The Local's Guide to Queenstown
We asked Olivia Glynn, QT Queenstown's concierge, where to have an adventure in Queenstown (bungee cord not always included).
When my friends are in town, I take them for a drink at…
Reds for cocktails at sunset. Then, depending on the flavour of the night, to Bardeaux for a chilled evening on the verandah or Barmuda for a bit of a boogie.
The restaurant that shows off Queenstown is…
Bespoke Kitchen. It’s fantastic, with a lot of vegan and raw options. Even if you’re an avid meat-eater, you’ll find something you want here.
For a business meeting, book a table at...
The Boat Shed Café & Bistro, just out of town on Frankton Road. It’s quiet and a lot of people don’t know it’s there. It has great views of The Remarkables from the outdoor area by the water.
If you want to kick on after dinner, head to…
The Bunker cocktail bar. The covered outdoor area has firepits and the bartenders make a great Negroni or Old Fashioned.
For my caffeine fix, I go to…
Vudu Café & Larder. Order a takeaway coffee and sit by the lake.
For breakfast, I would recommend…
Yonder. The coffee is awesome, they do a really great turmeric latte and the brunch menu is so good. You can order a meal especially for a hangover called The Cure that comes with a virgin Bloody Mary. They also serve dinner and have live music at night.
The food that best sums up Queenstown is…
Blue cheese from the Whitestone cheese-ageing room at Wet Jacket. It’s sold in town, too.
Queentown’s best market experience is at…
The Creative Queenstown Arts ’n’ Crafts Market, held in Earnslaw Park every Saturday. It has interesting stalls with people selling pounamu (greenstone) and others who dig up clay from the area and make pottery.
If you need to entertain kids, take them to…
The Hydro Attack mechanical shark ride. You can see eels and fish underwater and then the shark pops up like a cork. Kids lose their minds.
For a romantic experience, you could…
Start planning now
Go on a helicopter tour of the alpine lakes around Queenstown – they contain the bluest water you’ll ever see – or take a picnic and bottle of wine to Bob’s Cove on Lake Wakatipu, about 20 minutes’ drive out of town.
If you want adventure, try…
Bungee jumping at Kawarau Bridge Bungy. It’s “only” 43 metres high but is iconic in Queenstown.
The best way to experience Lake Wakatipu is…
To hire a kayak. It’s just you and the water – they say the Wakatipu has a heartbeat – and you can really get a feel for just how big it is.
This piece was originally published in 2018 and has been updated.
