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U.S.FTC GUIDELINES PLEASE NOTE: we act as an affiliate for several companies that feature on our website. In some cases we may earn a commission from referrals to those companies. For further information please refer to our Privacy and Disclaimer policies which can be found in the "US" tab.
your Complete Queenstown New Zealand holiday guide
Kia Ora, welcome to Queenstown New Zealand.
Vacation Queenstown are Dave, Kim and Tim Curran, and for the last 20 years or so, we’ve been helping people with their Queenstown and New Zealand holiday plans.
Why Queenstown New Zealand?
Queenstown New Zealand is a place that we've loved since we first came here almost 30 years ago, where we encountered a spectacular landscape unlike anything we had seen before. We will never forget the views through the huge picture windows at our hotel, the Mercure at Fernhill.
Wherever we are in Queenstown, those views dominate, and we constantly find ourselves just pausing to take it all in. The pristine waters of Lake Wakatipu are framed by the snow capped peaks of The Remarkables, which tower more than 2,000 metres above the lake. Lakeside walks of a morning are a simple no-cost pleasure here. Then later in the day, we love to relax at places like Perky's Floating Bar.
Even landing here is an experience, and the flight into Queenstown was rated in 2025 by British Insurer AllClear as second in their "The world's most beautiful airport landings" awards.
As our tagline proudly states "Adventure awaits, serenity beckons", and Queenstown is the perfect holiday spot. It caters to everyone from adventure junkies, to families, foodies, nature lovers, or people that just want to put their feet up and admire the views (one of our favourite Queenstown pastimes). In 2025, respected travel company Travelbag rated Queenstown as one of "The World's Most Tranquil Destinations".
Memories of racing through the Shotover Canyon on the iconic Shotover Jet, just metres from the walls of the gorge, remind us why Queenstown is known as the “Adventure Capital”.
But equally, things like enjoying some local venison and a pinot noir with friends at one of our local lakeside restaurants, or the serenity of a scenic drive to nearby Wanaka (via the Crown Range) or Glenorchy, highlights for us the more relaxed side of Queenstown.
Visitors and friends regularly tell us about their amazing holiday experiences here. Like our friends that flew on a helicopter to a snowy mountain peak for some wonderful wedding pictures. Or others that conquered their fears and took a bungy jump from the original AJ Hackett site (of course we had to try it for ourselves - see Kim in the picture above). Or a travel group of ours that shared an afternoon simply relaxing with a game of lawn bowls at historic Queenstown Bowling Club (boy are they a competitive bunch), and were blown away by the local hospitality. We’ve even organised golfing tours for our friends, who rave to us about the variety and selection of golf courses close to Queenstown.
what we do
Planning a holiday can be a bit overwhelming, so our aim is to give you all the information that you will need to create your own Queenstown holiday adventure.
We offer three different options for you:
We’ve packed our site with information about all the important stuff like what to see and do in Queenstown, where to stay, the weather, when to visit, and lots of information about our “best of” selections.
And we’ve partnered with some respected brands like Booking.com (accommodation), Get Your Guide (those bucket list activities), and DriveNow (car and campervan hire), so that you can make those crucial bookings.
So if you like to do most of your holiday organisation yourself, you can use Vacation Queenstown to plan your holiday, then book as much as you feel comfortable with.*
But if you find it all a bit bewildering, fear not, because we also offer a bespoke service for you.
We can work with you to help you build your perfect itinerary, with suggestions on where to stay, and what to see and do. Once you are happy with your holiday plan, you can then make any bookings that you need.
Or, after helping you to develop your itinerary, we can take care of those important bookings/reservations for you. When we do this, we book direct with the suppliers, and charge you a flat once only fee based on the length of your holiday. We can even help if you want to expand your holiday beyond Queenstown (check out some of our itineraries in the Nav Bar).
You can find out more about our bespoke service here.
And if you have any questions, please ask us. We would love to hear from you.
Happy Planning
Dave, Kim and Tim
Vacation Queenstown
* Please note: we may receive a commission from our partners for any completed bookings made by you through the links on our website.
Suppliers may have their own cancellation policies which you will need to be aware of. We take no liability or responsibility for any cost incurred by you as a result of the policies or practices of our suppliers. Please read our terms and conditions here.
Our "Advanced Specialist" status
If you are planning your Queenstown New Zealand holiday, it's important to deal with someone that knows their stuff.
You need someone with local knowledge. And that's why New Zealand's official tourism body, Tourism New Zealand, have recognised us with their highest rating of “Advanced Specialist”.
It’s an acknowledgement by them of our skills and experience, so you can be assured that you are in good hands with Vacation Queenstown.
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Best Free Things To Do In Queenstown
Time For A Little Adventure
Our Top Ways to Relax In Queenstown
Queenstown's Best Family Activities
Best Rainy Day Options In Queenstown
Queenstown's Best After Dark Activities
Our Top Summer Picks
7 Wonderful Days In Queenstown
Best Short Walks In Queenstown
What's The Best Time To Visit Queenstown New Zealand?
The Perfect Queenstown Long Weekend Itinerary
Check out our free 120 page New Zealand holiday guide
Need some holiday planning help? Not sure how long you will need? What you should see and do while you are here? How to travel around within New Zealand?
You've heard all about the amazing scenery, fantastic food and wine, and our friendly locals, and you want to experience it for yourself.
Perhaps you've seen some travel shows on television, or have spoken to friends? All you know is, you have to come here.
But now that you've made the decision, and it's time to start planning your holiday, there's so many unanswered questions, right?
Our 120 page guide, "Our 40 Year Holiday in Aotearoa" could be just what you need.
You can view and download your FREE copy here.
