To celebrate my 40th birthday last March, JP treated me and the girls on a trip to the South Island, in Queenstown. This is one, if not THE most popular tourist destination in New Zealand. And for good reason! Just prior to the plane landing, I got all excited because the view below is absolutely gorgeous (you will probably read this word several times!).
This will be a four-part series over the next few weeks, because there’s just so many photos to share and stories to tell, plus maybe helpful tips for you in case you visit Queenstown in the future. Our itinerary was designed to be leisurely, or as relaxed as can be with kids in tow. It also involves some long drives, so just make sure you prepare yourself and the kids for this. I recently posted some ideas to make road trips with kids easier, and I hope that helps too.
That being said, here’s the first part of our Queenstown holiday.
TSS Earnslaw and Walter Peak Farm
Once we got ourselves checked-in to the hotel, we immediately proceeded to the marina to get onboard the TSS Earnslaw, an old steamship that took us to Walter Peak for a farm tour and some afternoon tea. The cruise took about 45 minutes to get to Walter Peak, a family-owned farm nestled in the western part of Lake Wakatipu.
Once we got to the farm, we were greeted by our guide who led us to watch a fascinating sheep-shearing demonstration and how their dogs round up sheep in the farm.
The girls were tired by this time, and had their nap, so they missed this bit. The tour also came with afternoon tea, with a good array of scones, sweets and coffee. I was able to walk around the farm and see the animals.
There was plenty time to explore the farm. Patty was not in a good mood and wanted to roll around the grass, so I let her be.
We got back to the city by dinner time, and we were all tired from the entire day’s activities. It was quite difficult to look for a child-friendly restaurant, so JP and I decided to go for Chinese takeaway to eat back at the hotel.
It was a good thing, as we were able to take nice photos of the Remarkables before the sun went down.
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Details and costs:
Where we stayed: Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park, booked via Agoda.com, about $120 per night for a 2-double bed studio. The location is central, a 5-minute walk to the Skyline Gondola. We liked this because we could eat outdoors while watching the kids in the playground. JP booked the rooms in October, and even then, the price was quite steep. Just remember Queenstown is a tourist city and so hotel room prices are a bit higher than other cities, it’s best to book as far advanced as possible.
Car Rental: Omega Car Rental booked online. We had a Nissan Sedan for 3 days and cost $184. They provided two child seats free of charge. The price includes insurance cover. Remember to read through the document, as there are some areas in Queenstown that the insurance does not cover, which may affect your itinerary.
TSS Earnslaw and Walter Peak Farm Tour: I booked the tour from the Real Journeys website. It is $95 per adult (kids 0-4 are free), the price is well-worth the experience and the view, and the choices in the afternoon tea were delicious! The tour is 3 hours and 45 minutes, either morning or afternoon. There is free coffee and tea on the boat.
The rest of this series:
Queenstown: Wanaka and Glenorchy-coming soon
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