6 | Tuesday, July 7, 2020 travel GO NZ: CentralOtago »

Stacey Hunt checks out Queenstown’s bestskiing, to the boarding, eatingand drinking

hile livinginLondononmy OE, Icasually slipped into conversationwith my horri- fied colleagues that I’d never been to Queenstown. slopes W Europe? Of course. I’d ticked off mostofthe boxes there.Myown backyard, however? Those boxes were embarrassingly empty. We New Zealanders are notorious for visiting far-flungregions of the globebeforeexploringour own turf, so Iknow Iwasn’t alone in this admission.Fortunately, since returning home nearly eight years ago,I’ve remedied this and Queenstown now sits up there as one my favour- ite placesinthe world. With Covid-19curtailingour international travelplans, there’s never been abetter timeto take advantageofthis incredible country we call home. We’resurrounded by some of the most Instagrammablescenery in the world,soit’s not exactly ahardship to tradeinthat European summer for asnow-kissed winter. The flight into Queenstown is enough reason to visitthe lakeside resorttown. The descent through the mountainsgives you aglimpse of the beauty of the region and,once you’ve landed, this little slice of paradise is yours to explore. During the heart of winter the main attraction for most is the ski fields. Queenstown is lucky to has afully licensed childcare Still hungry? Hit up Cromwell en routeback have four world-class ski fields centre, so youcan hand them to Queenstown for acheese roll or call in at any on its doorstep:, over to play in the snow while number of wineries in the region for asneaky , Cardrona youtake to the slopes. tipple of Central ’s pinot noir. and TrebleCone.All are within Atrip to Cardronaisn’t If you’re keen to stayslightlycloser to Queens- about90minutes’ drive of complete without calling in to town, atrip to can still be easily town,making iteasy to assess the Cardrona Hotel,one of made. The charming small town’stree-lined the weather andpick afield on ’s oldest pubs,for streetsare full of historic buildings and quaint the day. With Coronet Peak some apres-ski. cottages. sharing ski passes with The Half an hour’s drivenorth of Tiny in size, yes,but Arrowtown offers enough Remarkables and Cardrona’s lift Cardrona sits ,the eating anddrinking options to keep you going passes alsoworkingatTreble mountain most popular with ad- for days.Iregularly dream of Fan-Tan’sAsian Cone,mountain-hopping is a vanced riders. Traditionally more fusion dishes, La Rumbla’s tapas and Arrowtown breeze. of askier’s mountain, it has the Bakery’s pies. No trip is complete without avisit And in terms of safetyand hygiene highest and largest ski terrain in the to the Blue Door Bar. Slip intoaleathersofa next around coronavirus,all fieldswill abide South Island. to the fire and let the bartender pour you awinter by level1health andsafety standards with It’snot all about the skiing, however; the cocktail. Heaven. Covid-19 QR codes and increased cleaning. region has amultitude of otheractivities on offer, If you have aspecial eventtocelebrate or Having fewer internationalvisitors provides South and this seasonguests who have purchased you’rejust looking to treat yourself,the degus- the perfect opportunity for Kiwis to step up and Island passes for CoronetPeak or The Remarkables tation lunch or dinner at Amisfield,complete support New Zealand’s tourism industry and also Queenstown have the option of takingabreak from the with matching wines, is to die for. You’ll roll out means, perhaps selfishly,that we get more to mountainsand exchanging their day lift pass for of there blissfully full and happyafter feasting ourselves (and possibly afew Australians, Lake credit towards an off-mountain activity, dining on delicacies such as pa¯uapie and Southland Wakatipu bubble-expansion dependent). Lift queues should out or retail therapy in and around Queenstown. beef. SH6 be shorter and slopesless crowded, meaning Te Anau Adrenaline junkiescan gettheir fill jet- Tolkien fans should make their way to Glen- SH more bang for yourbuck this season. 94 boating,bungy jumping or skydiving. Those keen orchy, theheart of Lord of theRings country. The Adecrease in visitor numbers does,however, to keep their feet more firmlyonthe ground can small settlement is agatewaytothe Mt Aspiring mean each field will be running slightly reduced Checklist take in thebreathtaking views of the Shotover and FiordlandNational Parksand is surrounded services withafew lifts or T-bars outofaction Canyon while relaxing in the Onsen Hot Pools, by incredible mountains, crystal-clearlakes and at each resort. But this year, Coronet Peak QUEENSTOWN hire abike andexplorethe trails, take atrip up rivers andancient beechforests. Knownfor its introduces new gondola cabins on the Coronet the SkylineGondola or tour some of the local untouchedbeauty, it’s provided thebackdrop for Express for the firsttime and The Remarkables’ GETTING THERE wineries. anumberoffilms, notably and the new Sugar Bowl chairlift will be complete this Air New Zealand and No matter what you do though, don’t leave LOTR trilogy. month, opening up 2.5km of new trails. Jetstar fly direct from town without sampling aworld-famous Without adoubt the best way to takeinthe Only 20 minutes from central Queenstown, to Queenstown. Fergburger. jaw-dropping landscape of this area is Coronet Peak isthe closestfield for those basing Takesometime to venture fromthe air. Heli Glenorchy can themselves in town. With agood combination of DETAILS slightly furtherafield.Anhour fly you over the shingle-edged wide-open runsand well-groomed trails of all queenstownnz.co.nz or so through theCrown tributariesofthe Dart and levels, it’s agreat mountain for the whole family. Range leads you to Wa¯naka, Rees Rivers towards the Across the valley you’llfind The Remarkables, the perfect place to visit or domineeringMtEarns- which, despite having less skiable terrain,sit at stay for anyonelooking law. ahigher altitude, meaningyou’re more likely to to ski at Treble Cone. It’s the perfect way to strikeapowder day here. Known for its scenic finish your mid-winter Slightly further afield, among the picturesque lake views, the town getaway. Escape the mountain ranges between Queenstown and also boasts anumber of hustle andbustle, rest Wa¯naka is Cardrona,agreatfield for skiers and Skiing at The Remarkables great eating joints. yourwearylegs and snowboarders of all levels.With lots of wide-open nearQueenstown(main); PembrokePatisserie is relax while taking in slopes, there’s plenty of challengingterrain for BuckinghamSt, Arrowtown; home to arguably the the incredible experiencedriders as well as nice easy runs for the Milky Way over Lake world’s best custardslice surrounds. Soaring beginners. Plus it boasts an excellentterrain Wa¯naka(right). while Rhyme and Reason alongsidethe snow-coated park, which makes for greatviewing as you go Photos /Getty Images; Brewery has chilledbeers, mountains with electric- over on the Whitestar Express chairlift. DestinationQueenstown food trucksand allows your blue glacierspeeping out is a For parents with little ones in tow, Cardrona four-leggedfriends to join you. once-in-a-lifetimeexperience.