√ Cable Bay : - The lovely landscape is ample reward for the difficult drive from Nelson northwards to Cable Bay, with its fine beach, and on via Rai Valley to the idyllic Croisilles Harbour. People who are more adventurous may drive on to Admiralty Bay and the strongpoint at French Pass.

√ Founders Park : - 2 Kms north of Nelson town center is Founders Park, an open-air museum in which various buildings of the Victorian period are displayed.

√ Mount Richmond Forest Park : - The densely wooded and beautiful Mount Richmond Forest Park extends to the south and east of Nelson, over the hills of the Richmond Range and down into the valley of the Wairau River.

√ Suter Art Gallery : - The Suter Art Gallery was founded by Bishop Suter in 1889. It has an excellent collection of paintings, with works by Woollaston, Gully, Lindauer, Van der Velden, Hodgkins and Richmond.

√ Princess Drive : - From Princess Drive, the road to the Davis Lookout, there are a series of fine views.

→ Multi-day walks in the Park : - Start from either Marahau or Wainui (in Golden Bay). Choose to stay in a tent (you can hire one from here) or in the DOC huts. The park is beautiful but if you have the time we highly recommend that you spend an extra night and see the Northern part.

→ Nelson's Saturday Market : - There is good quality hand made goods plus lots of fruit, veggie and different foods. There is a Sunday morning market, which mainly comprises of second hand goods. If you are after clothes or a book you are bound to get a bargain here.

→ Bone Carving : - A one-day workshop where you choose the design you want to make and then get help to create your masterpiece. Highly recommended by all.

→ One Day Kayak : - An early start means more excitement and longer hours to kayak in the vast ridges and drivers across Nelson.

♣ Arts and Music

Nelson has a vibrant local music and arts scene and is known nationwide for its culturally idiosyncratic craftsmen and women. These include Potters, Glass Blowers (Fibre Spectrum Handweavers & Fibre Artists' Studio and dozens of Wood carvers using native New Zealand Southern beech and exotic macrocarpa.

♣ Festivals

The Taste Nelson festival at Founders Park highlights this region's fare, the Festival of Opportunities features alternative health and lifestyle possibilities, and while the Suter International Film Festival screens 20 non-Hollywood films in late May to June every year and it attracts a lot of tourists.

The annual kite flying festival also attracts the attention of the tourists as well as the nationals for this extravagant event.

♣ Parks and Zoo

Nelson has a large number and variety of public parks and reserves.

Natureland Zoological Park is a small zoological facility close to Tahunanui Beach. The facility was popular with children, where they could closely approach wallabies, monkeys, meerkats, llamas and alpacas, Kune Kune pigs, otters, and peacocks. There are also turtles, tropical fish and a walk through aviary. Although the zoo nearly closed in 2008, the Orana Wildlife Trust took over its running instead.

In the city of Nelson, visitors are welcomed with classic selection of eating centers that includes cafes, international food chains, restaurants, etc. Special treats from the city of Nelson are gourmet foods, seafood, wines (regional), etc.

√ 4-Wheel Motorbiking

There are rides for the totally inexperienced and more challenging rides for the experienced. Ride through native bush and stop for a hot steaming cup of refreshment while taking in great sea views. At the end there's a chance to let loose on the rally track.

√ Horse Riding

Those wanting to ride horses are spoilt for choice in Nelson. Choose from rides through native bush, beside rivers, on the beach or away from it all up next to the mountain ranges.

√ Mountain Biking

There is lots of good mountain bike riding in and around Nelson. You can hire bikes and go by yourself or choose a guided trip.

√ Rafting

There is a variety of white water rafting trips from a base in Murchison.

√ Diving

Lots of options: dive for shellfish, in the clear waters of Pupu Springs or in a shipwreck.