The Queenstown City Guides deal with the questions every visitor brings: which big-ticket adventure is worth it, where to eat well without paying lakefront prices, how to dodge the burger queue and which free walks give you the best views of Lake Wakatipu. They also reach beyond town, to Arrowtown, Gibbston, Glenorchy and the long days out to Milford Sound. Each place comes with why it earns a visit, what to order or book and one practical tip, and every guide opens in your browser the moment you pay.
About the Queenstown City Guides
- 139 places
- 6 guides
- 13 languages
- Works offline
- Print or PDF
- Instant access
- Free updates
The six Queenstown guides
Food guide
24 places
Pies and burgers for a quick fix, warm pubs and classic steak, modern New Zealand cooking with Central Otago produce, brunch, coffee and markets and two stops for sweets.
Things to do guide
24 places
Lake viewpoints and free shoreline walks, the jet boat and bungy that earn their price, hot tubs above a canyon, Arrowtown, Gibbston and Cardrona, and backups for rain.
Family guide
23 places
Lake beaches and easy walks, real kiwi birds, the gondola and the luge, a steamship ride, indoor pools and an ice rink for wet days and places to eat with kids.
Nightlife guide
22 places
Cocktail and wine bars, craft beer and pubs, live music and late dancing, sunset with a view and food after midnight, most of it a short walk from the centre.
Day trips guide
22 places
Swims and walks on Lake Wakatipu, Arrowtown pies and Gibbston wineries, Glenorchy at the head of the lake and how to do Milford Sound, Wanaka and Cromwell well.
Budget guide
24 places
Free walks and lookouts, bakery pies and cheap dinners, free and low-cost days out and the local bus card that saves on every trip to Frankton and Arrowtown.
Why an interactive guide beats a list
Tick places off
Mark each place as done and watch your progress, so you always know what is left.
Your own notes
Write notes on any place and add your own finds. They stay on your phone.
One tap to Maps
Every place opens in Google Maps, and the day route puts your picks in a sensible order.
Open now, near me
Filter by what is open right now or what is closest to you.
Works offline
Open the guide once with a connection and it keeps working without data.
Print it or save as PDF
On a computer, print any guide or save it as a PDF to take with you.
Three places from the guides
Blue Kanu
16 Church Street, Queenstown
Plates from across the Pacific and Asia made for sharing, served in a buzzing room on Church Street. Order a few small dishes between two, and make sure the calamari and the tuna are among them. From the food guide.
Ziptrek Ecotours
Camp Street, check-in near the gondola
Six ziplines that drop through native forest above the town, finishing on what is billed as the steepest tree-to-tree line anywhere. Set aside about two and a half hours. From the things to do guide.
Canyon Brewing
1 Arthurs Point Road, 10 minutes by car
A brewery near the Shotover River with a large beer garden, pizza from a wood oven and the canyon in view. Dogs are welcome, and on summer evenings the light lasts long enough to make it the first stop before dinner. From the nightlife guide.
Plan your Queenstown days
Day one stays in town: coffee and a walk along the lake, one big adventure from the things to do guide such as the Shotover jet boat, a pie from the budget guide for lunch and sunset at a rooftop or wharf bar from the nightlife guide. Day two heads out with the day trips guide: Arrowtown and its Chinese Settlement in the morning, wine in Gibbston in the afternoon, or the drive to Glenorchy if the sky is clear. For a rainy or slow day, the family guide has hot pools, the ice rink and Kiwi Park, and the food guide has a long lunch by an open fire.
Questions about the Queenstown guides
What is in the Queenstown City Guides?
139 places in six guides: food, things to do, family, nightlife, lakes and day trips, and budget. Each entry gives the area, the reason to go, notes on opening times and a practical tip.
Do the guides cover Arrowtown, Glenorchy and Milford Sound?
Yes. Alongside the town itself, they take you to Arrowtown, Frankton, the Gibbston wineries and Glenorchy at the head of the lake, with advice on the long days to Milford Sound, Wanaka and Cromwell.
Can I use the guides offline around Queenstown?
Yes. Open each guide once while connected and it keeps working without signal, your ticks and notes included. Map links need mobile data.
Which languages are the guides in?
The guides open in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Greek, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. You can switch the language inside the guide at any time.
How much do the Queenstown guides cost?
€4.99 for one guide, €8.99 for two, €15.99 for four and €19.99 for all six. It is a one-off payment and you keep them.
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