Nelson's Classic Car Museum is a playground for petrol enthusiasts. Photo / Josh Hutchinson, nelsontasman.nz
Nelson's Classic Car Museum is a playground for petrol enthusiasts. Photo / Josh Hutchinson, nelsontasman.nz
Nelson might be known for its scenic outdoors, but these top indoor attractions are the ideal way to spend a relaxed day in the city, writes Rob Webb
Nelson is a region of sunshine, wine, seafood, arts and crafts, national parks and outdoor recreation: but sometimes you have only limited time and there were a couple of local attractions I had heard a lot about. Besides, I need to say upfront, I'm not really the outdoorsy type, so on an untypically showery Nelson day, I was more than happy to spend my spare hours indoors.
Pic's Peanut Butter World
If I arrived at Pic's a little undecided about being a peanut butter enthusiast, I emerged an hour later keen to try the many varieties in the product range. And, of course, I had actually seen how peanut butter is made in an incredibly tourist-friendly place, open Monday to Friday 8.30am-4pm and absolutely free to have a good look around.
Pics Peanut Butter World is a must-do for pb lovers. Photo / supplied
Bruce Picot, or "Pic" is an interesting man with an incredible life's journey that has led him to produce a world-class peanut butter range, which he claims is a simple process of squashing freshly-roasted peanuts into jars. Looking at the 14.4m oven "Roasting Matilda" I suspect it's a bit more complicated than the founder and chief peanut butter-maker claims.
Pics factory tours take in the whole production process, from roasting to packing. Photo / supplied
This is an inspiring place to visit that will fascinate children as they marvel at the strange machinery, inhale the fresh-roasted nuts and sample an award-winning product that is exported to 14 different destinations around the world. Every school holidays there's a new activity for children.
Details: The factory is at 49 Saxton Rd, Stoke, Nelson. Pic's onsite Eatery cafe is open 8.30am-3pm for coffee, breakfast and lunch. Factory tours are available Monday to Friday and bookings are essential. picspeanutbutter.com/tours
Nelson Classic Car Museum
In the neighbouring suburb of Annesbrook, specifically at 1 Cadillac Way, sits a car enthusiast's wonderland. Here, you'll find a world-class collection of 160 classic vehicles spanning more than a century of motoring history. The variety is breathtaking, especially considering everything is in such pristine condition, largely thanks to a group of local volunteers who support the staff in tending to the cars and keeping them in working condition. You'll need plenty of time to take in all the sights across the two huge buildings, which used to be a car assembly plant.
Near the end of my guided tour, I began to smell delicious food and coffee: The Little Engine cafe at the front of the complex is nestled in behind the front wall where an ever-changing selection of impressive cars grace the forecourt. The cuisine and coffee are famous in their own right and there is a children's menu. My last stop before succumbing to the wafting notes of steaming hot coffee was the exciting Cat Cage – more Jaguars than I had ever seen in one place and some of them the product of Nelson assembly.
Quite apart from the cars, what makes this museum unique is the very clever shopfronts that add to the ambience: an American movie theatre of the 40s and a Caltex service station of the 1960s. I consider this an egalitarian vehicle selection. Yes, there are many classics, which must be worth hundreds of thousands, but right outside the Four Square foodmarket shopfront stands a humble E83W-model Fordson flat-bed truck, which many a Kiwi grocer ran their business with two or maybe three generations ago. A huge contrast to the chauffeur-driven Cadillac Brougham d'Elegance that was my transport back to Nelson Airport.
Details: Adults $19, Children (5-15) $8, Seniors/students $15 – family passes $30 & $45. Museum and cafe open daily (except Christmas Day) 10am-4pm. nelsonclassiccarmuseum.nz
Nelson will also hold its annual Arts Festival from October 20-30, nelsonartsfestival.nz. For more travel ideas in the region, see nelsontasman.nz
