For a run down on how to pack out your itinerary, take a look at the below suggestions to get you started.

For Adventurers

Looking to catch a few family-friendly thrills? Queenstown is the ideal place to do it. Venture out to Coronet Peak or Treble Cone for a little all-ages skiing and snowboarding, and then head to the Queenstown Ice Arena for the city’s top skating, hockey and curling. Prefer something slightly less snow-filled? Book a package with Queenstown Paintball, and you’ll be able to compete with other families in a gorgeous — and easily navigable — pine forest.

For Learning Lovers

Who says educational activities have to be boring? Queenstown is home to a variety of fun-filled zoos, parks and historical centres, and each attraction is perfect for the entire family. If your kids love animals, plan to spend a morning strolling through the Kiwi Birdlife Park. Not only will you get the chance to spot kiwis, parakeets and geckos, but you’ll also learn about wildlife rescue and local conservation efforts. Then, take a leisurely drive to the former gold-mining capital of Arrowtown for a peek at its historic buildings and settlements. You can even pan for gold in the Arrow River.

For Relaxation Seekers

No vacation is complete without a little rest and relaxation. If you need to take it easy after days of sightseeing, check out the Onsen Hot Pools. These private tubs are filled with crystal-clear alpine water, and you’ll be able to bask in Queenstown’s breathtaking landscape while you soak.

Of course, everyone unwinds differently. Want to let Dad sneak away for a few hours? Send him to Jack’s Point Golf Course. Surrounded by The Remarkables mountain range, this championship course is an amazing place to play a few rounds. Plus, the kids can browse the gift shop, have lunch in the restaurant or learn the ins and outs of the game.

For the Littlest Ones

Even your youngest children can join the fun in Queenstown. If you’re in the mood for a mellow activity, plan a day trip to the Walter Peak High Country Farm. You’ll take the vintage TSS Earnslaw steamship across beautiful Lake Wakatipu and get a guided tour of the farmyard and countryside. Little ones can feed the animals and meet a few friendly sheep dogs, and Mom and Dad will love the traditional teas and lakeside gardens.

Then, end your day with a short drive to the Remarkable Sweet Shop. This brightly coloured candy store is a dream come true for young children, and you’ll be able to sample creamy fudge, sugary lollies and delicious jellies. Just make sure to leave room in your Queenstown car hire for all the treats you’re bound to bring home.

Any one that has flown into the airport would agree as the approach takes you close to the craggy Remarkable Mountain Rang,e as well as over spectacular lakes, mountains and ski fields. If you are lucky enough to get a window seat you might be caught with you mouth open in amazement as you steer out the window at the beautiful scenery.

Queenstown Airport is Australasia’s fastest growing Airport. It is located at Frankton in New Zealand’s South Island (Some might say the best island), it serves the resort town of Queenstown and sits in the picturesque Wakatipu Basin.

The Airport is serviced by Air New Zealand, Mt Cook Airline, Pacific Blue, Jetstar and Qantas with direct international flights to/from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

It is one of New Zealand’s busiest helicopter and general aviation bases and is regularly visited by Corporate Jet’s and those lucky enough to be able to afford such a life style.
The full top ten

1. Barra (Scotland)
2. London City
3. Jackson Hole
4. Aruba
5. Male (Maldives)
6. St Barts
7. Queenstown (NZ)
8. Gibraltar
9. Narvik (Norway)
10. St Maarten.

Queenstown is very well known for it’s wines with many award winning wineries within the Wakatipu region. There are also a few locally brewed beers if your prefer the taste of hops to grapes.

The towns restaurants are busy every night as the tourist head back into the town after attending to what ever activities they had planned for the day creating a great atmosphere. Overall, eating in Queenstown is an experience you should look forward to if your a planning a visit to the region.

Bella Vista Motel

Bella Vista Motel Queenstown is a modern complex comprising 24 fully serviced studios situated in a quiet location close to the heart of Queenstown. Just a 3 minute walk to the town centre and Lake Wakatipu, close to shops, restaurants, cafes and wine bars.

Coronation Lodge

Enjoy the comforts of our centrally located Lodge, perfectly situated near the picturesque Queenstown gardens, only a 2 minute walk to the heart of Queenstown. Locally owned & operated they offer hospitality that is genuine & warm.
Opened in 2004, our 11 room lodge features natural wooden interior, which provides a warm & welcoming “home away from home” atmosphere from the moment you arrive. Rooms include the option of a super-king or two king-single beds, rollaway beds are available for groups of three (+$30 extra person charge applies).

Coronet Peak Hotel

The Coronet Peak Hotel is an 8-minute drive from downtown Queenstown and is a three and a half star accommodation with 75 guest rooms, all with private bathrooms. It is the closest accommodation to the Coronet Peak Ski Field, making it an ideal place for skiers to stay. Unwind from an action filled day at their spa or sauna, have a tasty dinner at their restaurant, Rafters, or enjoy a drink in front of a roaring fire at Rafters Bar. Looking for a family friendly area? Attached to the Coronet Peak Hotel is Strikebowl, a bowling center, game room, and bar for those looking to spend an evening in.

Heartland Hotel

Situated on Stanley Street, the Heartland Hotel Queenstown is the ideal place to stay if you want to be close to all the action of Queenstown’s main centre, yet be elevated enough to take advantage of the spectacular views over lake Wakatipu to the mountains. They are just a couple of minutes’ walk from the heart of Queenstown where you can experience some of New Zealand’s best restaurants, cafes and shopping and access the myriad of activities on offer.

Kiwi Cabin 88

Kiwi Cabin 88 is a little holiday house in beautiful Queenstown. It is situated in a unique part of the Lakeview Holiday Park – part of New Zealand families holiday history. A historic corner of true kiwiana. Only 5 minutes walk to downtown Queenstown’s restaurants, bars, movies, gondolas, luge, mini golf and the lake with boat rides of all descriptions and a huge variety of shops. It has a sunny deck on which you can relax and enjoy the view of the glorious Remarkables mountains or just sit and there and read a good book in the sun. The cabin consists of a kitchen/living area, two small bedrooms and bathroom with separate toilet.

Remarkable View

This is a centrally located 2-bedroom unit with magnificent lake and mountain views. It is Fully equipped with Linen supplied. It also has a full kitchen so you can save money at eat back at the room

This is just a small selection of the range of cheap accommodation avaialable in Queenstown. Search the range of cheap accommodation and find yourself a bargin.

Hilton Queenstown

The snow has finally arrived in Queenstown and the ski fields are buzzing with eager skiiers who have been waiting for the first good dumping of snow. Once people hear about the first snow fall accommodation and activities quickly book out. If you are planning on a ski holiday to Queenstown this year it is recommended that you book your accommodation as soon as possible. There are already a few accommodation providers in town that are booked out for the next 2 – 3 months.

Queenstown Accommodation has a new kid on the block. The luxurious Hilton has finally arrived and it looks gorgeous. It is nestled in one of Queenstowns most senic locations where the Wakatipu Lake flows into the Kawarau River. In fact this is such a good site this is where the founder of Queenstown decided to live.

This hotel is only 5 minutes from the Queenstown airport and is 15 minutes from the center of town. There is a water taxi that provides a regular service from the Hilton for a quick and unique way of getting into town.

The hotel has a noodle bar, a restaurant called Wakatipu Grill and a stylish wine bar and lounge. You can also keep fit and relax in style in their 25m indoor heated pool and eforea Spa.

Treat yourself and book your Queenstown accommodation at the Hilton Queenstown.

A new feature to the fesitval this year is the tempory ice skating rink being built over Horne Creek. This will be a great focal point for the fesitval and it will give you a chance to try you hand at a bit of ice skating. The skating rink will be open from 10am till 9pm and it will cost between $10 – $22.

After a record breaking warm May Queenstown is still waiting for the snow to fall but the good news is a cold southerly is going to come up the country on Sunday which will have a cooling effect on the Southern Lakes Region and possibly even some snow.  It should give the snow making machines to work their magic.

If it’s cold enough the machines can make enough snow to open the ski fields in three days on Coronet Peak. In fact the machines on Coronet Peak make 20 tons of snow a minute. Isn’t that amazing?

The snow always comes however and there is hope in the forecasts. According to David Crow who is the local weather guru it should be cold enough from this weekend for the snow machines to get into full gear making the good powdery snow every one is eager for. If this forecast is correct people could be heading down the slops by the end of the week as it takes about three days for the machines to make enough snow to make it enjoyable.

During the last 10 years the opening date has ranged from June 1st to June 19th so the law of averages suggest its time to wax the snow board and find the gloves.

If you are wondering when you should book your flights and accommodation then you should be safe if you book it from July onwards. Be sure to book your accommodation soon because once the snow comes they fill up fast. You wouldn’t want to be disappointed and miss out in your snow fix now would you?

Queenstown is the perfect place to base yourself during the Rugby World Cup with many South Island Games being held in Dunedin and Invercargil just 2 or 3 hours drive away. It is also just a quick hop away in a helicopter which is a great way to beat the crowds and arrive in style. Heli Tours has some great flight options for the Rugby World Cup. Queenstown also has an international airport with direct flights to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch so you can attend other games around New Zealand. If your lucky enough to be bring your own plane to New Zealand there is plenty of parking available at the Queenstown Airport.

Queenstown also has a huge range of Activities and beautiful scenery so you can keep yourself occupied in between games. Queenstown has white water rafting, parachuting, bungy jumps, fly fishing, skiing, Jet boating, Wine Tours and much more. Its likely to satisfy even the most demanding characters needs.

Of course Queenstown will be very popular during this event so it is recommended you book your accommodation early to avoid disappointment.

Surrounded by snow capped mountains and a crystal clear lake, skiers and snowboarders alike converge on Queenstown, NZ during the winter season. They all come to experience the snowy winter wonderland, the atmosphere of Winter Festival, the activities the region has to offer and the wonderful cosmopolitan resort town.

As the region is very popular during this time of year it is recommended that if you that you book your Queenstown Accommodation and Queenstown Activities early to avoid disappointment.

Queenstown Ski Fields

The 2011 Queenstown ski season begins on the 4th June and runs well into October. The weather is stable this time of year with many crisp blue days. This means the ski fields rarely close due to bad weather.

Queenstown is located within 30 mins drive from the New Zealand’s oldest ski field, Coronet Peak but there is a range of many other ski fields within close diving distance from town also. These are The Remarkables, Cardrona and Snow Farm & Park. There are also Treble Cone ski field close to Wanaka as well as some hidden gems up in the mountains perfect for heli-skiing – the iconic Queenstown winter adventure!

Queenstown Winter Festival

The Queenstown Winter Festival occurs every year from June 24 – July 3. This event has been going for more than 30 years and has become the southern hemispheres ultimate winter party with visitors from all around the world. This ionic New Zealand event attracts 60,000 people which helps create a very lively exciting buzz.

There are fireworks, family fun, drag races, street parades, birdman action, comedy, jazz, food and wine, a great mix of internationally acclaimed performers and home-grown acts, a ball – and that is just in Queenstown! Many events are also held up on the ski fields such as ski races on bikes, Speights dog derby and an entertaining suit case race. The Queenstown Winter Festival is an excellent time to visit but there are also many other Queenstown events through out the year.

Queenstown Ski Rental

The town center changes during the winter period with many of the mountain biking and out door activities shops changing to ski rental stores. It is easy to rent your ski gear from the many options available in town or if it is more convenient for you many ski fields also have ski rental available on the ski fields themselves.

Queenstown Ski Fields Transport

There are many transport options available around Queenstown and up to the ski fields. Queenstown Rental Cars are available from the airport or in town if you wish to drive yourself. If you prefer there are also many buses which do ski field transfers most of which can be easily arranged from your Queenstown Accommodation

So what events are held during this time of year? During the even years The War Birds Over Wanaka is held in Wanaka attracting many aviation fans to the region. This is a big event and is enjoyed by all walks of life.

If you are more the fitness type the Lake Hayes Easter Triathlon which is New Zealand’s longest running triathlon is a great way to get some exercise and see the beautiful scenery at the same time. A mountain bike event called Dirt Masters Ben Lomond Downhill is held in the Ben Lomond Forest above Queenstown. Well worth entering if your a keen mountain biker or just a good watch.

The Autumn colours are really stunning this time of year with the Arrowtown Autumn Festival following on from the Easter holiday. The hills become a beautiful hue of golden colours which attracts artists from all around. So make sure you book that accommodation early so the Easter Bunny knows to find you in Queenstown this Easter.