Wanaka

Wanaka shares the mountains, lakes and outdoors appeal of Queenstown but with far smaller crowds and a cooler, more laid-back vibe. It's the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park and home to half of New Zealand's Olympic skiers and snowboarders. In summer it's a busy holiday town with many 'bachs' (holiday houses), while winter brings a true ski-town atmosphere for workers and visitors at Cardrona, Snowpark/Snowfarm, and Treble Cone.

Wanaka Airport is used primarily for scenic and charter flights rather than commercial services. The town is accessed via State Highway 6 from Queenstown (approximately 1 hour drive via Crown Range, New Zealand's highest main road), from Cromwell in the east, and from Haast on the West Coast (3 hours north). InterCity and other coach services connect Wanaka to Queenstown and other South Island destinations.

Wanaka is compact and walkable, with shops and restaurants easily accessible on foot. Car hire and mountain bike hire are available from local operators. For trips to Lake Hawea, a new local carpool system operates on a gold coin donation basis.

Wanaka offers several quirky attractions including Puzzling World with its Great Maze and optical illusion rooms (188 Wanaka Luggate Hwy, 2km north, daily 08:30-17:00), the National Transport & Toy Museum beside the airport, Warbirds & Wheels at Wanaka Airport featuring classic automobiles and war planes, and the World of Deer museum opened in 2018 near the Transport & Toy Museum. The famous Lone Tree of Wanaka provides iconic summer photography from the lake.

Wanaka is an outdoor adventure hub with activities including boating on Lake Wanaka (guided cruises to Mou Waho and Stevenson's Island), fly fishing in surrounding rivers, rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, and skydiving from 15,000 feet ($329 upwards, daily 08:00-20:00). Four ski resorts are nearby: Cardrona (highest ski field in NZ), Treble Cone (30 min drive via winding dirt road), Snowpark/Snowfarm, and further afield near Queenstown. Hiking highlights include the Rob Roy glacier hike in Mount Aspiring National Park, Diamond Lake circuit, and Mt Roy track. Deep Canyon offers guided canyon adventures in the Matukituki valley from $225 upwards (November-April, 07:00-11:00). The Festival of Colour arts celebration occurs every two years in April; Warbirds Over Wanaka air show is held every second Easter long weekend (next: 3-5 April 2026). Cinema Paradiso on Brownston Street offers unique seating including old sofas and a Morris Minor.

The New World supermarket on Ardmore Street near the lake provides food supplies, with a newer location (opened 2020) on Sir Tim Wallis Drive off State Highway 84. Shopping is limited to the expected small-town range, though there are good ski/snowboard and outdoor equipment shops, plus clothing stores for mountain preparations.

Dining options include The Spice Room (43 Helwick St, open 5-11PM, main dishes $20-25) for top-notch Indian food, Big Fig (105 Ardmore St, small/medium/large plates $17/24/30, open 8AM-8.30PM) known for generous portions and queues at meal times), Arc (74 Ardmore Street) for small sharing plates and cocktails, AmiGos Mexican Grill (71 Ardmore Street), Kika (2 Dunmore Street), McGregor's Restaurant (54 Reece Crescent) with local cuisine and outdoor seating, and Finchy's Bar and Restaurant built on the 1880 old Wanaka jail site.

Ardmore Street is the main bar strip with Bullock Bar (71 Ardmore St) featuring indoor ice curling and occasional sheep racing, Opium Bar (66 Ardmore St) an Asian-themed bar popular with snowboarders, Speights Ale House (93 Ardmore St) offering drinks and food, and Water Bar (145 Ardmore St) a waterfront bar with lakeside deck. Wanaka Beer Works at the Transport & Toy Museum offers brewery tours Monday-Saturday at 2PM.

Mount Aspiring National Park offers scenery, mountaineering and jet boating with its visitor centre in Wanaka. Queenstown is accessed via Crown Range Drive (highest main road in NZ), about 1 hour south. Cromwell and Arrowtown are nearby towns to the east. North leads to Omarama, then Haast and Fox Glacier on the West Coast (3 hours from Wanaka).