Today I wanted to share with you the details of our recent trip to Queenstown and all the details around going to Queenstown with kids! Queenstown is beautiful no matter what time of year you visit, but it is truely special in Autumn/Winter. Last year we went in early April and the leaves on the trees were all colourful and golden – such a stunning experience. This time we went up in mid May and while there was still a lot of Autumn colour around, there was also snow settling on the hills. It was absolutely freezing, but Queenstown in Winter is such a magical experience and well worth braving the cold for! May really was a great time to visit as I feel like we got the best of both worlds!
We stayed at the Glebe Apartments which are amazing, especially for families. We had a large 2 bedroom apartment that was equipped with everything you could need for your stay. While we didn’t cook, there are full cooking facilities making it perfect for longer stays. We had this Lake View Room and I highly recommend it – it was like being at home and felt so cosy. It was also lovely and clean, and the whole check in/checkout process is contactless so its so easy. Underground parking is also provided too – just make sure you book in advance. Quite possible the best thing about this place was it’s proximity to town – literally a couple of minutes down the hill and you are in the heart of Queenstown. We didn’t need to move the car in the three days we were there which is a major win, as parking in Queenstown can be tricky.
When it comes to adults and couples, Queenstown is just one big playground – there’s countless bars and restaurants and so many activities that you could spend months there! But when it comes to families, and especially those with younger pre-school children, the options are a bit more limited. So here’s what to do in Queenstown with kids as well as things to keep in mind….
We decided to head out on the Earnslaw Steam Boat for a lake cruise, and also added on the Walter Peak Farm Tour option. This is great value for money, and kids under 5 are free. The entire trip takes about 3.5 hours and it’s essential to book as there’s only one Farm Tour per day. The Earnslaw is a is a 1912 Edwardian steamer boat and it’s one of the oldest tourist attractions in Central Otago. The cruise to Walter Peak takes around 40 minutes and we could move freely around the boat – even getting into the engine room to see how it all works!
Everyone is allowed to take their food on the boat which is great when travelling with kids, and they also have a cafe and bar on board too. At Walter Peak, we disembarked and headed off to our Farm Tour. This was great and we got to get up close with a number of farm animals including Highland Cattle! Those on the tour are allowed to feed the animals, however I wasn’t too keen. Jack gave it a go but wasn’t too impressed that the sheep “got saliva all over him” and was after the “hand san asap”! 😆 After the tour, we headed off for the afternoon tea that is included. They had a beautiful range of food and drink and there were lots of different food options too. There was then a sheep dog demonstration and a sheep shearing demo which were fun to watch. It was then back on the boat for the trip back to Queenstown. If you get the opportunity to do this trip I highly recommend it – for the extra $25 add on the Farm Tour and Afternoon Tea, you won’t regret it!
TIP: It can get noisy on the boat upstairs so try and sit downstairs in the “saloon” if you can. The stairs are a bit dicey so be careful, but the toilets are located down there so it a much easier location with small children! Obviously if you have a pram, you will need to stay upstairs – just something to keep in mind!
If your kids are pre-school or older, head out to the front of the boat as you make the trip back to Queenstown (just rug up as it might be a bit chilly!) It’s super cool to see them get the ropes all ready and watch them tie the boat up to the dock and the view of coming back into Queenstown is spectacular!
One of the other highlights of our trip was heading out for a walk around Queenstown at night. Since it gets so dark so early in Winter, we were about to head out about 6pm and enjoy the town at night without Jack having to stay up too late. He loved seeing the city all lit up at night and there really is something so magical about Queenstown at night with all the fairy lights everywhere! We then headed to the Cookie Time Bar (which is a must even if you don’t have kids!) where we got fresh cookies and hot chocolates topped with whipped cream. Such an amazing way to end the night!
We ended our trip with a visit to Bob’s Cove, which is a relatively easy 20 minute walk through bush to a stunning part of the lake. There’s a beautiful jetty which looks out over the most stunning clear blue water. It’s really a special place! It’s a little bit of a drive out of Queenstown, but well worth it for the view! We then headed through to Arrowtown which is one of my favourite places in Central Otago, which was an Autumn wonderland! We spent time walking around the historic town, before walking through the historic Chinese Miners Settlement down by the Arrow River. Jack really enjoyed looking around here and couldn’t believe that people used to live in houses like that! A great way for kids to really see and experience history!
Queenstown is one of my all-time favourite places and I always look forward to visiting. It’s well worth the trip anytime of the year, but I highly recommend visiting between April/May for the full experience! It’s a great place for families, and there really is something for everyone!
Here’s a few awesome things to do in Queenstown with younger children…..
- Earnslaw + Farm Tour
- Cookie Time Bar
- Kiwi Birdlife Park
- Check out the boats moored at the wharf
- Queenstown Gardens
- Feeding the ducks down by the lake
And for the older kids…..
- Gondola and luge
- Glow in the dark mini golf
- K-Jet boat ride
Plus a few extra things to keep in mind when visiting Queenstown with kids…..
- Under 5’s are often considered “infants” and often get on to activities for free when with an adult.
- Some places do let you take food in for kids – eg Earnslaw etc, so check before you go. We also found some restaurants (that didn’t have kids menus such as sushi places) were really good with taking in a lunch box for a younger child since we were eating there.
- Parking in Queenstown can be a nightmare, so keep this in mind when booking accommodation. Book close to the town centre – we still love The Glebe
- Eating out in Queenstown can get expensive. Being able to cook at your unit keeps this cost down massively. Alternatively, there are cheaper (and family friendly!) places to eat in town such as Dominoes, McDonalds, KFC, Tank, etc.
- If visiting in Autumn/Winter pack LOTS of warm clothing – jackets, hats, scarves, gloves etc. It gets really cold!
- Yonder is absolutely amazing for any meal of the day and cater so well to kids – they have a great kids menu and colouring in for kids. We’d 100% go back here. The food is delish!
