Story Angles

Snow

Six ski fields, all within 20 minutes to 1½ hours’ drive of Queenstown, with terrain for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities.  There’s state-of-the-art facilities, beginners’ slopes, freestyle 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.

Browse Queenstown Activities > Ski, Snow & Ice

Golf

Six golf courses, all within a 25-minute radius of the town centre, offer everything from family friendly 9-hole courses to breathtaking fairways with rugged mountain backdrops and immaculately groomed 18-hole championship courses designed by some of the world’s best.

Browse Queenstown Activities > Golf & Other Sports

Family

Queenstown has family fun for all ages, from the mild to the wild. You can get your blood pumping by skydiving, bungy jumping or canyon swinging and have fun together on activities like jet boating, rafting and skiing.  For a little less high-octane excitement jump aboard a steamship and cruise the lake, take a farm tour or head up skyline for spectacular views and a session of luging, check out the Kiwi Birdlife Park or try your hand at frisbee golf.

Browse Queenstown Activities > Family Fun

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.

Browse Queenstown Accommodation > Luxury Retreats & Lodges

Biking

Queenstown is becoming internationally recognized as a must-do biking destination, with some of the world’s best riders calling it “the Southern Hemisphere’s answer to Whistler”.  Tracks range from backcountry trails, serious downhill rides, a jump park and heli-biking to short scenic trails, road rides and New Zealand’s only gondola-assisted bike lift.  Add to this mix the Queenstown Bike Festival, a 10-day event held during Easter 2011, with plans afoot to make it bigger and better next time round.

Browse Queenstown Activities > Mountain Biking Tours & Trails

Arts, culture and events

Queenstown is a sophisticated, multi-cultural town 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.

Browse Queenstown Events

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.

Browse Queenstown Activities > Art, Culture & Heritage

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.

Browse Queenstown Activities > Walking & Hiking

Food and wine

Meet local producers, chefs and winemakers who are passionate about this place and find out why the region is becoming renowned for its award-winning food and wine. World-class produce sourced locally inspires menus that feature 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. The region’s shaly soil and climate of hot, dry summers, cool autumns and crisp, cold winters provide excellent grape growing conditions for its 200 vineyards.

Browse Queenstown Bars & Restaurants