Nelson travel guide

Nelson Tourism | Nelson Guide

You're Going to Love Nelson

With a population of 9 813, Nelson is a must-see destination in British Columbia, Canada. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Nelson deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Nelson

If you’re looking for affordable options, Broken Hill (479 Baker St) and The Black Cauldron (620 Herridge Ln) are great picks.

When to visit Nelson

Nelson in November
Estimated hotel price
$111
1 night at 3-star hotel
Nelson in November
Estimated hotel price
$111
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Nelson in July, when the average temperature is 68 °F, and the highest can go up to 82.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 26.6 °F, with an average temperature of 30.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in December, when precipitation is around 3.5″. In contrast, April is usually the driest month of the year in Nelson, with an average rainfall of 1.2″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Nelson

Plane

Although Nelson doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Castlegar (YCG), which is located 34 km from Nelson. The shortest flight to Nelson from the United States departs from Seattle and takes around 4h 15m.

Car

Another option to get to Nelson is to pick up a car rental from Calgary, which is about 286 km from Nelson. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Hertz, among others, in Calgary.

Plane

Although Nelson doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Castlegar (YCG), which is located 34 km from Nelson. The shortest flight to Nelson from the United States departs from Seattle and takes around 4h 15m.

Car

Another option to get to Nelson is to pick up a car rental from Calgary, which is about 286 km from Nelson. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Hertz, among others, in Calgary.

Airports near Nelson

Airlines serving Nelson

Lufthansa
Good (4,636 reviews)
KLM
Good (849 reviews)
SWISS
Good (926 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,601 reviews)
Air France
Good (982 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,935 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,483 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,756 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (913 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,539 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (494 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (775 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (462 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (959 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (815 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (988 reviews)
Air China
Good (31 reviews)
Qantas Airways
Good (542 reviews)
Philippine Airlines
Good (673 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (5,786 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Nelson

Average rates range from around $160 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $122 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Nelson

Most booked hotels in Nelson

Hume Hotel & Spa
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 498 reviews)
$150+
Dancing Bear Inn Hostel
2 stars
Excellent (8.6, 387 reviews)
$29+
Prestige Lakeside Resort, Worldhotels Elite
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 436 reviews)
$161+
Best Western Plus Baker Street Inn
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 189 reviews)
$131+
The Adventure Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 370 reviews)
$124+
Kokanee Glacier Resort
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 87 reviews)
$113+

Renting a car in Nelson

Expect to pay $5.41 per gallon in Nelson (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $64.96 and $86.61.

Expect to pay $5.41 per gallon in Nelson (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $64.96 and $86.61.