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Guide / Attractions

Top Queenstown attractions, grouped by type

choose Queenstown's main attractions by type, not by rank

Lake walks, high views, jet boats and day trips, grouped by type rather than ranked, with the distances and access details the official sources give.

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By Queenstown Tourism Editorial Desk

The short versionStart here

1We group Queenstown's main attractions by type, not by rank: the lake, high views, adrenaline, towns and wine, and day trips.
2Close to town are the Queenstown Gardens Trail, Shotover Jet at Arthurs Point and the Shotover Canyon Swing, which says it is about 10 minutes from the centre.
3Arrowtown is 19 km from Queenstown, Gibbston 25 km and Glenorchy 45 km; Milford Sound, 288 km away, takes a full day.
4Operator prices change, so check current prices with each operator; Orbus adult fares are $2.50 with a Bee Card, or $4 cash in town.

01 / Short answer

choose Queenstown's main attractions by type, not by rank

What are the top attractions in Queenstown? This guide does not rank them, because the right one depends on your day, your budget and the weather. Instead we group them by type: the lake and the town, the high views, the adrenaline rides, Arrowtown and Gibbston, and the longer day trips. Each entry gives the distance or access detail its own operator, DOC or Destination Queenstown publishes, and where we could not check a detail, we say so and tell you who to ask.

Plan an adventure day

02 / At a glance

Which kind of Queenstown attraction suits my day?

Type	Attractions in this guide	Plan for
Lake and town	Queenstown Gardens Trail; a lake cruise to Walter Peak.	About an hour for the trail; about 3 hours 30 minutes for the Walter Peak farm tour.
High views	Ben Lomond Track; Queenstown Hill Time Walk; Bennett's Bluff Lookout.	Fitness and weather: DOC rates Ben Lomond as high fitness.
Adrenaline	Shotover Jet; Shotover Canyon Swing; tandem paragliding from Coronet Peak.	Booking, and a spare day in case conditions stop a trip.
Towns and wine	Arrowtown and its Chinese Settlement; Gibbston.	19 km to Arrowtown and 25 km to Gibbston by road.
Day trips	Glenorchy and the Dart River; Wānaka over the Crown Range; Milford Sound.	A full day for Milford Sound; road status in winter.

03 / The lake and the town

What can I see on and around Lake Whakatipu?

Both start in or near the town centre.

Walk

Queenstown Gardens Trail

Destination Queenstown says the trail is a few minutes from central Queenstown, flat and wheelchair accessible, 3.1 km return and about an hour, with views of Lake Whakatipu, Cecil Peak and Walter Peak.

Cruise

Walter Peak

RealNZ's Walter Peak farm tour crosses the lake on the TSS Earnslaw or the Spirit of Queenstown, with a sheepdog demonstration and afternoon tea, and takes about 3 hours 30 minutes including the return cruise.

History

TSS Earnslaw

RealNZ gives the steamship's maiden voyage as 18 October 1912. RealNZ says a Walter Peak trip may run on either vessel, so check which one sails on your day.

04 / High views

Where can I get a view over Queenstown?

Ben Lomond Track
DOC lists it as 6 to 8 hours return to the 1,748 m summit, 11 km return, with high fitness needed and alpine gear in winter.
From the gondola top
DOC gives 3 to 4 hours return, 7 km, from the top of the gondola to Ben Lomond Saddle.
The Skyline Gondola
Check current hours and tickets with Skyline before you go.
Queenstown Hill Time Walk
Destination Queenstown says 2 hours return, plus 30 minutes for the summit.
Bennett's Bluff Lookout
Destination Queenstown puts it 25 km from Queenstown on the Glenorchy road, with views of Mount Earnslaw/Pikirakatahi.
Crown Saddle lookout
On the Crown Range Road to Wānaka, which Destination Queenstown calls New Zealand's highest sealed alpine pass.

05 / Adrenaline

Which adrenaline attractions are close to Queenstown?

Each operator sets its own age, height and weather rules.

Jet boat

Shotover Jet

A 25 minute ride through the Shotover canyons at up to 90 km/h, from 3 Arthurs Point Road, which Shotover Jet says is 7 km and less than 10 minutes' drive from town. There is no minimum age; children must be at least 1 metre tall.

Swing

Shotover Canyon Swing

A canyon swing, not a bungy. It says it is about 10 minutes from the town centre and has been locally owned and operated since 2002, and lists its address as 34 Shotover Street.

Fly

Tandem paragliding

Tandem paragliding flights launch from Coronet Peak with an instructor. Check current flight options and prices with the operator.

Bungy

Bungy facts

For bungy sites and history, read our bungy jumping guide.

06 / Towns and wine

How far are Arrowtown and Gibbston from Queenstown?

19 km

Arrowtown

Destination Queenstown gives 19 km and 20 to 30 minutes by road. It points visitors to the Lakes District Museum, where you can hire gold pans for the Arrow River.

Gold rush

Chinese Settlement

DOC describes a partially restored Chinese settlement from the 1880s on the banks of Bush Creek, a tributary of the Arrow River. Its main path is wheelchair accessible.

25 km

Gibbston

Destination Queenstown gives 25 km and 25 to 30 minutes on SH6, and points to the valley's local pinot noir. Read our wine tours guide if you plan to taste.

07 / Day trips

Which day trips can you do from Queenstown?

Listed from the shortest trip by road to the longest. Check road status before you set off.

Glenorchy
45 km and about 45 minutes, according to Destination Queenstown. Dart River's Wilderness Jet is a 2 hour trip, with complimentary buses from Queenstown on set departures.
Wānaka
70 to 80 minutes over the Crown Range Road, Destination Queenstown says, passing the Cardrona Hotel. It also says to bring snow chains in winter.
Milford Sound
288 km from Queenstown. DOC says the drive takes about 4.5 hours one way without stops; Southern Discoveries lists a 1.75 to 2.5 hour cruise depending on the itinerary, and a 45 minute scenic flight from Queenstown.
A Te Anau night
Te Anau is 121 km, about 2 hours 15 minutes, from Milford Sound, so a night there shortens the Milford day.

What visitors ask about Queenstown attractions

What are the top attractions in Queenstown?

We group them by type rather than rank them. On the lake: the Queenstown Gardens Trail and cruises to Walter Peak. For views: the Ben Lomond Track and Queenstown Hill. For thrills: Shotover Jet and the Shotover Canyon Swing. Further out: Arrowtown, Gibbston, Glenorchy, Wānaka and Milford Sound.

Which Queenstown attractions are close to town?

Destination Queenstown puts the Queenstown Gardens Trail a few minutes from central Queenstown, and says it is flat and wheelchair accessible. Shotover Jet says its base at 3 Arthurs Point Road is less than 10 minutes' drive away, and the Shotover Canyon Swing says it is about 10 minutes from the town centre.

How far is Milford Sound from Queenstown?

Milford Sound is 288 km from Queenstown by road, according to the Milford Sound visitor site. DOC says the drive takes about 4.5 hours one way without stops and calls it a nine hour return drive. If you would rather fly, Southern Discoveries lists a 45 minute scenic flight from Queenstown.

Can I see Queenstown's attractions without a car?

Many of them, yes. Orbus buses take cash or a Bee Card, not bank cards. Adult fares are $2.50 with a Bee Card, or $4 cash in town and $10 cash to or from the airport. Shotover Jet runs a return shuttle from Queenstown, and Dart River lists complimentary buses to Glenorchy on set departures.

What changes in winter for Queenstown attractions?

Mostly the roads. Destination Queenstown says to bring snow chains in winter on the Crown Range Road. DOC says Milford Road conditions change because of weather, rockfalls and avalanches, and that snow chains may be required in winter conditions from May to September. Check road status and each operator's current hours before you set off.

Do I need to book Queenstown attractions ahead?

For some of them. Shotover Jet highly recommends booking ahead, especially from October to March, and DOC says the Milford journey is busiest between October and April. Book the rides and the Milford day first, and keep walks such as the Queenstown Gardens Trail for open days.

The takeaways

01This guide groups Queenstown's attractions by type: the lake, high views, adrenaline, towns and wine, and day trips. It is not a ranking.
02Close to town: the Queenstown Gardens Trail, Shotover Jet at Arthurs Point and the Shotover Canyon Swing.
03Distances from Queenstown: Arrowtown 19 km, Gibbston 25 km, Glenorchy 45 km, Milford Sound 288 km.
04Check current prices, hours and road status with each operator and NZTA before you fix a day.

Plan with the details in hand

Check the current conditions, then choose the day.

Check today in Queenstown

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