Introduction:

The beautiful city of Nelson in New Zealand is popular for being close to the centre of the country. Located at the northern end of the South Island of New Zealand, along the shore of the enigmatic Tasman Bay, Nelson is paradise. It is the administrative centre of the Nelson region and an important arts and crafts destination. The annual Nelson Arts Festival draws tourists here from all over the world. The city is also a centre for the annual Wearable Art Awards that are highlighted at the specially created museum near Nelson Airport. The birth place of Lord Rutherford, Brightwater, is near Nelson. The Nobel Prize winning physicist is celebrated on New Zealand's $100 note.
Nelson, Admiral of the Fleet and destroyer of the French and Spanish fleets in the famous Battle of Trafalar is the source of the city’s name. The roads and public areas in Nelson, New Zealand are amusingly named after personalities and vessels associated with the battle. Nelson, in Maori means ‘to build' or ‘to establish'. The Nelson Tasman Tourism board is a jointly owned tourist promotion body.

Tourist Hot Spots:

Nelson is complete with a number of pristine beaches and a much visited sheltered harbor. The 13km long bank of rocks that borders the harbor was transported, section by section, from Mackay Bluff! Nelson is bordered by mountains on three sides. The region offers access to the Kahurangi National Park and Able Tasman National Park. The Nelson Lakes National Park flaunts the clear waters of the lakes Rotoiti and Rotorua. This has created an ecotourism and adventure tourism zone in Nelson, which enjoys the frequent visits of caving enthusiasts, to explore the largest and deepest caverns in the Southern Hemisphere!
Nelson is full of lodging options, restaurants, and a great specialty shopping district. The local music and arts scene is vibrant and a symphony of the culturally diverse artists. The city celebrates the presence of glass blowers and wood carvers. Nelson has popular art organizations like the Nelson Arts Festival Board and the Suter Gallery.

Nelson Events:

Music lovers flock Nelson to attend the Nelson School of Music – Winter Music Festival and the Adam New Zealand Festival of Chanber Music. Then, there is the annual Jazz Festival for enthusiasts that add to the festivities. There are a number of food oriented festivals held in Nelson that amply highlight the region's gastronomy. Visitors also flock the region to be a part of the Suter International Film Festival held every year, from late May to June.
The famous Nelson Kite Flying Festival takes advantage of most of the sea breeze from the Tasman Bay across Neale Park, where enthusiasts gather in the afternoons. Architectural exploits include Christ Church Cathedral, Amber House, Isel House, Broadgreen House, Nelson Central School and the Victoria Rose Pub, among a myriad of others.
The Nelson Museum holds more than a million treasures including the Kingdom-Tomlinson family silver collection, the Bett Collection - an extensive archive of books, photographs, maps and documents, the Marsden Collection of antique furniture and glassware and the Tyree Studio Collection. The collections are a true feast for the arts enthusiast and a walk down history.
Nelson reserves like the Natureland Zoological Park house meerkats, wallabies, kune kune pigs, peaocks and otters. The sanctuaries are a haven for the exquisite animals and the upkeep and variety of wild life on display are responsible for the recognition and credit associated with the zoological park.

Shopping Options:

Nelson is replete with malls and the small shops with local arts and crafts. These do well as mementos and souvenirs to friends and family back home. There is nothing you cannot access in Nelson, from clothing to electronics. No matter where you put up in Nelson, you are always only a few minutes away from a shopping avenue. Compulsive shoppers find this feature of the city very appealing and come back year after year!

All the restaurants in Nelson are in house. They are set within the ambience of the existing hospitality of the hotels, motels and inns in Nelson. They offer exclusive fine dining options as well as quick take away snacks. The restaurants in Nelson are all child and handicap friendly and are designed to cater to different tastes. The restaurants offer exclusive oriental and occidental menu opitons and also the delicious New Zealand delicacies.

Depending on your budget, you can choose from a number of lodging options available in Nelson. The single and double bed and suite options are available at all the hotels. The in house services offer, other than the array of dining options, amenities like:
• Twenty four hour conceirge and room service
• Laundry and essential house keeping
• Travel Desk services
• Hot showers and tubs
• Swimming pools
• Internet connectivity
• Conference and party facilities
• Bars and Pubs
Some of the hotels in Nelson include:
• Blue Waters, with an average tariff of $63.00
• Mid City Motor Lodge at Trafalgar Street
• The A B A, with the average tariff at $73.00
• Wakatu Hotel
• Richmond
• Best Western Chelsea Motor Lodge, with the average tariff at $91.00
• Arthur Wakefield Motor Inn at Richmond
• The Y H A Nelson Central, with an average tariff at $23.00!
• Amber Court Motor Lodge
• The Tasman Bay Back Packers, with an average tariff at $18.00!

:
There are a number of outdoor activities that you can indulge in, in Nelson. The otherwise peaceful and serene surroundings can become electrifying with the availability of hands on training and indulgence in bungee jumping, snorkeling, scuba diving and even wind surfing, among a myriad of other adventure sports. The travel desks at all the hotels are equipped to take care of all the minute details of the indulgences and even plan the travel to and from the venues. The professionals at the desks also arrange for your participation in any of the local events and take care of all your apprehensions by entrusting you into the safe hands of professional players.

Featured Sites: