Outdoors · Queenstown · New Zealand
8 best outdoor things to do in Queenstown
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: André Richard Chalmers, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with The Remarkables, Queenstown Gardens and Ben Lomond Track. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 24–32 hours across 7 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 24–32 hours
- Areas
- Frankton, Queenstown Town Centre and Bob's Peak
Outdoors in Queenstown
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Nature · Frankton
1.The Remarkables
Even without skiing, drive to the ski-area car park on a clear day for views back across the Wakatipu Basin.
- Time needed
- Half to full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Active
- Views
- Nature
- Iconic
- Kids
Garden · Queenstown Town Centre
2.Queenstown Gardens
Walk the shoreline loop around the peninsula at sunset, then continue along the lakefront to Frankton on the Queenstown Trail.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Views
Nature · Bob's Peak
3.Ben Lomond Track
Start early, carry plenty of water and warm layers, and check the mountain forecast; snow can linger near the summit into spring.
- Time needed
- 6–8 hours return from town
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Active
- Views
- Nature
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Queenstown Hill
4.Queenstown Hill Time Walk
Allow two to three hours return and go in the late afternoon for softer light on the lake.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
Zoo · Queenstown Town Centre
5.Kiwi Birdlife Park
Time your visit with a kiwi talk; the birds are hard to spot in the dark houses without a keeper's guidance.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
Experience · Arthurs Point
6.Coronet Peak
Use the ski shuttle from town rather than driving; the access road can require chains in winter.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
Experience · Gibbston
7.Gibbston Valley wineries
Cycle or take a wine tour between cellar doors rather than driving, and book lunch at winery restaurants at weekends.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- Couples
- Outdoors
Nature · Arrowtown
8.Lake Hayes walk
Go early on a windless morning for the reflections photographers come for.
- Time needed
- 2–2.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
- Nature
- Kids
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Frankton | The Remarkables | Half to full day |
| Queenstown Town Centre | Queenstown Gardens and Kiwi Birdlife Park | 1 hour + 1–1.5 hours |
| Bob's Peak | Ben Lomond Track | 6–8 hours return from town |
| Queenstown Hill | Queenstown Hill Time Walk | 2–3 hours |
| Arthurs Point | Coronet Peak | Full day |
| Gibbston | Gibbston Valley wineries | Half a day |
| Arrowtown | Lake Hayes walk | 2–2.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 3 mid-priced, 1 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Ben Lomond Track; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 7 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Frankton and Queenstown Town Centre): The Remarkables → Queenstown Gardens, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Queenstown Town Centre): Kiwi Birdlife Park, at least 1 hour.
- Half-day 3 (Bob's Peak): Ben Lomond Track, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Queenstown Hill): Queenstown Hill Time Walk, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Arthurs Point): Coronet Peak, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Gibbston): Gibbston Valley wineries, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 7 (Arrowtown): Lake Hayes walk, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- February: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Settled and warm, a great month for hiking, cycling and lake swimming once school holidays end.
- January: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 9 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak summer: warm days, light until about 10pm, busy with New Zealand and international holidaymakers.
- March: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 8 rainy days, busy crowds. Early autumn with calm, sunny days and cooler nights; grape harvest begins in Central Otago.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Queenstown Town Centre — Compact lakefront grid of tour shops, restaurants, bars and the Steamer Wharf
- Frankton — Airport suburb with supermarkets, Remarkables Park shopping and a lakeside beach
- Kelvin Heights — Peninsula of lakeside homes, a golf course and the Hilton resort across the Frankton Arm
- Arthurs Point — Small settlement above the Shotover River canyon, between town and Coronet Peak
- Arrowtown — Gold-rush village of stone cottages and tree-lined streets, 20 minutes from Queenstown
More of Queenstown
All things to do in Queenstown · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Queenstown?
The Remarkables. The serrated range that forms Queenstown's backdrop rises to over 2,300 metres.
+Which of these are free in Queenstown?
Queenstown Gardens, Ben Lomond Track, Queenstown Hill Time Walk and Lake Hayes walk.