There is only so much beer and meat pies one can devour…read more.. So check out this charming Gardens. Really pretty area to just hang. Cool unique indigenous plants, trees, etc... They even have a redwood type of tree....thought that was only in Calif.

Queenstown Gardens is a must visit. You probably can't miss it if you're staying in a hotel along…read moreFrankton Road. There's also a very well kept walking/bike trail along Lake Wakatipu if you walk down from the main road, which does take you all the way to the gardens. You might feel like you're just by yourself, but no worries! You'll find a decent amount of people exercising--even in the rain. The botanic gardens is free to go in. Everything is well maintained, and very family friendly and wheelchair accessible. Pathways are wide. There are many beautiful, tall tress, and flowers. Love the fact you can enjoy the greenery while also enjoying the lake. Overall, it's definitely a must visit. You can easily walk through here to get to the Queenstown Mall, and other activities in that area.

The trail is beautiful and left me an unforgettable experience. I got the trail information from…read morethe tourist office at downtown, I was told the trail was pretty flat and no hiking shoes and trekking poles needed. So we went. It was a steep uphill approaching the trailhead. The trail is very wonderful and well maintained, I left my contribution at Fairy Meeting Place:), the overlook from the top was unbelievable, at brief moment a beam of sunlight shooting through clouds shines on Queenstown, it's like a dream. Later it started raining when we reached the top, and unfortunately my wife broke her ankle just 100 ft before back to trailhead. Queenstown's firefighters were super nice, they were right behind us, and helped us all the way to the hospital. The lesson: put on your hiking shoes or boots and bring your trekking poles if you can, be careful on rainy days. The rain makes the sand and gravel trail more slippery.

I think the most beautiful view of my life was on top of this hill…read more The vista is spectacular. There was even a FLIPPING RAINBOW in the distance. You might have to blink a couple times as you decide if you're already in heaven yet. It's a fantastic hike. It took us about two hours to get to the top. There was a basket-looking chair at the top that about four friends can load in and enjoy the view. Such a fun perk. It's a steep hike, so bring water. It's definitely doable for anyone though - the trail is very clear and obvious.

An absolutely perfect place to relax. Whether you are just passing by and need a moment, want a…read morebreak, sit down after a meal, just need a rest, etc....it's a perfect spot. The water puts you at ease and relaxes you. No one is playing sports, yelling, running around, whatever...everyone just has respect for each other. It is a wonderful atmosphere to just "be". Once upon a time the White Star Hotel stood here, but it burnt down in the early 70's. It became a carpark, then slowly it became a popular public space through transformation with Horne Creek in 1994 when a company was tasked to rebuild the area. But it wasn't until 2006 that the area was fully complete and is what you see today. It has historical panels, seating, lighting, the stream, trees, flowers...and don't forget the ducks!!! A far cry from just a carpark. Well done!

Must visit for us…read more Traveled North and South Island and never spotted a Kiwi Could not pass this up Remember that our ticket was part of a package w Tram and restaurant Also Remember that Fee includes conservation Solid 4 stars

We loved the kiwi encounter experience. The speaker seemed truly knowledgeable about the kiwis that…read morelive there and was able to provide visitors with interesting insights that go beyond things you can just google. We asked about their conservation and breeding programs and how they are actually involved in the entire process of helping these kiwis. We were able to ask questions and follow up questions since our kids are very curious and knowledgeable about animals. The guy at the front for conservation talk really sucked though. He gave a talk about various native animals that sounded very amateurish and ad hoc. We don't have a problem that he's not good at speaking but it felt like a waste of time gathering people on a stage and sucked like that while we sat in the wet and cold wintery wind of NZ weather. We were not impressed, what saved the show was they brought out some animals that we were able to see up close. There were also kids playing sport to our right and constructions going on in our left. The set up was very noisy. They could totally improve the set up. Didn't feel all that naturey. We also enjoyed seeing some native birds on the premise. The gift shop was nice and reasonably priced.

Stu was a great host! He showed us the lake, educated us and we caught our limit of fish! This was…read morea great day, I would highly recommend a day with Stu!

From the owner: Stu Dever has operated guided fishing trips on Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown for over 20 years. Stu…read morecan show you the best spots to catch the local fish, using years of specialist knowledge. Stu is a Salmon fishing specialist and is the longest serving fishing guide on Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown. You can be sure of one of the best fishing experiences in Queenstown on our modern 34 foot launch and our fishing trips operate year round. On Lake Wakatipu we fish for Chinook Salmon, Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout and we provide you with all the equipment provided and prices include fishing licenses. We can cater for individuals, groups and children and prices start from $120 per adult for 2 hours. Give us a call today to ensure the best fishing experience Queenstown has to offer. Our boat departs from the Water Taxi Jetty on Beach Street in the centre of Queenstown, alongside Earnslaw Park within walking distance of all the central accommodation. We provide free shuttles from all the main accommodation within Queenstown. Call us on +64 (0)27 433 3052 or visit us at www.fishing-queenstown.co.nz to make an enquiry. Note : Our boat departs from the Water Taxi Jetty beside Beach Street in the centre of town at the piers, not at the registered business address.

Brrrr! The famous blue pools were at the top of our list for our trip, and we found out once there…read morethat they have shut down the suspension bridges. This is a huge bummer that I hope they'll fix for the safety of hikers and for tourism, as this is one of the most famous viewpoints in NZ! Instead of the bridges, we hiked to the pebble beach and waded into the water from there. The water is ICE COLD so be prepared for a shock! I highly recommend bringing sandals and clothing/suits you can swim in and then socks and clothes you can change into for the walk back. We dipped into the water a bit but it was frigid, so mainly waded in and out to get some photos and enjoy the views. The view would be so epic from the bridges - I really hope they'll fix them for use!

We went in late June and it was FREEZING, but beautiful. A good-length walk - not too long to get…read moretired, but long enough to make the drive worth it. The forest is gorgeous and the pool at the end make lovely photos. You can climb down to the rocks and see the bridge and pools from a lower angle, too. The suspension bridges on the way there are a fun kind of scary. :)

In A Nutshell: -The…read moreSouth Island of New Zealand, has some of the most beautiful lakes in the world and Lake Pukaki is just one of many. -You will drive by this lake if you drive on Highway 8. -There is a pretty big parking lot where you can park and walk down the rocks to the clear water. -It's breathtaking to see. Overall, I was very glad to see no boats in the water - as a matter of fact I don't recall seeing boats in any big body of fresh water on the South Island, maybe that's the secret to keeping them so clean and clear.

Lake Pukaki is one of the beautiful lakes in the middle of New Zealand's South Island. This one…read morehas beautiful blue water and it backs up to Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain. It's really a beautiful lake. If you're short on time, pull over on the side of the road and take in the view of the lake. If you have more time, drive up to the village of Mount Cook. The drive will take you the entire length of the lake, plus you'll see the national park, a lavender farm and if you're there in December, you might see some lupines. Either way, if you're in the area, you have to stop and check out this lake.

We had to stop by this historic bridge not only for the views but also for its place as the first…read morepaid bungy jumping site. We didn't try anything adventurous so just watching others jump or zip line was good enough entertainment for us and many others who stopped by (including an Australian born on the same day as myself and celebrating it in NZ). There was lots of parking for free here as well as a large and modern building that had a cafe and restrooms. Definitely a good stop to add driving between Queenstown and Arrowtown.

We stopped by this bridge mainly to watch people bungee jump, since this is where it all began and…read morewhere the AJ Hackett Bungy company is located. The bridge itself is impressive and clearly well-built. When we arrived, there were around 50 people gathered--some waiting in line to jump, staff assisting, and plenty of spectators just enjoying the show. There are also nearby trails you can walk, but we didn't explore them because it started to rain. Overall, it's a fun and iconic spot to visit if you're in the area, even if you're just watching from the sidelines.