As the New Year approaches, if you have been planning to visit a new place to ring in the New Year differently this time, you must consider visiting Queenstown, New Zealand. This place serves as an all-in-one tourist hotspot, allowing you to explore a wide variety of attractions without much juggling. If you have no idea about the tourist attractions in and around the city, you should give this article a good read. In this article, we will extensively focus on New Year’s Eve Queenstown, so all you will have to do is pack your bags and book tickets to the destinations we have listed here.
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Things To Do In Queenstown New Years Eve
As we said earlier, there are tons of things to explore in and around Queenstown, indicating a plethora of activities to do in the town to make lifelong memories. So, if you are wondering what Things To Do In Queenstown New Years Eve, hold on and brace yourself to discover the incredible things you can do in the city to welcome the New Year never like before. We are going to address different kinds of activities to take part in and different kinds of places to visit and explore to make this trip to Queenstown an exceptional one.
1. Earnslaw Park
Queenstown welcomes tourists with much pomp and glory and if you want to start your New Year like a badass, you must visit Earnslaw Park where you can welcome the New Year for free. You can enjoy the fireworks display as the clock strikes midnight and also dance the night out for the live music bands performing for the crowds gathered on the streets. You can also enjoy food from the food stalls while watching the live performances by the top artists. However, it is an alcohol-free zone, so if you want to have refreshments, you must walk a little while to grab them from the nearby pubs. If you visit the place with your family, you can have super fun.
2. TSS Earnslaw NYE Cruise
If you want to welcome New Year in the middle of the water, you must consider boarding a cruise. You can find TSS Earnslaw Cruise in the city which is a popular steamship that takes you on a beautiful ride on Lake Wakatipu. You can enjoy the lake view and stunning mountains while riding the ship. The only coal-run steamship also hosts entertainment programs for the passengers. Passengers can also have dinner and refreshments on the cruise. Unlike taking the latest cruise, taking this vintage cruise gives a different kind of touch to the NYE celebrations. The cruise gets into the water at 10:30 PM and you can enjoy the fireworks display as midnight strikes.
3. Bungee Jumping
If you want to perform an adventure to kick start the New Year on an adventurous note, you must consider Bungee Jumping seriously. For the unversed, Bungee jumping was first introduced by A.J. Hackett in New Zealand and is still one of the popular adventures attempted by tourists and locals there. The most popular bungee jumping place in Queenstown is Kawarau Bridge. Thrill seekers can also find multiple other bungee jumping spots in Queenstown like Nevis Bungy, which is the highest bungee jumping spot in the country, and Ledge Bungy. Coming to safety, Queenstown bungee jumping takes the best safety measures and you will have the best experience ever taking the jump here.
4. Queenstown Restaurants
If you cannot stand the crowds and prefer a decent New Year party, you must contemplate visiting a restaurant with the best view and delectable offerings. Many top restaurants like Botswana Butchery, Ivy+Lola’s Kitchen and Bar, Blue Kanu, etc., offer amazing meals on NYE. If you are looking for the Best Restaurant To See New Year’s Fireworks In Queenstown, you must visit restaurants like Skyline Queenstown, which offers a savory meal as well as the breathtaking sight of fireworks. Eichardt’s Bar, which is located on the banks of Wakatipu also has the fireworks display on. If you don’t want to miss out on this particular fireworks viewing thing, you must book your table well in advance in the restaurants mentioned.
5. Queenstown Gardens
If you want to visit a place full of greenery and gardens, you must visit Queenstown Gardens. The gardens are pretty much accessible and often visited by locals and tourists alike. The gardens have a 2 km loop along which you can take a relaxing stroll watching the serene beauty of the garden. You can find several unique and vibrant plants and trees across the garden where you can capture pictures.
The icing on the cake is that the garden looks its best during December, which is the summer season in New Zealand. The flowers bloom and the entire landscape turns super colorful. It is a true delight to watch the scenery and for entertainment lovers, there is a free disc golf course available in the garden. If you want to learn the course for free, you must carry your frisbee with you.
6. Skydiving
For the adrenaline junkies, adventures like skydiving are available in Queenstown city. What’s especially great is that the adventure is highly promoted and performed during December. In Queenstown, there are several choices available for skydiving like 9000 feet, 12000 feet, and 15000 feet from which you can choose as per your wish. The skydives are variated based on pricing and the free fall time. If you are at it and want to give it a try, New Zealand is the best place for it.
7. Rhythms and Alps Music Festival
For those who wish to attend Queenstown New Years Eve Festival, the Rhythms and Alps Music Festival is the ultimate choice. The festival is held every year at the Cardrnona Valley on New Year’s Eve and is attended by thousands of people. The event location is just 45 minutes away from Queenstown and there will be many A-listers performing on the stage for the crowds all night. The festival is usually held for three days from 29th to 31st December and if you want to be a part of it, you must book the tickets much in advance.
8. Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu is a popular vacation spot for New Year’s Eve in Queensland, New Zealand. If you want to spend your New Year’s Eve and welcome the New Year by the riverside, you must visit this place without miss. You can expect spectacular fireworks display in the night sky, which will remain in your memories forever. You can attend the parties hosted on the lakeside and indulge in live DJs, music, food, and more. You can even take the cruise with your family to make it even more memorable.
9. Canyoning
For adventure-seeking souls, Canyoning is the best choice available in Queenstown. For crazy adventurers who want to raise their adrenaline levels to a great extent, Canyoning is the go-to activity. Also, New Year is the right time to go canyoning. Queenstown offers diverse canyoning experiences to the tourists and locals such as half-day and full-day and it is up to you to choose the option that is apt for you.
You can experience the best Canyoning in the Gibbston Valley, and Mt Aspiring National Park. You can do a lot of fun activities like jumping, swimming, repelling, etc. Coming to the safety measures, the park authorities take care of that and there is no risk involved in these adventures.
10. Queenstown Accommodation
It is essential to book the accommodation well in advance to avoid hassle during the trip. The hotels and accommodation centers will be booked much earlier as the tourist count rises during the New Year compared to other seasons. We suggest you book Queenstown Accommodation New Years Eve at least 4 to 5 months earlier. Also, you can expect high accommodation charges during the New Year season. Also, make sure to book accommodation close to the places you wish to visit or close to public transport.
Conclusion
This is all about New Years Eve Events In Queenstown. If you are excited after reading this article, you must consider booking tickets to visit Queenstown this upcoming New Year. You can welcome the New Year on a grand note by visiting these places during the season. Furthermore, you can create a lot of beautiful memories with your family and friends to reminisce about in the future. Hope our list helped you find the best tourist attractions in Queenstown and you had a great trip down to the beautiful city of Kiwis. Stay in touch with newyearwiki for such useful articles on new year.