Queenstown earned its name back in the late 1800s when the New Zealand government declared that it was a place “fit for a queen”.
From just the first few hours I spent in Queenstown, it immediately reminded me of one place both in its surreal scenery and its chillingly fresh-air: Burlington, Vermont.
Nestled around Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is one of the most radiantly picturesque places I have been. I felt like I was breathing for the first time – the air is light, clean, crisp, refreshing – like I was at the top of the Himalayas.
The town of Queenstown is small, quaint and charming. There are only about four main streets with a small little mall area in the heart of it, all of which is lined with small shops without any building being too tall. It almost reminds me of a little Christmas village – there is just this spirit and contagious cheer about it that you can feel within moments of being here.
The mountain ranges are the skyscrapers here as they gently wrap around and hug the lake, which is a fresh (and drinkable) glacial water that is a translucent shade of teal. The colors of the water so far in New Zealand are unmatched by anywhere I have been before; they just glow under the sun.
Travelers and locals alike spend sunny afternoons by the water, whether it is sitting in the small grassy area just beside the lake or on the stretch of its pebble beach.
And just because the sun goes down in tiny Queenstown does not mean the night is over. In fact, it stretches on long past many nights that I think people will find in Sydney nowadays – a city that is bigger and faster yet an energetic equal to the atmosphere of Queenstown.
Night time see loads of revelry on the lake’s shores, with people being able to drink outside until 9 p.m., which is when everyone head out to the bars. There are a number of places to drink at, from Loco to the Ice Bar to anywhere else people stumble in to and out of with every night.
But no stay in Queenstown is complete without a visit to Fergburger, with lines and crowds so constant outside this little shop you would think they were giving away free food on the regular.
I for one do not like to wait long for my meals, so I timed my Fergburger visit perfectly and waited a total of eight minutes from the time I ordered my burger til when it was in my hands, a colossal of a burger waiting to be devoured.
Most of all, though, Queenstown is famous for being the adventure and adrenaline capital of New Zealand where most travelers (myself include) take themselves to new heights by daring to do things they have never done before: bungy jumping, mountain biking, canyoning, sky diving – you name it, you can do it here.
I planned my New Zealand trip specifically so that I could be in Queenstown for my birthday so that I could ring in 27 with some adrenaline-fused experiences that would cross several items off my bucketlist (and several years off my life).
