April 10, 2026 – Queenstown delivered from the moment we arrived. We’d checked into a stunning lakefront 4-bedroom apartment the night before, ready to take on the self-proclaimed adventure capital of the world. Downtown buzzed with excited tourists and towering mountain backdrops — we fit right in. Ended the evening with delicious Thai food. Good start.
Morning brought the Skyline Gondola and sweeping views over the city. I was all set for paragliding – until I discovered the tickets were only sold at the office down below. Rookie mistake. We pivoted to a 2-hour hike up Ben Lomond instead, and honestly? No regrets. Lake Wakatipu shimmering below, the Southern Alps in the distance, fall colors everywhere – easily one of the best hikes I’ve ever done. (The full summit takes 5-6 hours and promises 360° views. That’s filed under reasons to return.)
Speaking of reasons to return: the Shotover Jet was sold out too, courtesy of spring break. Life isn’t perfect – which is what makes it interesting. We consoled ourselves with downtown shopping and dinner at Saigon Kingdom, a Vietnamese gem with, in my completely unbiased opinion, the best pancake on the planet.
Queenstown, we’ll be back.
