Attractions

There's fun to be had at Stuart Landsborough's Puzzling World, on State Highway 89, 2km (1 1/4 miles) from Wanaka (tel. 03/443-7489; www.puzzlingworld.co.nz). Since 1973, Stuart Landsborough (also known as Professor Puzzle) has drawn thousands of visitors to the confusing passageways of his elaborate Great Maze. The crazy Tilted House and Leaning Clock Tower will further test your perceptions. Admission to both the Great Maze and the Illusion Rooms is NZ$13 for adults and NZ$9 for children, and it's open daily from 8:30am to 5:30pm (until 6pm in summer). Allow 1 to 2 hours for your visit.

The New Zealand Fighter Pilots' Museum, Skyshow Centre, Wanaka Airport, 10km (6 miles) southwest of Wanaka (tel. 03/443-7010; www.nzfpm.co.nz), is home to the largest collection of flyable World War II fighter planes in the Southern Hemisphere. It's currently in the middle of a NZ$10-million redevelopment program and it will be opening in a new building in 2011. In the meantime, you can continue to investigate the airplanes, interactive displays, film footage, and scale model aircraft. The Skyshow Centre is also home to a collection of alpine fighter aircraft, Biplane Adventures, Tandem Skydive, Wanaka Helicopters, Aspiring Air, and the Flight Deck Café. Admission is NZ$10 for adults, NZ$5 for children, and NZ$25 for families. It's open daily from 9am to 4pm (till 6pm Dec 27-Jan 27).

Take a break at Wanaka Beerworks, State Highway 6 (tel. 0800/273-9754 in NZ, or 03/443-1865; www.wanakabeerworks.co.nz), which is wedged between two museums. This little boutique brewery with a cozy bar and tasting room is open daily from 9am until 4pm (tours and tastings daily at 2pm).

Rippon Vineyard, Mount Aspiring Road (tel. 03/443-8084; www.rippon.co.nz), is run by Rolfe and Lois Mills, pioneer grape-growers in Central Otago, and their vineyard location overlooking Lake Wanaka is simply stunning. It's open for free tastings and sales November through April, daily from 11:30am to 5pm; and July through October, daily from 1:30 to 5pm.