After 8 Years in Queenstown, NZ: Top Insider Tips and Must-Do Activities
Queenstown 🚢 is a popular tourist destination in New Zealand, known for its pristine natural scenery and a wide range of entertainment options. The food is also abundant, and it is recommended to spend 2-3 days in Queenstown.
🚦 Transportation
🚎 Bus: Buy a Bee Card 💳, which can be used by multiple people at the same time, with each person paying $2 per ride.
🚗 Car rental: Renting a car is the best way to travel in New Zealand as public transportation is not very convenient. Renting a car offers great freedom and convenience.
🌄 Attractions
Lake Wakatipu
Queenstown Gardens
Walter Peak High Country Farm
Kiwi Birdlife Park
Ivan Clarke Gallery
St. Peter’s Church
Queenstown Botanic Gardens
Chard Farm
🚁 Entertainment
Nzone Skydive
Skyline Gondola
TSS Earnslaw Steamship
Kawarau Bridge Bungy
Jet boat
Helicopter sightseeing
Gforce Paragliding
Shark Experience
🍔 Restaurants
Fergbaker: A dessert shop, famous for its signature beef pie
Fergburger: Known for its large burgers, bigger than your face
Skyline Gondola: A restaurant where you can enjoy delicious food while watching the clouds
Flame Bar & Gril: A Western restaurant, famous for its steak, pork chops, and lamb chops
Patagonia Chocolates: An ice cream and chocolate shop
The Boatshed cafe: A top lakeside cafe
Cookie Time: New Zealand’s national cookie
Jervois Steak House: The best steakhouse in Queenstown
‼️ Travel Tips
1⃣ The temperature difference between day and night in Queenstown is quite significant, so bring a light jacket.
2⃣ Queenstown is the most expensive place in all of New Zealand, and it is not recommended to shop here; consider shopping in Auckland instead.
3⃣ Shops close early, usually after 7 PM.
4⃣ Outdoor activities such as paragliding and skydiving are weather-dependent.
5⃣ Parking in Queenstown is very difficult, so it is recommended to book accommodation in the city center in advance.
6⃣ The UV rays in New Zealand are very strong, so make sure to protect yourself from the sun!
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Classic 3-day itinerary in Queenstown
DAY 1
TSS Earnslaw Steamship Lake Cruise → Lake Wakatipu → Queenstown Botanic Gardens → KJET Jet Boat → Patagonia Chocolates BBQ
DAY 2
Shark Experience → Fergburger → Nzone Skydive → Skyline Gondola → Kiwi Birdlife Park → Bob’s Peak
DAY 3
Gforce Paragliding → Ivan Clarke Gallery → DFS Duty-Free Store → St. Peter’s Church → Helicopter Sightseeing
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12-day itinerary for the North and South Islands of New Zealand
DAY 1: Departure from home country – Auckland
DAY 2: Auckland → Christchurch (city walk) → Hokitika/Greymouth
DAY 3: Greymouth → Hokitika → Fox Glacier Town
DAY 4: Fox Glacier Town → Wanaka → Cromwell → Arrowtown → Queenstown
DAY 5: Free activity in Queenstown
DAY 6: Queenstown → Dunedin → Oamaru
DAY 7: Oamaru → Aoraki/Mt.
Cook National Park
DAY 8: Tekapo/Glacier Lakes Area → Christchurch
DAY 9: Christchurch → Auckland → Waitomo Glowworm Caves → Rotorua
DAY 10: Rotorua → Hobbiton + Agrodome → Auckland
DAY 11: Auckland → Return to home country
