Queenstown Picnic Locations
Our guide to the 10 best picnic locations around Queenstown
Relaxing for a few hours with a picnic is a great way to appreciate the beauty of Queenstown's majestic scenery. We've toured the Queenstown region and picked our favourite spots to settle down, open up the hamper and drink in the incredible views.
1. St Omer Park
Just outside of Queenstown centre, pull over and park on Lake Esplanade Road which is free. St Omer park has a couple of BBQ facilities if you fancy a spot of cooking. Otherwise just pick your spot and enjoy the views of Lake Wakatipu.
2. Kelvin Heights Peninsula
A 20 minute drive to Kelvin Heights (via Frankton) rewards you with a great picnic spot overlooking Lake Wakatipu and the awesome Remarkables. Follow signs to the golf course and pull up near to the course entrance. To work off the lunch, you can walk the 90 minute loop trail.
3. Queenstown Gardens
Walk past the beach area and head into an oasis in the heart of Queenstown. The tranquil and well maintained gardens is an ideal spot to rest your legs, read a book, enjoy a spot of lunch and take in the views. The gardens include the bowling and tennis club and the 18 hole disc golf course.
4. Lake Hayes
A 15 minute drive out of Queenstown (heading towards Arrowtown) will take you to a favourite spot of the locals. Park your car in front of Lake Hayes and enjoy stunning lake and mountain views. The loop walk around the lake takes about 2-3 hours and is popular with joggers and cyclists. To find, drive past Lake Hayes Pavillion and turn left at the Arrowtown sign, continue for a few hundred metres then turn left down a gravel road.
5. Wilson Bay
Head along the road to Glenorchy for 10 minutes and you'll come across a lovely picnic spot right on Lake Wakatipu. The still water and beautiful views are the definition of tranquility. It's also a starting point for a few walking and biking trails.
6. Twelve Mile Delta
A bit further along from Wilson Bay, this spot is situated 11km from Queenstown. Just head along the road to Glenorchy and look out for the signs and the campsite entrance on your left. Driving down the dirt track, park up and enjoy a picnic on the pebble beach overlooking Lake Wakatipu. Less than $10 camp overnight.
7. Gibbston River Trail
30 minutes from Queenstown, the Gibbston region is home to many world-class wines. Many wineries (and welcoming cellar doors) line the valley landscape. Pull over into the Peregrine Winery car park, and follow the river trail. There are a few tables and well paced seats to take in the gorgeous Kawarau River views.
8. Glenorchy
A spectacular 45 minute drive from Queenstown, you''ll soon appreciate why many Lord Of The Rings film scenes were shot here. There's plenty of space to park up in front of the Lake and marvel at Glenorchy's photogenic landscape. The 1 hour loop walk is a must before or after lunch.
9. Arrowtown
The historic gold mining town of Arrowtown is a 20 minute drive from Queenstown. Drive through the main high street and turn right into the Chinese Settlement Village where you will see plenty of parking spaces on your right. The picnic spot is by the river where you can expect to see the tourists trying their luck at gold panning. It's also the starting point of a few fabulous walking trails.
10. Kingston
The 45 minute drive from Queenstown is pretty special. The winding road hugs Lake Wakatipu and offers up stunning views at every turn. Once you reach Kingston, park up near the foot of Lake Wakatipu and make use of the picnic tables that sit on the water's edge.
Queenstown Car Hire:
If you need to hire a car to reach any of the trails, check our My Guide Car Rental Comparison Tool for the best deals on the market.
