Jet boating, skiing and Lord of the Rings tours are all very well, but give these slightly more obscure experiences a try while you're in town — none of them is far from the centre.
The Millennium Walkway
A great loop walk up Queenstown Hill. The high-quality interpretive signs explore the cultural past, goldmining heritage, present situation and future vision. The impressive ornate welcome gates and Basket of Dreams sculpture at the lookout bookend this wonderful short walk. Queenstown Hill is a sacred Maori site and is afforded
Te Tapu-nui (mountain of intense sacredness) status — a great walk for early risers before breakfast and popular with locals (try to get up there for sunrise over the Remarkables).
Alpine Aqualand
The brand new aquatic addition to Queenstown's Events Centre and offers more than the standard lap pool. I'd forgotten how much fun hydro-sliding could be — many local sports teams now head down there for a weekly "training" session … and the spa is great for post-ski aches and pains.
Queenstown Sea Kayaks
Paddle out on the crystal clear waters of Lake Wakatipu, starting and finishing at One-mile car park on the edge of town. The guides are super experienced, long-term locals with deep ecological, cultural and heritage understanding. My first trip with these guys opened my eyes to the Maori creation story of the lake and traditional uses for plants in the region. You paddle past a major geological faultline and the original settlement sites of the enterprising first European settlers. Skilfully crafted stories and interpretation, the sense of journeying you can only get in a self-propelled watercraft and the resounding quiet as you paddle away from the hustle and bustle of town make it special.
Frisbee golf
An unusual but very fun way to spend a few hours in the beautiful surrounds of the Queenstown Gardens. Scorecards with a course map can be picked up for a few dollars from local sports stores — pack your discs.
Queenstown Fun Centre
If you prefer your activities on wheels or blades, visit the Queenstown Fun Centre, also located in the gardens for ice-skating in winter and electric go-karting and rollerblading at other times. All gear is available for hire. Friday night is disco night.
Next: Adventurous types
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