PlanoPlanoQueenstown compresses more adrenaline activities per square kilometre than anywhere else on Earth, all set against a backdrop of alpine lakes and jagged peaks. Things to do in Queenstown balance the adventure with world-class Pinot Noir, lakeside dining, and the epic landscapes of Milford Sound and the Remarkables.
Read the full Queenstown travel guide →4 days
December, January, February
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TSS Earnslaw vintage steamship
The 1912 coal-fired steamship crosses Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak station, where you can watch a sheep-shearing demonstration and eat a lakeside barbecue lunch.
Kiwi Birdlife Park
A 5-acre wildlife sanctuary in central Queenstown where you can see kiwi in a nocturnal house, tuatara, and native birds in a natural bush setting.
Lakes District Museum
The museum in Arrowtown documents the 1862 gold rush, the Chinese miners' settlement, and the early history of southern New Zealand tourism.
Fergburger
The perpetual-queue burger shop on Shotover Street has been Queenstown's most famous eatery since 2001, open until 05:00 and serving burgers named after local peaks.
Ben Lomond summit track
A strenuous 6-8 hour return hike from the Skyline Gondola top station to the 1,748-metre summit, with panoramic views of Lake Wakatipu and five mountain ranges.
Routeburn Track day hike
The first section of the 33-km Great Walk from the Routeburn Shelter to the Flats hut is a 3-hour return day walk through beech forest and alongside a turquoise alpine stream.
Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
The restored remains of the Chinese gold miners' camp on the banks of the Arrow River, with reconstructed stone cottages and interpretive panels telling the miners' stories.
Glenorchy and the road to Paradise day trip
The 45-minute lakeside drive north of Queenstown ends at the village of Glenorchy, gateway to the Routeburn Track and filming locations used in The Lord of the Rings.
Queenstown Arts and Crafts Market
A Saturday market on the lakefront in Earnslaw Park selling pounamu (New Zealand jade) carvings, merino wool products, and manuka honey from Central Otago producers.
The World Bar
A multi-level bar in a heritage building on Shotover Street that serves cocktails in teapots and hosts live music, quiz nights, and DJs, with a rooftop terrace overlooking the Remarkables.
The best months to enjoy things to do in Queenstown are December, January, February, March, June, July, August. Plan around these months for the best weather and fewer crowds.
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