Our 5-day Queenstown itinerary
Day 1: Arrival + getting settled
Queenstown is 2 hours ahead of Sydney, so even though we had a 7.30am flight on a Sunday (yuck), we didn’t walk out of the airport in Queenstown until around 1pm. KG had already picked up the car (the boys were VERY excited to be climbing into the back of a ute) so we headed straight to the shopping centre nearby to have lunch and grab a few things we hadn’t brought with us. From there it was into town to pick up our ski rental gear from SnowBiz. They had a great range of options for the kids, beginners and more experienced skiers and snowboarders, so while I do recommend them, there were heaps of other options in town. By the time we finished there it was around 5pm so we headed to our apartment to check in, have dinner and then get ourselves an early night.
Day 2: Ski lessons at The Remarkables
We weren’t sure what traffic would be like on the way up the mountain, so we set our alarm for 6am, piled on the layers, ate some Weetbix and were out the door by 7am (a good hour before the sun comes up in Queenstown in winter, just fyi). The drive up the mountain is spectacular, but I’m chronically afraid of heights and winding roads, so I spent most of the drive with sweaty palms, willing the car to stay on the road, while my (very competent) husband did the actual driving.
We arrived super early, grabbed a locker and then found a cosy spot to drink hot coffee, eat croissants and watch as the mountain was set up for the day (locker tip: grab a large one and pay for as many days as you’ll be on the mountain so you can store your bulky outerwear there instead of lugging it back to the car).
Lessons kicked off at 10am so I joined the rest of the newbies and rusty returners, while KG took the boys over to the kids’ session. I had a great group of fellow learners (unsurprisingly almost all Australian) and the instructor (also Aussie) took us from barely able to ‘pizza’ to finishing the day (with varied success) down a green run. If you’ve never skied or snowboarded before (or even if it’s just been a few years) I really recommend a day or two of lessons to kick off.
The kids also loved their lesson. They had a super encouraging instructor and were riding the magic carpet and skiing back down by themselves by the end of the day. One thing to note: kid and adult lessons were not close to each other, so I was really pleased that KG was around to be able to check in on the boys at regular intervals.
After lessons the boys were excited for ‘daddy ski school’ and we all spent the last 30mins messing around and practicing our turns on the smaller slopes. I think we were the last car out of the carpark, and everyone was so wiped that we grabbed McDonalds for dinner on the way home.
Day 3: Back on the slopes
We left home around 7.20am, which meant we saw the sun begin to rise as we reached the top of the mountain. I managed to relax a little more and actually enjoyed the view this time (though my palms were still noticeably sweaty by the time we reached the top).
It was part two of ‘daddy ski school’ today and we spent the first couple of hours practicing our turns on the smaller slopes. The boys were desperate to try the chair lift and the green run, so just before lunch KG took Alfie up. Charlie and I watched from the bottom – me, equal parts nervous and excited to see them coming down the hill together. Alfie LOVED it and absolutely nailed it; Charlie was very envious.
By early afternoon, Charlie had finally convinced us to let him try the green run and we headed onto the chair lift together. Once we got to the top we realised it was still a little beyond his capabilities, so KG skied down with him between his legs the whole way. I’m glad Charlie got a chance to experience the green run (he loved it and was desperate to go again) but we decided he wouldn’t be doing it again until he was able to ski by himself.
We split up for a lot of the rest of the afternoon with Charlie and I practicing our turns and speed on the longer, steeper beginner slope while KG and Alfie headed back to the green run. Again we were among the last to drive out for the day.
Day 4: Gondola, luge + exploring Arrowtown
After two big days we were all pretty wrecked, so we took the opportunity to have a little downtime at the apartment before our next adventure. The Queenstown gondola is the steepest in the southern hemisphere, with breathtaking views of The Remarkables, Coronet Peak and Queenstown on the way up (480m high!). At the top you’ll find bike trails, a cafe and bar, and most importantly, the famous Queenstown luge! If you’ve never ridden a luge before, I highly recommend you give it a whirl. It’s part toboggan, part go-kart and anyone over 85cm can ride (over 6yo and 110cm and you can ride alone, so Alfie was stoked!).
After our adventure we headed into town visiting Patagonia Chocolate for an ice cream, then jumped in the car for a quick trip to Arrowtown, where we wandered the historic main street, played in the skatepark and ‘fished’ in the river with sticks before heading back to the apartment for another early dinner and bed.
Day 5: A relaxed breakfast at Ayrburn before flying out
Our last morning was also a slow one, with steady rain nixing any hopes of getting outdoors. Instead we packed the car and headed to Ayrburn, a wonderland of restaurants, cafes and bars, with incredible parklands that would have entertained the kids for hours if not for the completely sodden ground. Instead we headed to The Bakehouse and ate brunch by a roaring fire before it was back to the airport for our 2pm flight home.
What worked for us: the highlights
1. Borrowing gear helped keep costs down (and for everything else there was Aldi and Marketplace!)
We didn’t know if skiing would be hit or miss for us, so instead of outlaying huge amounts of money, we borrowed a lot of gear from friends. I also managed to snag outerwear for the boys from Aldi (complete luck – I was surprised to see they still had gear two weeks after their annual winter snow sale) and boots from Marketplace. There were some significant sales in Queenstown too, so we bought good quality goggles for myself and the boys, plus well fitting gloves.
2. Skiing at The Remarkables was a great beginner-friendly option
We were really happy with our choice to spend both days at The Remarkables. There were challenging runs for KG, as well as the beginner-friendly options for the boys and I. The lessons were high quality, it didn’t feel crowded at this time of the season, and there was a huge indoor cafe/bar with spectacular views over the mountains if you needed a little time out.
3. Staying in an apartment allowed more meals at home (thus, fewer meltdowns and lower costs)
We stayed in a two-bedroom apartment just out of town. It was not fancy, but it was big and super practical. Having that kitchenette was an absolute lifesaver at the end of the day when we were all wiped and there was a high probability that one of us (probably me) would have a meltdown if we entered a restaurant.
4. Hiring a car (with lots of space) gave us maximum flexibility
Having a car allowed us to run our own race. It gave us somewhere to store our gear overnight, and allowed us to head to and from the mountain when it suited us. It also gave us the freedom to make spur of the moment trips to Arrowtown and Ayreburn, and actually wasn’t overly expensive.
What we’d try next time
We tacked this holiday onto the end of KG’s work trip, so had limited time and wanted to keep it simple. When we do it again, there’s a few things I’d add to the itinerary.
1. Ski Coronet Peak and Cardrona
The Remarkables was the perfect choice for our first ski holiday – not too far from Queenstown and suitable for all ski or snowboard levels. Coronet Peak has a different flavour – it’s closer to Queenstown but not known to be quite as beginner friendly. It’s main claim to fame is night skiing, which I imagine would be epic! Cardrona is further away (closer to Wanaka) but looks to be the most family-friendly of all the local ski fields.
2. Shotover Jet
Shotover Jet is a jet boat ride through a narrow canyon. The boat reaches speeds of up to 90km/hour, does 360 degree spins, rides rapids and it looks amazing! Anyone over 100cm can ride, and this is top of my list for our next visit.
3. Visit Fergburger
I know, I know, how could we visit Queenstown without visiting Fergburger (or Bergbaker or Mrs Ferg). We just didn’t have the heart or the time to wait in that horrific line! All reports do say it’s worth the hype though.
Got a Queenstown favourite I missed? I’d love to hear – drop it in the comments below or send me a message on Instagram.
Family travel tips for Queenstown in winter
I felt like I was flying blind while planning this trip – I don’t think I have ever deliberately taken a winter holiday in my life! Here are a few things we learned that would be applicable to any winter family holiday.
1. Layers, layers, layers
Winter is not my happy place and I was terrified of being cold. Layers saved us! For skiing, we wore a Uniqlo heattech baselayer, followed by a fleece or wool sweater, and a snow jacket and pants. We also had snow socks, a neck warmer and gloves. Off the mountain, we wore tights plus jeans on the bottom, and a wool baselayer, followed by a long sleeve top or fleece and puffer jacket on top, plus thick socks and a beanie and gloves when necessary. I was warmer than I usually feel in Sydney during winter.
2. Hire a car
The freedom and space it gives you is priceless. Just make sure it’s a 4WD and that you’re carrying chains (and know how to use then).
3. Consider an apartment or house over a hotel
Having a home base with cooking facilities meant the kids didn’t have to hold it together at a restaurant after a long day of skiing. It also kept costs down and gave us enough space to get out of each other’s way when necessary.
4. Stock up at the local supermarket
Food on the mountain and at all the tourist attractions is unsurprisingly expensive. We stocked up on breakfast cereal, fruit, yoghurt and snacks [pro tip: each of us carried a muesli bar in our snow jacket at all times! Hangriness is always a bad time]
5. Book ski lessons if you’re a beginner (or it’s been a while)
Ski lessons were invaluable for myself and the boys. The instructors were high calibre, breaking things down for us all in a skill-level and age appropriate way. I was genuinely shocked by how well we were skiing by the end of the two days, and would highly recommend you book a day or more, whether you’re learning the basics or keen to up-skill.
6. Don’t leave home without snow chains
When conditions are dangerous, they won’t let you up the mountain without snow chains. Carry them with you at all times, and make sure you watch a YouTube tutorial on how to fit them!
Would we recommend it? Final thoughts
I went into this trip with minimal expectations, and am coming out the other side giving it a (mathematically impossible) 12/10. It certainly required more planning than a beach holiday, but my goodness, it was worth it. Watching the kids so joyfully learning a new skill, seeing snow and riding a chairlift for the first time, plus their unbridled excitement over things we take for granted was worth every moment of planning.
I genuinely think you could do this holiday with kids of pretty much any age – some of the bigger ski fields had child care services (rather than just ski lessons) if you wanted to take younger kids, and I have no doubt that tweens and teens would have an absolute blast.
Queenstown in winter with kids was totally do-able and we would go back in a heartbeat. In fact, KG is low key trying to convince us to move there.
Planning a trip? Pin this at-a-glance itinerary for later
If you’ve taken your kids to Queenstown (or on any other snow holiday) I’d love to hear about it! Comment below or shoot me a message on Instagram. I think we might be doing this regularly…