Family Holidays in Queenstown and Wanaka by Kidz Go Ltd

Photography: Children in water Serious Fun Riversurfing, Queenstown

TRAVEL

Summer Days in the Southern Lakes:

Family holidays in Queenstown and Wanaka

by Meg McKenzie

It’s no wonder that many Kiwi families either don’t go far from home for their holidays, stay with family members or return to the same holiday house or campsite year after year.

If you have a young child, or children of assorted ages, picking a holiday spot that ticks the boxes can be so hard that it’s easier to go down the ‘tried and tested’ route. Nothing wrong with that – children can be well entertained (in decent weather) with climbable trees, swimming holes, lots of space and mainly – other children. They probably won’t mind repetition as much as you might either. But if you’re looking for a ‘catch all’ holiday destination that does it for all of you, whether you’re a toddler, teenager or mum and dad after a well-deserved break, The Southern Lakes of NZ’s South Island may just be the place.

Queenstown and Wanaka Most New Zealanders have heard of Queenstown’s entertainment and adrenalin activity reputation but if ever there’s a town with many hats, this is it. Adventure activities jostle with trips, attractions and super-fun family stuff; gorgeous wineries abound, some conveniently offering play space or playgrounds, and of course there’s all the ingredients for that good old, good value Kiwi holiday – swimming holes, beaches and a series of new family-orientated biking and walking tracks. Adventure Activities Adrenalin junkies can feel the fear in dozens of different ways, but if you’re after some family challenges most of these activities are available, with restrictions, to children. For example if your child is at a minimum ten years old and weighs at least 35kg they’re welcome to take the leap with a bungy jump. Whitewater rafting is available to 13 year olds upwards, or you can try Family Adventures for a cruisy rafting experience through the Skippers Canyon suitable for three year olds upwards! Budding water enthusiasts can also try river surfing at age eight or canyoning at age ten. Queenstown’s adventure activity owners have made a point of not excluding families and the importance of providing a fun, safe environment for kids to experience some of the town’s ‘once in a lifetime’ challenges is reflected in the activities on offer. Several companies have more than one trip option, keeping some

of the scarier, trickier stuff back for the big boys and girls, but it’s fantastic to see how much children can join in with and the importance that activity operators clearly attach to their younger adrenalin-seekers (for example, extra guide for children, very friendly staff, child-size seats/harnesses/wet suits). When I started Kidz Go New Zealand (www.KidzGo.co.nz) ten years ago it was to provide just this sort of information to family holidaymakers and one of the most useful aspects to parents is the quick reference Kidz Go provides to what your child can do at varying ages. Of course you know your child better than anyone, and it’s worth considering whether it is you or your child that is keener to participate in an adventure. Lots of companies will hesitate to take your money if they sense that your child is not confident about the activity or is being pushed into it. Fun Family Stuff So if you want to experience one or two adventure activities it may be possible for the whole family to join in, but even so, there’ll be plenty of days to fill with slightly calmer stuff, especially with younger children. Once again, both Queenstown and Wanaka come up trumps with a host of paid and free activities – many are fine with baby in a buggy and some have a minimum age of just two or three years. For example, AJ Hackett Bungy has recently opened the Kawarau Bungy Trampoline with a minimum age of two years. I have to admit, it’s a bit of fun for adults too, so if you’re not quite ready for the full bungy jump experience, here’s a fun and family-friendly alternative! Meanwhile at just three years you can take a ride at the Queenstown Skyline Luge (easy route only and must be accompanied) or bounce through baby rapids in a raft, on a supereasy section of the famous Shotover River. Taking it down another notch, both Queenstown and Wanaka offer the holiday favourites – mini golf courses and cinemas, while some of Queenstown’s other family attractions include the Kiwi Birdlife Park, TSS Earnslaw Steamship, Ziptrek Flying Fox and Alpine Aqualand, complete with hydroslide and lazy river. Meanwhile Wanaka hosts the world-famous and must-visit attraction of Puzzling World. I’ve visited Puzzling World and the Great Maze dozens of times over the last twenty years, and it’s always fun (plus

I still get lost in that maze!). On a hot summer day there’s nothing more fun for the kids than hiring an Aqua Bike and splashing around the Wanaka foreshore although Wanaka does also have an indoor pool. Another newish and perfect kids’ activity is Wanaka’s Clip ‘N Climb themed climbing wall (best for ages six and up). If you’re now stuck choosing between these two great destinations, they’re just an hour apart, over the famous Crown Range Road (NZ’s highest public highway). There’s transport between the two towns or it’s a pleasant drive, with the Cardrona Adventure Park on the way (featuring activities for ages six and up). A more complete list of adventure and family activities for this region can be viewed at www.kidzgo.co.nz/queenstown-and-southern-lakes along with lots of other useful NZ family holiday information.

The Free Stuff Okay, all these activities aside, what about the good old Kiwi ingredients of sunshine, playgrounds, biking, beaches and swimming? Swimming Spots It is true that Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown’s lake, is very cold yearround, so here are some local ‘in the know’ recommendations to rival anything in New Zealand…

Lake Wakatipu is beautiful for swimming and playing at Frankton Beach. The lake is shallow so far out that the water warms up, plus it’s safe. There are toilets and picnic tables, plenty of shade and lots of grassy space for ball games.

Lake Hayes is a locals’ favourite and being a small lake (a family bike ride around the lake will take about one hour) it warms up. There’s a great picnic spot with lots of shade and toilets.

Arrow River, Arrowtown; on hot days you’ll find lots of kids to play with, splashing in the shallows of the Arrow River, playing in the playground or skatepark, and grabbing ice creams from across the road.

Queenstown Main Beach – a bit colder here, but the kids love it on a hot day. There’s a pontoon to swim out to and a playground and café right on the beach. Wanaka Main Beach – there’s a great playground right on the beach (look out for the dinosaur!), join the local kids and jump right off the jetty, swim out to the pontoon or hire an Aqua Bike.

Biking and Walking Tracks Queenstown and Wanaka have their fair share of ‘big boys and girls’ advanced mountain bike tracks, but it’s never been so well set up for

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family trips as it is these days. If you don’t have your own with you, you can hire bikes for the family in both Queenstown and Wanaka (try Outside Sports in both towns) and bike hire comes with helmets and friendly advice on local bike rides to suit your family’s ability. The Queenstown Trails Trust (part of New Zealand Great Rides) has established more than 90km of mainly off-road trails in the district, with good emphasis on non-technical, all-ability bike tracks. The project is due to be completed in September 2012 but right now there are lots of perfect family bike routes featuring easy bike tracks in stunning lake or riverside locations. The ride from Queenstown Bay to Kelvin Heights golf course (or choose a part of this track) is an all time family favourite while a newish option is the slightly undulating track around Lake Hayes. It’s 8km and would take around 45 minutes to ride around for children ten years and up. There are lots more options and for a full list of family bike trails, read the Family Friendly Bike Rides article at www.kidzgo.co.nz/activities/queenstown-family-bike-rides Festivals and Events As if this isn’t enough for a fun-packed family holiday, Queenstown and Wanaka host lots of summer events and their Summerdaze festival, running from 31st December to 31st January is full of family entertainment. Highlights include the Wanaka Rodeo (2nd January), Kite-making workshop (5th January), Summerdaze Grand Kite Display (7th January), Glenorchy Races (7th January), Lake Hayes A&P Show (14th January), Wanaka Teddy Bears Picnic (28th January), Remarkables Park Teddy Bears Picnic (29th January). That’s just a snippet so for a full list of Summerdaze events, visit their website at www.summerdaze.co.nz Queenstown and Wanaka offer the full range of accommodation including holiday parks, holiday homes, and family-friendly motels, hotels or apartments – unless of course, you remember the name of that old friend who moved there who you can descend on (one of the joys of living in Queenstown is you’re never short of visitors!) Kidz Go New Zealand – www.KidzGo.co.nz My name’s Meg McKenzie and I started the Kidz Go guide over ten years ago, recognizing that visitors with children had different needs and were asking different questions. The guide initially covered just Queenstown, Wanaka and Fiordland. These days the website covers all regions of New Zealand, while the Southern Lakes also has an online magazine featuring all this plus plenty more information, and which can be downloaded (issuu.com/kidzgo/docs/kidz_go_sum12).

your online family travel guide “ Hi there - Boy am I glad I found this informative website. I have been researching suitable family activities for an upcoming trip to New Zealand and have spent many wasted hours ... until I found KIDZ GO. Lucky me! ” N. Ward, Australia :: May 2010 family accommodation child-friendly activities family-friendly dining all your family needs to play & stay in New Zealand.