Great place to take pictures of Asians taken selfies with peace signs…read more I mean they would sit there for 30 minutes doing crazy shit. That being said it is a beautiful place with a cool tree and lake. I would go back just for the comic entertainment of watching people doing selfies for hours.

Apparently this tree is not in the water for most of the year. First time I saw it in 2018, it was…read more(in Feb). This time around (late Feb / early Mar 2025), it was not in the water and it was missing a limb, thought it looked a bit odd. Lots of people trying to take photos of it, it's probably one of the most famous trees in the world, ha!

I have been wanting to travel to New Zealand it seems like forever! On my bucket list of places to…read morephotograph was The Wanaka Tree. This world renowned tree is growing just offshore of Lake Wanaka and depending on the water level can give the illusion of it floating on the water when the tide is high. There were three variables that I was crossing my fingers would bless me with good conditions to photograph it. High water, snow on the distant mountain range and no wind. Well, I was truly blessed. The first day was an evening shot since we got into Wanaka a bit late from Queenstown, there were clouds covering the tops of the mountains, but there was a fireworks show on the shore just opposite the tree that we could see from our vantage point. The next morning's early sunrise blessed us with beautiful conditions! It was very chilly though and we were the only ones there very early before the sun rose. Gradually, more photographers started to show up, but we had our spots staked out! It was a memorable morning and I estimate I shot approx 150 photos! It was definitely a dream come true to finally come here and photograph this beautiful scene! It was definitely worth the wait and long journey... Five Beautiful Stars * * * * *

The lake itself is similar to Taupo both in terms of view, and setting, as being nestled in a town…read morewith a multitude of shops and restaurants around. Accommodations are plenty as well. Despite it looking marvelous as it is, be sure to visit lake Hawea.

FREE parking for 4 hours giving you ample time to wander the grounds. Meander through organized…read morepark lanes past clean tennis courts, into wooded forested areas and to a flat serene lake-side stroll. Breath-taking, profoundly mythical lake views from the shores. Such accessible scenery, a true vision of LOTR, is not to be missed!

There is only so much beer and meat pies one can devour…read more.. So check out this charming Gardens. Really pretty area to just hang. Cool unique indigenous plants, trees, etc... They even have a redwood type of tree....thought that was only in Calif.

An absolutely perfect place to relax. Whether you are just passing by and need a moment, want a…read morebreak, sit down after a meal, just need a rest, etc....it's a perfect spot. The water puts you at ease and relaxes you. No one is playing sports, yelling, running around, whatever...everyone just has respect for each other. It is a wonderful atmosphere to just "be". Once upon a time the White Star Hotel stood here, but it burnt down in the early 70's. It became a carpark, then slowly it became a popular public space through transformation with Horne Creek in 1994 when a company was tasked to rebuild the area. But it wasn't until 2006 that the area was fully complete and is what you see today. It has historical panels, seating, lighting, the stream, trees, flowers...and don't forget the ducks!!! A far cry from just a carpark. Well done!

I had an amazing time (I thought this was more fun than skydiving)! There is a free shuttle that…read morecan take you to the river from Queenstown. Our jet boat driver Maddie (not sure if spelled correctly) was so much fun and also taught us a little bit about the history and mechanics of jet boating. These guys are the only people allowed in this part of the river so you don't have to share space with anyone else. The scenery is beautiful and the boat ride is thrilling. A must do in Queenstown!

Absolutely loved our Shotover Jet ride! Even more fun and exciting than I expected, with awesome…read more360 spins and zipping past rocks and the sides of the canyon. Scenery was beautiful. I don't remember our driver's name but she was an awesome Japanese lady who was an amazing driver and kept up a comedic dialogue with us the entire time. Highly recommend doing this!

The Skyline Gondola offers a quick way to reach Bob's peak where along the way up, you'll see…read morestunning panoramic views of the town and lake below. Once at the top, everything is clearly signposted, with access to the Ben Lomond Track trailhead as well as the luge. We opted for the 3 luge ride package, which was the minimum number of rides that you have to do. The process is well organized, with separate lines for first-timers and returning riders. On our first run, we received a quick safety briefing and after that, we were off! There were two tracks you can choose from for the ride down. Overall, it was a really fun experience, and we had a great time!

The skyline gondola and luge at Queenstown was a great experience. The gondola is the steepest…read moregondola I've ever seen and gives beautiful views of the lake at city below. They do a gondola and 3+ luge pass that was so much fun. One thing I'll caveat though is the clientele and safety is much more reckless and lax than the Rotorua location. There were a few times when customers stopped completely on the track or rear-ended other customers, which was really concerning. My mother-in-law got rear ended pretty hard at the finish by a reckless customer, which was really scary. There's only 2 tracks currently open and you can get some air on the dart track. They're doing a lot of construction on the tracks, so hopefully they add more tracks soon. If I were to do the luge again, I'd do the Rotorua location since the tracks are longer and more scenic and seems safer.

As I was planning activities to do while in Queenstown, I stumbled upon this place that offers bike…read moretours that had really positive reviews. However, since I have never really done long distance biking before, I was hesitant to sign up for one of the tours that takes you further in and you bike back to the shop in downtown Queenstown. I decided to just rent an e-bike for half a day which would allow me to go at my own pace and return when I wanted to. Honestly, it was one of the best days of my life-the breathtaking scenery of Queenstown and the comfort of my own solitude exploring the bike paths overlooking Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown trail, Shotover bridge/river, Kawarau River... The person helping me at the shop was really friendly-helped walked me through how to use an e-bike (it was my first time using an e-bike but thought it would be the safest option in case I tired myself out later) and helped to adjust the seat as well when I had some trouble. The e-bike had different levels of support (eco, medium, and high)-I used eco mode for most of the time but used medium and high on my way back and it hardly used any of the battery life at all (there is a level usage on the screen). They provide you with a map which I used along with my phone to ensure I was on the right path but there are also many signs along the way, so I would say it would be hard to get lost. I would totally recommend this bike shop if you want a little adventure during your stay in Queenstown -something not as crazy as bungee jumping but will give you a thrill and some amazing views.

VISIT: end of February 2020 TOUR: Bike the Bridges -…read moreArrowtown to Gibbston Supported Tour VIEWS: 5 stars HELP FROM TOUR GUIDE: 5 stars SUITABLE FOR ALL ENDURANCE LEVELS: 4 stars DEALS: I found them through Chase Ultimate Rewards and several other sites MEETING SPOT: close to Fergburger and Fergbaker This tour was an honest pleasant surprise for us. The videos online looked cool, but mostly we got to experience so much that I don't think we would have seen. I would have never made a special trip to Arrowtown or Gibbston just based on the research I did, but what a beautiful way to view this amazing country! You meet at their meeting spot where the tour guide will drive you to your starting point. The tour guide stayed with everyone until they were comfortable on which path they were following and made sure that bikes and helmets were all sized appropriately. Our tour guide even gave special care to someone in our group that didn't speak English. You can leave items in the van, if you'd like, but my husband and I just had everything in our backpacks as the van is only there during certain check points. After that you are pretty much on your own with the bike tour, which was refreshing that you could go at your own pace. You see your tour guide at regular intervals along your track and that's always refreshing, in case you get tired you can always hop in the van. Along the way, you ride by the AJ Hackett bungee jumpers which was a nice stop to watch and use the restrooms and grab snacks, if you need. Then our tour ended at the Gibbston Winery which was just a nice treat after a good workout. ACTIVITY LEVEL: one of my biggest tenets is that the company dubs the Bike the Bridges tour a relatively easy ride and although it was, I was personally surprised at how much of a workout was. There was a good amount of inclines/declines and I workout regularly and have an active job, so I was relatively surprised. However, I realized after being in New Zealand that many of their residents are so active that I'm sure this would be an easy ride. For those on the fence, they do have electric bikes for rent, so that might be the way to go. NAVIGATION: the navigation is very easy and the trails are clearly marked. As mentioned above, your tour guide also makes sure he's waiting at regular intervals along your trail, so I wouldn't let that deter you I WOULD 100% DO THIS AGAIN: I am not a typical tourist that would return to do things again, but I cannot begin to explain how magical this was. Plus the tour was a half day, so we actually booked this the afternoon of our first full day in New Zealand to give us time to adjust to jet lag and the long tour the day before

My husband and went to Queenstown especially for the adventure sports and as a base for seeing the…read moreglaciers. We decided on the 'Triple Challenge' as neither of us were brave enough for the 'Awesome Foursome' which includes a bungey jump! The Triple Challenge consists of a ride on the Shotover Jet, followed by a Helicopter Ride onto some White Water Rafting. We met at the base in Queenstown for a quick briefing then went straight to the Shotover Jet where we had the most exhilerating fast paced ride of our lives! The ride lasts about half an hour and you are with a small group of people in the jetboat (around 8 plus the driver) Straight after the jetboat you are whisked off for your 'heli rafting' experience. You go the rafting lodge where you meet the guides you will be rafting with are given full wetsuits to change into, there are changing rooms to use for this. Some people will transfer by minibus but if like us you booked the Triple Challenge you will then be taken to the helipad for your amazing ride down to Skippers Canyon , it doesnt take long but is an experience that will stay with you forever. Before you embark on your rafting you are given safety instruction from the guide and basic maneouvre information and technique. You then set off in your raft and group of people there were 6 of us plus the guide and you raft for around 2 hours. This is an amazing experience, exciting, scary, fun and wet! Do expect to get wet, its great fun, not by falling in though i hasten to add, though it can happen. Just riding those rapids with the raft hurtling over them gets the water shooting over you and down your wetsuitbrrrr its icy cold even in summer! Part of the rafting went through a tunnel where my husband was asked to guide the raft laying on his back using his feet on the walls, he loved doing that! Great fun and experience. Once you have reached the end of the rafting experience you go back to the lodge for a hot showe, refreshments and a bit to eat which is all included in the cost. The guides are superb , the experience amazing, if you only do one thing in New Zealanddo this!