An A-Z Travel Guide to Queenstown .......
(Web update July 2018)
Alpine Aqualand - If Lake Wakatipu is too cool for a dip visit Alpine Aqualand at Queenstown Events Centre, Joe O'Connell Drive in Frankton. Adults from $8 for a swim, hydro slide $2 extra. Open 6am - 9pm week days, weekends and public holidays 8am - 8pm. A safety tip for Lake Wakatipu - the lake is fed by a glacier so the water is cold year round, people can't survive for longer than 20 minutes without wearing a wet suit.
Bookme - THE website to bookmark on any trip to Queenstown if you're looking to make your budget stretch as far as a bungy cord. Bookme may save you money on attractions and activities like Million Dollar Lake Cruise and Go Orange (formerly Thunder Jet).
Breakfast - Brazz on the Green, 1 Athol Street serves a good $10 breakfast, we can also recommend Joe's Garage on Searle Lane for good value breakfasts and great service.
Cheap & Curious in Queenstown - 10 cheap and curious things to see and do for less than $50 including Fear Factory, CaddyShack indoor mini golf, and Million Dollar Cruise. Also see Ice Arena below.
Cruise on the coal powered TSS Earnslaw out to Walter Peak High Country Farm. There are a variety of cruise combinations, we chose the farm tour and afternoon tea option - see TSS Earnslaw Lake Cruise via thecuriouskiwi/blog.
Design your own jewellery or purchase ready made creations at The Bead Shop, 2b Shotover Street.
Exit Queenstown and visit Arrowtown, 20km down the road. Cheap Arrowtown activities include panning for gold from $3 (hire a pan and pick up instructions from the Lake District Museum), and walking through the remains of the Chinese Gold Mining Settlement (free). On a rainy day catch a movie at Dorothy Browns boutique cinema.
Fighter jet crossed with a torpedo is how Hydro Attack is described. We watched Hydro Attack from the sedate decks of the TSS Earnslaw, check out their video via the link above, it looks great fun.
Get into top gear at Queenstown Gym. It's unlikely, but if the attractions haven't provided enough adrenalin, Queenstown Gym welcomes casual visitors. Casual visitors are also welcome at Alpine Health & Fitness.
Happy Hour - There are plenty of competitive meal deals and happy hours offered by venues around town. The Lakes Weekly Bulletin has a Gig Guide that includes happy hours and meal deals or just take a walk around town and you'll find them. Cookie Time Cookie Bar at 18 Camp Street has a 'cookie happy hour' - 2 hot cookies for $3 between 6pm-7pm every day.
High flying - If you're brave enough you can paraglide off Bob's Peak at Skyline Gondola and land hundreds of metres below on Robins Road. See High flying in Queenstown with G Force Paragliding for more information. Skytrek and Coronet Peak Tandem are other paragliding options.
Ice Arena - Skate for as long as you like during public skating sessions at Queenstown Ice Arena in Queenstown Gardens for $19 including skate hire. Open for the winter season: April - November, see Facebook for updates.
Ice Bars - Being so cool may never be so cheap if you grab a $15 entry and cocktail combo for Below Zero Ice Bar on Bookme. See the blog post Curiously Cool in Queenstown for more information. The other ice bar in town is Minus 5.
Join everyone sitting outside at Pier 19 on Steamer Wharf and watch the comings and goings on the lakefront, and take your photo of The Remarkables in a glass.
Kiwi wine flows at The Winery, 14 Beach Street. Self serve dispensing machines allow you to choose a taste, half or full glass of wine from a selection of over 80. It's a convenient way to sample a range of wines without driving to the individual cellar doors. Platters priced from $14 can be matched with your wines of choice.
Looking for picnic ingredients? Raeward Fresh at 53 Robins Road has a bakery, deli and fruit and vegetable section. If you're missing flavours from home you might find them amongst the international groceries. Open 7 days, Monday - Saturday 8am - 6.30pm, Sunday 10am - 6pm.
Movies - Catch a movie at Reading Cinema, 11 - 14 The Mall. If you're interested in movie memorabilia visit Reel Collectibles, 1st floor, Stratton House, Beach Street.
New Zealand made art and craft is for sale on Saturdays at the Creative Queenstown Art and Craft Market in Earnslaw Park.
On your bike - Find bike hire options, bike tours and information on cycle trails.
Putt your way around the mini golf courses on Brecon Street near Skyline Gondola. Choose between outdoor mini golf from $12 per adult or CaddyShack indoor mini golf from $19.50 per adult (for more information about CaddyShack see Cheap & Curious in Queenstown).
Queenstown Gardens on Marine Parade are only a couple of minutes walk from downtown. The gardens are a lovely spot for a walk, there's also a small lakeside playground, and a disc golf course. (For more information about disc golf see Cheap & Curious in Queenstown).
Queue (and we're not joking) outside Fergburger, 42 Shotover Street for one of their famous burgers, from $10. Also popular is Fergbaker next door, and now Mrs Ferg selling gelato and hot chocolate.
Rock on at music gigs, visit www.thesourceonline.com or look out for a paper copy around town.
Second hand books can be found at the Hospice Shop, 106 Gorge Road. If you like independent bookshops see Bound Books & Records at 3 Church Street. On a rainy day you can hide away in Queenstown Library, 10 Gorge Road.
Take a thrilling spin with Go Orange (formerly Thunder Jet) or on the awesome Shotover Jet. For more information see Jet Boat Adrenalin Action via thecuriouskiwi/blog.
Unwind away from the adrenalin inducing activities by taking a walk on a Department of Conservation track (short walks and longer tramps are listed). Visit the DOC Queenstown Regional Visitor Centre at 38 Shotover Street for more information. Open 8am - 5pm daily (hours may vary depending on the season).
Vudu Cafe at 23 Beach Street and Vudu Cafe & Larder at 16 Rees Street may put a spell on you too - the food and service are worth returning for and if you like to linger, latte bowls are $5. Open 7 days.
Williams Cottage at 19 Marine Parade is Queenstown's oldest house, it was built by John Williams in 1864 and some of the original wallpaper is still on the walls. Williams Cottage is now home to Vesta Design Store. Another cute little historic building nearby is the Lake Lodge of Ophir at 85 Marine Parade. The lodge was built in 1863 and is Queenstown's oldest stone building, it is still used for its original purpose as a Freemasons Lodge.
Xperience local hospitality at a festival - Central Otago Pinot Celebration (January); Arrowtown Autumn Festival (April); American Express Queenstown Winter Festival (June), NZ Mountain Film Festival (July).
You can find sweets from Britain and America as well as Kiwi favourites like chocolate fish and giant jaffas at The Remarkable Sweet Shop, 39 Beach Street.
Zzzz - If you're looking for an unusual camping option check out Queenstown Holiday Park Creeksyde. Blog post about our stay - Queenstown Top 10 Holiday Park Creeksyde.
Comments to date: 1. Page 1 of 1.
Nikos Taskos | |
I have been to New Zealand recently and it certainly lived up to expectations. One of the highlights of my trip was Hobbiton; as a true fan, I couldn't afford to miss it! | |
