THE LANDSCAPE

THE ADVENTURE

We’ve all seen the images of people jumping off the bungee bridge in Queenstown, and it’s certainly famous for that, but that sense of adventure people are looking for when they pay good money to plummet 43 m (140 feet) off a perfectly sound bridge towards a particularly rocky and fast-moving, though picturesque, river can be found in many other less counterintuitive ways.

Snowboarding on Coronet Peak

Heli Ride

Jet Boat

It should be a legal requirement for any visitor coming to the region to do a jet boat trip. They are so much fun and a great thing to do as soon as you arrive to blow the cobwebs away. There are many to do, and I do love them all for their different settings, but there’s something about the Shotover Jet, with its mix of astonishing landscape and downright terrifying high-speed manoeuvres, that makes this the must-do trip for me.

Bike

The Queenstown–Lakes District is perfect for those who like to get out on the bike. There are plenty of leisurely and drop-dead gorgeous bike trails to be had around Queenstown and Wānaka, especially with stunning mountain, lake, and river scenery. There’s also the Central Otago Rail Trail, which can be done in anything from one to four days. I did the one-day portion on my recent trip as a test run, and can’t wait to come back to do the whole thing.

THE MUST-DO TOURIST SPOTS

The TSS Earnslaw’s been pottering back and forth across Lake Wakatipu since 1912 and is one of very few coal-fired steamships still in operation. Seeing it from the shore adds so much to the picturesque lake scene, but being on board is even better. It’s especially fascinating to walk through the engine room and see the coal furnaces and pumps hard at work. The Earnslaw’s route is Queenstown to Walter Peak Station a short way up Lake Wakatipu. Walter Peak’s a great place to get a view of the rest of the lake by foot or, in our case, by horse.

This area’s got sensational driving, and my favorite routes are Queenstown to Glenorchy for the best lake views of your life, Queenstown to the charming town of Clyde for astonishing river scenery, and Queenstown to Wānaka for the best mountain views. Each drive’s only about an hour, and the best thing is coming back again and having it all over.

STAY

There are no shortages of great lodges, hotels, and houses in this part of the country, and when I’m traveling with my family and with loads of snowboarding gear, I do prefer a house to a hotel. There’s a lot to be said for the space, kitchen, sofa, and laundry that a house can give you. In Queenstown, I always work with Touch of Spice to find just the right property, and they’ve never put me wrong. On this trip, we had a lovely lakeside home, Hyde Loft, right in town, followed by the astonishing Bob’s Cove, a lakefront home of vast proportions and perfect design. Both great in every way. In Wānaka, I always go to Release Wānaka, who have anything you could wish for. On this trip, we stayed in a fabulous lakeside home, Aurum Villa, that was perfect for lake and mountain gazing.

EAT AND DRINK

Of course, in one of New Zealand’s finest wine regions known for its pinot noir, there’s no shortage of vineyards and plenty of ways to see them. I always think it’s fun to do a day of wine tasting and best to have a driver on hand for that. We go with Black ZQN, as they really know their stuff and certainly take care of you. My favorite vineyards in the Queenstown region would have to be Amisfield, Wet Jacket, Chard Farm, and Kinross, and also Rippon in Wānaka, but there are so many and they’re all excellent, so it’s very hard to go wrong. They all ship, too, so no problem getting your selections home.

There are plenty of great places to eat, but my current favorites in Wānaka are Kika for astonishingly good dinner and Florence’s Foodstore and Café or Big Fig for great lunches. The Cardrona Hotel is an iconic spot halfway between Wānaka and Queenstown for a bit of history and a really great coffee by the gorgeous fire. In Arrowtown, just outside of Queenstown, have brunch at The Chop Shop or, if you’re there in the evening, drinks at Blue Door Bar followed by dinner at Aosta. In Queenstown itself, the must-visits are Eichardt’s at any time of day for cosy, cocooned fire- and lake-side luxury, The Sherwood for excellent, modern, and often homegrown food. Patagonia Chocolates is great at any time of day—obviously. Other great Queenstown spots include Blue Kanu, White and Wong, Kappa, and Ivy & Lola’s.

For something really, truly special, get Fabien Simon from My Private Chef over to wherever you’re staying to cook a meal for you in your own kitchen. A spectacular way to finish a trip or celebrate a special occasion.

SHOPPING

When I’m in the area, I don’t tend to hit the shops, but I do love Bound Books & Records in Queenstown and can easily kill half an hour there. Angel Divine in Queenstown and 47 Frocks in Wānaka are both excellent if you’re after a few new pieces for the wardrobe. The Gold Shop in Arrowtown is, like the name suggests, a gold shop and speaks back to Arrowtown’s early days as a gold prospecting town; it’s home to the largest collection of locally found natural gold nugget specimens. It’s a must-visit. Just a few steps away is The Remarkable Sweet Shop, which is a must for those who love good-quality fudges of any type. I never go past the salted caramel and the triple chocolate.

TIME TO VISIT