Queenstown, New Zealand

By Jackie

Queenstown is located on the South Island of New Zealand and has always been a dream destination for me to visit! Known as the world's adventure capital, Queenstown is the one-stop shop for all adrenaline adventures and activities. Its stunning view online just doesn’t quite compare to the real-life visuals of being surrounded by mountains as soon as you step off the plane! My friends and I set off for a 5-day trip to Queenstown at the end of August and here are my top three favourite activities.

We aimed to do as much as possible while still having time to enjoy the local life and relax on our getaway. I would 100% come back to Queenstown and try everything that we didn’t get to this time round!

As someone who loves summers and the warmth, going to Queenstown in late August was the perfect time for first-timers to visit a colder climate (but make sure you pack your thermals even in August…)

1. Skiing 

   I knew nothing going into my first time skiing, except that I’d always wanted to try it… and I can say I fell in LOVE with it. 

   
   

   We chose to go to The Remarkables Ski Area, and could not be more pleased with my time there. From receiving our ski passes on the first day to the end of our lesson, everyone who worked there was so professional, informative and supportive.

   
   

   As it was our first time, we decided to buy the first-timers class pass and have a lesson from 10am - 3:30pm and it was definitely needed. Our instructor was so helpful in explaining and teaching the basics of skiing (how to stop and walk on snow with skis) which you don’t think about when these things come so naturally on land. HAHA

   
   

   We loved it so much that we bought a ticket for a second day too!

   
   

2. Skyline Gondola & Luge

   This was another favourite. Going up the gondola was such a fun experience - the best way to experience the stunning view! We also used the luge and that was such a fun activity to do, such a simple process as they were both in the same location and we were able to purchase a package deal!  

   
   

3. Places to Eat

   As much as Queenstown is known for the action-packed activities, they are also known for their tasteful cuisine. Here are some of our favourite spots:

• Fergburger 6/10 

  I have seen Fergburger all over my TikTok and was so excited to try it, I got the original cheeseburger and just thought it tasted very simple but I’m sure if you had one of them more unique burgers it would have been even delicious! 

  
  

  The person sitting next to me had a steak burger and it smelled delicious so maybe I’ll try it next time :p 

  
  

  French fries were 10/10!!! 

• Fergbaker 10/10 

  On the other hand, Fergbaker was so delicious we had breakfast there every morning. My go to was an almond croissant and I haven’t been able to find a good one for a very long time, I’m devastated that the one I love is all the way in Queenstown!!!

  
  

  The Boston doughnut was another crowd favourite and the salmon bagel was super delicious

  
  

• Patagonia Chocolates 10/10

  My last recommendation is Patagonia Chocolates. They had some of the most delicious ice cream I have ever had and yes I do love eating ice cream in cold weather. I might be crazy but it was worth it.

  
  

  I will say though make sure you don’t eat with your eyes and just get one scoop and go back multiple times because getting a double scoop was way too much and I could not finish it… whoops 😅 

So that wraps up my Queenstown trip. It is definitely a destination I would love to go back to. I recommend everyone to try skiing. It was incredibly exhilarating and unlocked a new hobby when travelling to snowy places. 

There are so many more activities I would love to try in Queenstown which is nice knowing that when I go back there will still be plenty to do (one thing I won’t miss is the hill to our accommodation IYKYK 😉)