Queenstown Colours of Autumn
Autumn is the perfect time to indulge all senses in the colours and flavours of the season. The temperatures are cooler at sunrise and sunset, a sweet relief from the scorching summer temperatures, but the warm sunny days are ideal for exploring the region and enjoying the activities and attractions that make Queenstown famous.
Soak up the autumn sunshine while you explore local vineyards, breweries and wineries by bike or fill your days exploring local galleries, diverse retail stores, cafes and restaurants. Challenge yourself to try something new, whether that be a local photography workshop, cooking or pottery class, or attempting a challenging hike, yoga class or biking trail.
The crisp evenings are perfect for sipping a glass of award-winning local Pinot Noir beside a fire.
Here are our top ways to enjoy Queenstown in autumn.
Food and wine
Queenstown is a true foodies’ paradise, with numerous bars and restaurants, the food scene is always buzzing in Queenstown. Whether it be new craft beer bars, cafes or restaurants popping up, food tours, or inventive new dishes, there’s always something new, creative and exciting to try. Queenstown’s pedestrianised town centre is packed with restaurants, cafes, bars and plenty of places for dessert. Why not create your own bespoke walking food tour, visiting one restaurant for entrée, one for main and the last for dessert?
To taste the delights slightly further afield; hop on a shuttle, bike around the vines, or go on a guided beer and wine tour. There’s all sorts of ways to taste the terroir, and plenty more to eat, see and do along the way. An easy 25-minute drive from downtown Queenstown will take you to Gibbston Valley, the heart of Central Otago wine country. Ruggedly beautiful and home to some of the region’s oldest vineyards, it’s a wonderful place for a wine tour whether by bus, bike, or on foot.
Queenstown’s craft beer scene has recently come into its own with new local breweries, craft beer bars, and beer and wine tours being established at a rapid rate. Why not start your evening off with a local twilight craft beer and wine tour or a progressive dinner tour and see where the night takes you?
Find your adventure
There is also a seemingly endless supply of world-renowned adventure activities perfect to challenge yourself with in autumn, ranging from skydiving, bungy jumping, jet boating and paragliding to aerobatic flights, horse trekking, rafting and 4WD, quad bike or off road tours.
Cycling tours and mountain biking trails in Queenstown are a great way to explore and discover remote parts of this beautiful region! The Queenstown Trail has over 130kms of off-road trails taking you from Queenstown to Gibbston via historic Arrowtown. If you’re looking for a new challenge, or perhaps you’re more of a thrill seeking rider, Queenstown has three lift-accessed mountain bike parks: Cardrona Alpine Resort, Coronet Peak and Queenstown Bike Park, where you can enjoy all of the downhill MTB fun without worrying about the uphill climb.
No visit to Queenstown in autumn is complete without a hike up Queenstown Hill. The Queenstown Hill Time Walk starts from Queenstown’s downtown and takes roughly 2 ½ hours return. The well-formed, steep track winds up through pine forest on the way up to open rock and tussock with the most spectacular views over Queenstown Bay and Lake Wakatipu.
Arrowtown
As well as the unique heritage precinct, shops and great food and wine, Arrowtown is also renowned for being one of the most amazing places in New Zealand to experience the colours of the four seasons. In any season the town is a photographer’s dream and Arrowtown is renowned for its stunning autumn colours providing hues of gold and orange on the hillsides and surrounds during April and May.
A walk through Arrowtown’s carefully preserved main streets feels like a step back in time or a step into an old western film, however each of the hotels, restaurants, galleries and boutique retail stores will set your senses alive. The town is full of artists, talented chefs, florists, and shop owners with an eye for beautiful, unique and quality boutique pieces for their stores.
A visit to Arrowtown on any given evening in autumn is a must-do, with live music, restaurants and bars brimming with people. There is regular live music night on Wednesdays and DJ’s play Fridays which is popular in Arrowtown’s Blue Door Bar being a weekly event for visitors and locals alike.
