A Week in Queenstown with Kids (New Zealand)
Our first family holiday abroad was a winter family trip to Queenstown NZ
We’ve just spent a magical week in Queenstown, New Zealand with our two kids and plenty of their cousins too. Before going, I wondered if it was a town you could spend much time in with kids – it really is like a giant fun-park for adults. I had been to Queenstown in winter when my daughter was only one year old, and to be honest it was beautiful but a bit boring. There was nothing for my baby and me to really do, besides have a coffee, feed some ducks or go for scenic drives or walks (with her in the carrier).
But this trip was different – my daughter was now seven and my son was four (nearly five). And at these ages, we absolutely adored Queenstown and could have stayed for weeks.
Before going to Queenstown I did a lot more research and found a lot of the ‘must-do’ activities were in a different season, or were too much for small kids (e.g. big hikes), or there were age minimums (on rides and paid activities). I did find some gems though, and after our amazing week I wanted to share how we spent a week in Queenstown, making the best memories and having a blast – with kids.
Here are some of highlights of our family trip to new zealand:
Playing on the playground right next to the lake (new since we were last there).
Skimming rocks into the picturesque lake.
Going on the gondola up the mountain.
Having the best fun racing on the luge.
Walking around the park and play on giant rocks and under the branches of giant trees.
Hot chocolates and ice creams.
Watching local buskers and street entertainers.
Playing in green park spaces all over town.
Kids’ ski lessons at Coronet Peak (Skiwiland for 3-5yr olds and child group lessons for 6+).
Visiting the Snow Farm after an epic drive through the mountain ranges (1hr 10min drive).
Climbing on statues.
Watching boats (shark submarines, jet boats etc) and thrill seekers doing different things all day long.
The public toilets are an experience, with automatic everything that thrilled the kids.
Shuttle buses at Coronet Peak, and catching public transport in general.
Feeding ducks (still fun for younger kids, though a bit scary in the main park because the ducks follow you like crazy).
Driving past snowy mountains, looking for tracks in the snow and spotting icicles hanging off rocks.
Other experiences we didn’t get to (if you don’t do ski lessons, you’ll have more time to explore!):
Cookie Time and other awesome eateries.
Going on a ride of the big steam boat to visit a local farm.
Ice skating.
Frisbee golf.
Visiting towns on day trips.
The Kiwi Park sanctuary.
Go Karts, an awesome car museum, flying fox and car sculpture park at Highlands (50min drive from Queenstown).
Visit Wanaka with its photogenic lake and Puzzling World (1hr 10min drive)
Scenic drives to Glenorchy or Kingston (opposite directions but both along Lake Wakatipu).
Catching the water taxi for a cheap ride on the lake.
Visiting wineries (some actually have play areas for kids).
Back to Queenstown, I was impressed with the green park spaces that were fun for the kids to play in, with the paths and wide streets, and with the acceptance of kids in cafes. We loved being able to take the kids on the gondola, the luge, and of course the mind-blowing experience of seeing both kids skiing and loving it. I never expected them to have so much fun and do so well in the snow, but they just absolutely loved it. (As a family, we really prepared well for the trip, so I’ll write all about how we did that soon because I think it made a huge difference.)
There were only a few things we didn’t Love about Queenstown:
The cost of everything was insanely expensive. If you want a cheap family trip, this isn’t it.
The local food shop didn’t have a huge variety, so you’d need a car to get out to the larger supermarkets. We did get by for the week though, just not eating our usual meals.
It can rain randomly, so you need to plan your activities around the weather. Of course, we don’t mind rain (read here about our rainy day adventure), but having raincoats in our bags did help with not rushing the kids or being upset by it (packable light-weight raincoats are awesome for travelling).
Roads can close if the conditions are too dangerous, so it’s always worth checking ahead. This is especially important for mountain routes, like Crown Range Rd to Cardrona, Wanaka and the Snow Farm, and also up to Coronet Peak.
The ground was always damp or muddy in the park areas, so it wasn’t easy for the babies in the group to crawl around a lot. Take a picnic blanket (how good are these fit-in-your-pocket waterproof picnic blankets - these would be perfect!).
With a baby, Queenstown is a stunning location to have coffees, wine, nice food and enjoy the incredible views. You can also do some really nice walks, some with a stroller but having a carrier gives you better access. However, Queenstown with a 4 and 7 year old was a dream. I imagine older kids would even enjoy it more, though it may get expensive if they are keen to do all the thrill rides available locally! Our younger kids were the perfect age to enjoy the delight of snow, the treat of a hot chocolate, and the open ended play of parks and playgrounds.
Of course our week went far too quickly and now we are already talking about how we can get back there as soon as possible. Our biggest dilemma is whether to go back in winter (snow!!) or go in another season for even more magical experiences.
Your Turn
Have you been to Queenstown with kids? What did you love about it? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
