my amazing friend Kalpana and family.
Stay at her cool Airbnb @themainlanders if you go to Motueka and she’ll give you sooo much great local information, plus you can get $50 off your first Airbnb stay anywhere in the world with this link as that’s always helpful https://www.airbnb.co.nz/c/meganr14770
We set off from St Arnaud lake on a 22km-return overnight hike with 5 children to Lakehead Hut and stayed in a DoC hut, which is $15 per adult.
A top tip from Kalpana is go in the St Arnaud church for the epic lake view above.
BETHANY PARK
We stayed at Bethany Park holiday park at Kaiteriteri Beach and it is by far the cleanest and most organised camp site I have ever stayed at in my life. It is a Christian holiday park – but you don’t have to be of any faith to stay there of course it is open to all – and it is ideal for families with free entertainment of movie nights, playgrounds, mountain bike tracks, a glow worm path, water slide, cooking facilities, a world class beach and the choice of cabins or sites for tents or caravans. We chose a tourist cabin for 4 which had a fridge, kettle and table and chairs in it which was $85 a night but you could pay more for an ensuite bathroom cabin.
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Words and photos, Megan Robinson. All opinions my own. All travel, food and accommodation paid for myself, not sponsored.
30 January 2020