6 Best Sights in Nelson, Upper South Island and the West Coast

See a superb collection of 150 immaculate vintage cars from over 100 years of motoring, ranging from a 1908 Renault AX to classics of the 1950s—including Vauxhalls, Triumphs, and Cadillacs—through to the exquisite mastery of Ferrari and Jaguar.

A defining Nelson landscape feature is the 13-km (8-mile) natural stone bank, built from the eroding Mackay Cliffs farther north along the coast. The sheltered harbor the bank created is essentially the reason the region was first settled by Māori. Later, an entry was cut through the boulders to allow larger ships into the harbor. A lighthouse on the Boulder Bank guided ships from the 1860s until the 1980s. As you look across from the Nelson waterfront consider that, for 27 years, a lighthouse keeper, his wife, and 10 children lived there on the isolated bank. Access today is via Boulder Bank Road off Atawhai Drive. It is a two- to three-hour walk each way.

There's a ton of fun on this 1,600-acre farm a 10-minute drive from Nelson. The Skywire is a mile-long zip line (reportedly the world’s longest) that zooms across a forest-filled gully. Quad bikes climb a bush-lined track for 14 exciting km (8½ miles) before reaching a grand, hilltop ocean view. Horse treks explore the entire farm taking in steep trails and stunning views; they can be tailored depending on your riding ability. Then there’s paintball, Argo (all-terrain-vehicle) rides, and the Base Café to replenish at the end of it all.

This grand house, in the delightful tree-filled Isel Park in Stoke, was built for Thomas Marsden, one of the region's prosperous pioneers. It was Marsden who laid out the magnificent gardens surrounding the house, which include several towering California redwoods. The well-preserved stone house has had several rooms restored to their former glory and contains stories of Isel and its surroundings, interpreted in part by local artists. You'll also find original anecdotal material, family items, and a herbarium. For some visitors, the sprawling woodland gardens are the highlight of a visit here.

On the site of New Zealand's first museum, the city’s provincial museum explores the first Māori residents and early European settlements, the city's development as a port, and general events that shaped the region. Exhibits include a rare collection of Māori musical instruments. There are heritage pieces donated from private collections and regular visiting exhibitions.

An impressive gallery for its size, Suter was bequeathed to the city of Nelson by Bishop Suter in 1899. In 1916 the gallery was significantly redeveloped and expanded. Collections include the watercolors of 19th-century artist John Gully; works of local Sir Toss Woollaston, a Nelson and New Zealand pioneer of modern art; British Modernism works by various artists; and ceramic pieces from local, nationally renowned artists. Visiting exhibitions change regularly. The gallery’s popular café looks out over neighboring Queen's Gardens.