Length of stay: 2 days
Visited: April 2025
Nelson is the oldest city in the South Island of New Zealand. Probably because it’s one of the sunniest places in the country and has a mild climate year-round. It also has a thriving arts scene and is close to three national parks, the most famous of which is Abel Tasman with its golden sandy beaches.
Day 1: Historic Houses and Gardens
It was overcast and lightly misting when we left Westport. From there it’s a three hour drive to Nelson. We made a few stops along the drive at a few scenic overlooks. Our favourite was of the T-Rex tree that resembles a dinosaur. And as far as I can tell from doing a quick search on the internet, it appears to have grown that way naturally.
As we made our way closer to Nelson, the clouds cleared and the vegetation changed considerably, leaving the palm trees and mossy forests behind. We stopped at the Wakefield Bakery for a meat (for K) and veggie pie (for me and M) for lunch. Savory pies are reputed to be very popular in New Zealand and we’ve been meaning to see what all the fuss was about. We regret not trying them sooner.
We then made our way to the Broadgreen Historic House, one of the oldest identified residential buildings in Nelson. The lady at the front desk gave us an overview of the house and more details about the two families that used to live there. We were then free to explore at our own pace.
The house was initially constructed in the mid 1850s for Martha and Edmund Buxton and their six daughters. It was made of cob, natural building materials which includes a wet mixture of things like clay, sand, dung and straw or horsehair that dries hard like concrete. This building method was common among early New Zealand settlers as it was cheap and easy to construct. However, it is vulnerable to dampness and water and can collapse if too wet. This is why the house has an overhanging roof and the outside walls were covered with roughcast plaster while the inside walls had smooth plaster.
The Langbein family bought the Broadgreen House in 1901 and converted some of the surrounding land into an orchard, farm lands and a garden. They made no major changes to the house and lived there until 1965 when the Nelson City Council bought the property to later turn into a museum.
The house contains eleven rooms, including a kitchen, dining room, parlor, study, and several bedrooms upstairs. Each room was furnished with period pieces to resemble a family home of the late 1800s. We wandered through the different rooms, reading the signs that provided more information about the families, furnishings and what life was like for the previous owners.
Afterwards we walked through the small rose garden out back. Most roses had already run their course, but there were a few flowers and petals that were clinging on.
Since we were right around the corner from our accommodations, we figured we might as well check in, drop off our stuff and put our groceries in the fridge. And why not take a break while we’re at it too. We headed out later in the afternoon to explore a couple of gardens, starting with the Miyazu Japanese Garden. It’s a small garden, but it’s free to visit. It was built to celebrate Nelson’s relationship with its Japanese sister city Miyazu (hence the name of the garden).
We then went to the Queen’s Garden which features a paved walking path through several gardens, some of which contain a few sculptures. At this time of year there weren’t many flowers still in bloom, but the landscape still looked very green.
The Queen’s Garden also contains the Huangshi Chinese Garden. It was built to symbolize the city’s relationship with the Chinese city Huangshi.
After meaning through the gardens we headed back to our accommodations for dinner.
Day 2: From Picton to Wellington
We got an early start to the day as we had a two hour drive to Picton where we’d be taking the ferry to Wellington. But before hitting the road we went for a walk to the Centre of New Zealand, located atop Botanical Hill. There’s a network of intersecting trails through the botanical reserve and we opted for the most direct route to the top of the hill. The gravel path is wide and zigzags its way up the hill through the shaded forest. It’s entirely all uphill with a few steep sections, especially near the summit. But we managed with our stroller. The path leads to a plaque and monument and provides panoramic views overlooking Nelson and the surrounding area. A worthwhile reward for our efforts.
We then headed to Picton. Our ferry was scheduled to depart at 2:15pm and we were required to show up between 11:30-1:15pm to check in. We arrived in town before 12pm and stopped at a local bakery to pick up a meat and veggie pie to eat on the ferry crossing. And then it was a lot of waiting around for the ferry to load. Movement started to happen in our lane at 1:45pm and boarding went relatively smoothly.
While we were waiting we got an email advising us that the sea conditions on the Cook Strait were not looking great with large swells on the forecast. They said it was going to be a rough crossing and then gave some tips for dealing with sea sickness (stay in the middle of the boat, don’t sail on an empty stomach and maybe take a sea sickness pill). But hey, at least the ferry wasn’t cancelled.
Within a few minutes of sailing there was a magic show for the kids so we gave that a whirl to keep our little one (and ourselves) entertained. It lasted nearly an hour. We then took turns going for a walk around the ferry and to check out the deck. One of the side decks and the top viewing deck was closed because of the conditions, but there was a small section that was open where we could get some fresh air and enjoy the scenery outside.
As soon as we were out in the open sea it got real rough real fast. The Cook Strait connects the Tasman Sea in the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast. At its narrowest point it’s only 22 kilometres wide. But it’s known for its treacherous currents and unpredictable waters. Things were fine when we were seated but not so fine when we were running (more like stumbling) after our little M. We quickly lost count of how many people we saw getting seasick and how many more people were just lying on the ground. We’ve tried to block the visuals from our minds.
We were scheduled to arrive in Wellington at 5:45pm but there was a delay with unloading the ferry. Thankfully our hotel was right around the corner. By the time we checked in it was closer to 7pm. We were glad to be back on solid ground.
L
Another excellent post Linda. Nelson is gorgeous and you captured it well. On our last trip, we were overwhelmed with the amount of land taken up by vineyards, as this area produces some of the best wine in NZ. We had a rough crossing in 2014 and enjoyed the ride, while others suffered from motion sickness. Not sure why we were unaffected. Thanks for sharing and have a great day. Allan
We noticed that there are a lot of wine regions in New Zealand. We regrettably didn’t do any wine tasting as we were travelling with our little one. But perhaps when we return someday that could be something we add to our itinerary for next time. Glad to hear you were unaffected by the rough ferry crossing on one of your previous visits. I normally don’t get sea sick, but trying to chase after our little M on a rocking boat made me question whether I was immune after all. But, at least I didn’t end up like those other poor souls that were throwing up or lying on the ground!
Excellent post, beautiful photos Linda! The sea water is a lovely colour. I love that garden, it looks so peaceful and the old home is very cute! The mountains are very beautiful too, New Zealand is a beautiful country!! ❤️
Thanks John! Agreed, the colour of the water was beautiful and it was finally nice to enjoy some proper sunshine! I think New Zealand is a beautiful country too!
Wonderful post and so many beautiful photos, dear Linda. Nelson looks very beautiful and so are all the gardens. Crossing the rough seas in a ferry can be hard due to choppy conditions, seasickness, and unpredictable weather. The constant pitching and rolling can make it challenging to walk around, settle down, or perform other activities on the ferry, especially if you have kids with you. That’s why whenever we travel by ferry, I always take medication for motion sickness as I don’t have good sea legs. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Thanks Aiva! Nelson was very charming. This was definitely one of the roughest ferry crossings we’ve experienced. Thankfully I don’t typically get seasick, but I almost came close after chasing our little one around the swaying boat! And go figure she gets a burst of energy as soon as we’re out in the open sea! Good call on taking medication beforehand! Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of the week. Linda
Beautiful pictures of the gardens, the historical house and that greenish-blue sea, Linda. It looks like you had good weather and no bugs. Motion sickness isn’t something that has ever affected me but some people can become very ill. As usual, a very enjoyable post. Looking forward to your next chapter. Cheers.
Thanks Lynette! After all that rain on the West Coast, it was finally nice to enjoy blue skies and sunshine. I typically don’t get motion or sea sickness either. But I must say, it was rough chasing a toddler around a swaying boat! I ended up putting her in the baby carrier and doing a few laps around inside which seemed to satisfy us both.
Six daughters! Phew, that would be a busy house! The construction technique reminds me of adobe. Your photos are beautiful and highlight an interesting contrast between the old and new and that water looks heavenly! 🩵
Thanks for your lovely comment Michele. Six daughters is a lot. I have three sisters and I can’t imagine what it would be like to have two more!
You’re very welcome and I know what you mean. Hard to imagine! My mom is from a family of 10 – 7 girls. Wow!
WOW indeed! That’s a lot of girls… and children in general! It’s funny how the typical family size has changed so much over the years.
So true! Farm living needed lots of hands to help out. 🧑🏻🌾
What an adventure you two enjoyed over two days. The hikes are just so lovely and the Japanese, Queen and Chinese gardens are nice juxtapositions to the more rugged terrain, like that T-Rex tree!
The ferry ride sounded like quite the adventure and such beautiful views of the mountains and coastal shoreline. It’s nice they had a magic show to keep the kids entertained!
And it’s good you got to enjoy the meat and veggie pies. Enjoying local treats are the best way to really experience the culture!
I’m so glad we finally had some nice weather which was lovely for exploring the gardens. The T-Rex tree was hilarious. Such an unexpected surprise along the drive.
The magic show on the ferry was actually pretty legit. I’m not sure who enjoyed it more – the kids or the parents. It was a great way to pass the time. I think the magician would have kept going but we were about to reach the open water and that’s when things got real rough real fast.
We heard great things about these savoury pies and I just wish we tried them sooner as they were quite tasty. I get why they’re way more popular than the typical fast food that we have here in North America. And agreed, food is always a key part of experiencing a different culture when travelling!
I feel like you three covered so much ground in your time in New Zealand!
Have you mapped out your next big trip?
We’re still trying to decide on a location and time of year, but we’re thinking maybe Ireland and Scotland. Or maybe Alaska.
Scotland is well worth it, including Edinburgh and the Highlands! You could double it with Ireland too.
Very true. We have plenty of time to plot and plan our next adventure. What about you guys? Have you thought that far ahead about where you want to go next year (besides on your annual East Coast trip)?
It’s our usual Mexico trip. T likes it and it requires no planning and no fuss. 🙂 If we could afford it, Norway or Switzerland are on top of my list. Somewhere with mountains. We shall see!
Would love to visit both of those countries too. But you’re right, they’re very expensive. Even more so now that we have to start paying for M’s plane ticket!
Time flies! She’s no longer a free passenger! 😳
The Nelson area looks lovely (we didn’t make it there when we visited in 1998). Crossing over rough seas is quite an experience and I discovered I didn’t suffer too much from sea sickness; Pierre is a little bit more prone to it. (Suzanne)
Nelson is a charming little town and I really enjoyed exploring a few of the local gardens. I typically don’t get seasick either. But when I see other people throw up, it makes me want to throw up as well. The key was to try not to look around too closely! My husband tends to be more affected by sea or motion sickness too. He had a much tougher time with the ferry crossing. And our little one was pretty much unaffected by it all!
You described part of New Zealand here so beautifully, Linda, with amazing photos as proof. I love the green garden with its trees that branches stretched widely. The cars in the fiery awaits amazing adventures because they look like a defender or camp vans. ( I hope my term is correct.) Thank God, you cross safely. Stay safe always, and hugs.
Thanks for your lovely comment Hazel. I’m such a fan of gardens and it was neat to explore a few of them in this small town. We were impressed at how many vehicles were able to fit on the ferry. The crossing was a bit rough, but at least it wasn’t cancelled! And we made it to the other side without getting seasick!
Yikes, that very ride sounds very unpleasant. Hopefully the 3 of you managed okay. This was an interesting post, more of the history and culture of NZ instead of scenery. I also enjoyed the t-rex tree!
I typically don’t get seasick, but seeing other people throwing up almost triggered me. Thankfully I kept it together. Nelson is a cute little town and I’m glad we had a bit of time to explore it before the ferry crossing.
Nelson captured my heat at “mild year round”, but I also liked the gardens a lot. That ferry ride sounds terrible although it sounds like baby M enjoyed it.
Oh I know! The sunshine and mild temperatures year round sound very appealing these days now that we’re approaching winter! Funny how our little M was completely unaffected and unfazed by the swaying and lurching motions of the boat. Oh to be young again.
Love the T-Rex tree; it’s interesting that it grew that way. Too bad about the rough crossing; hopefully it resolved quickly. Beautiful photos!
Thanks! We got a good laugh from the T-Rex. It’s amazing how it grew that way naturally. The ferry crossing was quite the experience. Next time I think we’d fly!
The gardens are beautiful and I always enjoy going in museum homes and seeing how people lived during different time periods. That sounds like a treacherous ferry crossing!! Wouldn’t blame people for clapping when you docked ha!
Me too. I find it fascinating to catch a glimpse into life from the past. That was easily the roughest ferry crossing we’ve experienced. I think the toughest part was seeing other people getting seasick though!
The gardens are beautiful, and a blue sky! The T-Rex tree is great. The ferry ride sounds awful, and it’s quite long to be so rough. Maggie
It was so nice to finally enjoy some blue skies and sunshine! But that ferry crossing was brutal! The worst part was actually seeing other people getting seasick.
I remember trying the meat pies in Australia and they were really good. Now I’m curious about the New Zealand version. The views near Picton look beautiful, but the ferry crossing doesn’t sound fun at all, especially for someone like me who’s prone to seasickness.
We heard meat pies were also very popular in Australia. I’m curious now about whether they taste any different compared to the ones we had in New Zealand too. It’s too bad we don’t have that option here in North America. I’d much prefer that over fast food.
It’s interesting to know that the T-Rex tree grew that way naturally. It’s like those agellan’s beech and dividivi trees in that grew sideways from windstorms. It’s amazing how things can grow and still thrive . That house being around since the 185os is incredible. I love when places are preserved like this. Learning about the owners and their families must’ve been so neat. The miyazu and queen gardens look beautiful. The Japanese garden has great Japanese influence. It’s so beautiful. The Queen garden with the Chinese influence is pretty, too. I love that decorative hole or tunnel. There is a place near where I live that is a Celtic garden with a circular rock formation. The formation with the hole you posted reminds me of that. Both are so very neat.
I thought for sure someone must have trimmed and shaped that tree to resemble a T-Rex! But it seems it grew that way naturally, which makes it even cooler! Nature is pretty amazing. It was neat to explore the historic house and get a glimpse into the past. The gardens were relatively small, but very peaceful and beautiful even though most flowers were well past their prime. I found the circular hole to be very visually appealing.
The ferry ride sounds quite bumpy, wondering if it is like that most of the time? I’m not sure I will survive that long LOL
The Cook Strait is regarded as one of the most dangerous and unpredictable stretches of water in the world because of its strong currents. So the ferry crossing can be rough, but it’s apparently not always so bad. I normally don’t get seasick, but I found the hardest part (besides chasing after our little M) was seeing other people getting sick.
I would have liked to visit Broadgreen House, thanks for showing it to me; but as I was just starting my tour of the South Island in Nelson, I think I focused on the outdoors, specifically Abel Tasman National Park. The weather was so beautiful that day!
I always find it fascinating to visit historic houses like the Broadgreen House and learn a little more about what life was like back in the day. We would have loved to visit Abel Tasman, but we didn’t have enough time and didn’t want to rush things. If only we had another week to spend in NZ! I’m sure we’ll be back someday.
A great read Linda, the historic houses look beautiful. Sorry to hear about your rough crossing but glad you weren’t seasick yourselves.
Thanks Marion! We’ve always enjoyed visiting historic houses and catching a glimpse into the past way of life. The ferry crossing was pretty rough, but I’m happy to report that we didn’t get seasick! Our little one seemed completely unfazed be it all!
What a lovely area! I love the dinosaur tree!! I really enjoyed how you captured Nelson— especially the balance between its historic charm (like the Broadgreen House) and the lush, peaceful gardens (the Japanese and Chinese ones were beautiful). Ugh the ferry ride sounds rough though!!
The T-Rex tree was pretty cool and easily a fan favourite of all the overlooks we stopped at to get to Nelson. I’m so glad we finally got to enjoy some sunshine and beautiful weather, which was perfect for exploring the gardens. The ferry ride was quite the experience! I think next time we’ll fly!
Another great post. The Japanese garden is beautiful.
Thanks! I’m such a fan of Japanese gardens. Even though this one was pretty small, we still had a pleasant time strolling through the garden. We ended up doing a few laps around the path.
Beautiful area! I love the historic home, the garden, and those great views. I really love the color of the water. But it would be easier to enjoy the look of it without the choppiness of it and the unpleasant scenes on the boat.
Nelson is very charming. It was nice to finally have some beautiful weather to wander around and enjoy the sights. It was a scenic ferry crossing, but quite bumpy. I think the toughest part was trying not to look around to see other people getting seasick! That and running around after our little one!
WoW, what an incredible journey… Nelson looks absolutely beautiful, and your pictures truly capture its charm. The town seems so peaceful and calm, definitely the kind of place one could just live and soak in the peacefulness. Your detailed experiences, from the historic houses to the gardens and the ferry adventure, make it feel like we were right there with you.
Thanks so much for your kind words. Nelson was very charming and it helped that we finally had some nice weather to enjoy the outdoors. It’s too bad the ferry crossing was pretty rough though, but it made for a funny story afterwards.
That’s wonderful. May the Lord Continue to Bless you and most importantly, that He keeps you all safe and healthy and well.
Hope you have a Wonderful and Blessed Thanksgiving (If you celebrate it).
Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
Oh my, that T-Rex tree is so unique, right! I remember the delicious savoury pies from NZ (something we quite often enjoyed during our 4 months there 😉). I love the Japanese garden in Nelson. And the ferry ride sounds like my kind of nightmare experience (I’m prone to seasickness), but glad you all arrived safely in Wellington.
We got a good laugh from the T-Rex tree. Hard to believe it grew that way naturally. We heard great things about the savoury pies. It’s too bad we didn’t try them sooner though! The ferry ride was quite the experience. I typically don’t get seasick, but my husband does. Next time we’d fly back to the North Island!
I took the ferry in the opposite direction. There was a tsunami warning that day, so they took a longer route to avoid the open sea. Staying in Nelson, I spent a day in Abel Tasman park, kayaking rather than trekking. I had turned an ankle a few days before I arrived, so I chose water activities. I went to one garden (which one?) but couldn’t walk much! Enjoyed your lovely photos of them all.
Sounds like you also had a … memorable ferry crossing too! If we had a bit more time we would have loved to visit Abel Tasman. But we just did a lot of driving along the west coast and knew our little one needed a break from her carseat. Instead we stayed put in Nelson, which worked out well.
We always have to make choices when we travel, don’t we? Every choice is a good one on the South Island!
Very true! You really can’t go wrong with whatever you decide. But it always helps to have more time.
ChatGPT said:
What a wonderfully vivid couple of days, Linda.
I love how your time in Nelson weaves together history, gardens, and those classic New Zealand savory pies (I smiled at your “we regret not trying them sooner” – I’ve had a few food discoveries like that myself). Broadgreen House sounds fascinating, especially the cob construction and the way the Langbein family left the house largely unchanged. Your description really brings those rooms – and the lives lived in them – to life.
The sequence of gardens – Miyazu, Queen’s, and the Huangshi Chinese Garden – feels like a quiet little world tour tucked into one city. Even with most of the flowers past their peak, the green landscape and sculptures look so inviting.
Your climb to the Centre of New Zealand with a stroller deserves a medal! The payoff in views over Nelson must have been especially satisfying after that uphill zigzag.
And then that Cook Strait crossing… I’ve heard it can be rough, but your account really captures the drama (and the chaos of chasing little M while the boat lurches). I’m glad you all made it safely to Wellington, and I’m looking forward to reading what you got up to there next. Best Wishes for safe travels, Mike
Thanks for your lovely comment Mike. Those savoury pies were delicious! It’s too bad they’re not really a thing here in North America. We had a wonderful time exploring Nelson, especially the gardens. Even though they were relatively small, they were very peaceful. And it was nice to have a day with no rain! I could have done without the ferry crossing though!
Peaked Pies (Aussie pies) in Vancouver and Whistler are pretty darn good, if you are ever in the area. Allan
Good to know! We’ve been talking about doing the Sea to Sky Highway one of these days. So we’ll have to make note of Peaked Pies.
Always a treat stopping by here to read about your adventures. Glad you made it to Wellington safely!
Thanks for your kind words. The ferry crossing was pretty sketchy and it such a relief to get to Wellington and be back on solid ground again!
It looks stunning there, and the gardens are gorgeous!
Nelson is a charming little town. The gardens were small, but peaceful. And there were surprisingly quite a few of them. My favourite was the Japanese Garden.
The gardens look really beautiful. That crossing… not so much! xx
The gardens were rather small, but very peaceful. I really enjoyed the Japanese Garden. I could have done without the ferry crossing though. Next time we’d fly!
The T-Rex tree is rawrsome!!! Beautiful pictures!! I did not enjoy the crossing either. It was so eventful, to say the least… Haha.
Ha! Love it! I was surprised to hear that it grew that way naturally! I think next time we’d opt to fly between the North and South Islands!