East on route 6 is the city of Blenheim and across the Cook Straight is the capital Wellington. The city, the second to be founded in New Zealand is a geographical trompe d’oeil as, whilst on the South Island, it’s further north than Wellington on the North Island.
There is so much to do in Nelson you could spend your whole holiday there. Begin with Founder’s Park which is set out like a theme park with the buildings of the original settlement as the central feature. There’s an organic brewery which does tours and excellent meals afterwards and a railway.
One of the best beaches in New Zealand, Tahunanui, is near Nelson and has nearly a mile of fine sand, gently sloping sea and tons of facilities for families and water sport enthusiasts. It’s even more attractive in being set in officially the sunniest part of New Zealand.