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Snow

Each June, the region transforms into a winter paradise, attracting snow sports enthusiasts from around the world with incredible scenery, crisp blue-sky days and easy access to some of New Zealand's finest skiing.  Six ski fields, within 20 minutes to 1½ hours’ drive of Queenstown, offer terrain for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities.  There’s state-of-the-art facilities, beginners’ slopes, terrain parks, tubing, world-class instructors, onsite crèches, kids’ programmes, events and plenty more to keep everyone entertained. And then there’s the heli-skiing… backcountry, fresh powder, stunning views... totally breathtaking and unforgettable. 
Don't miss NZ's 10 coolest days - Queenstown's iconic Winter Festival is the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest winter celebration which sees locals and visitors take to the streets and ski slopes each June to welcome winter 'Queenstown style'.

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Biking

Dirt is the new snow!   Queenstown has undergone a quiet revolution over the past couple of years and its new and improved trails and bike-friendly products have opened up iconic landscapes and experiences for cyclists looking for everything from daytime dawdling to high energy alpine descents. Tracks range from spectacular lakeside and backcountry trails and road rides to a jump park, heli-biking and the Southern Hemisphere’s only gondola-accessed downhill mountain biking.  Various biking events, including the annual 10-day Queenstown Bike Festival, add to an action-packed calendar.

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Hiking

Summer is high season for the region’s world-renowned hiking trails and the beautiful alpine backcountry provides a multitude of opportunities for exploration. A comprehensive network of trails, ranging from lakeside tracks to tougher multi-day excursions and some of New Zealand’s famous Great Walks, are all within easy reach of Queenstown. You can explore the region with a qualified guide, take a ride to remote alpine regions on an exhilarating heli-hiking tour, or stroll at a leisurely pace on one of Queenstown’s lakeside trails.

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Golf

Queenstown has become an international golf destination thanks to world-class facilities, multi award-winning courses with stunning lake and mountain views, diverse golfing and non-golfing options, and easy access. Six golf courses, all within a 25-minute radius of the town centre, offer everything from immaculately groomed 18-hole championship courses designed by some of the world’s best to breathtaking fairways with rugged mountain backdrops and a family-friendly 9-hole course. Don't miss some of the world's top golfers as they line up alongside celebrities at the annual NZ PGA Championship at The Hills Golf Course in February.

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Food and wine

Meet local producers, chefs and winemakers who are passionate about this place and find out why the region is renowned for its award-winning food and wine. World-class local produce inspires menus with seasonal dishes like whitebait, wild pheasant, rabbit, hare, venison and Cardrona Valley merino lamb. Situated at an altitude of 45° South, Central Otago is the most southerly wine region in the world and is particularly famous for its Pinot Noir.  Shaly soil and a climate of hot, dry summers, cool autumns and crisp, cold winters provide excellent grape growing conditions for its 200 vineyards.  See internationally acclaimed local chefs and winemakers in action at the Gibbston Wine and Food Festival in March and learn more about the region's finest drop at the bi-annual Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration.

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Family

Queenstown has family fun for all ages, from the mild to the wild. Get your blood pumping by skydiving, bungy jumping and canyon swinging or have fun together on activities like jet boating, rafting and skiing. For less high-octane thrills there are great options to suit every age, ability and budget including steamship or boat cruises on the lake, flying fox, luging, mini golf, bowling, frisbee golf, pool complex and hydroslide, ice skating, underwater observatory, farm tours and a kiwi birdlife park. Some activities have age and weight restrictions so it pays to do a bit of online research beforehand.

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Luxury

Queenstown has some of New Zealand’s finest luxury accommodation and its stunning scenery and high-end recreational activities attract celebrities and discerning travellers from around the globe. 

Fly to a remote alpine location for a champagne picnic, play golf on one our world-class courses, be chauffeur-driven to award-winning wineries or charter a private yacht to cruise the lake.

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Arts, culture and events

Queenstown is a sophisticated, multi-cultural resort which is reflected in its wealth of talent, ranging from artists, photographers and designers to musicians, actors and elite athletes. 

Explore the art galleries, local markets, take in a show or enjoy the buzz and diversity of Queenstown’s iconic events like Winter Festival, Winter Games, Summerdaze, and Arrowtown Autumn Festival.

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Heritage

Māori searching for pounamu (New Zealand greenstone or nephrite jade) were the first people to visit the area. When gold was discovered in the Arrow and Shotover rivers in 1862, ‘The Camp’ (as Queenstown was originally known) became a gold-mining boom town until 1865 when an exodus for the Westland gold rush emptied two-thirds of the town’s buildings.  Queenstown’s journey to becoming an internationally acclaimed four season resort began with the support of Kiwis who used it as a popular summer holiday destination.

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Adventure

This region has always been a magnet for adventurers and entrepreneurs and these pioneers became the mainstay of Queenstown's adventure tourism industry. World-first innovations such as commercial jet boating and bungy jumping have forged Queenstown’s enduring reputation as the ‘Adventure Capital of the World’.

It’s no exaggeration to say you can experience more in Queenstown in a day than most do in a lifetime. Rated internationally as one of the world's top holiday destinations, its huge range of activities, from the mild to the wild, have made it Trip Advisor’s Number One Outdoor and Adventure Destination. With a multitude of adrenaline-pumping activities like skydiving, bungy jumping, canyon swinging, rafting, jet boating, tandem hangliding and paragliding, heli skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, walking, hiking, and horse trekking the choices are endless.

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Romance

With stunning natural beauty, diverse experiences and luxury options, Queenstown provides the perfect romantic setting at any time of year for an unforgettable couples’ weekend, a ‘wow’ marriage proposal, destination wedding or honeymoon.  For the ultimate in romance why not helicopter into the mountains for a picnic on a peak or enjoy a dawn hot air balloon ride and champagne breakfast?  There are endless opportunities to make memories together from skydiving, bungying and jet boating to exploring award-winning wineries, indulging in 5-star spa treatments, soaking up the views by candlelight in a private hot tub, dining under the stars or enjoying an intimate dinner with lake and mountain views.  For wedding inspiration, don’t miss the Southern Lakes Wedding Show at Skyline in May.

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Lights, camera, action

Easy access to stunning locations, a well established film industry, and a huge choice of accommodation and entertainment options have made Queenstown an internationally renowned destination for production of films, broadcast and television commercials. 

The Queenstown region is home to some of New Zealand’s most dramatic scenery and its towering mountains, ancient beech forests and glacial fed rivers have provided inspirational backdrops for many productions, with filmmakers and Hollywood stars alike falling under its spell. 

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Spa and pamper

Inhale...exhale...relax....With mountain peaks as far as the eye can see, shimmering lakes and crisp alpine air, Queenstown is one of the world’s most pristine environments in which to rejuvenate body, mind and spirit.

Spend an hour or a day indulging in some ‘me’ time at one of Queenstown’s day spas or internationally renowned 5-star spa resorts – whether you’re tired, stressed, jet-lagged, actioned out, preparing for a special occasion or just in need of pampering, there are a range of options designed to relax and revitalise.  Enjoy everything from massages, manicures and facials to exotic body wraps, steam exfoliations, therapeutic pools, and traditional Maori ritual treatments.

Browse Queenstown > Spa and Pamper