Take your skiing to the next level
This really is the winter to take your skiing or snowboarding to the next level. With four different ski fields, all within a handy 20 to 90-minute drive of Queenstown, each boasting wide-open slopes and plenty of space, you'll be set up for success.
For an extra leg-up, book a ski lesson! A few small tips, tricks and adjustments can totally change the way you ski or get you back on track if you’ve picked up any bad habits after a break from skiing.
The Remarkables
Tick something off your bucket list
Queenstown is the place to tick something off your winter bucket list, whether it be mastering a new ski trick, taking to the skies in a hot air balloon, or braving a high-adrenaline thrill like bungy jumping, jet boating, zip lining, paragliding, quad biking, or four-wheel-driving—all guaranteed to get your blood pumping!
Queenstown is known for its bucket list activities and winter is the perfect time to try something new!
Winter hot air balloon flight
Enjoy wonderful winter events
LUMA Southern Light Project is back for 2023, taking place over King's Birthday weekend 1 - 5 June. Held in the Queenstown Gardens, the event showcases a curated collection of stunning light installations and sculptures. It's an event not to be missed.
Coronet Peak Night Ski runs from 4-9pm every Wednesday, Friday and select Saturday nights from June to September. With amazing DJs, outdoor fires, fresh tracks, cold beer and hot pizza, night ski is a bucket list winter event in Queenstown.
DFS Winter Fireworks will light up Queenstown Bay from 6:30pm on Friday 30 June. There will also be street performances, pop-up stalls, kids' activities and more, to celebrate the vibrancy of the winter season in Queenstown.
Matariki Arrowtown Lights, 14 July, is a cultural event celebrating Matariki (the Māori new year). Celebrations will include performances by local kapa haka school groups, light displays, and an astrophysicist sharing the wonders of the Otago night skies.
Winter Pride is the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest pride festival. Taking place in Queenstown this winter from 25 August - 3 September 2023, there's a line-up of fun on and off-mountain events, and plenty of parties.
Peak to Peak is New Zealand's longest-running winter multi-sport race, held between The Remarkables and Coronet Peak on 9 September 2023 - thrilling for contestants and spectators alike!
Snow Machine combines skiing at Coronet Peak and the Remarkables with an epic music line-up in Queenstown, accommodation and adventure. Catch the action from 5-10 September 2023.
Winter Pride at The Remarkables
Visit Glenorchy
The quaint town of Glenorchy is the gateway to Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks and is surrounded by magnificent snow-capped mountains, pristine lakes and rivers, and ancient beech forests.
It's no surprise that Glenorchy has provided the backdrop for many films, including The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. There is a range of accommodation options, along with activities that will get you out into the great outdoors and immersed in the region's beauty.
Glenorchy panoramic views
Get a taste of the region
Foodies are well catered for in Queenstown, with a great selection of award-winning fine dining restaurants, themed dinner events, and of course a number of great pubs and bars. Find out more about places to eat and drink in Queenstown this winter here.
Dining at Boardwalk
Let your hair down
The word ‘weeknight’ doesn't register in the mind of bar hoppers in Queenstown's town centre. Every night you'll find bartenders crafting cocktails, live music, pub quizzes and games nights, and more.
Skiers and snowboarders take to the town upon leaving the mountains to soak up all the après-ski action. Find hidden cocktail bars down small lanes, craft beer breweries and lively pubs ready to welcome you with a hearty meal and local brew after a fantastic day.
Barmuda Bar
Share your Queenstown winter wonders
Our Queenstown stories are packed with ideas to inspire you to experience Queenstown and the surrounding region like a local. As you explore Queenstown this winter, share your adventures with us on Instagram and #QueenstownLive.