Travelling with children in tow can feel like herding cats on the best days. They need to be entertained, challenged and managed — and between packing bags and sourcing snacks, who has time to research kid-safe, adult-friendly activities?
We do.
Queenstown is often known as New Zealand’s adventure capital, but it’s also one of the country’s best family holiday destinations. From luge rides and steamship cruises to wildlife encounters and puzzle-filled day trips, there are plenty of activities that children (and parents) will love.
What Are the Best Things to Do in Queenstown with Kids?
If you’re visiting Queenstown with children, four family favourites consistently stand out. The Skyline Gondola and Luge combine incredible views with high-energy fun, Puzzling World offers hands-on entertainment for all ages, the historic TSS Earnslaw turns sightseeing into an adventure, and Kiwi Birdlife Park introduces families to New Zealand’s unique wildlife. Together, they make a fantastic introduction to Queenstown for families.
Skyline Gondola & Luge
Kick their senses into gear with an eagle-eye view of Queenstown aboard the Skyline Gondola.
The perfect setting for a round of I Spy and landmark spotting, the gondola delivers the awe in awesome without overcomplicating it. Bob’s Peak awaits at the top, where families can enjoy spectacular views across Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountains.
Then it’s time for the real fun to begin.
The Skyline Luge is one of Queenstown’s most popular family attractions, offering safe, gravity-fuelled fun for children and adults alike. Pick a track, race the family to the bottom and then do it all again.
Puzzling World
Located in nearby Wānaka, around an hour’s drive from Queenstown, Puzzling World is fun — no other words required.
This wonderfully bizarre combination of architectural absurdities, illusion rooms and brain-teasing challenges keeps families entertained from start to finish. Wander through tilted rooms, lose your sense of direction in optical illusions and take on the famous Great Maze.
Designed to baffle, bewilder and bemuse, it’s a huge hit with children and adults alike.
TSS Earnslaw Cruise
Lake Wakatipu is majestic and deeply photogenic — although younger travellers sometimes need a little extra motivation.
That’s where the TSS Earnslaw comes in.
Board the historic steamship and cross the lake while exploring the engine room, watching the stokers at work, wandering the decks and listening to the pianist playing on board.
For many children, it’s their first experience aboard a working steamship — and that’s a pretty memorable way to spend an afternoon.
Kiwi Birdlife Park
New Zealand’s wildlife is unlike almost anywhere else in the world, and Kiwi Birdlife Park offers the perfect introduction.
Dedicated to conservation and education, the park allows families to get up close to some of New Zealand’s most iconic native species. Visit the nocturnal kiwi house for a rare glimpse of the country’s famous national bird, then discover reptiles, birds and conservation programmes found nowhere else on earth.
You can even meet a tuatara — often described as a living fossil — whose ancestors roamed the planet more than 200 million years ago.
Honestly, that’s pretty hard to beat.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Queenstown with Kids?
Queenstown is a fantastic family destination throughout the year.
Summer brings warm weather, lake activities and long daylight hours, while winter transforms the region into a snowy playground with skiing and alpine adventures nearby. Spring and autumn offer fewer crowds and mild temperatures, making them ideal for families who prefer a more relaxed pace.
Whenever you visit, you’ll find plenty of family-friendly activities waiting.
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Ready to start planning?
Book your Queenstown family holiday with New Zealand Holidays and discover why so many families return to this remarkable destination year after year.