Queenstown (New Zealand)

Queenstown (Māori: Tāhuna) is a world renowned resort town in the South Island of New Zealand. The town sits on the edge of Lake Wakatipu and is surrounded by the Southern Alps.

Understand
What was once a small, remote, South Island town has transitioned since the 1980s, first to a busy ski destination, and now to a year-round tourist mecca and centre for adventure tourism. It is a world-famous destination attracting around 1.9 million visitors every year, undoubtedly the tourism capital of the South Island if not New Zealand, and a must-see stop for most visitors to New Zealand.

Situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand's third-largest lake (291 km2 or 112 sq mi) and one of Otago and New Zealand's most scenic lakes, surrounded by mountains, it's not hard to see why its stunning scenery draws people here year round. Queenstown happily caters for all visitors with a full range of attractions, activities, accommodation and eating options for any budget, from backpackers to five-star luxury. This popularity is not without its problems though - in many respects, Queenstown can be a tourist trap. However, reasonable prices and a few bargains can be found for those prepared to look for them.

Queenstown is a bustling town throughout the year, peaking over summer and during the ski season. There is a vibrant nightlife with the town's small central area packed with bars and restaurants. If you plan on getting a good nights sleep, then you might consider staying slightly out of town. It's common to see people on the streets up to 5AM returning from disco or pub. If you're looking for a relaxing scenic holiday, Wanaka (just over an hours' drive away) is smaller and more tranquil with less of a manic teenage party atmosphere.

Climate
Queenstown has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, mild summers, cool winters, and rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year.

Local newspapers
The Mirror. The first of two free community newspapers to hit the streets (on Wednesday morning), The Mirror is a great source for catching up on all things that are happening in the entire Queenstown-Lakes area. In addition to the news articles, there is a weekly restaurant review and profile of a band or DJ that will be headlining at one of Queenstown's many nightspots that week.

Lakes Weekly Bulletin is an additional source of second-hand items for sale, community noticeboard, employment vacancies, film/gig guide, flatmates and rentals.

By plane


Queenstown Airport is known for its spectacular approach with the snow-covered hills surround it on four sides. However, the surrounding terrain also makes it a tricky airport to fly in and out, with aircraft often having to circle near the airport to lose or gain height. Upgrades to the airport lighting and the introduction of high-accuracy GPS approach and departure procedures in the 2010s have greatly reduced delays and cancellations due to low cloud or cold weather. During winter peak loadings, flights departing to Australia are sometimes too heavy to take-off from Queenstown with full fuel, so they have make an enroute diversion to Christchurch or Invercargill to fill up.

Queenstown Airport also provides for private jets and other aircraft, and there is a huge number of helicopter take-offs and landings each day. Scenic flights and heli-skiing are a popular attraction for the region.

From the airport, the cheapest way into town is on the Orbus service 1, which runs every 15 minutes and this costs $10 (cash) or $2 Beecard one way - pay the driver when boarding (2018 prices). Alternatively, catch the bus from the McBride St station on Kawarau Rd (10 minute walk from the airport) and the cash fare is $5 into town. Taxis into town cost about $35-45 while Supershuttle shared vans will take you straight to your accommodation for $26 for one or two people (Mar 2019).

By bus
Daily services from Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Te Anau, Wanaka and the West Coast (Fox Glacier, Franz Josef and Greymouth).

National bus operator InterCity Coachlines provide daily services in and out of Queenstown with connections throughout the South Island. Fares start from just $1 and can be purchased on-line or via numerous local ticketing agents including the i-SITE information network. Services arrive and depart from the Athol Street car park located in the main retail shopping area.

National sightseeing tour operator GreatSights New Zealand has daily tour options to Queenstown from Christchurch via Mt Cook and operates daily services to the West Coast including (Fox Glacier Franz Josef and Greymouth).

There are also a number of smaller shuttle operators who connect to and from Queenstown including Tracknet. Ritchies have several return trips to Wanaka a day.

Many international tour companies carry holidaymakers into Queenstown by coach.

By car
Queenstown is 6½ hours non-stop from Christchurch via the Mackenzie Country and the Lindis Pass, so allow a full day driving. The drive is spectacular, through the diverse countryside of New Zealand's South Island, with vast plains, rolling hills, multicoloured lakes and mountain passes. The Lindis Pass does occasionally close in winter due to snow; a slightly less scenic detour via Oamaru and Alexandra will add 2–4 hours to your journey.

Major international and all national rental car and camper van companies have offices in Queenstown.

By train
There is no rail line into Queenstown. There used to be a rail line from Invercargill to Kingston at the southern tip of Lake Wakatipu, but the line closed after a major washout in 1980, well before Queenstown's tourist boom.

The Taieri Gorge Railway scenic tourist train seasonally operates to Pukerangi and Middlemarch, with a coach connection for the remaining distance to Queenstown.

Get around
The Queenstown town centre is small enough to walk around. Parking is at a premium and can be hard to find during the day. For further distances a bus or car is necessary.

There are a number of tour operators to be found in the CBD of Queenstown. Transport from Queenstown's CBD to adventure activities is often part of the tour package. Some operators may pick up from your tourist accommodation.

By boat
A number of boat tours depart from the Queenstown Wharf at the bottom of the Mall - including the historic steamship TSS Earnslaw, affectionately known as the "Lady of the Lake".

There is also a water taxi service.

By bus
Queenstown has a small local bus service operated by Orbus. You can buy tickets from the driver. There are five routes - the most useful for tourists being services route 1 which operates every 15 minutes to the airport and the Remarkables Park shopping centre. Fares are reasonable if you pay cash: $4 for most trips and $10 to the airport. If you'll be taking the bus more than a handful of times, it is better value to get a Bee card for $5 and top it up with $10 to get $2 fares on all buses. The bus network has two bus hubs, at Camp Street outside the O'Connell shopping mall in central Queenstown, and on Kawerau Road at the Frankton shopping centre (junction of Highway 6 and 6A) near the airport.

If you want to save money getting to or from the airport, consider taking a bus to the Remarkables Park shopping centre. From there, it is an easy 10 minute walk on good footpaths to the airport. This saves $6 per person if paying cash.

By car
Renting or buying a vehicle is convenient for getting around town, and to nearby areas. Many budget and premium car rentals provide services in Queenstown.

See
The spectacular mountain scenery and Lake Wakatipu dominate the view from most parts of town. Most attractions in Queenstown make the most of the view and it's enough reason to spend time in Queenstown even if you choose not to do anything else.

After that though, there are not a lot of things to 'See'. It's in the 'Do' category below where Queenstown really excels. Nevertheless, there are a few sights around the town to check out:



Do
Getting out there and 'doing' is really what Queenstown is all about. Skiing was the first drawcard, but now it shares the limelight with a multitude of ways to test your bravery. If you can think of a way to get adrenaline pumping, Queenstown's budding entrepreneurs have probably tried at some stage to make a tourist attraction out of it. Bring a lot of money. It's easy to get swept up in the excitement, and ring up thousands of dollars of exciting activities quickly. A bungy jump, for example, can cost $200 or more, skydiving $300, jet boating $100, and so on (Mar 2019). And don't forget about the upgrades: a higher jumping-off point, photo and video packages, and more jumps.

Queenstown also has a full range of more gentle attractions, including relaxing tours, and luxury spas.

Skiing
Skiing & snowboarding - There are four large commercial ski fields, and two specialist fields easily accessible from Queenstown. There are also a number of heli-skiing providers.


 * Coronet Peak - The closest to Queenstown, about 20 minute drive from the Centre of town via a sealed access road (all other ski fields have unsealed/gravel access roads), features a full range of slopes.
 * The Remarkables - Nestled in the Remarkable Mountain range which towers above the airport. but still easily accessible from town. New lifts/runs and an access road upgrade for 2014.
 * Cardrona - In the crown range, approximately a 1-hour drive (57 km) from Queenstown along the windy Crown Range Road. It features mostly mid-level terrain and a large terrain park.
 * Snow Farm - across the other side of the valley from Cardrona, this is a specialist cross-country ski area.
 * Treble Cone - The furthest field from Queenstown, about an hour and a half away. Usually visited by people based in Wanaka, Treble Cone is seen as more of a skiers field and generally features more advanced terrain.

Adventure tourism
There are dozens of attractions and providers. The information centre in town acts as a booking centre and is a great place to start inquiries. Most businesses will have a store in the CBD where they can arrange things for you. Hostels and hotels generally have a stack of pamphlets showing what is on offer, and staff are generally happy to help with recommendations and bookings. All providers generally provide transfers from Queenstown.


 * Bungy jumping. Queenstown is home to the world's first commercial bungy jump, established on the Kawarau Bridge in November 1988 and still operating today.
 * Clay target shooting. Fire a real 12 gauge shotgun with Break One Clay Target Sports.
 * Clay target shooting. Fire a real 12 gauge shotgun with Break One Clay Target Sports.
 * Clay target shooting. Fire a real 12 gauge shotgun with Break One Clay Target Sports.
 * Clay target shooting. Fire a real 12 gauge shotgun with Break One Clay Target Sports.
 * Clay target shooting. Fire a real 12 gauge shotgun with Break One Clay Target Sports.
 * Jet boats. Exciting jetboat rides have been operating near Queenstown for 50 years. The jet boats carry passengers at high speeds over shallow waters performing stunts like 360-degree pirouettes in the water.
 * Kawarau Jet launches into Lake Wakatipu from the centre of town.
 * Kawarau Jet launches into Lake Wakatipu from the centre of town.


 * Mountain biking package tours are available which include transport to specific locations. Or you can just hire a bike, grab a map and some tips and explore yourself. There is also a downhill service based on the gondola, where you can buy a day pass and use it as a lift for repeated runs, and Rabbit Ridge, a trail centre in Gibston Valley, with over 40 km of tracks and shuttles.
 * Mountaineering
 * Parapenting/paragliding - launching yourself off a hill with a parachute to ride the "thermals"
 * Parasailing available on Lake Wakatipu
 * Quad-bike tours - are available, some of which are specifically designed to take in Lord of the Rings film locations.
 * Riverboarding - Swimming through rapids on a bodyboard.
 * White water rafting - Single and multi-day options, including a chance to go 'black water rafting' through an underground tunnel.
 * Ziptrek Ecotours - New Zealand's #1 original zipline tour. Amazing zipline tours through the forest high up on Bobs Peak and accessed by the Skyline Gondola. A fully guided tour with cool tree house architecture interconnected by fun ziplines, stunning views and a little bit of education on the environment, Queenstown history and local flora & fauna.
 * White water rafting - Single and multi-day options, including a chance to go 'black water rafting' through an underground tunnel.
 * Ziptrek Ecotours - New Zealand's #1 original zipline tour. Amazing zipline tours through the forest high up on Bobs Peak and accessed by the Skyline Gondola. A fully guided tour with cool tree house architecture interconnected by fun ziplines, stunning views and a little bit of education on the environment, Queenstown history and local flora & fauna.
 * Ziptrek Ecotours - New Zealand's #1 original zipline tour. Amazing zipline tours through the forest high up on Bobs Peak and accessed by the Skyline Gondola. A fully guided tour with cool tree house architecture interconnected by fun ziplines, stunning views and a little bit of education on the environment, Queenstown history and local flora & fauna.

Other



 * Garden tours - Queenstown has a number of superb private gardens as well as the centrally located public Queenstown Gardens jutting out into Lake Wakatipu. The walking track on the lake edge offers excellent views of Queenstown and surrounding mountains.
 * Garden tours - Queenstown has a number of superb private gardens as well as the centrally located public Queenstown Gardens jutting out into Lake Wakatipu. The walking track on the lake edge offers excellent views of Queenstown and surrounding mountains.
 * Garden tours - Queenstown has a number of superb private gardens as well as the centrally located public Queenstown Gardens jutting out into Lake Wakatipu. The walking track on the lake edge offers excellent views of Queenstown and surrounding mountains.
 * Garden tours - Queenstown has a number of superb private gardens as well as the centrally located public Queenstown Gardens jutting out into Lake Wakatipu. The walking track on the lake edge offers excellent views of Queenstown and surrounding mountains.


 * Golf - there are six clubs in town, with facilities (and green fees) ranging from everyday to the five-star Millbrook Resort.
 * Hiking - Queenstown Hill behind the town can be climbed in about 3/4 hours for a fantastic view (and unlike most things in Queenstown it's free). There is also a nice track around the lake.
 * Touring - the scenery surrounding Queenstown makes for excellent touring, with lakes, mountains and bush around vineyards and farmland. There are also a number of specific 'Lord of the Rings' themed tours which take in local film sites for the movie series.
 * Touring - the scenery surrounding Queenstown makes for excellent touring, with lakes, mountains and bush around vineyards and farmland. There are also a number of specific 'Lord of the Rings' themed tours which take in local film sites for the movie series.

Scenic flights
The helicopter and light aircraft flights around Queenstown and to Milford Sound and Fiordland are rated amongst the best in the world. It is easily possible to fly from Queenstown in the morning, cruise Milford Sound over lunch, before returning to Queenstown in the afternoon, replacing what could otherwise be a long day on the road.







Wine tasting
The southernmost vineyards in the world are close by.





Buy
The town centre contains many tourist and souvenir stores but bargains can be hard to come by.

Top quality knitwear, Sheepskin and Possum Fur products, Greenstone (Jade) and bone carvings, and fine New Zealand wine is available for a price. Outdoor suppliers are plentiful, with equipment for trampers (hikers), mountain bikers, skiers and snowboarders, and many others who use Queenstown as the launching-pad for expeditions into the nearby National Parks.

There are a handful of convenience food stores in the town centre, most open until midnight and beyond. Two large supermarkets are on the outskirts of town. Most of the stores in Queenstown are open daily until 8PM or 9PM.

Shops in the Queenstown area are allowed to open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday (unlike most of New Zealand), but still have to close on Christmas Day and on Anzac Day (25 April) morning.



Frankton
The suburb of Frankton next the airport has the main supermarkets and large chain stores.
 * PAK'nSAVE Queenstown.jpg

Eat
There are a huge variety of numerous eating establishments to be found in Queenstown, from all-hours takeaways to fine dining. Reservations for dinner are important at the best places most times of the year, and most nights of the week.

Due to the large number of restaurants, Queenstown is a culinary hub for New Zealand, and you will find regional produce such as pinot noir wine and Canterbury lamb on display in many of the restaurants. Fine restaurants also serve world-class seafood (local mussels, oysters and deep sea fish such as blue cod), game and red meat (farmed venison and beef).

There are also a number of wineries in the Gibbston Valley (20 minutes drive) with restaurants attached, most of which are open for lunch.

Budget
Budget food is a little harder to come by in Queenstown. There are a few small fish and chip shops, kebab joints, and the usual KFC and McDonald's. Your best bet if your looking to save a few dollars is to hit the supermarket. The other option is to wander around and check out daily specials on the sandwich boards of restaurants.



Splurge

 * The Bathhouse Lakefront Restaurant, its crown-like architecture is like nothing else in Queenstown. Esplanade +64 3 442-5625 (fine dining)
 * The Bunker, 14 Cow Lane +64 3 441-8030 (fine dining)
 * Public Kitchen & Bar Steamer Wharf +64 3 442-5969 (previously Wai Waterfront Seafood Restaurant).
 * Public Kitchen & Bar Steamer Wharf +64 3 442-5969 (previously Wai Waterfront Seafood Restaurant).

Drink
Nightlife in Queenstown is largely about drinking and there are over a hundred licensed premises, most in the downtown area. It's hard to walk down one of the central streets without tripping over a bar or three. Most bars stay open till around 4AM and it is lively most nights.

There are cheap bars popular with backpackers and young locals, and sophisticated and expensive wine, cocktail and imported beer bars. Many bars and pubs have sunny outdoor courtyards in the summer months, and roaring open fires in the winter. Major sports events are normally to be found on screen somewhere in Queenstown.

There are two small casinos for adult entertainment.

A selection of some of the most well known places follows:



Sleep
Queenstown has a full range of accommodation choices, including backpackers, campsites, bed and breakfasts, apartments, motels and hotels. For the truly decadent there are also a number of 5 star boutique luxury lodges around the area, some of which often feature in 'best places to stay in the world' lists, and come with prices to match.



Budget




Stay safe
Queenstown is a relatively safe town. The most common offence committed against tourists in the Queenstown area are car break-ins.

Although limited in number, the police in the Queenstown area are intolerant of disorderly behaviour and are prepared to arrest for quite minor offences. As with anywhere in New Zealand, they have no tolerance for possession of drugs.

Other emergency services in the area operate on a volunteer basis. Occasionally you may hear what sounds like a World War II air raid siren go off in Queenstown. This is not signalling that someone is trying to attack New Zealand with nuclear weapons, but signalling volunteer fire-fighters to get down to the station because there's a house fire/car accident/kitten stuck up a tree.

Rental car companies have restrictions in their rental agreements to prevent their vehicles being operated on some high country roads. New Zealand's ski-field roads also take many visitors by surprise, but driving to suit the conditions will considerably reduce any risk.



Consulates

 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * 🇫🇷 France

Go next
Queenstown can be used as a base to see the surrounding country, including Arrowtown, Glenorchy, Kingston, the Kawarau Gorge, Cromwell and Wanaka.

The drive to Glenorchy, 50 minutes to the northwest and alongside Lake Wakatipu for much of the journey, is rated as one of the top scenic drives in the world.

The Gibbston Valley wine area is 20-min drive, just before the ancient Kawarau Gorge.

More distant tourist destinations such as Te Anau and Milford Sound are a day trip away, with many tour operators providing bus tours and flights.

Fox Glacier, the bigger and less crowded west coast glacier, is 4.5 hours drive north.