Free Your Lockdown Wanderlust in Queenstown

With winter sports, water sports, incredible culinary offerings and vibrant night life, Queenstown ticks all the boxes for a getaway.

There’s never been a better time to visit Queenstown than this winter.

All four of the region’s ski areas will be open from late June, right through to early spring, giving adventurous Kiwis the opportunity to unlock their lockdown wanderlust and answer the call of the mountains!

Combine days on the slopes with delightful après ski, vibrant nightlife and cosmopolitan dining, and give your legs a rest with a day’s excursion to Gibbston, Glenorchy or Arrowtown, or on an adventure in the air or on the water.

Off-mountain action… or not
En route back to Queenstown from Coronet Peak there are watering holes dotted along the road, or head straight to Queenstown to join skiers and boarders soaking up the atmosphere under outdoor heaters or inside by the fire. Grab a mulled wine or a warming Central Otago pinot noir while you contemplate the day’s adventures.

You could join a twilight touring degustation trip, taking in three dining options for entrée, main and dessert, paired with local brews and vintages.

Or, for a whole day of beverage-sampling, self-drive to Gibbston to explore the wineries, or of course there are also guided tours on offer, with private options for your group or family.

Air adventures
Take to the skies and explore the Wakatipu Basin by air. Short helicopter rides include an alpine landing high over the lake, or venture even further afield – visiting Milford Sound by air is a real treat.

For the keen adventurers, a day’s heli-skiing takes you to terrain no one else has touched that day.

On the water
Water adventures come in a few speeds. Jetboating will really blow the cobwebs out, while steaming across the lake in a ship of the Titanic’s vintage goes at a slower pace.

During winter you can experience pretty much all of Queenstown’s renowned adventure activities—bungee-jumping, zip-lining, skydiving, with some added options such as snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ice climbing for the pros.

Queenstown’s slopes open days
Coronet Peak 26 June
Cardrona Alpine Resort 26 June
Treble Cone 27 June
The Remarkables 4 July

A room with a view
From hotels perched right on the lake’s edge, to high up overlooking the Wakatipu and Remarkables mountain ranges, there’s an accommodation option for all styles of traveller to Queenstown. Looking to splash out on some luxury? The town fit for a Queen has that in spades too.

See queenstownnz.nz