8 Budget Items To Do In Queenstown

What comes to mind when you think of Queenstown?

Bungy jumping, beautiful snow mountains, glistening Lake Wakatipu at night, skiing, long queues at Ferg Burger… 

Young and younger travellers visit this destination for heart-pumping activities and as a base to begin their South Island conquest of places like Milford Sound and Wanaka.

There are many activities to do in this beautiful and vibrant town. Yet, most of these activities are pricey and would not work well for someone on a shoestring budget. 

Here are some of the low-budget activities I did in Queenstown. 

Add-on: I revisited Queenstown several times throughout my two-year stay in New Zealand as a Working Holidaymaker. I lived through the pandemic in NZ so many of the activities I did were on pandemic prices.

The article was first written in 2019, before the pandemic.

Ferg Burger and Mrs Ferg Gelato

A famous chain that began as a ‘hole in the wall’ burger joint. It has now sprouted into a must-try in Queenstown. The queue can be discouraging but do not be discouraged. The movement was fast when I was around.

I had the default burger with cheese added to it for another dollar. Taste-wise, the bread was fragrant and crispy, and the portion was too big for me!

I love the gelato from Mrs Ferg… but not so much for the sorbet. Never been a fan of sorbet. Here we had a double scoop in cup pistachio, double espresso and chocolate flavours for $6.30.

Add-on for 2020: 

Apart from Ferg Burger, there is another burger joint worth trying called the Devil Burger, at 5/11 Church Street. I like their blue cheese poached pear combination. Size-wise, Ferg serves the bigger burger.

I tried four or five burgers at Ferg, and my favourite was the Southern Swine. Tangy pineapple and juicy patty are a combination made in heaven.

As for Mrs Ferg, I like all their combinations!

According to my partner, the pork belly pie in Ferg Bakery was worth a try.

Art Galleries: Lonely Dog, Tim Wilson

There are several art galleries peppered around the streets of Queenstown, which makes walking around never a bore.

Recall: I was stuck in Queenstown for the first three weeks of my Working Holiday when everyone was in a festive mood, and no one wants to hire anyone.

One such gallery to swing by is the Lonely Dog Art Gallery located on 39 Camp Street. The whimsical artworks are refreshing and unlike what I had seen – a world of dogs and cats doing human activities.

The Tim Wilson Gallery is another of my favourites. Located at 45 Beach Street, the art pieces within capture the beauty of New Zealand in great detail. Photography is not allowed in the gallery so here’s a picture from their website.

Queenstown Garden

I visited this place thrice – once on my second day when the wind was nasty and cold, the second time a week later with a buddy during Christmas, and finally a year later with my partner. This is the easiest nature walk in Queenstown with its fair share of great photo spots.

Walk by Lake Wakatipu

‘Nuff said. The lake is there for all to marvel at. Enjoy it best along the edge of Queenstown Garden, away from the crowds or by the jetty. That is where you will get the fat ducks and noisy black-bill gulls waiting for food.

Daytrip to Arrowtown

For those without a car, rejoice. If you have bought the GO card, use it to tap on Orbus bus 2 to Arrowtown for $2. Visit the museum, walk around the cute neighbourhood and do a short trek by Arrow River.

Climb Tiki Trail (3 hours return)

The Queenstown gondola brings you up to the hill for a price of $44. But do you know you could walk up the hill for free with even better views? The Tiki Trail begins near the Queenstown Skyline and Queenstown Cemetery. Certain parts of the hike may need cautious manoeuvrings. 

Climb Ben Lomond (8 hours return)

Tiki Trail was easy. So does Ben Lomond…until the Saddle.

Begin your climb from Tiki Trail or One-Mile Track until you have reached the Saddle at 1,326 m. Thereafter, the wind may get rough as you scale up the unshielded and steep mountain ridge.

Prepare for minor bouts of scrambling over rocks near the summit. But what awaits you at 1,748 m are the unblocked visage of Lake Wakatipu and the snow-capped Alps.

Warning: Conditions may turn Alpine during colder seasons. 

Add-on: Climb Queenstown Hill!

A doable half-day trip from the town centre.

Explore Frankton

Apart from the walks by Kawarau River, Frankton has a lesser-known attraction. A Zoological Garden.

Situated at 100 Riverside Road, this zoological garden features peacocks, ponies and ducks. Members of the late Ivan Young family run the garden.

The zoo is open from 10 to 4.30 pm, seven days a week. It costs $15 for adults; children enter free under supervision.

Get to Frankton from Queenstown centre via the Orbus bus 1.

Visit the Shops

Queenstown has a plethora of shops selling mementoes. They vary from cheap keychains to expensive merino or possum fur wear.

Spend a rainy afternoon going from one shop to another to examine and feel the items on display. Or pick up some items from the recycle shop at the Recycle Boutique or the Salvation Army.

My Takeaways

• Be prepared for hefty accommodation and rental prices during peak periods. That is for summer. Prices become steep during the Christmas-New Year break.
• Sunblock and hats. The UV radiation in New Zealand is high and damaging to the skin. I burnt my scalp walking up Ben Lomond without a hat.
• Pack enough warm clothes. The temperature difference in NZ is no joke. You could get a nippy 9 dC at dawn and a scorching 29 dC by noon.