Queenstown, South Island

including Arrowtown and Glenorchy

Queenstown family holiday: view from Skyline, Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables

Queenstown family holiday: mountain biking at The Skyline

Glenorchy family holiday: Lake Wakatipu at Glenorchy

Queenstown family holiday: sheep on the road in Queenstown

Queenstown, Arrowtown, Glenorchy

Walks and Parks

Walks & Parks

Get Outdoors!

Discover the region's walks, parks, beaches, lakes or rivers.

With its well-deserved reputation as New Zealand’s activity adventure capital you’ll never run out of activities and things to do in Queenstown, but you may run out of time! With breathtaking scenery, activities and festivals, cafes and restaurants, skiing and snowboarding, shopping and wineries, this lakeside alpine resort rates as one of the world’s top vacation destinations for all ages and seasons.

Family: there are hundreds of activities to choose from in Queenstown and a large amount of these are suitable for children of any age. Queenstown’s adventure activities can often also be enjoyed by children and families but generally there will be a minimum age, weight or height requirement to participate in the activity.  Search for Queenstown activities using our age filter to find out what suits your whole family.
Check out our family-friendly adventure activities here>>

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Family biking: The Queenstown Trail unveils 150+km of stunning vistas for you to explore by bike or on foot.  Discover spectacular suspension bridges, secret swim holes, cute cafes and wonderful wineries – the Queenstown Trail makes a perfect outing for families and is bike-friendly.

Indoor Attractions: if the weather isn't so great or you just want to experience some of the best range of indoor attractions in the world, all right here in Queenstown and Frankton, you can search our activities by indoors-only. 
Check out more fun family attractions here >>

Arrowtown

Only 20km from Queenstown, Arrowtown was born of the 1862 goldrush and is a step back in tmie with tree-lined streets, old miners' cottages and a main street reminscent of a 'Wild West' movie.  The Arrow River, with the fascinating Chinese Settlement on its bank, was at one time worked by thousands of goldseekers who came from around the world in their quest for gold, good fortune and a better life.  Arrowtown is a great destination for an inexpensive, chilled morning or afternoon with the kids.  The Lakes District Museum is interactive and fun for all and they also hire out goldpans so you can try your luck in the nearby Arrow River.  You're also just a short drive from the famous bungy bridge and Gibbston Valley – home to some of the region's best wineries and beautiful bike trails.

Glenorchy

Glenorchy sits at the northern tip of Lake Wakatipu, surrounded by mountains, glacier-fed rivers and beech forest.  It's the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park and the starting point for multi-day treks, including the famous Routeburn Walk.  With only 300 locals and Mount Aspiring National Park on its doorstep, this really is a slice of paradise!  The stunning 45km drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy offers breathtaking views of Lake Wakatipu, hanging valleys and sheer mountains.  Make sure you stop at Bennetts Bluff Lookout (on the left, 25km from  Queenstown) for an amazing view of the head of the lake and excellent photo opportunity.

North Island

South Island

Map of New Zealand
  • Auckland
  • Central Otago
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Christchurch
  • Coromandel
  • Dunedin
  • Gisborne
  • Fiordland
  • Hawkes Bay
  • Marlborough Sounds
  • Manawatu
  • Nelson & Golden Bay
  • Northland
  • North Canterbury
  • Rotorua
  • Queenstown
  • Taranaki
  • South Canterbury
  • Taupo
  • Southland
  • Waikato
  • Wanaka
  • Wellington
  • West Coast
  • Whangarei
  • Bay of Islands
  • Tauranga
  • Gisborne
  • Hamilton
  • Napier
  • Kapiti
  • Palmerston North
  • Whanganui
  • New Plymouth
  • Arrowtown
  • Te Anau
  • Akaroa
  • Ashburton
  • Hanmer
  • Kaikoura
  • Methven
  • Mt Cook
  • Oamaru
  • Tekapo
  • Timaru
  • Abel Tasman
  • Motueka
  • Nelson Lakes
  • Blenheim
  • Picton
  • Catlins
  • Gore
  • Stewart Island
  • Central Plateau
  • Invercargill
  • Cromwell
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Westport
  • Glenorchy

Our favourite destinations…

Auckland destination2

Auckland

New Zealand’s economic heart and biggest city is also an exciting family visitor destination, situated on a sunny harbour with city beaches just minutes away from the CBD. Orientate yourself by heading down to Viaduct Harbour, wandering the waterfront, checking out the super yachts or enjoying the waterfront restaurants. Nearby is the must-visit Sky Tower along with excellent and kid-friendly museums and tons of exciting activities!

Wellington

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital. Here you will find New Zealand's parliament buildings, including the 'Executive Wing', more well-known as 'The Beehive' due to its distinctive shape. Another icon to look out for is the Wellington Tram, which was the main means of public transport between 1878 and 1964.

Christchurch

With a population of around 400,000 Christchurch, in Canterbury, is the South Island ’s largest city, yet much of it has the feel of a small town. Perhaps that’s why it’s known as the Garden City but with the expansive Hagley Park, Botanic Gardens, Port Hills, River Avon and numerous beaches the city certainly has an open, relaxed feel that’s hard to beat.

Queenstown

With its well-deserved reputation as New Zealand’s activity adventure capital you’ll never run out of activities and things to do in Queenstown, but you may run out of time! With breathtaking scenery, activities and festivals, cafes and restaurants, skiing and snowboarding, shopping and wineries, this lakeside alpine resort rates as one of the world’s top vacation destinations for all ages and seasons.

Rotorua

Rotorua sits on the shore of Lake Rotorua, one of sixteen lakes in the area formed by hundreds of thousands of years of eruptions from the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The area is renowned for its geothermal activity and top of any activity list is to see the bubbling mud pools that are around the region for yourself. The Waimangu Volcanic Valley offers a first hand insight into the devastation caused by the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera and is a great place to discover steaming volcanic craters and bubbling, spitting  pools of mud!

Nelson and Golden Bay

The Nelson and Golden Bay regions, at the top of the South Island, boast enviable sunshine hours, glorious sandy beaches, safe swimming spots, lots of wildlife to look out for, and Abel Tasman National Park - an absolute must to explore, on foot, by kayak, your own craft or watertaxi.  Nelson is home to a vibrant arts and crafts community with a fabulous Saturday market, and is close to award-winning wineries and family-friendly bike tracks to take you around the coast.

Hawkes Bay

Napier was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and is now known as NZ's Art Deco City.  The Art Deco influence has created a unique city – nowhere else can you see such a varied concentration of art deco style. With over 2,200 sunshine hours a year, Napier is a year-round holiday destination with countless activities to entertain the kids – there's days of entertainment on Marine Parade alone, plus numerous other family-friendly trips and activities.  Add to that the beaches, walks and flat cycle paths, outdoor cafes and entertainment, and you have a perfect holiday destination!

Northland

Beautiful, unspoiled beaches, fishing, historic gum fields, kauri forests – the Far North has it all. With subtropical temperatures, it's often known as ‘the Winterless north', with warm, humid summers and mild winters.
Gateway to the Bay of Islands, Paihia is a pretty, lively beachside town and a perfect base for your family holiday. It’s your start point for Bay of Island adventures including day cruises, sailing, kayaking, swimming with dolphins and reef or wreck diving.