How the list is ordered
The list starts with what most first visitors book or do in their first two days, then moves outward: things in town, then on the lake and rivers, then the day trips. Where a tour genuinely adds something you can’t easily do alone, such as transport to Milford or access to the Shotover canyons, we show it. Where you can do it yourself for free, we say so.
Seasons are marked in each item’s first line.
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Most reviewed 13 hours -
24 min -
3 h 30 min -
4 h 30 min -
1 h 30 min -
2 hours
Prices and availability update live from Viator. Free cancellation and duration come from each listing.
The list
1. Ride the gondola up Bob’s Peak
All year. The Skyline Gondola climbs from Brecon Street, a few minutes’ walk from the lakefront, to a viewing deck about 450 m above town. From the top you see the whole Queenstown arm of Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables across the water and, on a clear day, Cecil and Walter Peaks to the west.
Most people go up for the view and stay for the luge, a downhill cart track with banked corners and tunnels. World Wild Hearts and Dane and Stacey both say it suits any age, because each rider sets their own speed with the handlebar. A chairlift takes you to the start, and packages usually cover three or more rides.
The top station is also where several other activities start. Ziptrek’s zipline tours check in at a treehouse up there, and the gondola ticket is bought separately from the zipline, according to Ziptrek’s listing. If you’d rather walk, the Tiki Trail climbs the same hill through forest in about an hour, and you can ride down.
2. Ski Coronet Peak or The Remarkables
Winter, roughly mid June to early October. Skiing is the single biggest reason Australians search for Queenstown, and the two local fields cover different needs.
Coronet Peak is the closer of the two, about 25 minutes from town, with a sealed road and night skiing on some evenings. The Remarkables is about 45 minutes away up a steep unsealed access road, and its terrain leans towards beginners on one side and freeride on the other. Cardrona, on the Crown Range road towards Wanaka, is the third field within reach, a little over an hour away.
Snow cover changes week to week, so check each field’s own snow report the night before. Ski passes are sold by the fields themselves, not on this page.
Ski season at a glance
| Coronet Peak | The Remarkables | Cardrona | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From town | About 25 min | About 45 min | About 1 hr 10 min |
| Access road | Sealed | Unsealed, chains often needed | Unsealed, chains often needed |
| Usual season | Mid June to early October | Mid June to early October | Mid June to early October |
| Good for | Night skiing, quick half days | Beginners and freeride | Families and longer days |
3. Ride the Shotover Jet
All year. The Shotover Jet runs a 25 minute ride through the Shotover River canyons at Arthurs Point, 10 minutes from town, with full 360 degree spins between the rock walls. The operator has exclusive use of that stretch of canyon, per the listing, which is why it’s the one jet boat ride most people mean.
There’s a shuttle from the Station Building on Duke Street if you book the transport option; check in 45 minutes ahead for that, or 30 at the river base if you drive. The minimum height is 1 m and can go up to 1.2 m when the river is high. It isn’t suitable for back or heart problems, or in pregnancy.
You will get wet, and you’ll hold on: CJ Explores noticed there are no seat belts, so you brace your feet and grip the rail. Three of the five travellers we watched rode it, and Jan and Ann called it the best thing they did in New Zealand.
4. Spend a day at Milford Sound
All year, weather permitting. Milford Sound is the reason many people come to Queenstown, and it’s also a very long day from here. Coach tours run about 12 to 13 hours, with pickups between 6am and 7:20am. The Beachpackers were collected at 6:30am and were back at sunset; Bani NZ had a 7:20am hotel pickup and reached Milford at 1pm.
About 10 of those hours are road and stops. The road is the point for many people: Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes and the Homer Tunnel. All four travellers who covered the day said the drive was as good as the destination.
The alternatives are flying in and out, which cuts it to half a day, or driving to Te Anau and staying the night so the cruise day is only 2 hours each way. We compare the coach, small group and fly options on our Milford Sound day trips from Queenstown page, and the boats themselves on our Milford Sound cruises page.
5. Cruise Lake Wakatipu
All year. Two very different boats leave from the town waterfront.
The TSS Earnslaw is the century old steamship you’ll see puffing across the lake. RealNZ runs it to Walter Peak, a high country farm on the far shore, where the 3.5 hour trip includes a barbecue lunch at the homestead and a sheep shearing and sheepdog show. When the Earnslaw is off for its annual maintenance (18 May to 27 June in 2026), a modern catamaran takes the run instead. Dane and Stacey found it out of service when they tried to book, so check your date first.
The shorter option is a 90 minute sightseeing cruise from the Beach Street jetty with live commentary from the captain, passing the Queenstown Gardens and the Kawarau River outlet. It’s an easy first afternoon in town, and the boat has indoor seating for a cold day.
RealNZ lists wheelchair access on both the Walter Peak trip and its 90 minute cruises. Check the boat on your date, since a catamaran fills in during maintenance.
6. Walk Queenstown Hill or Ben Lomond
Mostly October to May; snow in winter. Queenstown Hill is the walk to do if you have half a day: a steady climb through forest from the top of Belfast Terrace to the Basket of Dreams sculpture and the summit, about 4.8 km return with around 400 m of climbing, per World Wild Hearts, and 2 to 3 hours with stops. Dane and Stacey admit they underestimated the climb.
Ben Lomond is a full day, 6 to 8 hours return from the top of the gondola, and a proper mountain walk to 1,748 m. The final ridge is exposed. Start early, carry water and a jacket, and turn back if cloud comes in.
For something flat, the Frankton Track follows the lakeshore towards Frankton.
7. Raft the Shotover or the Kawarau
Spring to autumn on the Shotover; the Kawarau runs most of the year. White water rafting is one of the larger summer searches for Queenstown, and the two rivers give quite different days.
The Shotover is the more serious run, through a narrow canyon, and it finishes through a tunnel cut by gold miners. The Kawarau is bigger, warmer water with fewer technical rapids, better if it’s your first time. Both operators supply wetsuits, boots and helmets. Age and weight limits apply and are stricter on the Shotover.
Rafting is weather and river dependent, and operators can change the river on the day if levels are wrong. Ask when you book what happens if they do. With transfers from town, it’s a half day either way.
8. Go horse riding or quad biking near Cardrona
All year, with snow on some winter rides. The Cardrona Valley, over the Crown Range, is where most of the riding and quad biking happens, on working high country stations. An operator interviewed by Overlander Travel describes river crossings on every ride and a lesson first for beginners; those are the operator’s own claims.
Rides usually run 2 to 3.5 hours. There’s a short drive or transfer from Queenstown, so treat it as half a day. Glenorchy also has horse treks along the Dart River flats, which are covered in the Glenorchy section below.
Quad bike tours run on the same high country stations, and in winter the operator says the quads reach snow. On most tours you need a full car licence to drive a quad yourself, and children ride as passengers. Wear clothes you don’t mind ruining. River crossings and mud are the point.
9. Canyoning, skydiving and the bungy bridge
Mostly all year. Commercial bungy started here, at the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge, 20 minutes out of town. AJ Hackett sells those jumps directly.
Tandem skydiving drops onto the Wakatipu basin, with the lake and The Remarkables below for the whole freefall. Half day canyoning trips run in the gorges above town, with abseils and jumps into pools, from spring to autumn. Each of these has a minimum age and a weight limit, so check them before promising anything to a teenager.
Book skydives early in your trip. Low cloud and wind stop jumps, and the operators move you to a later slot or refund when they do, so a spare day helps. Morning slots tend to be calmer than late afternoon.
10. Take the Glenorchy road for Lord of the Rings country
All year. The 45 minute drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy along the lake is the best road in the area for scenery that doesn’t involve a ski lift. Our World Journey stopped at Bennetts Bluff lookout, about 25 minutes out, and said the walk from the car park takes 5 to 7 minutes.
Stop at Bob’s Cove on the way, 15 to 20 minutes out: a short walk to clear, shallow water that three of our five travellers rated, with a small car park. Beyond Glenorchy, the valleys around Paradise were used for several Lord of the Rings scenes. A&A Travel Tales drove to the Isengard viewpoint on their own; most other film spots are on private land or unmarked. A half day guided trip from Queenstown, capped at 11 people, adds a private station plus costume and replica sword photos, per its listing. It isn’t suitable for children under 5.
11. Eat your way round town
All year. Food is a big search for Queenstown, and the town is compact enough to walk between most places in 10 minutes. The burger queue on Shotover Street is famous for a reason, and it moves faster than it looks. Arrowtown, 20 minutes away, has a quieter main street of cafes and a good bakery stop for the drive to Wanaka.
Book ahead for dinner in July and January. For the famous burger, phone your order through: Dane and Stacey and CJ Explores did, while A&A Travel Tales queued about an hour.
For a cheap evening, buy food in town and eat it in the Queenstown Gardens or on the steps at Steamer Wharf. If you’re driving to Te Anau or Milford the next day, stock up here too. Luxe Tours, a Te Anau operator, points out there’s very little food along the Milford Road.
12. Soak in a hot tub above the Shotover
All year, best in winter. Onsen Hot Pools at Arthurs Point has private cedar tubs on a cliff above the Shotover River, booked by the hour, with the roof open to the view. It’s the after ski plan most people mean when they say hot pools in Queenstown. Book days ahead in winter; evening slots go first.
The tubs are sized for two to four people and the sessions are short, around an hour, so it’s an easy add to a ski day or the evening after a Milford trip. It’s a 10 minute drive from town, close to the Shotover Jet base. If you’ve only got time for one thing on a wet afternoon, this is a good candidate, because the rain barely matters once you’re in the water.
13. Drive to Wanaka for the day
All year; the Crown Range road may need chains in winter. Wanaka is about 70 minutes away by the Cromwell road, according to Riss Adventures, or longer over the Crown Range through Cardrona. Sanya Photography and Travel took nearly 2 hours on the Crown Range with stops at Arrowtown, the summit lookout and the Cardrona Hotel.
The usual day is That Wanaka Tree, a lakefront lunch and Mount Iron or Puzzling World. If you’d rather not drive, guided Wanaka day trips from Queenstown are compared on our Wanaka tours page.
Wanaka isn’t the quiet escape it used to be. Nick and Raychel, on their autumn day trip, found the town packed and parking a fight. In winter the Cromwell road is the safer choice, because it avoids the Crown Range summit.
14. See the glaciers, but not as a day trip
Franz Josef is about 5.5 to 6 hours from Queenstown by road through the Haast Pass, so it’s an overnight trip, or a flight. Plan at least two nights on the West Coast if the glaciers matter to you: helicopters often don’t fly on the day you arrive. Our Franz Josef glacier tours page compares the heli hikes and flights.
The drive is part of the reason to go. The Haast Pass road runs past Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka, then drops through rainforest to the coast, and most people break it in Wanaka or at Haast. Fox Glacier is 25 minutes further south if you want a second glacier and Lake Matheson’s reflections. If you only have a week in the south, though, Milford and the lakes will fill it.
Arrowtown and Glenorchy
Both have enough to do for their own guides, coming later. Here’s what to know for a first visit from Queenstown.
Arrowtown
Arrowtown is a gold rush town 20 minutes from Queenstown, with a main street of restored 1860s buildings and the Arrow River running behind it. In autumn, roughly late April, the trees along the river turn gold and the town fills with photographers.
Justin Plus Lauren stopped to pan for gold in the Arrow River; you can hire a pan in town. Further up the river, the old Chinese settlement is a short free walk with restored miners’ huts and a frank account of how those miners were treated.
It also makes a good first stop on the Crown Range road to Wanaka. Sanya Photography and Travel started their Wanaka day there, and Lake Hayes, about 15 minutes from Queenstown per Justin Plus Lauren, has a flat 8 km loop walk on the way.
Glenorchy
Glenorchy is a small town at the head of Lake Wakatipu, 45 minutes from Queenstown on the lake road. Most visitors come for the drive itself, the red wharf shed, and the view up the Dart and Rees valleys towards Mount Aspiring National Park.
The Glenorchy Lagoon walkway is a flat hour from the town centre. Further on, the start of the Routeburn Track is another 30 minutes by road, and the first hour of the track to the Routeburn Flats makes a good half day without committing to the whole Great Walk.
Jet boat trips on the Dart River and horse treks on the valley flats both start here. Our World Journey planned a Glenorchy visit on their drive from Te Anau and dropped it for lack of time, which is the usual mistake: give it at least half a day.
Free things to do
Queenstown has a reputation as an expensive town, and the activity prices earn it. The scenery is free, though, and most of the best of it is a walk from the waterfront.
- Queenstown Gardens. A peninsula park ten minutes’ walk from the centre, with lake views on three sides, a frisbee golf course and an ice rink in winter. A&A Travel Tales found 4 hours of free parking here.
- The lakefront at sunset. Steamer Wharf to the gardens, with the Earnslaw coming in and The Remarkables turning pink in clear weather.
- Queenstown Hill. The town’s best free view, 2 to 3 hours return.
- The Tiki Trail. Walk up Bob’s Peak instead of paying for the gondola. About an hour up.
- The Frankton Track. Flat lakeside walking and cycling, as far as you like.
- Bennetts Bluff lookout on the Glenorchy road, 25 minutes out.
- Lake Hayes loop, 8 km and flat, 15 minutes from town.
- Arrowtown’s Chinese settlement, a short walk with interpretation boards.
- Devil’s Staircase lookout on the road south towards Kingston, where Our World Journey walked down to the water’s edge.
Free in this list means free entry. Parking in central Queenstown is paid and short in summer, so walking or the bus is usually easier than driving to the gardens or the wharf.
The cheapest paid treat in town is probably the luge, bought with or after the gondola, and the cheapest boat trip is the 90 minute lake cruise. Neither costs much compared with the adventure activities.
With kids
The adventure side of Queenstown has age and height limits on almost everything, so the trick is knowing which activities take small children before you promise them.
| Activity | Who can go | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Skyline Gondola and luge | All ages on the gondola; luge riders steer their own cart once old enough, younger ones ride with an adult | The easiest win in town |
| Shotover Jet | Minimum height 1 m, sometimes 1.2 m when the river is high | Children ride with an adult |
| Walter Peak farm trip | All ages | Sheep shearing and the sheepdog show; wheelchair and pram friendly |
| Ziptrek zipline | Minimum weight 30 kg on the gentlest tour; under 14s with a paying adult | Waiver signed by a parent for anyone 17 or under |
| Kiwi Birdlife Park | All ages | Kiwi in a night house, next to the gondola base |
| Lord of the Rings tour | Ages 5 and up | Costume and sword photos; booster seats for ages 5 to 7 on request |
| Milford Sound coach day | All ages, but a 12 to 13 hour day | Luxe Tours, a Te Anau operator, doesn’t recommend it for under 5s |
The Queenstown Gardens playground and frisbee golf course fill a free afternoon, and the lakefront beach is shallow at the edges, though the water is cold even in January.
For Milford with children, Ben Devery’s family vlog suggests the sheltered front window of the boat with cards to play. The small group Milford tour in the grid has booster seats for children 7 and under, per its listing.
Jet boat or zipline for an 8 year old? The Shotover Jet’s 1 m height rule is easier to meet than Ziptrek’s 30 kg.
Rainy day
Rain in Queenstown rarely lasts all day, but low cloud can sit on the peaks for hours and close the views that most activities depend on. These still work.
- Onsen Hot Pools. Private tubs above the Shotover. Rain on the roof is part of the appeal.
- Kiwi Birdlife Park. Mostly under cover, and the kiwi house is dark anyway.
- The Shotover Jet. It runs in rain; you’re getting wet regardless.
- Walter Peak on the Earnslaw. The boat has an enclosed saloon and you can watch the engine room through the glass.
- Arrowtown. Museum, cafes and short covered walks between them.
- A Milford Sound day. Counterintuitive, but several travellers say rain makes the fiord better, because temporary waterfalls appear down every cliff. The Beachpackers had sun and said they “missed the dramatic beauty” of a wet Milford.
What doesn’t work in rain: the gondola view, Ben Lomond, anything on the Crown Range in sleet, and scenic flights, which cancel in cloud. If you’ve booked a flight, keep a spare morning in your plan so it can move.
In a ski week, check the field’s report, not the town forecast.
Getting around, when to go, how long to stay
Getting around
The town centre is small enough to walk. Most activity operators run shuttles from town or from your hotel, so you can do a jet boat, a lake cruise and the gondola in one day without a car.
Queenstown Airport is at Frankton, about 15 minutes away, with direct flights from the Australian east coast. Local buses run between the airport, Frankton, Arthurs Point and Arrowtown.
A car opens up the day trips. These are the usual drive times, with the traveller who recorded each one where we have it:
| From Queenstown to | Time | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Arrowtown | About 20 min | General |
| Glenorchy | About 45 min | General |
| Wanaka via Cromwell | About 70 min | Riss Adventures |
| Wanaka via the Crown Range | Nearly 2 hr with stops | Sanya Photography and Travel |
| Te Anau | 2 to 2.5 hr without stops, 170+ km | Hayliv K |
| Milford Sound | About 4 hr driving, 5 to 6 with stops | Bani NZ’s driver, RealNZ listing |
| Franz Josef | About 5.5 to 6 hr | General |
In winter, carry chains for the ski field roads, the Crown Range and the Milford Road, and check road status before you leave. Rental companies set their own rules on unsealed ski roads.
When to go
| Season | Months | Why go | Trade off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | June to August | Skiing, snow on the peaks, hot tubs after | Short days, icy roads, the town at its fullest in July |
| Spring | September to November | Late season skiing into early October, quieter town | Changeable weather; some trails still snowy |
| Summer | December to February | Light until after 9pm, lake swims, hiking, rafting | Busiest months, highest prices, full car parks |
| Autumn | March to May | Golden trees in Arrowtown by late April, settled spells | Cold mornings; the Earnslaw usually goes off for maintenance from May |
If you want snow, the reliable window is July to mid September. If you want walking and the lake, late January to March is usually the most settled.
How long to stay
Three nights covers the gondola, one adventure activity, a lake cruise and Arrowtown. Add a full day for Milford Sound, and another if the weather forces you to move it. A ski week is its own plan: most people split it between Coronet Peak and The Remarkables.
Five nights suits a first summer visit: Queenstown, Glenorchy, Wanaka and Milford without a rushed day.
If you only have one day
One day in Queenstown means choosing between Milford Sound and the town. Milford takes the whole day and leaves nothing for anything else. The town itself fills a day easily. Here’s the town version, for a clear summer day.
8:30am. Coffee on the waterfront, then walk the lakefront to Queenstown Gardens while it’s quiet.
10:00am. The Shotover Jet. Take the shuttle from the Station Building on Duke Street, check in 45 minutes ahead, and you’re back in town by about 11:30am.
12:00pm. Lunch in town. Phone a burger order ahead or skip the queue.
1:30pm. The 90 minute lake cruise from Beach Street, or, if you’d rather sit for longer, the Earnslaw to Walter Peak, which takes 3.5 hours with lunch included. In that case, swap it with the noon slot.
3:30pm. Gondola up Bob’s Peak and a few luge runs. Walk down the Tiki Trail if your legs are fresh.
6:00pm. Drive or take the bus to Arrowtown for an early dinner on the main street and a walk along the river.
8:30pm. Back to Queenstown for the last of the light on the lake.
In winter, swap the morning for Coronet Peak and ride the gondola after dark.
FAQ
What are the best things to do in Queenstown?
For a first visit: the gondola up Bob's Peak, a lake cruise, the Shotover Jet, the drive to Glenorchy and a day at Milford Sound. In winter, add a day at Coronet Peak or The Remarkables. The list above runs in roughly the order most visitors do them.
When is ski season in Queenstown?
Usually mid June to early October, with the most reliable snow from July to mid September. Exact opening and closing dates are set by each field every year and depend on early snow, so check the fields' own sites before booking flights around them.
Does it snow in Queenstown town?
Sometimes, but not often and not for long. Snow settles on the surrounding peaks every winter, while the town itself, at lake level, gets a few light falls in a typical year. If you want snow underfoot, go up to the ski fields rather than waiting for it in town.
Which ski field is best near Queenstown?
It depends on who's skiing. Coronet Peak is closest and has night skiing. The Remarkables suits beginners and freeriders, and is further up a steeper road. Cardrona, over an hour away, is a common pick for families. Many people on a week's trip ski two of the three.
What can families do in Queenstown?
The gondola and luge, the Kiwi Birdlife Park and the Walter Peak farm trip all suit young children. The Shotover Jet takes children from 1 m tall. Ziptrek needs a minimum weight of 30 kg. The With kids section above lists the limits for each activity.
What is there to do in Queenstown for free?
Walk Queenstown Hill or the Tiki Trail, spend an afternoon in the Queenstown Gardens, follow the Frankton Track along the lake, or drive to Bennetts Bluff on the Glenorchy road. Arrowtown's main street and Chinese settlement are free too.
What can you do in Queenstown in winter if you don't ski?
Plenty. The Shotover Jet, the gondola and Onsen Hot Pools all run through winter, and the lake cruises keep going too. Milford Sound is usually open, though the road can close for snow, so a coach tour is often easier than driving in July.
How far is Franz Josef Glacier from Queenstown?
About 5.5 to 6 hours by road through the Haast Pass, so plan it as an overnight trip. Most people break the drive in Wanaka or at Haast and stay two nights near the glacier, because helicopter flights often wait for a weather window.
Is white water rafting in Queenstown OK for beginners?
Yes, on the Kawarau. It has bigger, warmer water and fewer technical rapids. The Shotover canyon run is more serious and has stricter age and weight limits. Both operators provide wetsuits and helmets, and a briefing before you get on the water.
Where can you go hiking near Queenstown?
Queenstown Hill is the best half day walk from town. Ben Lomond is a full day mountain hike from the top of the gondola. For something easier, try the Lake Hayes loop or the Frankton Track. The first hour of the Routeburn Track, past Glenorchy, makes a good half day out.
Can you go horse riding in Queenstown?
Yes. Most rides are in the Cardrona Valley over the Crown Range, or on the river flats near Glenorchy. Rides usually run 2 to 3.5 hours, and beginners get a short lesson first, according to the operators. Plan it as half a day once you add the drive.