Queenstown Family activities that won’t break the bank!

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September 9, 2020

Queenstown is famously renowned for being the adventure capital of the world, but what about some family friendly activities that won’t break the bank if you’re on a budget? We’ve listed a few ideas below.

Time Tripper

Time Tripper is Queenstown’s only Underwater Experience! Located at the Main Town Pier, head down two flights of stairs to our underwater theater, where your ‘time travel pilot’ will guide you back 90 million years through the time of the dinosaurs, and then take you to when New Zealand was formed. You’ll then fly you deep into the earth when the Southern Alps were created and through the glacier that carved out Lake Wakatipu. After the show, the screens rise up to reveal the famous fish, diving ducks and slinky eels that lie beneath.

Disc Golf

Tucked away in the Queenstown gardens is an 18-hole disc golf course! You can hire a specialized frisbee from either the Queenstown Ice Arena or Small Planet sports and spend an afternoon trying to get holes in one, among the beautiful Queenstown Gardens.

Queenstown Ice Arena and Ice Bumper Cars

In 1966, the first artificial ice surface was laid down in the Queenstown Gardens in approximately the same spot as the covered rink today! In 1996 the Queenstown Ice Arena as it is today was opened as a fully enclosed skating rink. With public skating sessions every day AND their brand-new product Ice Bumper Cars, this is a seriously cool way to spend an afternoon. Make sure you check out their timetable and information here.

KJet Queenstown

The kids will love stepping onto the big yellows at KJet for some 360° spins! Travelling across the pristine waters of Lake Wakatipu and through the tranquil beauty of willow-lined Kawarau River, the Jet boat then speeds into the shallow, fast-moving braids of the Shotover River. The 45km, hour-long adventure highlights the magnificent diversity of Queenstown’s waterways.

Check out our great value family deals here, and kids are only $69!

Climb and Climb

No climbing experience is necessary for this fun challenging indoor activity. From pre-school kids to the young at heart (hint hint Mum and Dad) there are loads of different climbs and walls to choose from. A safety briefing is given before the experience begins and all you need to bring is yourself with comfy clothes and closed toe shoes.

Chipmunks

One for the littlies, Chipmunks is a fun and safe way for the kids to blow off some steam and energy whilst the parents can grab a coffee and snack in the on-site cafe.

Kiwi Bird Life Park

Did you know there are 5 acres of park land dedicated to saving our endangered wildlife species right in the heart of Queenstown? For 34 years the family owned Kiwi Bird Life Park has been home to kōwhai, beech, broadleaf, the iconic kiwi, tuatara, South Island kākā, whio, pāteke – over 100 native bird and reptiles. All of the species are part of managed conservation programs through the Department of Conservation.

Skyline Gondola and Luge

No holiday to Queenstown is complete without a trip up the Skyline Gondola! Head up famous Bob’s Peak and enjoy incredible views of Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables Mountain Range and the Queenstown Gardens, The Luge is a must-do, where you take the driving wheel of a gravity-controlled thrill ride.

SMASHIT Room

For kids that are a little bit older (12 years + with an accompanying adult) SMASHIT is the ultimate stress release!

There are two SMASH IT rooms, the rustic Otago wine cellar complete with glass bottles, wine barrel and tranquil music. The second option is a New York Alley, a grungy “alley-way” complete with glass bottles, graffiti and an old oil drum, and rock music.

Let out some anger or just have a lot of fun smashing your way through their breakable items.

iFLY Indoor Skydiving

If you want to splash out a little bit, iFLY is New Zealand’s only indoor skydiving venue, where you fly gently on a cushion of controlled air. Guided by an instructor the whole time, you step in to a wind tunnel and off you go! Indoor skydiving replicates the feeling of free fall, without having to jump out of a plane. There’s also viewing seats all around the wind tunnel so spectators are welcome.