An Easy Stroll through the Birthplace of Extremes...

The road from Cromwell to Queenstown is one of the most beautiful drives in New Zealand. Leaving the sun soaked vineyards of Cromwell and Otago wine country and heading west towards Queenstown you pass a variety of the stunning scenery that the South Island is so well known for.

In all of my time in the South Island – this was one of my favourite places. It has a real sense of identity that allows for tourism with out it being dominated by it. Here you pass some of the open and visible mines from the old gold mine days which brought settlers to Queenstown in the first place. With stunning views and walks in all seasons, this is a great path to take and a drive to look forward to in itself.

And on this drive is where you pass Roaring Meg. On it's own, I couldn't really recommend this as a 'sight to see.' In a breathtaking landscape it is a rather small sight. However, it's a great place to stop on the drive from the east to west to stop and wander about, get some fresh air and stretch your legs, or stop for a bit of lunch along the way.

Right on the main road, only a short way out of the town of Cromwell you will pass signs to Roaring Meg, a great waterfall and stunning view of the river. As I said – this is a perfect spot to stop off on your way east or west. There is plenty of parking, and you can wander along the walk and down towards the river where you get an excellent view of the falls. They aren't very tall – but the speed of the river and the view of the falls is still quite dramatic.

This is also a great place to stop for photos of Otago, Roaring Meg, and the white water river Kawarau Gorge.

If you want a more dramatic and close up view of this crystal blue fast running water, then make the drive on into Queenstown where several different groups offer trips along this river in various forms. Rafting, canyoning, and other options are available – something I would highly recommend if you have the time and the inclination for something a bit more adventurous.

The spring in New Zealand – specifically November is a great time to view this area. The weather – though always changeable and unpredictable in New Zealand – is very pleasant at this time of year with lots of warm, sunny days yet before the tourism hits it's peak. The hotel and adventure prices in Queenstown are drastically reduced in the off season (remember that because of the skiing in the area, winter is a peak season here, too) and because of the swollen level of tourism in New Zealand currently – it also means you get to enjoy this area with out having to fight for a space to do so.

Roaring Meg is just one of many great stops along what is known as the Kawarau Gorge Highway that begins in Cromwell and ends in Queenstown. If you have time for more than one stop then check out the Goldmining Centre, Nevis Bluff, Lake Hayes, and take your pick of bungee locations along the way!

And for photographic reasons, November is an excellent time to visit this region of Otago – not only for the sunny days and the fantastic light you get in the late afternoon, but also for the colorful array of lupins that begin to blossom all over the region midway through the month.

Not exactly a modest handle for this little cafe/restaurant in Queenstown -I have to say the place that calls itself 'Masters of the Finest' comes pretty close to living up to its name.

Offering a great variety of experiences from a beautiful and relaxing outdoor coffee or lunch on a sunny afternoon to live music and DJs later in the evening - this place really does have a little bit of something for everyone.

This is a really stunning place. After strolling along Lake Wakitipu in Queenstown on a cool but sunny spring morning - we decided to find a nice warm spot to have a coffee and decide what aspect of the city we were going to take advantage of in the afternoon.
There is no small selection of such places to choose from on the streets of Queenstown, but when we spotted the large seating area from the drystone building it suddenly became an easy choice.

The coffee was excellent, and the service was pretty good as well. It was a slow afternoon and perfect for relaxing in the sun and enjoying the view of the town and the nearby lake.

However this place has an awful lot more to offer if you're inclined to stay in the city and enjoy it.
They have a very impressive menu in their beautifully put together restaurant. The prices are pretty reasonable for the experience you get here, and both the coffee and the beer here is superb.

The decor and atmosphere is fantastic indoors and they can accommodate large gatherings for a large group of skiers or bungee jumpers as well as simple dinners for a couple looking for a serene evening.

They also have their own bar and brewery - where they serve their award winning beer (check out their website for the 2008 awards given to their recent brews)

They are open late and often with live entertainment - something that they offer 4 nights a week. This is a great place to spend you're time in Queenstown no matter what you're looking for.

The perfect way to wind up a busy weekend in Queenstown, or after the last stop off after a day wine tasting in Cromwell and Otago is a stop at the Gibbston Valley Cheesery.

Located just a few miles from Queenstown on Highway 6, set amongst the beautiful Otago hills is the beautifully put together Gibbston Valley Cheesery.

This is one of my favourite little stops in the area. I stumbled onto it driving out of Queenstown, and decided to make one last stop before heading home. And it was an excellent experience that I would highly recommend you add on to any type of trip to Queenstown.

It is an especially nice touch, however, if you are taking a leisurely few days enjoying the softer side of Otago - the wines and great food and cafes that abound in the area.

In a beautiful setting, and very easy to find - this is a wonderful place to stop in or out of Queenstown and enjoy the beautiful Otago weather and the fantastic selection they have of cheeses, chutneys and crackers.
A beautiful little building with outdoor seating and very nicely put together inside, it's well worth a stop to see, even if you aren't overly excited about cheese.
It sits right next to Gibbston Valley Wines, and you can enjoy the samples and delights with a view of the vines.

The Cheesery has some of the best selection of cheeses I've ever sampled in a wine region. They offer cheeses (for sale but also to sample - or you can order a cheese board or platter to enjoy in the picturesque seating) made from cow, sheep and goat's milk, and some of the local deli meats and chutneys are spectacular.

And if these options weren't enough to give you some great souvenirs to take back with you, or gifts for friends and family - there is a fabulous little gift shop next door where you can buy wines and a lot of very different locally made New Zealand gifts. There was an excellent selection there that wasn't just the same things you find in almost any shop in New Zealand.

This really is a very quaint and extremely pleasant little stop to make on your way through Otago, and I would highly recommend that any one add it to their travel list.

It's true, most people come to New Zealand and especially Queenstown for the 'Extreme' sports. And though I spent much of my time in New Zealand wondering where all these extreme sports were, there is no doubt that they are in abundance in Queenstown.
Despite my coming to New Zealand for a bit of solitude and serenity - in the end Queenstown was one of my favourite places to visit in the entire country.

But it has a lot more to offer a traveller than just the change to jump off of things or ride down rivers. This you can do until your heart's content - and for a very reasonable rate given the standard prices for things in New Zealand.

But don't rule out Queenstown as a place to visit if you're looking for something a bit more subdued.

Perched on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is a beautiful city with a lot to offer. The lake itself - though not the surreal turquoise of some of the nearby Alpine lakes, is stunningly clear and almost the blue of the Pacific Islands. Yes - there are boats and jet skis and kite sailing to be done all along it, but the size and serenity of the lake mean that you can stop any number of places just on the walking path around it just to sit and enjoy watching the other travellers exert themselves.
Beautifully arranged and kept, Queenstown is a great place for wandering about, and the weather here seems to be particularly nice. A good spring day (sometime in November is always good) is excellent in Queenstown as the weather warms and the skies clear - and yet the hardcore summer visitors haven't yet arrived (while the winter sportsmen have moved on)

Not to mention that the off season prices in Queenstown accommodation and events drop drastically - in some cases as much as half price.

The shopping district is filled with lots of options from traditional kiwi souvenirs to nice clothing stores and good restaurants. There are plenty of cafes and lake front eateries to enjoy, and little local walks to meander down that don't involve anything too strenuous.

There's an excellent cheesery just outside of town and you're only a short drive away from the stunning wineries of Cromwell and the famous Otago Pinot Noir.

This is a great city to visit, and one that I wish I could have spent more time at while I was in New Zealand.

No matter what you are coming to New Zealand for, I highly recommend you make time for a wander about Queenstown - and if you feel up for it there is no small choice in activities if you want to do something a bit more adventurous.

After months and months of the hostel and backpacker experience, I was more than ready for a little bit of comfort.
When I packed up and drove down to Queenstown for the weekend, I had originally planned to stay in a well recommended hostel. However, when I arrived they had forgotten to book me in, and after half an hour looking around it seemed that most of the hostels in Queenstown were fully booked for the evening. (There was a surprisingly small amount of them there, given the nature of the city.)

After checking with the I-Site and wondering if a night camping or in the car was on the horizon, I decided to spend a little bit more than I was accustomed to and tried the Queenstown Lodge.

It was running a special that weekend, which is something it seems to be quite good for. It was $90 a night for a basic double room, which despite being much more than I like to pay for a single night in a room, was really good value for New Zealand accommodation. However, this was a special and I think the standard price for a non-view room is £125, and a lake view room is $140. (the price changes drastically depending on high or low season)

And all in all I was very happy with it. The main issue I had with the Queenstown Lodge was that it was quite dated. It was clean and well put together and the staff were very friendly - but there was still a sense of age in the place and it could certainly do with a bit of redecorating.

But aside from that - I have no other complaints. For the price it was very good, in fact.

The best aspect of the Lodge is the location. Right on Lake Wakatipu, if you can get a room with lake front views it's an amazing place to spend the evening. The mountains surrounding the lake are stunning in the summer and winter, and the lake itself is beautifully serene.

It's only a few minutes outside of the centre of Queenstown, and very easy to get to either by car or by the shuttle bus that runs often. But even so you get an excellent sense of peace and quiet here which was just what I was looking for.

There is plenty of parking, and the night's stay included a very nice breakfast. Well - a very large, cooked breakfast. It wasn't the greatest breakfast I've ever had, but it was warm and there was plenty of it. (Not just cereal and coffee) and you can sit out on the balcony looking across the lake while you enjoy it.

So if you're looking for something a few steps up from a hostel or motel, but you still don't want to spend a fortune while you're in Queenstown, the Queenstown Lodge is an excellent option.