Queenstown

When the littlies tire of all the great parks and playgrounds, take them to the top of Bob’s Peak on the Skyline Gondola, the steepest cable car lift in the Southern Hemisphere, for great views and plenty of giggles.  

Or take the little ones on a lake cruise on the classic steamship the TSS Earnslaw all the way to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Here they can help feed sheep and deer and get up close and personal with the enormous, wide-horned and hairy Scottish Highland Cattle. They can also watch sheep shearing demonstrations and see sheep dogs in action. 

When the snow starts to fall the real fun starts with gear hire, kids lift passes and lessons with experienced instructors for kids from three years of age on gentle learner slopes. And what little one wouldn’t love building snowmen, making snow angels and throwing snowballs at mum and dad?

Even young visitors can get their thrills when visiting New Zealand’s adventure capital. Ziptrek Ecotours, a wild eco-adventure through the forest canopy, situated on Skyline Gondola Hill is a great place to start with zip lining for kids aged six and over. Experienced guides will help guide you from tree to tree where you can soak up the amazing views of Lake Wakatipu and the mountains. Or they can home their trampolining skills at indoor trampoline park, Site!

And Arrowtown Bike Hire provides mountain bike hire in different sizes including bikes for children. Hire bikes for the whole family to cycle the historic town or ride local wilderness trails across the famous Kawarau Bungy Bridge or to gold pan along the Arrow River.  Bike it Now! also offers experiences on a range of major cycling trails around Queenstown with children’s bikes and tow behinds available.

For kids not quite ready to take on the most extreme of the extreme sports there are plenty of soft adventure activities. A gondola ride up Bob’s Peak provides spectacular views, and if you want a little adrenalin charge you can tackle the luge, a wheeled gravity ride that provides riders full control over their descent on a purpose built track that runs from the top of the gondola. Or you can rent a mountain bike in town to explore the area and ride the steep trails that run from the top of Bob’s Peak.

Fight intergalactic wars on alien planets and cast spells in the darkest of dungeons at 360° VR, a high tech centre that allows you to see, move and feel your way through virtual adventures. And at Vortex, enjoy cutting edge motion theatre with as many as 12 multi-sensory effects including snow, rain and fog immersing you in the movies.

Active teenagers will find fun in Queenstown whatever the season. In summer, hit the water for jet boating, stand up paddle boarding, river surfing, kayaking and white water rafting. In the Spring and Autumn the weather is ideal for hiking, paragliding, canyoning and zip lining. Any time year you can take the leap of faith with bungy jumping off the Kawarau Bridge, the birthplace of the extreme adrenalin sport. There’s also the Sky Swing which dangles 400 metres above Lake Wakatipu. And for the truly brave, there is tandem sky diving over the beautiful town.

In winter, Queenstown is action central. The gateway to some of the southern hemisphere’s best skiing and snowboarding, here you’ll find gear hire, lift passes and ski and snowboarding lessons for kids of every age. There are loads of exciting experienced for advanced skiers and extreme thrill seekers including wilderness snowmobiling and heli skiing.