Listing the best things to do in Queenstown in the summer, written by a local who’s lived here for 4+ years!
The pretty lakeside town of Queenstown is one of the most popular tourist destinations in New Zealand. Attracting over 350,000 visitors every year. Queenstown will take your breath away with snow-topped mountains and deep blue lakes to be seen at every turn! Plus, Queenstown is known as the ‘adventure capital of the world’ so if you love adrenalin-pumping activities, Queenstown is for you!
In fact, most tourists visit Queenstown in the summer! And they’ve got the right idea as the days are long and warm. And you’re here because you’re planning to spend a couple of days in Queenstown in the summer. Lucky you! I’ve been living in Queenstown for four years, and I truly look forward to every summer here.
Highlighting the lesser-visited Doubtful Sound, a wine tour to Bannockburn (a hidden gem), and several local favorite hikes. This blog post will introduce you to summer experiences that ensure the best Queenstown itinerary.
Which month is best in Queenstown?
The summer months (December, January, and February) are the best months to visit Queenstown. During the summer season, you can expect average daily temperatures of 68 – 86 Fahrenheit (20 – 30 Celsius) and the days are long with sunrise at around 5 am and sunset not until 10 pm.
The Christmas season (from mid-December to late January) is the busiest and most expensive time to visit – so avoid visiting then if you can.
Your next read: How to have the best 3 days in Queenstown!
BEST Things to Do in Queenstown in the Summer
1. Skyline Gondola
The world-famous Skyline Gondola climbs 450 meters above Queenstown and it’s the perfect way to get a birdseye view of Lake Wakatipu and the town. Yup, the views along the ride and from the top are definitely wow-worthy! An adult pass (including 3 luge rides) is $81 NZD per adult and $57 NZD per child.
Once at the top, be sure to take lots of photos/selfies from the viewing platform. And watch the famous AJ Hackett Ledge bungy in action. You can even give it a go if you’re feeling brave. A combo ticket for this heart-stopping bungy and its exhilarating swing is $295 NZD per person.
You should also check out the surprisingly fast luge while you’re up here. Which is similar to a go-kart but without the engine! It goes surprisingly fast, believe me!
As for the most photogenic spots up here, head over to where the paragliders jump from (follow the signs for Gforce paragliding) or there’s a cool frame artwork not far from where you hop off the gondola that’s a cool spot to take a photo, too!
2. Shotover Jet
One of the most popular tours in Queenstown is the heartstopping Shotover Jet. It takes place in the Shotover Canyon and the specialized jetboat speeds through the narrow twists and turns of the canyon at 85 kph!
When the driver goes slower, you’ll be able to take in the stunning natural beauty of this spot – but when he puts his foot down, you’ll need to hold onto your hat (literally)! The driver will also throw in a couple of 360-degree turns for fun, and just a warning – you likely will get wet!
A ticket costs from $159 NZD per adult, and there are various departure times throughout the day.
3. Wander around Arrowtown
Arrowtown is a cute, picture-perfect town about a 20-minute drive from Queenstown. While here, be sure to take a walk along the town’s main street – Buckingham Street. It looks like something from a movie set and many of the storefronts here have been maintained from the town’s gold rush days.
Yep, Arrowtown was at the center of the mining boom in the South Island in the late 1800s, and its mining past is evident on a stroll around town. First, you have the Chinese Settlement built along the banks of the Arrow River, this is where Chinese miners lived at the height of the boom.You should stroll along here before dinner for a glimpse into the town’s fascinating history.
You can even go panning for gold in the Arrow River, which is a family-favorite Arrowtown activity!
There’s also lots of great Cafes in Arrowtown if you need a caffeine fix, we love Provisions on Buckingham Street.
PSSST…If you’re after the best Cafes on the South Island then you must read our detailed guide (P.S they all have awesome views!)
4. Onsen Hot Pools
What better way to end a long summer’s day in Queenstown than relaxing in a private hot pool with the most epic mountain view? Onsen Hot Pools is one of the most popular things to do in Queenstown in the summer and slots sell out quickly. It’s located in Arthurs Point, about a 10-minute drive from downtown Queenstown.
The view from these cedar-lined tubs is one of the best in Queenstown – they overlook the Shotover River Canyon.
The Original Onsen Experience lasts for one hour and costs $175 NZD for two people.
Your next read: Even if you just have one day in Queenstown we recommend checking out the iconic Onsen Hot Pools!
5. Explore Wanaka
As it is only an hour’s drive away, heading over to Wanaka is one of the most popular day trips you can take from Queenstown.
Nestled at Lake Wanaka’s stunning southern end, Wanaka town is a fabulous place to visit as it has Mount Aspiring National Park and the Southern Alps in close proximity to it.
Despite being relatively close to Queenstown, Wanaka has a different, more relaxed vibe. Many tourists visit because of its buzzy cafe scene and great hikes (one of the best hikes on the South Island is here – Roy’s Peak).
Funnily, many locals refer to it as ‘Queenstown’s little sister’ as it has more of a small-town vibe but still has lots of great adventure activities on offer like jetboating and skydiving. Additionally, it is a good spot for fishing and is home to the iconic Wanaka Tree (we’ve all seen a photo of it!)
If you’re traveling with kids be sure to check out Puzzling World, just outside of town. It has a multi-level outdoor maze, optical illusion rooms, and more.
6. Cruise the lake on the TSS Earnslaw
The TSS Earnslaw is a historic steamship that was built way back in 1912. It chugs across Lake Wakatipu a couple of times a day to Walter Peak Farm. And to me, it’s a must-do during your time in Queenstown!
We advise booking the the lunch and farm tour option, which is 3.5 hours long. It includes an awesome lunch, a farm tour, and the return boat journey. The lunch is amazing (my husband said it’s the best meal he’s had in Queenstown) and the farm tour is so interesting. You’ll get to witness a sheep-shearing demonstration and watch the sheepdogs round up the sheep.
The return journey on the Earnslaw is 1.5 hours, and during the ride, you can watch the giant steam engines at work. Prices for the TSS Earnslaw lunch and farm tour start from $175 NZD per person.
7. Get the ferry to the Hilton Hotel
If you want to see Queenstown from the water but you’re on a budget, then your best bet is to hop on the Queenstown ferry, which costs just $14 NZD per person. The ferry departs from the pier in town and drops you off at the luxurious Hilton Hotel in Frankton. From here, you can grab a coffee from the hotel’s Cafe and walk the Frankton Track back into town. This will take around 1.5 hours.
8. Visit Milford Sound
One of the most popular things to do in all of New Zealand is to go on a tour to Milford Sound. That’s because it’s known as one of the most beautiful places in the world. In fact, Rudyard Kipling re-named it the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World.’
As you’ll learn, there are a couple of ways to get from Queenstown to Milford Sound. If you want to drive there keep in mind that it takes 4 hours each way. Equaling a long and tiring day. So, if you do plan to drive to Milford Sound consider breaking up the journey and spending the night in Te Anau and then drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound early the next morning before the crowds hit.
The alternative to driving to Milford Sound is to book a guided tour which leaves from and returns to Queenstown. There are plenty to choose from, but our personal favorite is the coach-cruise-fly option, which allows you to experience the best of this region by getting a luxury coach there and flying back. That way you can see the sights along the drive from the ground and from the air. Of course, it also includes a 90-minute boutique boat cruise of Milford Sound – where you can get up-close to gushing waterfalls and maybe even see Fiordland penguins and seals.
If you’re on a budget and are after a more intimate tour, then consider this small group tour. It involves getting a luxury minibus there and back and a boat cruise of Milford Sound. It costs from $289 NZD per person.
Top Tip: If you’re going to rent a car in Queenstown, we highly recommend Discover Cars. We tend to always book our rental car through Discover Cars when we’re traveling. It is a search engine for rental cars and allows you to filter by price if you’re on a budget or by vehicle type if there’s a specific car you’re after.
9. Go off the beaten track at Doubtful Sound
The remote but stunning Doubtful Sound can be accessed from the tiny town of Manapouri around a 20-minute drive from Te Anau. But hear me out it’s not as easy as that to reach this remote spot. From Manapouri, you’ll have to hop on an hour-long ferry and then from the other side catch a very bumpy bus ride to your Doubtful Sound cruise.
And despite the difficulty in reaching it dare I say that I actually prefer Doubtful Sound to Milford Sound. A big call! There are heaps of Doubtful Sound tours and all take a minimum of one full day! We did the tour that departs from Manapouri and it was incredible. It’s 7 hours long and on the cruise, we saw bottlenose dolphins and Fiordland penguins. My favorite part was when the captain turned off the boat’s engine and there was complete silence.
As I said, Doubtful Sound is much quieter than Milford and it’s highly likely you will have the whole sound to yourself!
You can also do the same above tour but depart from Queenstown, but keep in mind considering the lengthy driving distance this tour is over 12 hours long. Still, it’s a great option to see the sound if you don’t have the time to spend the night in Te Anau like we did. The Doubtful Sound tour from Queenstown costs $429 NZD per person.
10. Helicopter tour
One of the most bucket-list-worthy Queenstown activities is a scenic helicopter tour with an alpine landing. The flight is 50 minutes long and includes a son landing on Jura Glacier – so special! On the flight, you’ll fly over Lake Wakatipu, the Dart River, and the Southern Alps. I love it so much I’ve done it twice!
This tour includes pick-up and drop-off to most Queenstown hotels and costs from $743 NZD per person.
11. Go wine tasting in Bannockburn
A trip to the town of Bannockburn is a relatively short drive from Queenstown, taking just 50 minutes to get there.
It is a terrific place to go as a family, as it has something for everyone. One of the most charming features of this former mining town is the historic stone buildings that remain standing. Most of them house local shops now, but they all give you a sense of what life was like here several decades ago.
If you love wine, this is a good place to come for tastings as both the Mt Difficulty and Carrick Winery have brilliant cellar doors. Kids should also love the opportunity to pick cherries at Cheeki Cherries and there are plenty of hiking and mountain biking trails you can explore.
This full-day wine tour to Bannockburn and the Gibbston Valley is a great option if you don’t have your own wheels and it also means you don’t need to choose who will be the designated driver. It’s a small group tour (limited to just 12 people) and visits 4 wineries. Tastings are included as is a platter-style lunch. Prices start from $239 NZD per person.
12. Check out the cute town of Glenorchy
The drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy generally takes 40 minutes to complete. However, given how unbelievably beautiful the scenery is, don’t be surprised if it takes you two or three times as long as that!
Along the way, you can stop at plenty of stunning viewpoints (our favorite is Bennett’s Bluff) and remote beaches like Bob’s Cove (which you’ll read more about below), where you can take Insta-worthy Queenstown photos and generally immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of the area. Glenorchy is the home of many Lord of the Rings filming locations as you’ll read below.
Even if you’re not into Middle Earth, there is plenty to do in Glenorchy, including checking out its famous red shed – a former building for the NZ Railways Department. That’s oh-so-photogenic! From here, be sure to walk along the Glenorchy Walkway, a scenic and easy walk.
13. Go on a Lord of the Rings Tour
As I said, you might recognize Glenorchy from the Lord of the Rings movies. Close to Glenorchy, you can see easily recognizable filming locations from the movie franchise, including Isengard Lookout, Lothlorien Forest, and Ithilien.
In fact, you can even sign up for a Lord of the Rings Locations Tour if you’re a fan of the film franchise. This tour picks up from Queenstown and stops in Glenorchy before heading out to Paradise where you can see the famed filming locations as well as get dressed up as your favorite LOTR character for a fun photo opp. The tour costs from $161 NZD per person and is 4-5 hours long.
14. Go hiking!
Hiking and Queenstown go hand-in-hand, there are just SO MANY awesome hikes here. From short, easy hikes to some of New Zealand’s Great Walks which can take a few days.
This afternoon, you’ll just have time to conquer a short but scenic walk, below are my top suggestions.
Lake Alta Hike
At the top of the Remarkables mountain range you can hike to the glorious Alta Lake in the summer months. The trail is 2.4 km in total and will take around 1.5 hours to complete. And I’d rate it as fairly challenging as you may be scrambling over rocks in some parts and it’s quite steep.
The trail starts from the Remarkables skifield, there’s a car park here you can park at and you must pay a small toll fee to access this road.
Mt Crichton Loop Track
Mount Crichton Loop Track is an easy trail that’s 6.4 km long and will take around 2.5 hours to complete. It starts from the Twelve Mile Delta Campground which is around a 10-minute drive from Queenstown towards Glenorchy. The trail passes through beech forests, over rivers, and past a waterfall. It offers an insight into the area’s goldmining history mainly thanks to the Sam Summers Hut that you’ll pass along the way. Sam lived here with his family in the 1930s while panning for gold.
Lower Wye Creek Track
The Lower Wye Creek Track is a 6.6 km trail that starts at Wye Creek, a 20-minute drive from Queenstown. It’s 4 hours long and it’s a summer-only track. It’s a fairly difficult trail mainly due to how steep it is. But it is very pretty – passing through native beech forest, a cascading waterfall, and a hydro dam.
Queenstown Gardens
This one involves no travel time as it’s located in town and starts from Queenstown Beach. This trail is 3.1 km long and is very easy and flat. It passes by botanic gardens and follows along the shores of Lake Wakatipu for most of the route. There’s also a very photogenic swing along this trail – see if you can find it!
15. Go swimming or hiking at Bob’s Cove
Around 15 minutes from town is one of my favorite places in Queenstown – Bob’s Cove. A turquoise water paradise surrounded by native bush. Here, you can simply laze on the lake beach and take it all in or walk the steep hill up to Picnic Point for the epic views. The hike is a steep climb that will take around 15 minutes to hike up but coming down will be a lot quicker.
There’s also a large wooden jetty close to the start of the trail to Picnic Point that’s the perfect spot to jump off and cool down in the cold water.
16. Spend a few hours at Moke Lake
The Lord of the Rings-esque scenery of Moke Lake is unforgettable and we spend many summer days here biking or kayaking in the small-ish lake here.
Worth noting is that it’s a gravel road into Moke Lake so drive slowly, plus there are lots of lambs and rolling green hills on your drive in that I’m sure you’ll want to photograph.
If you want to hike around Moke Lake, it will take you about an hour and a half. It’s one of the best (& thankfully easiest hikes in Queenstown).
17. Have a lake day!
In Queenstown there aren’t regular sandy beaches instead you’ll find lake beaches that are often surrounded by mountains and have bright blue (albeit very cold) water. I’ve already mentioned Moke Lake and Bob’s Cove as places worth spending a couple of hours during Queenstown’s summer. But, there are plenty more stunning lakes in the Queenstown region for you to chill out at, and I’ve listed my favorites below –
Lake Hayes
About a 15-minute drive from Queenstown is the popular local hangout spot of Lake Hayes, here you’ll find a large deep blue lake surrounded by native forest and backdropped by mountains, There’s an easy loop trail around the lake that will take around two hours to complete. But, my favorite thing to do at Lake Hayes is to relax at the small lake beach here. The beach can be found by Lake Hayes Pavilion (there’s a small car park here) and there’s a rope swing and a small wooden platform in the water that you can swim out to.
Jacks Point
My favorite beach in Queenstown is probably Jacks Point (known locally as Drift Bay), and I’m sad that I only discovered it recently because it’s a stunning spot. It’s framed by the Remarkables and the water is clear and calm and it’s a very popular spot for kayakers and SUP’s. To get to the beach you’ll need to drive a short gravel track downhill past the golf club, there are a couple of parking spots here.
Wilson’s Bay
About 15 minutes from Queenstown on the road to Glenorchy is the wide and open Wilson’s Bay. The perfect spot for a swim thanks to its calm waters, in fact, we regularly go kayaking here. The beach is backed by Cecil Peak and Walter Peak and you can see the Remarkables in the distance, too.
18. Shotover Canyon Swing
Possibly the scariest thing I’ve done in Queenstown was completing the Shotover Canyon Swing tied to a plastic garden chair! Yup, I was harnessed to a chair and pushed off a cliff. All completely safe of course!
The Canyon Swing is the world’s highest cliff jump at 60 meters tall and the unique thing about this activity is that you can choose how you want to jump. You can go backwards, do a backflip off or tied to a chair (like me). You can also do tandem jumps (tied to a friend)!
19. Do a bungee jump from the Kawarau Bridge!
Another adrenalin-pumping activity in Queenstown is the Kawarau Bridge bungy jump, which is the oldest commercial bunjy jump in the world. Operated by AJ Hackett, this bungy is 43 meters tall and you can even ask your jump instructor to lengthen the bungy rope so that your head will touch the freezing-cold water below.
Is Queenstown good in the summer?
Yes, Queenstown is epic in the summer. I’ve been living here for 4 years and summer is my favorite season in Queenstown because the weather is warm (averaging 77 Fahrenheit/ 25 Celsius) and the days are long – it doesn’t get dark until 10 pm. So, you can pack loads of activities into your day here in the summer.
If you love to hike, then visiting in the summer is a no-brainer as most of the hikes here like the Lake Alta hike and Roy’s Peak in Wanaka are best hiked in the warmer months. Similarily, adventure activities like jetboating are more suited to warmer weather too.
My Favorite Restaurants in Queenstown
- Blue Kanu is a unique eatery that serves up ‘Polynasia’ cuisine – a mixture of Pacific Island and Asian cuisine. Their dishes are so fresh and exotic-tasting – I love their lamb jungle curry and braised pork belly.
- Rata is a fine-dining eatery tucked away down a little side street in the center of Queenstown. If New Zealand did Michelin stars, Rata would definitely have one. Their dishes use only the freshest quality produce and ingredients from the South Island, and so the menu here is seasonal. Their wine list is also exceptional.
- Fergburger is easily the most famous food spot on the South Island. I’m sure you’ve heard of it – this delicious hole-in-the-wall burger joint is always jam-packed and has attracted many celebrities over the years. My go-to order here is the Tropical Swine, an NZ beef burger with streaky bacon, cheese, and pineapple. While, my husband loves the Big Al – a double burger that comes with egg, bacon, cheese, and aioli.
- In Arrowtown, Aosta a fine-dining Italian eatery on Buckingham Street and Slow Cuts also on Buckingham Street which specializes in juicy burgers and slow-roasted meat are two of my most recommended restaurants.
Local Tip: If you really want to experience the restaurant scene in Queenstown, we recommend downloading the First Table app. On this app you can get the first seating of the night (typically 5:30 pm) at many restaurants in Queenstown for 50% off. You do have to pay $10 USD to make the booking & the discount doesn’t apply to alcohol.
Where to Stay in Queenstown
- Kamana Lakehouse – High up in Fernhill, around a 25-minute walk or short bus journey from Queenstown CBD is Kamana Lakehouse. This hotel has arguably the best view of any hotel in Queenstown on account of its steep position. The rooms here are modern and funky, and some come with balcony’s overlooking the lake. You can even book the Lakeview Luxe Suite which comes with its own private hot tub. A room here will set you back around $241 NZD per night.
- Sherwood Queenstown – Situated in Frankton, around a 20-minute walk into Queenstown, is the very cool Sherwood. We actually stayed here twice and loved its cozy boho decor. And it’s actually one of the most sustainable hotels in the world! Again, it boasts spectacular lake views and the rooms are spacious, stylish and comfortable. The on-site restaurant is excellent and is a local-favorite! A room here costs around $240 NZD per night.
- Ramada Queenstown Central – If you’re looking for a reasonable prices hotel in downtown Queenstown look no further than the Ramada, which has rooms starting from $200 NZD. The rooms here are stylish and sleek and some offer views of the Remarkables, Lake Wakatipu, and Kelvin Heights Peninsula. The hotel only opened in 2020 so it’s very modern both inside and outside. There’s an on-site restaurant and bar.
- Glebe Apartments – centrally located (next to Queenstown Gardens in the CBD) these stylish apartments are a great option. You can choose from studios, one; two or three bedroom apartments.
- Apartments at Spinnaker Bay – luxurious apartments with great lake views, these apartments are located on Frankton Road. You can walk the Frankton Track into the CBD – taking about 25 minutes. The apartments here are very stylish – choose from one, two or three bedroom apartments.
Thanks for stopping by!
What a whopper of a post that is, but, I hope it’s given you heaps of inspiration for your visit to Queenstown in the summer. As I said above, summer is my favorite season in Queenstown!
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Last Updated on September 4, 2024 by snaphappytravel