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HOURS IN THE QUEENSTOWN REGION
The nation’s poster boy if ever we saw one, Queenstown is a compulsive peoplepleaser. Always fun, habitually fabulous. Start your weekend here and it’ll seduce you for a lifetime...
FRIDAY Wake languidly and stroll into central Queenstown for brunch by the wharf. Several bustling establishments are enveloped by mountain views and boast alfresco tables spilling onto the street. Queenstown is wonderfully compact and strolling from the wharf to the base of the gondola will only take 10 minutes. Adjacent to Skyline Gondola is Kiwi Birdlife Park, a five-acre wildlife sanctuary that protects and promotes native wildlife via nocturnal kiwi houses and an onsite Honey Bee Centre.
ABOVE: Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown © Adobe Stock
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We Love You New Zealand! Spring 2021
From here you can ascend the slopes of Bob’s Peak by gondola or hike one hour to the top via the Tiki Trail. Short but steep, it’s worth it for the big scenic reveal. Make the most of Bob’s Peak, whether that be lunching at Market Kitchen Café, or conquering the luge, a bungy jump or zipline. As the morning slips into afternoon, head back down and drive to Frankton, 10 minutes from central Queenstown. Frankton’s Country Lane is a charming, country-style community where rustic farm buildings now host local start-ups. Discover The Buzzstop Honey Centre, a wine vendor, florist, bespoke furniture and a trio of boutique stores in The Barn. Set in a peaceful courtyard, grab a beanbag and linger over coffee. Don’t miss Bright Ink, a delightful second-hand bookshop housed in a van. From Country Lane, you can embark on a three hour ‘Rideto-the-sky’ guided e-bike tour. Powering 800 metres above sea level, hit turbo and drink up the best of Queenstown’s views by peddling to the top of Grant Peak. Don’t worry if you return tired to the bone, Country Lane’s newly installed cabins now offer gorgeous overnight stays. As for dinner, it’s just a seven-minute drive to the Wakatipu Grill at Hilton Hotel, complete with Pinot Pit, an outdoor fireplace overlooking Lake Wakatipu.
