Nelson Historical Tours: Top 5 Picks Explored
Nelson, a shimmering jewel resting at the top of New Zealand’s South Island, it has charm far beyond its wonderful location. Nelson is just a gateway to mind-blowing national parks and beaches; very interesting stories are around nearly every corner. Those kinds of interesting stories are made even more awesome through its fantastic historical tours. We’ve taken a really good look, and are sharing with you our five very, very favorite Nelson historical tours, just perfect for giving you an awesome peek into the past and just adding a whole lot to your travel experience.
Founding Stories Tour
If you really like digging deep to know all about where a place got its start, well the Founding Stories Tour should just be right up your alley. So, it guides you right through Nelson’s colonial roots, with guides that are truly experts that tell fantastic stories and that, very really, bring history alive. You’ll usually walk through the streets where Nelson got its start, discover great bits of history just hidden in plain sight and usually just get a real good feel for the big tough things the very first settlers had to face.
That tour usually really goes far more than just a dry giving out of dates. It’s a fantastic, human story of what folks did, of problems they overcame, and about how communities were established. So, that’s an amazing way to understand not only Nelson’s beginning but also just the wider colonial times of New Zealand, which is awesome. What makes it extra very cool is how interactive and immersive things seem to be. They really try hard to use props and storytelling tricks, which are just spot-on and keep the group totally interested, right from eight to eighty.
For some real stories of sacrifice and community, don’t you even dare miss a guided tour that really will take you back through time to really, almost walk in the footsteps of the pioneers themselves. Read our full review: Nelson Founding Stories Tour Full Review and Details
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Founding Stories Tour)
Nelson Provincial Museum Tour
If you would like to go slowly through time, and have a deeper understanding, you should make a trip to the Nelson Provincial Museum. So, tours here really show just so much about the local history, ranging from great Māori history to the days of exploration. You can almost spend hours checking out all sorts of very neat displays, like old art, fantastic artifacts, and really awesome displays. If there is some information you really desire to gain about the region’s previous life this tour is for you.
What’s pretty cool, the museum isn’t a boring static place! Actually, you will find real changing events, educational activities and displays; which are all things you can take part in and interact with to keep history interesting for everyone. So, whether you like very deep dives into stuff or want just a brief overview of things you have to see, it’s an absolutely must-do.
Museum visit isn’t really just for visitors only. But locals are almost certain to learn a thing or two as well. It is an absolutely amazing collection and gives an unmatched view of the rich legacy of this area, very awesome for everyone. Read our full review: Nelson Provincial Museum Tour Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Museum Tour)
Walking Tour of Historic Nelson
What better way is there to take in the gorgeous views of Nelson, than simply strolling through Nelson. Right? As a matter of fact, there are a number of tours in Nelson and its environment for one to join! With knowledgeable local guides, one can explore the charming old-time Nelson. These guided walks make people really appreciate what they are seeing because they provide information about important places and interesting past events. They will usually describe to you architectural styles and discuss important local tales, basically ensuring visitors are engaged as they go through the lovely city. It’s almost a requirement.
On this exciting guided walk around Nelson City, so get really prepared to see places with beautiful architecture that give that colonial vibe, find lovely hidden gardens, and get to admire landmarks that have had big impacts on this area through its existence. That walk could be designed to take you past old homes, old-fashioned churches and various well-preserved buildings from yesteryear.
These walks are suitable to any degree of fitness and they normally go for 1 – 2 hours, with easy terrain, that you might really get so close and really witness how Nelson basically mixed all its very cool olden tales and vibrant community into a whole package deal. Read our full review: Walking Tour of Historic Nelson Full Review and Details
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Historic Nelson Walk)
World of Wearable Art & Classic Cars Museum (WOW) Tour
So, the World of Wearable Art and Classic Cars Museum, well that shows off Nelson’s art with super stylish cars and incredible outfits, and that has made it pretty famous, too it’s almost like a real showcase. It sounds crazy, that a tour can link wearable art plus really beautiful vehicles, it just basically proves just how varied the interests and talents have been throughout this part of the area. A display with clothing, a real merging of artistic expressions using design as it pushes us outside typical clothing guidelines and a traditional approach and classic automobile styles. The vehicles are restored very well, each standing there really proudly showing design and also technological achievements throughout automotive evolution.
WOW truly does honor crazy art, but then classic vehicles celebrate automotive story telling plus style too. What makes a guided tour a real stand out, that one gets behind-the-scenes details by walking alongside professional staff discussing all works and how it plays a position and why this and what stories are told at World of Wearable Art and also exactly what is that impact. These presentations also cover all the things associated with restoring a car and why that keeps on encouraging collectors and also lovers too. It is, I’m thinking, definitely a perfect place where anyone can absolutely just let their thoughts roam, and those appreciating either fine art plus engineering can enjoy the entire tour. And be highly amazed while doing that. Read our full review: World of Wearable Art & Classic Cars Museum Tour Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (WOW Museum Tour)
Nelson’s Heritage Craft Tour
With artisans abound around Nelson it’s almost as if one could discover them almost by themselves! It’s one amazing experience, Nelson’s Heritage Craft tour gives folks a fantastic glimpse into the history of the local crafts, but also traditional arts, in the region. Local specialists plus craftspeople offer you looks behind their shop as they also, typically, show each type plus method they work and keep tradition fresh.
Not just would individuals understand exactly just how certain artworks were performed, this tour highlights historic effects throughout artisan evolution throughout Nelson while they had different roles along various points. From traditional weavers who utilize conventional processes or ceramic businesses developing functional bits inspired using old styles, visitors almost might feel art that’s rich not just inside of physical demonstrations yet too in cultural discussions they’re creating through preservation regarding heritage methods. So too, it gives very valuable learning in that preservation and ongoing growth about traditional crafts have an influence when strengthening areas through advertising art and ingenuity through various places far or just locals from somewhere nearby. Read our full review: Nelson’s Heritage Craft Tour Full Review and Details
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Heritage Craft Tour)