
Visiting Queenstown for the First Time? Here's What to See and Do
Make the most of your first visit to New Zealand's adventure capital.
Follow trails at Queenstown Gardens to reach duck-filled ponds, quiet benches, a rose garden, and a boulder-style memorial dedicated to Captain Robert Scott, the leader of an ill-fated mission to the South Pole in 1912. The scenic lakeside path at the park’s edge is often traversed as part of Segway and cycling tours of the city, while many photography tours use the park as a shooting location.
If simply idling and soaking up the scenery isn’t enough to keep you occupied, you will find plenty of sport and entertainment facilities at the park too, including a disc golf course, a bowling club, tennis courts, a skate park, and the Queenstown Ice Arena, which features an indoor skating rink.
*Rent frisbees and scorecards for the disc golf course at the Queenstown Ice Arena. *There are restrooms, a play space, and a café in Queenstown Gardens. *Paths at the park are suitable for strollers and wheelchair users.
There is ample parking at Queenstown Gardens, though if you’re coming from town, there is no need to drive: walking from Mall Street takes just 5–10 minutes.
The best time to come is in summer, with the roses reaching peak bloom in December. Lake views from the park are especially spectacular in the golden glow of sunset.