Here’s a few more Queenstown activities for you to consider when you visit.  Not a lot of secret places here other than some favourite restaurants and quite places on the lake but you need a boat to get to those.

Head over to Wanaka for at least a day (I prefer Wanaka but there’s not much to do there) and drive over the crown range instead of through the Kawarau Gorge, which is where all the tour buses, camper vans and tourists who can’t drive, drive through. There’s some spectacular views over the Crown Range, it’s a steep and winding road so if you’re not a great driver spare us all a favour and take a taxi or go through the Kawerau.  In winter, the crown range can either be closed or require the use of chains.  If you don’t know what chains are, don’t even consider going.  If you’re in Queenstown for a week or more and are looking for getting a bit sick of the usual Queenstown activities, you’ve got to put Wanaka on your list of what to do next.

Glenorchy is quiet and not many tourists head down there as there’s not much to do activities wise. It’s lovely and quiet and will only be full of locals and kiwis on holiday, unless you get unlucky and get a busload of tourists over there who’ll ruin it for you. if you drive out of Queenstown just a little bit, you’ll miss the crowds because most people just hang out near the town.  So hire a car and that’ll give you a lot more freedom to do whatever you want.

For many locals, golf is one of the most favourite Queenstown activities.  Golf at Milbrook Resort is nice. It’s a nice wide open Bob Charles designed course about 25 minutes from Queenstown near Arrowtown. There’s a nice hotel there that’s worth considering if you don’t want to stay right in Queenstown, but I think you’d need to hire a car to make the most of everything else in Queenstown.

Jacks Point Golf Course is the newest course and apparently one of the best in the country.  This is a proper golf course with some equally stunning views, located about 20 minutes from Queenstown.  It’s much more expensive than the more local Queenstown Golf Club but worth every cent.

The Queenstown Golf Club is known for being having the best views of any course in New Zealand.  I wouldn’t argue with that and if you’re into nice views to substitute for your shit golf, check out Over The Top Golf. This is a Par 3 on top of a mountain 4,500ft high. You fly up in a helicopter, take a few shots (not sure exactly how many you’ll be allowed!) then fly down and putt out.  All for around $500!  Not everyone’s idea of a good day of golf but give it a go if views and golf are your thing.

For a bit of a kiwi golf experience, try out Arrowtown golf club.  Walk around with your own bag with a “trundler” – what the kiwis call a pull cart, and have a pie in the clubhouse afterwards.  It’s not immaculately kept or in pristine condition but it’s something different from the thousands upon thousands of boring resort courses around the world.

Send us any questions or comments you have about Queenstown activities via email or ask us on twitter.