Queenstown
New Zealand's adventure-tourism capital on Lake Wakatipu and the gateway to Central Otago's celebrated Pinot Noir country.
About Queenstown
Set on the shores of glacial Lake Wakatipu beneath the jagged Remarkables, Queenstown grew from a gold-rush settlement of the early 1860s into New Zealand's adventure-tourism capital, renowned for bungy jumping, jet-boating and skiing. It is also the gateway to Central Otago, the world's southernmost major wine region and one of the most celebrated addresses for Pinot Noir. The dramatic continental climate of high, dry, sunny days and cold nights yields intense, perfumed reds, and the Gibbston Valley wine trail begins just minutes from town, with the warmer heartland around Bannockburn, Cromwell and Felton Road a short drive on. Visitors combine cellar-door tasting with alpine scenery and outdoor thrills, making Queenstown a rare destination where world-class wine and adrenaline adventure sit side by side.
Practical details
Wine tourism notes
Queenstown is the tourism gateway to Central Otago, the world's southernmost major wine region and one of its most acclaimed for Pinot Noir. The Gibbston sub-region begins just minutes from town, with the region's warmer heartland around Bannockburn and Cromwell a short drive further.
Regional cuisine
A resort town's cosmopolitan menu meets Central Otago produce — venison and lamb, stone fruit and cherries from nearby Cromwell, and rich local Pinot Noir on every wine list, plus a famously good burger scene.
Canonical attractions
- Lake Wakatipu and the TSS Earnslaw
- The Remarkables and Coronet Peak ski fields
- bungy jumping and jet-boating adventures
- the Gibbston Valley wine trail and nearby Bannockburn/Cromwell vineyards
Editorial notes
Fly directly into Queenstown Airport; the Gibbston Valley cellar doors are 20-30 minutes away, while the top Bannockburn and Cromwell vineyards are roughly an hour's drive.