Nelson / Marlborough
Nelson is pretty much centrally located, found resting on the shores of Tasman Bay on the northern side of the country's South Island. It is the main city of the Nelson region, and when you combine it with the nearby city of Richmond, you have over 50,000 area residents.
Some of the best New Zealand beaches can be found near Nelson, and while other parts of the country are cold during the winter, Nelson stays pretty mild and comfortable. There is a quite a significant arts and music scene in Nelson, and if you want to combine art appreciation with a little shopping you can always hit the Saturday Nelson Market, where you can buy works straight from the artist. There are some great festivals that add to Nelson tourism, such as the Nelson School of Music Winter Music Festival, and the Taste Nelson Festival, which highlights the region's gastronomical accomplishments.
Living in Nelson you will discover azure skies and wide open spaces, beaches and lakes, spectacular national parks and unique landforms, vineyards and gourmet cafes, artists and galleries, entrepreneurs and boutique shopping experiences...a uniquely Nelson way of life.