Queenstown: The Adventure Capital of New Zealand

Queenstown & its Iconic Lakefront: The Place Where Adventure Begins

Queenstown sits gracefully beside Lake Wakatipu, a strikingly clear, lightning-bolt-shaped glacial lake celebrated for its mesmerizing blue waters and a rare natural phenomenon: a gentle “heartbeat” that causes the water level to rhythmically rise and fall by about 10 centimeters every 25 minutes.

Framed by the serrated peaks of The Remarkables, the lively lakefront is the town’s social and scenic centerpiece—a gathering place for everything from lakeside strolls to bustling markets and thrilling excursions. Here, adventure begins with serene moments by the shore and stretches into memorable activities, breathtaking vistas, and every flavor of lakeside indulgence. Looking back, it will not be an exaggeration to say that Queenstown was the best part of our New Zealand trip.

We spent 6 days and 5 nights in this beautiful little town and here is my writeup on our first day there:

Day 1 of our itinerary: Queenstown Gardens and Marine Parade

Time taken: Around 3 hours

We rented a car right after we landed at Queenstown and drove to our AirBnB. Queenstown is a small place unlike Auckland and within 30 minutes we were inside our AirBnB. We were completely taken in by the views as we walked inside - Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables and the azure blue sky. It felt straight out of a picture postcard! We could have easily spend our entire evening in the patio soaking in the views but we had work to do.

Views from our AirBnB - Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu set the tone for our stay there :)

We had to fill up our pantry for the next 5 days that we were going to spend in Queenstown. A 10-minute car ride took us to the parking lot (Man Street Car Park) at the town hub. We bought a few essentials from Four Square Queenstown, the grocery store just a block away from the popular Wakatipu lakefront; bundled our groceries in the trunk of our car and started off excitedly to explore the pretty place.

Our exploration of Queenstown too started at the lakefront.

We walked downhill for about 2 minutes from the carpark to reach Marine Parade, the lakeside promenade running along the shores of lake Wakatipu. The lakeside felt straight out of a fairytale and the vibes, pure wanderlust! It was crowded and yet so inviting at the same time. The place was buzzing with eateries and stunning alpine views all along. We walked from the Marine Parade all the way to the Steamer Wharf complex, the home to the historic TSS Earnslaw and admired the raw beauty that was all around us.

The atmosphere too was electric, a perfect blend of high-energy water sports, bustling lakeside cafes, and the mystical silhouette of the Remarkables standing guard overhead. As we strolled to the edge of the promenade, the shoreline gave way to the sun-kissed, golden sands of the bay. Nestled right beside it is the Queenstown Gardens, a tranquil peninsula that feels like a world of its own. This garden sanctuary juts out into the turquoise depths of Lake Wakatipu, featuring a winding loop trail where every single turn reveals a vista more breathtaking than the last.

Lake Wakatipu lakefront (Marine Parade) with a beautiful view

The bay beach at Lake Wakatipu

Pier ahead of Steamer Wharf Complex

The steamer wharf complex near the boardwalk at Queenstown

The gondolas at Queenstown

A pretty Kiwi sculpture near the boardwalk at Queenstown

The map of Queenstown Gardens near lake Wakatipu

By the shores of lake Wakatipu in Queenstown Gardens with the spectacular Remarkables in the background.

The crystal-clear waters of lake Wakatipu and the surreal scenery behind.

Queenstown's Food Scene

Being a vegetarian was very easy in New Zealand and it was even more wonderful in Queenstown with the varieties on offer. Indian food was available in plenty and so was a vegetarian or vegan dish in almost all cuisines available there.

The Bull stands out as Queenstown’s only 100% pure vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant, serving authentic North and South Indian specialties along with Gujarati fast food options like dabelis, vada pav and theplas. I enjoyed the dhoklas and theplas sitting there in Queenstown..totally homestyle!

The Indian Menu at The Bull…

Other Indian options like Bombay Palace and The Taj Indian Kitchen were also quite popular with the tourists and getting a table there was a task. To satisfy your sweet tooth, head to the lakefront Patagonia Chocolaterie for artisanal truffles and rich dark chocolate sorbet, or try their famous thick and creamy hot chocolate.

No food tour is complete without a visit to Fergburger, where you can find a choice of 1 or 2 vegetarian options - wth tofu and the other one with falafels. We were in the queue for 45 minutes before we could make our way to the order counter in there! But the wait was worth it. This place does deserve its popularity.

Falafel burger at Fergburger. Luckily, we found a table for us as well at that place :)

The queue at Fergburger!

For a scenic food escape, take a stroll along the Frankton Track and visit The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro, a historic 1869 shipping office where you can enjoy seasonal, locally sourced brunch favorites like heritage tomatoes and avocado alongside uninterrupted views of The Remarkables.

This was right opposite our AirBnB but, unfortunately, we could not get a table there when we decided to try the place.

Stay tuned; we are not done exploring Queenstown yet…