We arrived in Nelson in the afternoon after taking the ferry from Wellington (North Island) to Picton (South Island). Nelson is a charming town with a Victorian flair to many of the homes.
Landing in Nelson for 5 nights at the Victoria Villa we look forward to a respite within the vacation. Cooking our own food and driving less – yes! Like most folks we have a certain style of eating at home, which can be hard to replicate when eating out. Our habits tend to lean toward lots of green vegetables and some protein – low on carbohydrates – influenced by my gluten intolerance, with the happy side effect of healthier eating. What has worked well for us in New Zealand is to order one main dish and a side or two of vegetables to share. Note: Fresh string beans are in abundance this time of year and are on many finer restaurant menus as well as in the markets.
Favorite food spots in Nelson…
We can see the Boat Shed Cafe from our rental house and walked over our first night after a long day of travel from Wellington. Ignorant of its popularity we were almost turned away but landed a table for two on the outside deck. Warm and sunny we sampled our first Neudorf Vineyards white wine – a crispy Sauvignon Blanc – that went nicely with my grilled crayfish tail with fennel, chili & lemon and Jay’s grilled prawns with feta, black olives & cress. Our dining neighbors ordered the potato salad side, which looked fabulous, so a few days later we stopped in and picked up an order to go – just like moms and Anitas!
Our first morning strolling in Nelson we happened upon the Morrison Street Café and went inside for a coffee. My antennae went up when I saw all the gluten-free options – savory muffins, little fruit nut loaves, brownies… I ordered a coffee and a sampling of the gluten-free goodies – all yummy. We stopped in a few days later during a rainstorm and Jay had an amazing Affogato (two scoops of vanilla gelato with espresso). A very popular cafe for a good reason – good quality and good vibe.
Our last day we decided to walk into Nelson for lunch at Hopgoods which several sources had recommended. They were not open for lunch on Monday so we scouted out the surrounding restaurant menus on Trafalgar Street and settled on barDelicious. We enjoyed the young Canadian waitress who suggested a Pinot Gris and Rose wine by the glass and shared her 2010 Olympics enthusiasm. Lunch was delicious and creative – a Caesar Salad with bacon and a poached egg on top, and an equally delicious and fresh Salad Nicoise.
Jay was thumbing through a local book on Nelson arts scene and The Sprig and Fern Tavern caught his eye – no bigscreen TV, a neighborhood hangout, and over by “The Wood” – a park in the foothills on the east side of Nelson. We decide to stop in before dinner for a beer, glass of wine and a bowl of nuts. We pick up on the friendly feel and relax – as we watch the locals playing games and brain teasers, read the historic factoids on the blackboard and have a great conversation.
Hanging around the house chilling is hard work… but mid-afternoon we decided to hit the road and head into the wine country that surrounds Nelson. Top on our list was Neudorf Vineyards. Navigating the countryside was challenging and needless to say we got lost, in the best sense of the word… and arrived at the vineyard 5 minutes before closing. Not a problem, we were warmly greeted in the tasting room and relieved when another couple walked in a few minutes later! Once again the Pinot Gris was a favorite. The late afternoon light filtering through the trees invited us to linger and we did.
Things to do around Nelson, NZ
Valentine’s Day! An early rising to catch the 9am water taxi to explore the Abel Tasman National Park. For at least 500 years Maori lived along the Abel Tasman coast, gathering food from the sea, estuaries and forests, and growing kumera (sweet potato). Established in 1942 as a park, Abel Tasman is renowned for its golden beaches, sculptured granite cliffs, and world-famous Abel Tasman Coast Track. It was about a 90 minute drive to Kaiteriteri where we met Wilson’s Water Taxi and climbed up the gang plank to head out to Medlands Beach. Within the park one way to get around is by water taxis – they drop you off and pick you up on a very accommodating schedule. They can take you into the heart of the park and literally deposit you on a beach.
Before drop off we took a complete tour of the coastline.
Another ingenious Kiwi invention… a beach friendly gangplank.
After a boat tour of the park we got off at Medlands Beach, walked to Bark Bay, and then back to Medlands where the water taxi picked us up a few hours later.
Another day we walked to Nelson from our rental house and after lunch in town decided to walk home via Queens Garden. The Gardens formally opened in 1892 to celebrate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria and were inspired by an intimate, Victorian garden. Though the garden is relatively small there is an abundance of magnificent old trees and plantings amidst ponds and a wandering creek. The Suter Gallery, an eclectic art gallery on the western edge of the park, has a cafe that overlooks the garden and provides a tranquil shady place to enjoy a cup of coffee or dessert.
End of the day, another glorious sunset and the sounds of outdoor opera in Tahunanui Park blowing in on the westerly winds. We have fared well in Nelson.
