Attractions

In Queenstown

There is no better place to appraise Queenstown than from the Skyline Gondola (tel. 03/441-0101; www.skyline.co.nz), which takes you up to Bob's Peak. The view is breathtaking. You can stay for lunch or dinner at the buffet restaurant or cafe. The gondola operates from daily 9am until the restaurant closes around midnight, with a round-trip fare of NZ$21 (US$15/£7.60) for adults, NZ$10 (US$7.10/£3.60) for children ages 5 to 14. The complex includes a very good souvenir shop and a nearly 1km (1/2-mile) luge for the brave-hearted. From the top of the gondola you can then take a free chairlift another 100m (330 ft.) higher for even better views and then walk the short distance down to the complex to enjoy the 30-minute Maori cultural performance by Kiwi Haka (NZ$32/US$23/£12 for adults; NZ$19/US$13/£6.85 for children); or buy a cheaper combo ticket when you pay for the gondola ride up.

The Kiwi & Birdlife Park, Brecon Street (tel. 03/442-8059; www.kiwibird.co.nz), is in tranquil 3-hectare (8-acre) surroundings near the base of the gondola. Allow 30 to 40 minutes to see the birdlife and reptiles close at hand. Along with three daily conservation shows (11am, 1pm, and 3pm), they have several rare birds that can't be seen anywhere else. A recent addition is the early Maori hunting village, and you can watch Maori dance performances at 11am and 3pm. Admission (including shows) is NZ$30 (US$21/£11) for adults and one child is free for each paying adult.

If wildlife is your passion, take the 20-minute drive out to Kelvin Heights to Deer Park Heights (tel. 03/442-2005; www.thedeerpark.co.nz). Pay just NZ$20 (US$14/£7.20) per car at the toll gate and then drive 5km (3 miles) through herds of red deer, wapiti, fallow deer, and the goatlike Himalayan thar that roam in large enclosures on 800 hectares (2,000 acres). It's a working farm, and you'll see animals at all stages of development. There are also tame animals that enjoy being fed by hand. All this plus spectacular views from 550m (1,800 ft.) above Queenstown, an old Korean film set, several filming locations for The Lord of the Rings, and bountiful picnic spots. The scenic tours are from NZ$75 (US$53/£27) per person, and a jet boat is NZ$160 (US$113/£58) for adults and NZ$80 (US$57/£29) for children.

Goldfields Mining Centre, in Kawarau Gorge (tel. 03/445-1038; www.goldfieldsmining.co.nz), is open daily from 9am to 5pm. The goldfields of this region were among the richest in the world in the early 19th century, and Goldfields is the official gold-mining demonstration site. It's a 40-minute drive through the Kawarau Gorge on the way to Cromwell, so if you're on your way to Wanaka or Dunedin, stop in. You have to walk over a narrow but stable bridge that crosses high above the river; and if you've got a fear of heights like me, you might shake in your boots a bit. But if I can do it, so can you. A self-guided tour costs NZ$15 (US$11/£5.55) for adults and NZ$8 (US$5.65/£2.90) for children.

If you have an interest in the arts, take the self-drive Wakatipu Arts Trail, which takes you through the pretty back roads between Queenstown and Arrowtown, visiting eight well-known artists and craftspeople. Pick up the brochure from the visitor center and allow at least a morning to appreciate fine watercolors, oils, wood art, and jewelry.

Up, Up & Away -- For an unforgettable adventure, call up experienced Queenstown helicopter pilot Louisa "Choppy" Patterson at Over the Top (tel. 0800/123-359 in NZ, or 03/442-2233; www.flynz.co.nz). Something of a legend in these parts, Choppy knows all the magic picnic spots thousands of feet up in the mountains. She can land you there, leave you with a champagne lunch in total solitude, and return later to drop you back into civilization. This truly memorable excursion will cost NZ$640 (US$454/£231) per person. Don't miss this unique chance for adventure!

Especially for Kids

Many of the adventures have minimum age requirements, but one that doesn't is Family Adventures (tel. 03/442-8836), which encourages families to take part in its scenic four-wheel-drive excursion into Skipper's Canyon to watch the famous Pipeline bungy, Flying Fox, and jet boat in action, before embarking on a 1 1/2-hour gentle rafting tour down the safest section of the Shotover River. The cost is from NZ$150 (US$106/£54) for adults and NZ$110 (US$78/£40) for children ages 3 to 16 (no kids under 3 allowed).

Caddyshack City, 25 Brecon St. (tel. 03/442-6642), is an indoor miniature-golf experience that makes for lots of laughs. Open daily from 10am to 8pm, it costs NZ$18 (US$13/£6.50) for adults, NZ$12 (US$8.50/£4.30) for children 5 to 14, and NZ$50 (US$35/£18) for families. Kids under 5 cannot play, but pushchairs are provided.

Off-Road Adventures Kids Quads, 61a Shotover St. (tel. 03/442-7858), has a family tour for NZ$129 (US$91/£47); and Strikebowl Queenstown, Coronet Alpine Hotel, 161 Arthurs Point Rd. (tel. 03/409-2135; www.strikebowl.co.nz), has child-friendly equipment and before 5pm it costs just NZ$10 (US$7.10/£3.60) for adults and NZ$8 (US$5.70/£2.90) for children (includes shoes).

Kiwi & Birdlife Park gives kids a good introduction to conservation and New Zealand birdlife. The Skyline Luge is great fun for all ages, as is Real Journey's Walter Peak Farm Excursion, which includes a steamship cruise and a farmyard tour where children can help feed the animals. If you're traveling with kids, pick up the free guide, Kidz Go! at visitor centers.

In Nearby Arrowtown

For an enjoyable outing and a less hectic pace, drive out to the once-thriving gold-mining town of Arrowtown. It sprang up on the banks of the Arrow River when gold was discovered here in 1862. Many of the quaint original buildings remain, along with stunning avenues of trees planted in 1867. In autumn, the whole town glows with colorful foliage. To get a better understanding of the town's history, go to the Lakes District Museum, 49 Buckingham St. (tel. 03/442-1824; www.museumqueenstown.com). Admission is NZ$6 (US$4.25/£2.15) for adults, NZ$1 (US70¢/35p) for children ages 5 to 14; it's open daily from 8:30am to 5pm.

Although there is no longer a Chinese community in Arrowtown, you can take a stroll in the restored Chinese Camp, on Bush Creek at the northern end of town. The camp was once occupied by the Chinese gold-mining community in the late 19th century. Look out for Ah Lum's General Store and the tiny dwellings tucked under rocky outcrops.

Other places to explore include the Royal Oak Hotel, 47 Buckingham St. (tel. 03/442-1700), one of the oldest licensed hotels in Central Otago, where you can still enjoy a drink and a hearty round of pub food; the Old Gaol, on Cardigan Street; and St. John's Presbyterian Church, which dates back to 1873, at Durham and Berkshire streets. Overall, Arrowtown in very pretty but in peak tourist season it's about as "touristy" as touristy gets. It's much better in autumn when the crowds have dissipated and the leaves are falling. If you have time on your hands, catch a movie at Dorothy Brown's Boutique Cinema, 144 Buckingham St. (tel. 03/442-1964; www.dorothybrowns.com), which is a fabulous little den of art house movies with a bar, book store, and lounge. It's open 11am to 11pm and reservations are recommended.