I just got back from the most wonderful little trip with my mom to one of my all-time favourite places—my OG hometown, Nelson, BC. This hidden gem tucked into the mountains is easily one of my favourite places to escape to for SO many reasons!
This post is more of a little Nelson BC travel diary of everything we got up to. A soft, cozy recap of what we actually did, because this trip felt so special. It was aesthetic, homey, slow in the best way… and just exactly what we needed.
I’ve already written a full guide with all of my go-to spots—restaurants, shops, what to do, and everything in between (you can read that here) with more in depth details of Nelson and the best spots.
We got into Nelson Wednesday afternoon around 3pm and headed straight to our chic Airbnb, which was perfectly located right downtown. And somehow—just my luck—we were one street behind the Kootenay Co-op. I was sooo happy about this!
If you know, you know… this is my all-time favorite grocery store. I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever been to a better health market. It has everything.
So of course, after settling in, we walked straight over and spent a good hour just wandering. We stocked up on fresh produce, little snacks (they have the BEST healthy snacks & treats), and everything we needed for a couple homemade meals I had planned. I grabbed fresh salmon from the market section, green olives (they have the most beautiful olive bar), crushed pistachios from the bulk bins, and so many fruits and veggies for our stay. Honestly, it might sound random, but this is one of my favourite parts of coming to Nelson. I could spend hours in that market and be completely content.
After our little grocery moment, we headed back, freshened up, and went out for dinner at Yum Son—one of my go-to spots when I first get into town. It’s modern Vietnamese, super fresh and flavourful, and just always hits. The mushroom Bao buns are insane (my favourite), and I always get the tofu vermicelli bowl. The space itself is such a vibe too—cute bar, great cocktails, just the perfect easy first night. You can eat in or order out depending on your mood! They also have the cutest mirrors in the bathroom lol…
Thursday morning started exactly how it should—with brunch at Marzano.
I say this in my Nelson guide, but if I had to choose one place to go in this city, it would be Marzano. It’s that good. It genuinely feels like being transported to Italy.
My mom and I split the yogurt bowl and the avocado toast so we could try both (highly recommend doing this), and of course we both got matcha lattes. Everything about this morning brunch was perfect and so aesthetic.
After that, we spent the rest of the day doing one of my favorite things in Nelson—shopping. The boutiques, the vintage, the little hidden gems, all the chic stores… it’s seriously unmatched. We wandered slowly, popped in and out of shops, and just took our time with it and picked up some really cute finds to bring home.
That evening, we headed back to the Airbnb, dropped off our shopping bags, and I popped back over to the market (happily) to grab a few last things for at home dinner that I have been craving to make.
Friday — Picnic Brunch, A Little Day Trip, & Marzano’s Again
Friday morning felt extra special. I woke up early and walked over to the market while it was completely quiet—just me in the store, grabbing a few fresh things for our morning brunch at home. It felt kind of magical.
When I got back, I made us the prettiest little brunch breakfast spread—fresh fruit, green juice, and my current obsession: my honey grapefruit & pistachio yogurt bowl. It’s bright, fresh, and just so good. I share my full recipe here so you can make it too, I mean how can you not after seeing how gorgeous it is!!
After breakfast, we drove out to Rossland, which was really meaningful because my mom grew up going there. She showed me where her grandparents lived and some of her old spots, and we popped into a few cute little stores while we were there. It was such a sweet, nostalgic part of the trip. We headed back to Nelson in the afternoon, rested and then got ready to head to dinner—back to Marzano (because obviously).
If you some other great restaurant & bar recommendations when visiting Nelson check out my Full Travel Guide to Nelson BC here. I list all the great and popular spots in Nelson and the charm.
Take this as your sign to go to Marzano for dinner, at least one of the nights! Make a reservation ahead of time. Their chefs are trained in Naples, and the food is just on another level. First a glass of Italian Prosecco because obviously. It pairs so well with the burrata. We ordered a mushroom pizza, side of gnocchi, the kale caesar (my favourite), and of course the burrata to start (always get the burrata), and shared everything. It was hands down the highlight of the trip for both of us. Like I said, I could eat here breakfast lunch and dinner…
Saturday morning, we kept it simple as we headed out of town—grabbed matcha lattes and a bouquet of beautiful fresh flowers from John Ward and hit the road for the next part of our Kootenay trip to visit my grandparents in another city close by. It was the perfect exit…
This trip was everything I love about Nelson—slow mornings, beautiful food, cozy spaces, and time spent just being. It’s one of those places that always feels grounding and inspiring at the same time. If you’re planning a trip, definitely check out my full Nelson guide for all my favourite spots—but this was our little version of it, and it couldn’t have been more perfect. I hoped you loved this little recap of my Nelson BC travel diary.
