I have a love-hate relationship with this beautiful town, a stunning place but also really pricey to live there. It turned out to be the place where I spent most of my time in New Zealand. Anyways, like one of my friends said, it's a great place for a holiday, but unless you want to burn a hole in your pocket, don't stay here.
Queenstown or Tahuna in Maori — a resort town on the Southwest of the South Island. It is one of the most touristy towns in New Zealand.
With Wakatipu lake in the center of the town, this lovely town is also surrounded by the Remarkables (yeah, 'cause it's remarkable), Cecil Peak and Walter Peak — This is really the place that you can see it all.
Queenstown is also famous for its adrenaline activities such as sky diving and bungee jumping that makes the name of the town on the adrenaline map. However, today I will show you how I spent a day in Queenstown on a summer day which is also the busiest time of year when the town is flooded with people from all over the world spending their holiday for Christmas and new year.
I would call it "Queenstown on a budget".
1. Hike Tiki trail — Ben Lomond trail.
Summer is also my favorite time in New Zealand as the daylight is longer, it never gets dark until 9 p.m, so it feels like the day is long and I can get more things done. 😂
The start of Tiki trail is at the bottom of Gondola, where people line up for the cable car to get to the Skyline Queenstown with a complex of bar, restaurant, cafe, the luge and other activities. You would see the track for Tiki trail on the left of the Gondola office.
It took me over 2 hours to reach the top of Bob’s Peak, which is the lookout at Skyline. The hike is short but really steep. It was refreshing to pass the pine forest enjoy the view from above. I also saw people taking the zipline, it looked really exciting.
The view at the peak at Skyline was so rewarding, I took my time to admire the breathtaking vista of Lake Wakatipu, the town below and the Remarkables.
Now, if you start the hike early and still "high", then don't miss a chance to continue the track that leads to Ben Lomond summit — at 1438 m.
I only did Tiki trail the first time when I arrived in Queens, but I did make two attempts to reach Ben Lomond after that, and I would highly recommend it.
2. Take a dip in Wakatipu lake.
Right in the heart of the town is Lake Wakatipu, the third largest lake in New Zealand. In the middle of summer, the water is still pretty cold, yet many people seem not to mind that. I guess it doesn't hurt to take a quick deep as the crystal clear water is quite tempting.
This is the place where all the fun things are, feel the beating heart of this scenic town while taking a sip of my favorite beer with friends are some activities I really enjoy here.
Beware of the seagulls though, they are bold and are ready to approach you to get food or anything that catches their attention.
3.Try Ferg burger.
One store only — Yeah, you cannot find Ferg burger anywhere else, but Queenstown.
However, you must be ready to queue up to try this burger, especially during peak hours such as lunchtime or dinner time.
I think it's a bit overrated, yeah it is good, but if you really wait an hour to get that, then it's not really worth it.
My tip is to go there when the line eases up a bit, then I don't have to wait too long, around 10 p.m.
The tropical swine with pineapple is my favorite 'cause I like pineapple LOL.
4.Get a pie at Ferg burger's brother.
Now if you still have room, then get a pie at the shop next door, which is the Ferg burger's brother — Fergbaker. It is not very crowded, obviously less famous than its brother Ferg burger, but worth a try.
I am not a big fan of pie, but if I have to compare it with the usual ones you get from the convenience store, then it is quite big, full of meat and gravy, totally worth the price. There are many options to satisfy vegetarian or vegan. They offer not just hot pies, but sandwiches, cakes and pastries, so wait no more and grab a bite when you are in town.
5.Have an ice cream at Patagonia.
Are you ready for dessert? If you have a sweet tooth like me, add it to your list.
Located right at the lakefront, this is another well-known shop in town that is not to be missed.
I often had raspberry sorbet and banana split, it's a good combination of flavour. I don't like the cone though, a little soggy.
If you want to get creative, then they also have ice cream sticks that you pick the sauce and sprinkles.
The artisan chocolate treats look amazingly delicious, I would try them all if I could. 😂
6.Strolling along the lake.
From the lakefront, walking away from town on the cement path, you would pass Queenstown garden, then enter a short dirt track, taking in the great view of the lake and the surrounding areas. The walk continues with the cement park and ends at Frankton road.
Strolling along the lake or stop on the way and unwind as you please. This short walk always made me feel at ease.
Well, you must be exhausted after a long day discovering the town.
See you next time when I take you to someplace else around town.
Good day!
And thanks for reading! 🙂