Top Picks For Summer Fun

After exploring a few new activities over the holiday break, as well as taking another look at some old favourites, here are my top picks for things to do in a Queenstown summer:

1. 4WD:

When it comes to four-wheel driving (4WD), in the past I have been with Nomad Safaris. Having tried it a few times now I was keen for another round of the action. My friends decided to take a private vehicle out on the track so I went along to. I have to say that this was not the best idea! After the truck nearly went head first into the watery depths of a cave, I can now honestly say you should ALWAYS leave it up to the professionals!

However, that aside, we did discover a few great spots that you can request when you next book a 4WD tour. Macetown is a lovely wee place, a hot-spot for mining back in the day but also a film location for Lord of the Rings. There are definitely certain spots that die hard fans will be able to recognise. Nomad Safaris does a great 4WD trip there, crossing the water, seeing where LOTR was filmed and they even teach you how to gold pan!

We also checked out Glenorchy. I had never been here before and it is an amazing hidden spot. It has very beautiful scenery that is difficult to describe. I would recommend it as a MUST-SEE!

2. Queenstown Nightlife:

Summer in Queenstown is a thriving atmosphere of fun-loving people. This also makes it a great time to check out the nightlife.

If you are looking for some casual drinks, INIGO Bar is the place to go. There are great specials going every Wednesday - Sunday throughout the summer season. With a different theme each day, meals are <$15 with $5 tap beer and $8 cocktail specials.
1876 Bar is a great starting point for a big night out. It’s the perfect place to grab a cider and fill up on a platter before heading to BelowZERO Ice Bar, Queenstown’s newest bar. Located at a prime spot in town on Searle Lane, it’s nice to cool down here on summer evenings with one of their delicious cocktails, served out of real ice glasses! Make sure you aren't driving though, as just one of these drinks will not be enough- trust me!

The bar even has a fire, which is an interesting touch next to the ice sculptures of a jet boat, bears and penguins! You can actually climb inside the gondola ice scultpture, which makes for some great group photos. It’s fun interacting with all the ice work, the only thing you can’t touch is the intricately carved chandelier and you can see why!

3. TSS Earnslaw:

A group of friends and I that grew up with in Invercargill decided to go on the TSS Earnslaw for the evening session, as none of us had ever been on it before! The trip is great value, not only the price ($115) but the Lady of the Lake is turning 100 years old in October and the experience is unmissable.

One of the highlights was dinner at the old homestead at Walter Peak. They had reserved a big table for our group with our name on it, a very nice touch. The buffet dinner was one of the best I have ever had, with a great range of New Zealand’s finest beef, lamb, venison, seafood and cheeses.

After that you can head out and watch the shepherd and his dog round up the sheep, while explaining a lot about farming here in New Zealand. He even demonstrated shearing a sheep. I can imagine this would be fascinating for most visitors, but for a group who grew up on farms down south it was no novelty. We used to prefer going back to school just to avoid seeing another sheep get shorn! However, even for those very familiar with it, the beverages tasted great and it was interesting to watch purely from a spectators perspective.

4. Fruit Picking:

Locals often take for granted the abundance of fruit orchards in the area. This year we made sure we took advantage and headed to Cromwell to try our hands at picking some ourselves. It’s mainly cherries over Christmas but near the end of January other stone fruits like apricots and nectarians are ripening. It’s lots of fun picking them yourself, and you will NEVER be able to beat the freshness and flavour of fruit eaten straight from the tree! There are loads of orchards in Cromwell and many offer orchard tours and the chance to pick you own fruit.

5. Wanaka:

No summer would be complete without a trip over the Crown Range to Wanaka, stopping by the famous Cardrona Hotel on the way for a thirst-quenching beer on a hot day. It’s a great atmostphere, with live music and you can sit outside under trees and enjoy the shade. Cardrona is famous for it’s snow but the Cardrona Adventure Park is a great stop in summer. You can drive a selection of monster trucks on a track, perfect for those who want to do something a little bit out there.

Wanaka is a lovely spot with great views of Lake Wanaka. There are loads of great eateries along the lakefront and the clothing stores are great for anyone after a bit of retail therapy.

Puzzling World is great fun, especially for kids. Time flies inside the maze and getting a photo holding up the leaning clock tower is such an iconic photo, you can’t not do it!

Wanaka also has the famous Warbirds over Wanaka in Easter which is an ideal trip for the long weekend and very popular. If you get the chance to go I would thoroughly recommend it. You will be amazed, even if you don’t have a passion for planes. Plus, it only happens once every two years so take advantage!

What Makes the Southern Lakes Paradise!

Part of what makes the Southern Lakes area paradise on Earth is that it has so much to offer, all year round. While infamous for our snow and epic ski season, the Christmas/New Year break is still one of our busiest times of year and it’s easy to see why. Our sunny weather and crispy cool lakes create the ultimate in idyllic scenery.

As much as I love my job, one of the downsides of choosing a career in hospitality is that it's an industry that never sleeps! It’s crucial that hotels stay open during the holiday periods- holiday makers need a place to stay! But it also means that this Christmas/New Year break was the first one I have had away from work since I was about 18!!!

Christmas Day was spent back home in Invercargill. We made the most of the weather by taking the boat and knee boards out for a spin, followed by a BBQ. By Boxing Day it was back to my second home, Queenstown. Locals and regular visitors will know how Queenstown transforms over the break. The streets are crammed with cars and the supermarket is utter chaos, but mostly it is just great to have such a fun and vibrant atmosphere with everyone enjoying the sun!

On the 31st of December a group of us headed out to the events centre in Frankton for the Twenty/20 cricket match. I had never really been a big fan of the cricket and didn’t know much about it, so I interested to see how it would go. Well, after three hours of cricket, on a toasty 28 degree day accompanied by delicious wine & cheese, great friends and plenty of entertainment I can highly recommend the cricket as a fun day out. Just don’t forget your sunblock and to stay hydrated with plenty of water (not just wine!).

Queenstown is famous for its spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks display. It’s a crime to miss it and one of the best places to view the extravaganza is from Ben Lomond Restaurant or up Queenstown hill. I opted for the latter, the perfect way to finish a great evening spent with friends. I must be getting older, as we decided not to check out the nightlife this year, but I can vouch from past experience that the Queenstown nightclubs are fantastic over New Years with a fun crowd and cheerful atmosphere.

Central Otago and Queenstown will always be a very sought after destination for summer and it’s great to see the sunny side if you normally only venture out in winter for the ski season. Overall, it was a FANTASTIC Christmas break and I was reminded exactly why I love Queenstown so much.

Magical Milford, Top Travel Tips & More!

When I was offered the opportunity to go on a 'Real Journeys' staff famil, I jumped at the chance to go. These are the packages I was lucky enough to experience:

- TSS Earnslaw with Walter Peak evening dining ($115)

- Doubtful Sound Cruise via Manapouri ($235- $298

- Te Anau Glow-worm Caves ($70)

- Milford Sound over-night cruise ($461-$631)

My highlight of the trip had to be the Milford Sound over-night cruise on board the Milford Mariner. If I had to recommend just one package it would be this one. The duration of the trip (approx. 21 hours) allows for Milford to be viewed in its best light with many sights almost guaranteed; native wildlife, waterfalls, clear skies/sunshine. My advice is to definitely choose the over-night cruise rather than just the day cruise when visiting Milford - it is so worth it!

The runner-up would be the Te Anau Glow-worm caves. After a cruise across Lake Te Anau you will be led through a maze of limestone caves, showcasing everything from nature's rock sculptures, whirlpools and an underground waterfall. All this before a small boat takes you to see the glowworm grotto. Magical!

Top Tips:

1) Always opt for the kayaking option - slowly gliding through the water is the perfect way to take in the scenery, plus every spot is then easily accessible.

Packages are structured to accommodate both individual and group travellers, so don't be afraid to take the plunge and go solo. You will meet loads of great new people!

2) Items to bring - There are endless photo opportunities of the scenic surroundings, including some of the most pristine bodies of water in the world. To get the best make sure you come equipped with: camera, rain coat and swimwear (but only in summer - NOT recommended during the winter months!).

3) Go with Real Journeys. It was such an amazing trip and I must credit a lot of this to the Real Journeys girls and Coach Captain for being so friendly, fun and informative. All the other agents involved in the trip were all beautiful people and helped to make my time so special.

By Rydges staff member, Anna.

Adrenaline Spins in the 'Adventure Capital of the World'

Rydgee and I have both been lucky enough to take a spin on the Shotover Jet recently.

Jet boating has become an infamous experience around the world and I now know why - where else can you experience adrenaline pumping 360° spins, in a state of the art jet boat? Not only that, all this takes place down a dramatic and picturesque narrow canyon river.

It is yet another spot in Queenstown's 'Adventure Capital of the World' repertoire. Having given over 3 million people the ride of their life since 1970, the award-winning Shotover Jet is more than experienced to captain ‘The World’s Most Exciting Jet Boat Ride'.

I would suggest this not only for the extreme adventurers but those just looking for a bit of fun. It's not too scary, perfectly safe but still gets the heart racing.

Shotover Jet is the only company permitted to operate in the spectacular Shotover River Canyons, so you can be assured you are getting a unique experience.

The combination of two of Queenstown’s main highlights - the scenery and adventure - in a such a unique, exhilarating and unforgettable way - is often one of the highlights for our many guests. Not just within Queenstown but out of New Zealand on the whole.

RYDGEE and the Remarkable Sweets

Our littlest employee RYDGEE the morepork has been working with the Remarkable Sweet Shop to produce these little treats for some VIP guests coming in on Thursday!


I often find that all the best lollies from ‘back in the day’ such as Aniseed Wheels and Milk Bottles are getting harder and harder to find. Well not when you are in our neck of the woods! The Remarkable Sweet Shop stocks all the kiwi classics as well as an extensive selection of sweets from all over the world – including Livewires and Bon Bons


The pioneering Remarkable Sweet Shop can be found in the quaint village of Arrowtown, nestled among the majestic Southern Alps (including The Remarkables) and steeped in rich New Zealand history. The beautiful setting and scenery is the perfect backdrop for the old time charm of the sweet shop.

Their store in picturesque Queenstown is also well worth a look, not least because they do free tasting of their world-famous fudge (all of which is made onsite). But beware, this amazing fudge is also very, very addictive so you may end up buying more than you meant to!

If you are a Dutch, Australian, UK or US ex-pat you can indulge your sweet tooth with the taste of home, thanks to specialised imports just for you! You can also order online if you can’t quite make it to the quaint store yourself. There is even a great range of options for those who require sugar-free.

The Remarkable Sweet Store is always sniffing out the world’s favourite lollies to stock. If you’re a fan of brands like Haribo, Tilley’s, Maxons and Millions then this is a must-stop shop. It’s also the perfect place for small gifts, especially if you want to take treats home to your friends and family.

Who will be the Ultimate Winner of the Rugby World Cup?

Fancy yourself as a bit of a commentator? Or do you just want to WIN 1 night free of charge in a suite accommodation for two guests, with a complimentary cooked breakfast, at Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown?

Well now you can do both! All you need to do is pick the overall winning team of the Rugby World Cup and you will be in to win. 

To enter, simply email your:

- Full name

- Preferred email address

- Phone number

- Pick for the winning team

to Trudie_Clay@rydges.com before 9:00pm 22nd October 2011

After the final game, we will randomly draw a winner from all the correct entries.

It's Snow-Time!

The snow just keeps on coming! We are experiencing some of the best snow we've had in years and couldn’t be happier as the Winter Games have been such a hit because of it!

But having all this snow does create a logistical problem or two.

Recently I was planning a trip to Invercargill for the weekend. Lucky for me I had early warning from our General Manger John that I shouldn’t be leaving there any later than lunch time on Sunday. I might have pushed those ‘guidelines’ to 1pm.

On my drive back home when I was getting close to Winton the snow has started settling. By the time I got to Lumsden I was the only person left heading in the direction of Queenstown – everyone else was getting out while they still had the chance! What was normally a two hour trip had stretched to three and a half hours.

Coming into Kingston the road was full of graders and trucks spreading grit on the road, so I drove extra-carefully on the windy roads surrounding the Devil’s Staircase before finally arriving home to Queenstown. I was so excited to get my snowboarding gear out, which still hasn’t been used to its full potential this season, even if it was only so I could walk around in my snowboarding boots. Twenty centimetres of snow is going to result in cold and wet feet if you’re not careful!

John was nominated on Sunday night for giving stranded employees a ride to work. Being stranded as well, I had to walk up steep hill to catch my ride over at Kelvin Heights. There was no chance of getting my car up the hill in thirty centimetres of snow and even more still coming!

Thanks to a bit of organisation and team work, most of our staff made it to work both days during the snow storm, apart from a couple of people that live down in Kingston. That road was closed and they had snow half way up their doors!

There are always lots of mixed emotions around the hotel during a snowstorm. Personally, I get super excited about it all and love dressing up in my snowboarding gear, getting Rydgee out in the snow and making snowmen.

The guests who are there for snowboarding absolutely love it too, the thirty centimetre powder base is making for perfect skiing and snowboarding conditions – the temperatures can be a different story though! For other guests that are meant to be on flights out of Queenstown, they can get very frustrated as when the Queenstown airport is closed, there are very few options left for them to get home. Most just have to wait it out.

Another awesome event to benefit from all that snow was the Rail Jam. It was yet another success throughout one of our best winters yet and was a great warm up to the Winter Games, which wrapped up on Monday. It was great to see Queenstown-born, alpine ski racer Taylor Rapley take out the 'womens high-speed super G race' for the Kiwi team.