Dating all the way back to 1867, the Queenstown Gardens are a peaceful haven away from the thriving city. They are home to heritage-listed trees and boast captivating views of The Remarkables mountain range. Situated out on the outskirts of Queenstown on a small peninsula on the banks of Lake Wakatipu, the area the place to head to for an idyllic respite.

As the region’s foremost botanical park, this spot naturally contains a wide array of trees, flowers and shrubs, both those native to the soil and those introduced from elsewhere. Douglas firs are something of an icon in the Queenstown area, and here in the park, you’ll come across some of the oldest examples of the species anywhere in the country. You’ll also stumble upon other firs and oaks, including the English oaks planted by the city’s first mayor back in the 1860s – the first trees ever to be planted here in the gardens.

For sports lovers, this is a great place to feed the habit. You can play tennis, head for the Queenstown skate park, or watch the Southern Stampede ice hockey stars play at Queenstown Ice Arena. At the arena, you can even take the ice yourself and glide around for a while.

The park is also home to an 18-hole disc golf (or Frisbee golf) course. This little-known sport has been played here for around three decades, and you can find out how to play and give it a go.

Situated just outside the heart of Queenstown, you can easily reach the Queenstown Gardens on foot. If you come by car, parking is available for free. The gardens are open daily and are free to enter, although some of the sporting venues do charge for using their facilities.