Wellington to Nelson
 

I land in Wellington at 12:10PM on a flight from Napier. If the flight is reasonably on time will I have enough time to make the 2PM ferry to Picton? How much time do I need to get from WLG to make that boat?

If I do that then I would spend the night (of Nov 22) in Picton or Blenheim or Nelson. Sightsee on Friday and then fly back to Wellington that evening (either 6:35PM or 8:15PM departure from Nelson).

The other option would be to spend Thursday afternoon and night in Wellington. Then on Friday take the ferry to Picton, sightsee, and fly back from Nelson to Wellington that night.

The first plan would give more time to see Wellington. Otherwise, I will have only Saturday to see Wellington.

The second plan gives more time on the south island.

How concerned should I be about having an 8:15PM flight from Nelson to Wellington cancelled due to fog or weather. It is the last flight of the day.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I fail to see the point of going to the SI for one day of sightseeing, especially considering the expensive involved.

For what it's worth - Picton to Blenheim is 28 km, Picton to Nelson is 110 km.

The only difference I see between the two options you mentioned is spending a full day sightseeing on the SI or spending a 1/2 day sightseeing on the SI.

Perhaps I've misunderstood?

Oh, the whole point is to take the ferry from Wellington to Picton, in that direction, in the daytime. It is the one thing that I have to do on this trip. Thought I would make a day trip or overnighter out of it.

It is basically a choice between a 1/2 day SI and 1/2 day Wellington vs a full day of SI.

The choice might be made for me already if it is not reasonable to get from a 12:10 arrival at WLG to a 2PM ferry departure.

Fair enough. Sorry, can't help with the Wellington/ferry question.

I wish I could help. I looked up Wellington Airport and found they have a pretty good site. They are on the ball for cost from A to B but don't say how long it takes.

I mean, who designs this stuff?

I have flown out of Wellington; I have taken the ferry from Picton to Wellington. I can't give you chapter and verse (too long ago) but suspect you will not have enough time.

So you'll have to go the next day, and though it sounds mad to visit the SI for one day - I'd say go for it.

Why not? the trip itself is to die for on a good day (and how often nowadays can you go anywhere by boat).

Just a suggestion - but why don't you try and contact the airport or the ferry operators and ask them.

Cheers.

Thanks for the replies. I guess it is cutting it too close to make the 2PM ferry. I actually booked the 12:10PM arrival instead of the 10:25 arrival when I decided to spend the night in Wellington. I'll do that.

Kiwi Experience offers a bus trip from Wellington to Nelson. It picks up in Wellington at 7AM on Friday. It's $80 for the bus and $45 for the ferry. It makes a couple of stops, one for lunch, and gets to Nelson at 3:30PM. I might do that.

Haven't decided on which flight to take back to WLG. The later one would be right at sunset. The flight might turn out to be like the ferry: more about entertainment than transportation.

Provided the plane lands on time I don't think you will have any problems in getting the ferry at 2pm. It will take you about 15 minutes at the most to collect your bags if you have checked them, (took 10 minutes last weekend for us) and about 20 minutes by taxi to get to the ferry terminal which is right in the centre of Wellington.

You should be fine to with the later flight from Nelson to Wellington. We have family in Wellington and always take the last plane back to Nelson on a Sunday night and don't have any problems.

Great info, thanks. I will consider my options open though I do have a reservation at CityLife Wellington for that night and another res there for the two following nights.

I booked the 6:35PM flight back to WLG after seeing in Google Earth that NSN is 5 miles or less from most any point in Nelson. And after reading that y'all have a nice climate in Nelson. And NSN is the 4th busiest airport in NZ.

The Kiwi Experience bus arrives at the Prince Albert hostel at around 3:30PM. What time do you think I should head to NSN for a 6:35 PM flight.

For Friday, if I spent the previous night on S.I., I was considering doing a driving loop that I read about.

From Nelson, you drive a bit northwest and then drive south of Nelson to a point where you turn left and drive northeast to Blenheim and then west to Nelson.

What do you think of this route? It makes for a nice loop but I'm wondering if I would miss much by not taking the inland return leg. Just go one-way along the coast.

You need to be at the airport by 6.05pm and it would take you 10-15 minutes to get to the airport from the Prince Albert hotel.

THe loop you are talking about is a very nice drive, a place to visit along this route, is Lake Rotoiti, follow the sign posts to St Arnaud and you will hit the lake. As this is an alpine village the termperatures are a few degrees cooler than Nelson.

Another way to sight-see is to drive through the Mapua, Ruby Bay, Kaiteriteri, Upper Moutere, Motueka area where you will past lots of vineyards and winieries, and have great coastal scenery.

I don't know the Lake Rotoiti road and it does sound good, but the scenery on the main routes between Picton/Blenheim and Nelson is clear-cut logging and industrial-scale grape farms.

The attractive scenery in those parts (and it is very attractive) is north and west of Motueka (Abel Tasman, Golden Bay, and Buller Gorge--you can fly back from Westport) and north and east of Picton (the various sounds).

I don't know the Lake Rotoiti road and the recommendation sounds good, but the scenery on the main routes between Picton/Blenheim and Nelson is clear-cut logging and industrial-scale grape farms.

The attractive scenery in those parts (and it is very attractive) is north and west of Motueka (Abel Tasman, Golden Bay, and Buller Gorge--you can fly back from Westport) and north and east of Picton (the various sounds).

Apologies for the double post. While I'm here, let me add that my recommendation would be another half day in Wellington over a dash to Nelson (or Blenheim).

Looks like the way to go from Picton is Queen Charlotte Drive west to Havelock.

From Havelock I can go south to Renwick and up the Wairau valley on SH 63 to St Arnaud. Then north to Nelson

Or from Havelock go west on SH6 to Nelson.

You will find those routes very disappointing unless you enjoy logging and large scale farming.

From Picton, the scenic excursion goes (very slowly) in the other direction: along the Kenepuru road (and back).
Heading West, you should aim to get beyond Motueka.

Sorry, I take that back--I didn't read your route carefully enough. I haven't been along 63 so have no information.

If your route from St. Arnaud takes you through Kohato, then I found the road that branches off there and goes to Motoeka to be excellent (in the other direction on winter morning).

The Queen Charlotte Drive is a beautiful drive but is not the main route from Picton to Nelson, it is very hilly and windy but if you have got the time go for it. The scenery is outstanding.

From Havelock it is about an hour's drive to Nelson if you go on SH 6 to Nelson.

If you take the Wairau Valley route you are probably adding another hour or so onto the trip.

I've learned a bit more. One thing is that y'all usually have nice weather in Nelson.

Another is that most rental car companies want to charge $62 rental plus $80 one-way dropoff fee $30 for airport/ferry fee plus taxes and the bottom line comes out to about $200 for a day's rental (Picton ferry terminal to Nelson Airport). Or I could go with one company for $47 (too good to be true).

The intercity bus website says there is only 1 bus on Nov 22 going from Picton to Nelson and that is at 1PM. So there isn't one to meet the 5PM arriving ferry. There is a 1PM and 6PM bus on Friday, tho.

So getting from Picton to Nelson on the 22nd is problematic. I could stay a night - I read about a nice place out on Marlborough Sound that you have to get to via the water. Spend the night then take the Kiwi Experience bus to Nelson on Friday the 23rd.

Hard to believe there is no bus meeting the 5PM ferry that goes to Nelson.

Just curious - what nice place did you read about in Marlbrough Sounds?

Bay of Many Coves?

If so, keep in mind that a water taxi to BOMC is $35 each way and water taxis run on a specific timetable that could very well put a wrench in your plans. The Cougar Line is one such taxi if you want to do a search for their schedule.

And yes, the weather in Nelson is usually very nice - they get more sunshine than anywhere else on the SI I believe.

Nelson has the highest sunshine hours in NEW ZEALAND not just the South Island, not that I'm boasting or anything!!! This is the reason why there are a lot of retired people living in the region.

Nelson and Blenheim normally fight it out each year as to which area has the highest sunshine hours. The last few years Nelson has won.

I stand corrected!

The place near Picton is the Portage Resort Hotel.

Regarding Marlborough Sounds lodging -

We've dined at the Portage (food was very good), but haven't stayed there, although we've considered it. They've gotten mixed reviews on TripAdvisor.

You might also want to take a look at Craglee Lodge - we popped in there during our last stay at BOMC and met one of the owners - it looks like a nice place.

We had a bad experience at Punga Cove several years back and based on TA reviews, they're still having problems. We were there again in August, just passing through while walking the Queen Charlotte Track, and from a strictly visual viewpoint, it seems not much has changed since we stayed there.

Nelson looks like a nice town. Beautiful day today. I wish I could stay awhile. If I had only known there is to be a lingerie parade this evening! At Ahllensteins Arcade, 6-8PM.

I decided on Wednesday in Taupo to spend Thursday night in Wellington. Took the bus from Taupo to Napier on Wednesday and spent the night at the Scenic Circle hotel. Nice enough place, very good location.

I loved taking a self-guided tour of the art deco buildings and the small park.

Flew to Wellington on Thursday and visited Te Papa.

I found that the Kiwi Experience bus was stand-by only, so I bought a $16 ticket on the Intercity bus. The ferry ride was fun. Cold and cloudy in Wellington. Warm and sunny in Picton. The scenery in the sounds is beautiful.

When I got to Picton I asked about renting a car for the day. Got turned down, for day hires, by 5 or 6 places. Finally, Budget was willing to rent me a car with dropoff at Nelson without the $80 dropoff fee.

I drove the Queen Charlotte Drive. The best parts were at the beginning: about a mile out of Picton is a great view of the harbor.

There was a cruise boat in the harbor named the Statendam. When I was in Auckland it was at port and later that day I saw it sail out. When I was in Napier, that boat had just left.

The other good part, best part of the QC drive is just east of Havelock. There is a lookout there, it is marked, down a one lane road. Park at the circle at the end and walk the trail 100 feet and there are great views of the sounds on one side and Havelock and the valley and mountains on the other side.

All the part of the between those two points - just outside Picton and just outside Havelocki - was really optional. Extremely winding road.

Will now find the airport and then drive a bit west.

nelsonian, I thought I was taking your advice about arriving at the airport at 5 minutes till 6PM but now see that you reccommended 5 minutes after. You were right, of course. Very easy airport to use.

After I found the airport and found that I could drop the rental car directly in front of the terminal, I headed west at 4PM. I didn't have any plan, unfortunately, except to go west for an hour and then come back. I went past Motueka and towards Abel Tasman NP. Drove the road up and up and up figuring that I might get to the crest of a ridge, but the road just kept ascending. I turned around at 4:55PM and headed back.

I took the train yesterday from Wellington to Auckland. Good trip to do once. Went to Bay of Islands today, to the treaty grounds and then a cruise, and I loved it. It was a beautiful day.

Wonderful country here in NZ. Great, wonderful people. Fun to be in a place where English is the principle language.

This is an outstanding place for a holiday.

<This is an outstanding place for a holiday.>

Couldn't agree with you more.

Glad to hear you're having a good time.

<I went past Motueka and towards Abel Tasman NP. Drove the road up and up and up figuring that I might get to the crest of a ridge, but the road just kept ascending. I turned around at 4:55PM and headed back.>

Takaka Hill maybe? Takaka Hill separates Mouteka from Golden Bay.

Or maybe you were headed towards Marahau (entrance to Abel Tasman on the Motukea side)?

Towards Marahau is where I should have gone, I think.

Going north from Motueka Hwy 60 came to a T. The highway continued left, up into the mountains, and I followed it. I was following a sign to ATNP, but at that T at the last minute I think I saw it point to the right to Abel Tasman. I was confused because the signs had seemed to indicate that I needed to stay on 60 to get to the NP.

The right turn, that I should have taken, was Riwaka Kaiteriteri Road.

The flight back from Nelson was interesting when I saw the eastern end of the Wairau Valley just before the plane flew over Blenheim. Interesting view since I was able to recognize it for what it was. Then the view included Cape Campbell before turning to Wellington.

The drive west from Havelock to Nelson was interesting except for the mountains to the west of the Rai valley. Coming down towards Nelson the road was winding back and forth. The driver two cars in front kept breaking every 5 seconds. It was a pain.

Might have preferred going down 63 towards Rotoiti. But I'll never know for sure. No regrets in any case.