The South Island’s two most iconic mountain resort towns are only an hour apart over the winding Crown Range. This post will help you choose which one to stay in and whether you should visit the other one on a day trip or not. Queenstown VS Wānaka Queenstown, by the shores of Lake Wakatipu, is … Read more
The Southern Scenic Route, connecting Dunedin and Queenstown via the southern coast, is the most famous touring route in New Zealand’s South Island. The whole thing is just over 600km and takes in some of the island’s top coastal scenery as well as some stunning inland vistas. Southern Scenic Route The Southern Scenic Route starts … Read more
History in New Zealand doesn’t get much more interactive than the Kingston Flyer, an old steam train which does short tourist trips near Queenstown. It has recently returned after being out of action for almost a decade — we went to Kingston to check it out. All Aboard We arrived at Kingston Station 15-minutes before … Read more
Bennetts Bluff has long been a place to stop and stretch your legs on the drive between Queenstown and Glenorchy. Pre 2021 it was a simple roadside lookout but now there’s a short walking trail to a different vantage point — stunning views guaranteed! Getting There The drive between Queenstown and Glenorchy takes around 45 … Read more
Our Otago Travel Guide will give you a good overview of the region. If you’re looking for posts about a particular area click on one of these links: Dunedin | Oamaru | Waitaki Valley | Wanaka | Queenstown | Arrowtown | The Catlins | Central Otago | South Otago Otago is the best of the … Read more
Start here if you’re planning a trip to Queenstown! We’ve been to visiting Queenstown for years now and have plenty of tips to help make your trip a success. After reading this Queenstown travel guide you’ll have all the tools to plan the perfect trip, whether it’s a weekend getaway from Dunedin or part of … Read more
This list of the best scenic drives in Queenstown includes some of the top road trips in New Zealand. You’d struggle to drive for long before encountering a good view in these parts, but I’ve organised it all so you’ll have an easier time planning your road trips around Queenstown! This post contains affiliate links. … Read more
You don’t need me to convince you to go to Queenstown. If you’re visiting New Zealand, especially for the first time, I’m pretty sure it’s in your plans. We’ve been exploring the area for seven years now and have poured all that experience into this Queenstown itinerary. It’s a loose 3/5/7-day itinerary with lots of … Read more
Driving from Dunedin to Queenstown takes you from the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the Southern Alps in only around 3.5 hours, but you’ll probably want to stop a few places along the way. Whether you’re spending a few days doing this or just want to stop at scenic viewpoint or two, this post … Read more
Arrowtown is often seen as a day trip destination, but there is heaps to keep you busy, whether you’re there for a few hours or a few days. Towns don’t get much cuter than Arrowtown, and the hills surrounding it are home to heaps of walking trails. We’ve been to Arrowtown half a dozen times … Read more