For couples · Queenstown · New Zealand
Romantic things to do in Queenstown
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: André Richard Chalmers, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Queenstown is a popular honeymoon base: lakefront dinners, winery lunches, hot tubs above the canyon and scenic flights over Fiordland. Couples tend to stay in Fernhill and Sunshine Bay.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 5
- Area for couples
- Fernhill and Sunshine Bay
- Best months
- July–August and December–March
Romantic ideas
1.Onsen hot tub at night
Soak in a private cedar tub above the Shotover canyon under the stars.
2.Gibbston winery lunch
Long lunch at a cellar door in the Kawarau Gorge with a pinot noir tasting.
3.Gondola dinner
Dine at the top of Bob's Peak as the sun sets behind the mountains over Lake Wakatipu.
4.Milford Sound scenic flight
Fly over the Southern Alps and land at Milford Sound for a cruise.
5.Glenorchy road at golden hour
Drive the lake road towards Glenorchy as evening light hits the peaks.
Sights couples love
Viewpoint · Queenstown Town Centre
Skyline Gondola and Luge
Buy a gondola-and-luge combination and ride at least three luge runs; the first one is a slower practice run.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- After dark
Garden · Queenstown Town Centre
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
Historic site · Arrowtown
Arrowtown and the Chinese Settlement
Visit in late April for the gold and red autumn trees, and borrow a gold pan to try your luck in the Arrow River.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Kids
Experience · Arthurs Point
Onsen Hot Pools
Book an evening slot in winter to soak under the stars after a day on the slopes.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Expensive
- Couples
- After dark
- Views
- Rainy day
Experience · Gibbston
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
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for couples, families and quiet stays
Fernhill and Sunshine Bay
Fernhill climbs the slopes west of the town centre along Fernhill Road, with apartment hotels, holiday homes and some of the best views of the lake and the Remarkables. Sunshine Bay below has a small beach and the start of the lakeside track to town. It is about 5 minutes by car or bus, or a steep 20-minute walk, from the centre.
- Good
- Panoramic views; More space for the money; Quiet evenings
- Watch out
- Steep walk back from town; Few shops or restaurants
- Nearby
- Sunshine Bay, Queenstown Town Centre, Bob's Cove
Romantic day trips
- Milford Sound (About 4 hours each way by road) — Fiordland's most famous fiord has sheer walls rising from the sea, Mitre Peak and waterfalls that multiply after rain.
- Glenorchy (About 45 minutes by car) — The lakeside road to the head of Lake Wakatipu is one of New Zealand's most scenic drives, ending at a small village with a red boatshed.
- Wānaka (About 1 hour by car via the Crown Range) — A quieter lakeside town on Lake Wānaka known for the lone willow in the lake, Roys Peak's ridge-line views and Puzzling World.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Lamb, Venison and Whitebait fritters. Tap water is free in restaurants and safe to drink.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Queenstown romantic?
Queenstown is a popular honeymoon base: lakefront dinners, winery lunches, hot tubs above the canyon and scenic flights over Fiordland.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Queenstown?
Onsen hot tub at night: Soak in a private cedar tub above the Shotover canyon under the stars.
+Where should couples stay in Queenstown?
Fernhill and Sunshine Bay: Hillside apartments and hotels west of town with lake and mountain views.