Our week in Queenstown - Part 1

All we knew about Queenstown was that it was known as the "Adventure Capital of the World" and was the birthplace of commercial bungy jumping.  That was plenty enough to put this place at the top of our must-see list for this trip!

Bungy jumping, rafting, and skydiving all within one city block of Queenstown's main street (Shotover St.)

The first time Andy and I experienced Queenstown was on the way south from Wanaka to Milford Sound. This was a very brief visit as we had a lot of driving to do that day, but we were able to catch a quick glimpse of the city we had been looking forward to the most. I will share with you my first impression from my personal journal (excuse the bad grammar):

“I like Queenstown! It has a cool vibe. It's a small touristy town but there's a lot of people and a lot of activity going on...”

If you remember, this is a direct contrast to our initial reaction to Wanaka.

So after we finished exploring Fiordland National Park, we returned to this exciting town with plans to stay for a week and see what this place (and its surrounds) had to offer. We arrived on my birthday (the 8^th), which also happened to be our 7^th dating anniversary! Unfortunately, we were completely exhausted and still sore from the hike we had done just a few days earlier, and the cough I got from Wanaka had then developed into a full-blown cold. As a result, we spent the day at a campground just outside town, resting and taking it easy. Exploring and celebrating would have to wait...

The next day, we ventured into town to wander the streets and take in the sights. Let me just say, Queenstown has a lot going for it. The city itself is very centralized, so everything is walking distance once you hit main street. With that said, there is A LOT to see and do within a very small area. Shopping, restaurants, and bars abound. There is a mall, a few small parks, and a waterfront.

Check out some of our photos below:

St. Omer Park:

There were a few things that made Queenstown stand out amongst all the other towns we'd visited in New Zealand: 1.) there were a lot of people our age here, 2.) the city didn't shut down at 6PM, and 3.) they had mexican food and pho!  #3 alone gives Queenstown major bonus points, in my book.

Check back to see how we celebrated my birthday / our anniversary!