Queenstown - a year round resort
Queenstown is more than just the adventure capital of the world.
Situated in one of the most picturesque parts of the country, at the foot of the dramatic Remarkables mountain range and alongside Lake Wakatipu, the town is a year-round four season tourist destination. Most adventure travellers are drawn by the myriad adrenaline activities on offer, such as some of the highest, most terrifying bungy jumps in the world and the blood pumping Shotover Jet.
But there are also plenty of calmer leisure activities available, excellent nightlife, and opportunities to explore the vast array of attractions within day tripping distance of Queenstown.
Nightlife
With a large population of visitors eager to wine, dine and party their holidays away, Queenstown not surprisingly has a vibrant nightlife. There are over 160 licenced cafe/bar/restaurants to choose from, not to mention a selection of clubs where you can dance off some of the nervous energy you gained jumping from platforms and planes during the day.
Some of the bars include Chico’s, Pog Mahones Red Rock, Surreal, Buffalo Club, Altitude, Monty’s, Pig and Whistle, Brazz, The Dux, Revolver, Debajo, Bunker Bar, The World, Frasers, TYC andthe Boiler Room.
Adventure
Nothing in the world will get your pulse racing as fast as a weekend of adventure activities in Queenstown.
This is where commercial bungy jumping first became all the rage, but the fun hasn’t stopped there. Adventure operators continue to open higher, scarier versions all the time, and set the trend for other adrenalin pumping activities. Thrillseekers can ride the wild rapids of the Shotover and Kawarau Rivers on a raft, go river surfing, or experience the thrills of a jetboat ride. You can get airborne with a tandem skydive, go parapenting, paragliding and hangliding, try heliskiing on virgin snow, or marvel over the mountain views from an aerobatic flight. Or why not mountain bike through Skippers Canyon, do an exhilarating luge ride, admire stunning scenery from horseback, or go jetskiing on Lake Wakatipu?
The options are endless and guaranteed to put the smile on your face.
Day tripping
Queenstown is ideally located for day trips to Wanaka, Te Anau, Milford, Cromwell, Invercargill, Glenorchy and Manapouri. Glenorchy is the gateway to the Paradise Valley and Mount Aspiring National Park, ensuring it is one of the most scenic spots in the region and a regular haunt for keen hikers. From Glenorchy you can access some of New Zealand’s most famous walking tracks such as the Routeburn, Caples, Greenstone, Rees Valley and Dart Valley. Lovers of the great outdoors will also find it a superb spot for jet boating, fishing, hunting, horse trekking and kayaking. Glenorchy is 48 kilometres from Queenstown.
Two hours drive from Queenstown is Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland and some of the most spectacular natural scenery in the world. Many visitors take a scenic cruise on Lake Te Anau, New Zealand’s second largest lake, but most come to walk the highly acclaimed Milford Track. The Milford Sound itself is a further 119 kilometres from Te Anau and is the most dramatic of Fiordland’s glacier-carved fiords, with cascading waterfalls, lush rainforest and the towering Mitre Peak. Package deals booked at Queenstown feature a cruise along the Sound, often giving passengers a chance to see seals and dolphins as well as the stunning scenery.
Wanaka is the gateway to the Mount Aspiring National Park and the West Coast, about an hour and a quarter from Queenstown. Although a peaceful looking place, it is a great base for action activities. There are four internationally-classed ski fields nearby, or you can go boating, trout fishing, horse trekking, kayaking, rock climbing, bush walking or on a 4WD safari. Unique to Wanaka is Stuart Landsborough’s Puzzling World, complete with mazes and other mind-boggling attractions.
Cromwell has an abundance of orchards but is best known for its location on the shores of Lake Dunstan. This man-made lake was created by the Clyde Dam, itself a tourist attraction 20kms from Cromwell, and is a popular spot for fishing and waterskiing. Cromwell is 63km from Queenstown.
Manapouri is another pretty lake that’s ideal for walking, cruising and kayaking.
Invercargill is Southland’s economic and cultural centre, with a small collection of historic stone buildings and the extensive Southland Museum and Art Gallery.
Walks
Whether you’re after a short 30 minute amble through botanic gardens to a full day hike in the mountains, Queenstown offers a wide variety of walking tracks.
The tracks behind the Remarkables Ski Area base buildings lead to even more amazing sights. The steep track to the Remarkables Viewpoint takes about an hour but you’ll be rewarded with a dramatic panorama of the Wakatipu basin and the distant peaks of the Southern Alps. Alternatively climb to Lake Alta, a frozen glacial lake. The Moonlight Trail is another popular tramp, passing through rugged gold mining country. The trek takes a full day one way.
Don't miss
Panoramic views and excellent photo opportunities from the Skyline Restaurant at the top of the Gondola. Lake cruises on Lake Wakatipu on a vintage coal-fired steamer or yacht. Tasting some of the region’s finest wines during a Queenstown Wine Trail. There are nearly 300 hectares of grapes growing in Central Otago, on land which attracted gold miners 130 years ago.
International Gateway
Air New Zealand and Qantas operate direct flights from the east coast cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Queenstown during the ski season, and year round flights from Sydney.
Pacific Blue operates from Sydney to Queenstown.
Domestic connections are available within New Zealand from Air New Zealand and Jetstar into Queenstown.
More Information
For more information contact the Queenstown Visitor Information Centre on the corner of Shotover and Camp Streets, Ph 03 442 4100or checkout Destination Queenstown’s website at