Queenstown sits at the edge of Lake Wakatipu on New Zealand's South Island, ringed by the jagged Remarkables mountain range. It is the country's undisputed adventure capital — the place where bungy jumping was commercialised, and where the adrenaline industry has never looked back.
That reputation is well-earned and entirely real. Within a few kilometres of the town centre you can fling yourself off the Kawarau Bridge, race through the Shotover Canyon on a jet boat, skydive over the lake, or ski on terrain that drops steeply off the Remarkables. The range of activities is genuinely remarkable.
What surprises first-timers is how compact and pretty the town itself is. The lakefront, The Mall pedestrian street, and Queenstown Gardens are all within easy walking distance. Ride the Skyline gondola up Bob's Peak for the panoramic view, walk the Queenstown Hill Time Walk, or take the 1912 coal-fired steamer TSS Earnslaw across the lake to Walter Peak. In winter the place fills with skiers; in summer, with hikers and cyclists. The nightlife is lively year-round, fuelled by a constant turnover of backpackers and seasonal workers.
Day trips extend the options considerably. Arrowtown — a restored gold-rush settlement 20 minutes away — makes an easy afternoon. Milford Sound and Wanaka are both within reach.