One of my absolute favourite places to visit in New Zealand is Queenstown, and I’m sure if you’ve been there before, then you know why! There is so much to do and explore and it’s an epic place for adults and kids alike. Jack and I headed up for a trip last year (click to read my guide to visiting Queenstown with kids) and had to go on the Earnslaw Steam Ship. I remember doing this as a kid and it’s one of my core memories of Queenstown. Jack loves all things mechanical (and water!) so I knew a boat ride across the lake would be something he’d love!
When you book your Earnslaw tickets, you can also add on optional extras including the Walter Peak Farm Tour or the BBQ Lunch. I highly recommend taking the extra time to do one of these tours as they are absolutely worth it! Read on for my Walter Peak Farm Tour Review…
Earnslaw Boat Cruise
Jack absolutely loved the Earnslaw Boat Cruise and it was honestly a highlight of our trip. The cruise across the lake takes around 45 minutes and if you purchased a Walter Peak Tour ticket, then you get off and complete your tour while to boat heads back across the lake to Queenstown. The boat is honestly so lovely to be on, and you can really appreciate the history of the ship.
There are a number of places to sit on the boat, depending on the weather conditions and your ability. There are seats both upstairs and downstairs, and you can also go out on to the bow of the ship too. We went out on to the bow of the steamer as we came back into Queenstown, and while it was SO cold, it was also really magical pulling into the town as the sun started to go behind the hill.
While you are on the ship, you can also head into the engine room to see how it all works. It is very noisy and very small so you can’t stay too long, but it’s really interesting to see how it all works, and Jack really enjoyed this bit.
Walter Peak Farm Tour Review
If you are making the trip over on the Earnslaw, I highly recommend adding on a tour of Walter Peak (starts from as little as $25 extra.) This tour takes you through part of the working farm and you get to meet some of the animals up close (and feed them if you like!). We got to see the most gorgeous Highland Cattle, goats, sheep, deer etc. Jack wasn’t a huge fan of feeding the animals (too much saliva apparently) but he loved seeing them up so close.
After the farm tour, you head inside for a beautiful afternoon tea. I was blown away at the amount and variety of food, there really was something for every taste and dietary requirements. There was also a selection of drinks, and it was just so nice to sit in the cafe and relax.
After the afternoon tea we headed off to go and watch a sheepdog demonstration. This was really cool as you sit in the custom built area and watch them use the working dogs to round up the sheep – it’s so impressive! Afterwards they also show you sheep shearing which was cool too. We actually left this a little early to go and watch the Earnslaw come back in as Jack just loved seeing the boat. It was really beautiful watching the big old ship cruise up across the lake (and we were one of the first back on so got the best seats!)
What you need to know: Earnslaw + Walter Peak Farm Tour
- Depending on the time of year you visit, it can be COLD! We went early May and it was definitely chilly out on the lake so you absolutely need warm jackets, hats, etc. If you visited in summer you’d probably still need some extra layer either for the cold or to keep out the sun.
- You are able to take snacks and drinks on the boat and there is a bar where you can buy food and drink too. I packed a small box of snacks for Jack and took a water bottle with us.
- On the boat you absolutely need to keep an eye on small children as there are lots of things they can trip over etc. Jack was nearly aged four and loved exploring around. I feel it was a really good age for him to enjoy it.
- If you have kids, I highly recommend getting to the boat early and queuing up to be one of the first on. You can then pick where you would like to sit. Upstairs has a great view but it is a lot noisier from the engines, so we ended up sitting downstairs as Jack didn’t like the noise a lot. There are steps to get up and down, and you wouldn’t get a stroller down, so keep this in mind. The toilets are also located downstairs, so recommend trying to sit down there if you do have small children.
