Queenstown Activities

Although many of the outdoor adventure activities here have minimum age requirements, there are still plenty of excursions designed specifically for families and children. Soft scale versions of the big thrill sports like bungy jumping and jet-boating are available for little ones. There are also some wonderful wildlife centres and endless river, lake and mountain exploration to keep them going.

Adventure Sports
There are a couple of companies that offer kid-sized versions of the popular adrenaline sports. Go Vertical Bungy provides harnessed fun, while Off-Road Adventures Kids Quads has a special kids-only track for four-wheel driving excitement. The Skyline Luge also provides plenty of thrills with its fast downhill slide. Instruction and supervision is provided for all of these activities.

Deer Park Heights
This wildlife park is the best one around Queenstown for its size and diversity of scenery. You’ll need to rent a car to make the 20-minute drive out here, but then you can enjoy a three mile mini-safari as you slowly motor through herds of wild red deer, wapiti and Himalayan thar on the way to the farm. This working farm shows all the stages of the animals’ life, and has plenty of tame creatures that can be hand-fed. Add to this the fact that many scenes from the Lord of the Rings were filmed here, and kids will have lots to fantasise about. Daily guided tours are given of these magical film sites located in Kelvin Heights. Phone: +64 3 442 2005.

Mellow Activities
Indoor mini-golf is a lot of fun for kids and adults alike. The course at Caddyshack City is open every day and welcomes everyone over the age of five. Destination Art is another good option if your kids prefer to take an arts and crafts class. A full range of interesting and fun classes are offered every day in the mornings.

Nature and Wildlife Parks
Kids can learn about the famous kiwi and New Zealand’s other birdlife at the Kiwi and Birdlife Park, then get up close and personal with other native animals at Real Journey’s Walter Peak Farm Excursion. This farm is particularly interesting in that kids can help feed the animals before taking a cruise around the lake on a classic steamship.

The history of Queenstown is deeply rooted in the gold rush era of the 1800s, and many of the most interesting cultural sites are related to this period. The Maori also had a presence here before the arrival of the Europeans and watching a performance of a Maori dance is a unique and fascinating experience. Queenstown also has a thriving arts and crafts market scene, so be sure and check out the Saturday market at Earnslaw Park.

Goldfields Mining Centre
Queenstown’s official gold mining demonstration site shows exactly how all the shiny stuff gets dug out of the earth and converted into gold. The gold fields around Queenstown were once some of the world’s richest, and this centre continues to mine today. Its location in the Kawarau Gorge is another highlight, particularly since you must cross a narrow bridge high above the river to get to the mining centre, which is located in Kawarau Gorge. Phone: +64 3 445 1038.

Kiwi Magic
If you are unable, or unwilling, to attempt some of the hardcore extreme sports on offer around Queenstown, the next best thing is to watch this 30-minute movie depicting them all. Embassy Cinemas shows this action-packed short film full of thrills and spills every day, so at least you’ll know what you’re missing. The cinema is located at The Mall. Phone: +64 3 442 7862.

Lakes District Museum
This award-winning museum offers a comprehensive look at the heritage of the Queenstown region. Beginning with the early Maori hunters and greenstone collectors, the exhibits continue to the boisterous gold rush period and pioneer days of Chinese and European settlers. Many of the displays are hands-on and all of them are expertly created. A small gallery showcases local artists, and the gift shop has plenty of interesting buys. The museum is located on Buckingham street in Arrowtown. Phone: +64 3 442 1824.

Maori Hunting Village
A wonderful addition to the Kiwi and Birdlife Park is this reproduction of a traditional Maori hunting village. Each night the Maori perform an amazing display of their traditional ancient dances at the village. This is followed by a special dinner, or you can also simply watch the performance by itself. The village is located at the Kiwi and Birdlife Park on Brecon street. Phone: +64 3 442 8059.

Queenstown Art and Craft Market
Every Saturday, pleasant Earnslaw Park near Steamer Wharf becomes the site of Queenstown’s best arts and crafts market. Vendors from all over the region converge on the park to set up stalls and sell their wares. The selection is eclectic, creative and original. If you are looking for something special to take home as a reminder of your visit, this market in Earnslaw Park is the ideal place to find it. Phone: +64 3 443 9006.

Wakatipu Arts Trail Drive
If you are a true lover of the arts, you won’t want to miss this amazing little driving tour of Queenstown’s finest artisans. The self-driving route takes you along the beautiful back roads between Queenstown and Arrowtown. Along the way you can stop off and visit eight prominent craftsmen and artists at their workshops. The artists range from jewellers and woodworkers to painters. The visitor centre has the map needed for this fun daytrip.

Despite the small nature of Queenstown, there are presently more than 140 places to eat in this internationally-influenced travel hub. The choices range from high-end contemporary Pan-Asian cuisine to pizza parlours and pubs. Visitors may want to stop by Fergburger, a humble café widely regarded as having the greatest burgers in the southern hemisphere.

Ethnic cuisine also makes a good showing in Queenstown with plenty of Asian and Middle Eastern cafés to choose from. There is a serious bakery and coffee house scene here, so expect to find excellent cups of coffee to go with delicious home-baked delights.

The compact layout of Queenstown concentrates most of the dining options in one area running from Steamer Wharf along Beach, Church and Shotover streets. There are several smaller alleys tucked off the main streets hiding a few local favourites, while the shopping arcades are another good place to find something to eat. For the ultimate view with your meal, take the gondola to the Skyline Gondola Restaurant at the top of Bob’s Peak for a striking panorama of the Wakatipu valley.

During the warm summer season, every café that can puts tables outside their establishment for al fresco dining. The downtown streets burst into life as the days linger and the weather is delightfully temperate. The chilly winter sees most restaurants and pubs get a blazing fire going in the hearth.

Don’t forget to enjoy some of Queenstown’s excellent wines while you are here. Gantley’s Restaurant is renowned for its huge wine list which includes most of New Zealand’s finest. Otherwise, stop by the Wine Deli where you can browse the town’s best selection of local wines from the Central Otago region. Queenstown’s bar scene is arguably the best on the South Island, if not in all of New Zealand, so you won’t be lacking for nightlife.

In a bid to rival the excellent dining options, the town’s shopping scene is equally vibrant. The compactness of the picturesque downtown area makes it easy to wander the streets browsing shops which range from outdoor gear to locally-produced clothing. If you are visiting Queenstown primarily for the outdoor recreation, you will find an ample variety of specialty shops selling quality equipment for mountaineering, skiing, boating and just about anything else related to the outdoors.

There are also excellent little boutique shops selling locally-made goods. Sheepskin products and hand-knit clothing made from merino wool are among the best buys in town. Jewellery using gold and opals are also big sellers here, particularly at the Opal Centre. New Zealand arts and crafts are available at most boutiques, but serious buyers should head to Gallery Oceanic, which has an extensive selection of native art.

In addition to the downtown core, the Sofitel hotel has an upmarket shopping arcade consisting of 15 shops. O’Connells Shopping Centre has a wider range of choice among its 25 shops, and The Mall has a little bit of everything.

Historic Arrowtown is another great shopping destination. Its main Buckingham street is lined with unique shops housed in lovely old buildings from the 1800s. Head to the visitor centre to get a free copy of the Queenstown Dining and Shopping Guide.

Queenstown has earned the title ‘Adventure Capital of the World’ for good reason. Any extreme sport you can think of, and many which you can’t, is done here with a passion and fearlessness reserved for the truly brave. The rest of us can enjoy milder versions of all these activities, or push ourselves to new limits. Combo tours are a big thing if you want to save money and experience several sports in one go. Plenty of sedate activities are also available here, so don’t feel like you’re stepping into the realm of madmen. If you want to discover the next bizarre extreme sport set to take over the world, Queenstown is where you’ll see it first.

Bungy Jumping
The act of jumping off a bridge tethered to a springy cord was first imagined here in Queenstown. There are several bungy jumping outfits operating around town, but you may want to try the one at Kawarau Bridge. This 141 foot drop over the Kawarau River is where it all started, making it somewhat special. Hardcore adventurers can drop off Australasia’s highest bungy jump over the Nevis River for something more challenging.

Extreme Sports
If you want to test your boundaries, Queenstown is the place to do it. There are 15 hang gliding outfits which can take you on a tandem flight off of Bob’s Peak above the gondola. If that’s not enough, you can skydive with NZONE. Luging down the Skyline Luge is another adrenalin-packed experience where you speed down the mountain in a sled. If water is your thing, try river surfing on the churning rapids of the Kawarau River. For the latest crazy excursion, try the Fly By Wire ride. This novel sport straps you to a wire with a rocket on your back and fires you upwards at speeds up to 105 mph (but you have to be at least 12 years old).

Golf
For a relaxing day on the links, book a tee time at the beautiful Millbrook Resort near Arrowtown. A free shuttle will transport you from Queenstown to the course. Closer to home is the 18-hole Queenstown Golf Club, which is another great place for a round of golf.

Hiking
The hiking and walking around Queenstown is among the best in the world. Many internationally famous trekking routes begin nearby in the town of Glenorchy such as the Routeburn, Greenstone and the Rees tracks. Go a bit farther and you can tap into the vast realm of the Southern Alps. There are more than 10 walks right in Queenstown ranging from one to eight hours in duration. There are great walks around Lake Wakatipu and some nice trails around Arrowtown.

Jet-boating
One of the most exhilarating activities you can do in Queenstown is to take an action-packed ride on a jet-boat. These boats need just 10 centimetres of water to blast through narrow canyons up the Kawarau and Shotover rivers. Trips last between 45 and 60 minutes and are guaranteed to provide thrills.

Skiing
With three great ski hills within an hour of Queenstown, there are plenty of choices for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. Families will prefer the accommodating facilities at Cardrona, while hardcore skiers will want to check out Treble Cone. If you don’t like crowds, head straight to the Remarkables. If you want a more social scene, the slopes of Coronet Peak are easily accessible from town. If you have the cash and the skills, the heli-skiing around here is world class. The ski season runs from late June to September.

Whitewater Rafting
The South Island’s rivers are among the most beautiful and exciting on the planet. Near Queenstown, rafters will want to try the Shotover and Kawarau rivers, which are both top spots for riding the rapids. The Kawarau is better suited for beginners, while the Shotover has some serious Class V rapids to contend with.