We love a good getaway at 2 Cups of Travel, and our long weekend visit to Queenstown was the perfect stop. When not on the road, we reside in Melbourne, a short 3 hour flight across the water to Queenstown. We managed to snag cheap flights for a 5 day long weekend, and after lots of research and a loosely planned itinerary, we set off to explore. The focus of our stay was to mix adventure, relaxing, enjoy the vibe and being present in the moment. We knew we wouldn’t get to ‘see everything’ in our short visit, however we were excited to sample the stunning nature. As usual, we did a fair bit of research, and our itinerary was ‘perfect’ for us and how we like to travel. We hope it gives you a good idea of some locations to add to your Queenstown and Wanaka itineraries.
Start: Queenstown
- Spend: 1-2 nights
Queenstown is a postcard pretty town shrouded in mountains. The views are spectacular. The vibe is great, and the locals are friendly. The city is situated only 15 minutes from the airport. It’s the perfect spot to start your long weekend with a short but sweet stay.
Don’t miss:
- Explore the Queenstown Gardens for stunning views.. the perfect way to spend a few hours!
- Head to Queenstown Marina for amazing views and awesome coffee at Norka’s Kai Cafe. Other great coffee is at Life’s a Grind Espresso, odd saint or Beach St Café.
- Try the famous Fergburger! While we have a sneaky way to ‘skip the lines’ by sampling the burgers in Arrowtown (see guide here), the flagship store is in Queenstown and must be tried. Order online to reduce your wait times. The Fergbakery next door is rumoured to have incredible pies!
- Enjoy an aperterif at The Bathhouse located right on the shoreline of Lake Wakatipu
- The views from Queenstown Hill are spectacular. Hike up or catch the picturesque gondola for a great experience and amazing views!
- Consider visiting Ben Lohmond for spectacular view either by hiking or with the Skyline cable car.
Stop 2: Hike to Lake Alta
The alpine Lake Alta is only a short ~40 minute drive from Queenstown in ‘The Remarkables’ mountain range. The hike itself is pretty easy (think 1.5-2 hours), easy trail, moderate inclines. It’s the perfect way to prepare for the bigger hikes to come (see below). The views are excellent and end point is a crystal clear alpine lake. Take a snack or have lunch at the top like we did! Additionally, be prepared to stop regularly on your journey out to the lake.. the views are spectacular the whole way along.
Stop 3: Vino at Kinross Winery
The Otago region is only a short 30-60 minute drive from Queenstown, boasting some of the best wineries in New Zealand. We did a little research, looking for a sophisticated yet still relaxed vibe, and Kinross Winery fit the bill. Sitting under the autumn leaf covered terrace we sampled local wines served by friendly staff. A great experience and one we’d definitely come back to! Those wanting to sample more than a few wines could consider staying the night at one of Kinross’s cute cabins located on the vineyard!
Stop 4: Visit Wanaka
This is a whole guide in itself! Wanaka is stunning, and definitely a must visit stop on your Queenstown itinerary. You can see our detailed guide located here!
- Spend 1-3 nights in the regions
- Must do: Hike Roy’s Peak, walk the lake, enjoy the food/coffee, visit Velo Bar and Beer Garden
Seriously, the vibe and views of Wanaka are unmatched. It could easily be the ‘whole part’ of your trip! Make sure you don’t miss this and spend at least a night in the region.. a day trip isn’t enough.
Stop 5: Hike Roy’s Peak
This is a bucket list hike in Wanaka that we strongly recommend all those with enough physical fitness to check out. It is a hard trail (AllTrails words, not ours), so you do need a decent fitness level. The views, and effort, are well worth it (in our opinion). Allocate half a day for this hike! See our Roy’s Peak guide here!
Stop 6: Day trips from Wanaka
Wanaka is well located, so consider a day trip to one (or all) of the following nearby regions:
- Lake Hawea: Boasting more rugged views and blue-er waters, this lake is an easy 20 minutes up the road.
- Albert Town: a cute, local feel town, home to an amazing bakery (Pembroke Patisserie) and cute riverside walk.
- Blue Pools Track: This is a picturesque and popular day trip option that was unfortunately closed during our stay.
- Other Hikes? Check out some of the other excellent hikes in the region, including up Mount Aspiring, Mount Iron Track or Rob Roy Glacier Track hikes.
Stop 7: Arrowtown
The sleepy yet postcard pretty Arrowtown is another must-add to your Queenstown itinerary. Situated around 30 minutes from Queenstown (or ~1 hour from Wanaka), Arrowtown feels like an ‘open air museum’. The old buildings on the main street reminded us of aussie gold rush town Sovereign Hill. We visited during autumn and the town was ablaze with colour. You only need a few hours, but walking the town, trying out the café’s and enjoying the vibe is a must! See our visit and tips for Arrowtown here!
Stop 8: Add more to the trip?
Little Adds:
- Lake Hayes: This is another gorgeous lake that falls easily onto your planned route. We recommend a quick stop and a walk.
- Queenstown Hill – check the hike?: An easy, yet picturesque hike that can be completed in a few hours from Queenstown. A good option if you want to add some more adventure to the itinerary.
- Glenorchy: This popular town is only 1-2hour drive along the lake from Queenstown. This postcard views and quaint old buildings. A good way to spend a few hours.
- Other Shorter Hikes: There are a multitude of hikes located close to Queenstown that can be ‘ticked off’ in a short period of time. These include Moke Lake, trails around Queenstown (e.g. Queenstown Hill, Ben Lohmond), Lake Alta, Lake Hayes trail, Mt Crichton and more.
- Queenstown Marina: The gorgeous Queenstown Marina is located in Frankton (10 minutes out of Queenstown) and is home to a café with one of the best views we have ever drank a coffee to. Don’t miss Norka’s Kai Café, and there are a few other wine bars and restaurants in this little harbour that all boast sensational views.
Big Adds:
- The Fjordland: Milford Sound is considered one of the bucket list locations of New Zealand. We were considering a visit to the sound and the fjordland region, however after some research, realized anything less than a few days of visiting wouldn’t be doing it justice. A 3+ hour drive to get there means a day trip isn’t recommended, and the amount of things we wanted to see led us to the decision we would tick this off on a future trip!
- Mt Cook: Sadly we couldn’t make Mt Cook work during this trip.. it’ll be one for next time. We have seen the postcard views, and heard all about the amazing national park. The road leading to and through the national park is considered on of the most beautiful in New Zealand. A must for next time.
- Bigger Hikes: There are so many incredible hikes located within touching distance of Queenstown (e.g. Mullers Hut). We didn’t have time, but many of our friends have completed some and highly recommended them. One for next time!
Finish: Queenstown
This is likely where you’ll drop off your car and fly home. If you follow some of the plans above, you’ll likely have an incredible trip. We have listed a few other considerations below.
Visiting Queenstown, a few things to consider..
- Cost: Unfortunately, New Zealand isn’t that budget friendly. There are many ways to save money for those budget conscious (e.g. have a van over accommodation, eat at supermarkets, free nature activities). However, even things like a coffee, a meal from a food truck, or eating at supermarkets was more expensive that we had thought. After chatting with some locals, it appears that like most of the world.. inflation has been hitting New Zealand as well.
- The Weather: Be prepared for everything, including different weather in different locations. This is especially relevant if visiting in shoulder season (e.g. spring, autumn). We were lucky to have beautiful sunlight during our visit, however the week we left the rains came in and temperatures plummeted to 5-6 degrees.
- Hire a car: The Queenstown region is amazing to explore, however to do this, we highly recommend you hire a car. Roads are easy to drive, and car hire is reasonable. Getting around without a car will mean you miss out on some of the stops on your road trip and lose the flexibility that a car brings. This is one of our biggest recommendations!
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