Nelson Attractions, Cruises and Museums

October 30, 2026

Nelson’s best-known tours and paid attractions are a classic car museum, tide-timed tours of Farewell Spit, boat trips along the Abel Tasman coast and a few cellar doors in the Moutere hills. All prices here are in NZD. Where a figure comes from a reseller rather than the operator, treat it as a guide and check before you book.

Nelson Classic Car Museum

The museum is at 1 Cadillac Way, Annesbrook, and is open daily from 10:00 to 16:00, closed on Christmas Day. The World of WearableArt museum that shared the site closed in 2020, and the cars reopened as the Nelson Classic Car Museum in August 2020. The wearable art awards show now takes place in Wellington.

Tickets: adult 20, senior or New Zealand student 15, child 5 to 15 years 8, under 5 free. Family tickets are 30 for one adult and two children, or 50 for two adults and two children. An annual pass is 30.

Farewell Spit Tours

Public access to Farewell Spit stops after the first 4 km. Beyond that, vehicles enter only on concession tours, and Farewell Spit Tours (6 Tasman Street, Collingwood) runs them. The choices are the Farewell Spit Tour (Cape Farewell, Fossil Point and the lighthouse), the Gannet Colony Tour and the Wader Watch Tour.

The main tour takes about 6.5 to 7 hours, and departure times between 6am and 4pm are set by the tide. Resellers show around 200 for adults and 65 for children aged 0 to 15. Collingwood is in Golden Bay, so add the Takaka Hill drive (about 2 hours to Takaka alone) and think about an overnight stay.

Water taxis, cruises and sailing

Boats leave from Kaiteriteri and Marahau to reach the Abel Tasman coast.

Wilsons Abel Tasman (Kaiteriteri) lists a Vista Coastal Cruise of the full park from 120, an Anchorage Beach Explorer cruise and walk from 104, and a Bark Bay Waterfall Trail from 120.
Abel Tasman Sea Shuttles (Kaiteriteri) runs a summer bus from Nelson and Motueka to Kaiteriteri. Bus seats go only with a boat booking and are reserved the day before.
Abel Tasman AquaTaxi is based at 275 Sandy Bay-Marahau Road, Marahau, and is the Marahau water-taxi option.
Abel Tasman Sailing Adventures (Kaiteriteri) sells day sails priced between about 98 and 190.

Cruise-only days start from about 100 to 120, so book directly with the operator.

Guided city walk

Sunny Nelson Tours runs a guided city walk at about 48 for adults, taking 1.5 to 2 hours (up to 3 on some booking sites). Confirm the meeting point when you book. It runs from January to June and October to December.

Cellar doors

Neudorf Vineyards (138 Neudorf Road) and Gravity Winery and Cellar Door (243 Old Coach Road) are both in Upper Moutere. Hours vary through the year, so phone first. Neudorf’s number is 03 543 2643.