Top 10 Queenstown On A Rainy Day

Our guide to the best things to do in Queenstown when it rains

How frustrating is it when you arrive in the outdoor heaven of Queenstown and the weather is not playing ball. Not to worry, we've put together our guide on 'things to do on a Queenstown rainy day'. For a full list of ideas on what you can do in Queenstown, check our guide to Things Do In Queenstown.

1. Cinema

The rainy day pastime of going to the cinema is a tried and tested old favourite. Reading Cinemas is located the Mall in Queenstown and part of a nationwide chain with conventional cinema snacks, a mini-arcade and new releases. Dorothy Browns Cinema on Buckingham Street in Arrowtown is a boutique cinema showing a mixture of art-house movies and recent releases. Films are shown in The Main Cinema with a Chinese silk ceiling, chandeliers and big roomy seats, and The Den, which is smaller and comfortable. Refreshments include local wines, cheeseboards and organic ice-cream, and the tiny but well-stocked bookshop is a must for culture vultures.

2. i-FLY Queenstown

iFLY Queenstown is New Zealand's only indoor skydiving attraction and the most exhilarating experience in Queenstown. i-FLY creates a smooth, wall-to-wall cushion of air that all ages can safely float - no experience is necessary. All you need to do is lean into the airflow and that's it - you're flying. There is no parachute, no jumping, and nothing attaching you to Planet Earth. Location: 27 Brecon Street.

3. Ten Pin Bowling

There are two choices. Strikebowl is located in the Coronet Peak Hotel on Arthur's Point Road. Strikebowl has a fully stocked bar, serves pizza and other hot snacks and also has an entertainment centre with arcade games and pool tables. Location: Swiss-Belresort Coronet Peak, 161 Arthurs Point Road. Kingpin is a multi-activity centre on Brecon Street which includes ten pin bowling lanes, arcade, virtual reality games, escape rooms and private karaoke rooms. Location: 35 Brecon Street.4. Motion Theatre

Thrillzone is a great place to take the kids with a 12D motion theatre guaranteed to stimulate every one of the senses. The state of the art theatre offers a range of movies from roller coasters to a hunt for dinosaurs. Once visitors are strapped into the special active motion seats, the surround sound system and 3D screen immerse them in the chosen movie, while extra surprises including rain, snow, and even bubbles add to the fun. Location: 53 Shotover Street. Queenstown on a rainy day
5. Fear Factory

Open from 11.00am until late, experience Queenstown's very own Haunted House. Fear Factory Queenstown offers you a real life horror experience away fro the rain. Although aimed at adults, older children can also enjoy the the spine-tingling suspense if accompanied by an adult. Location:  59 Beach Street.

6. Swimming

Alpine Aqualand swimming pool is located in Frankton. The 25m lap pool is divided into slow, medium and fast lanes so that the Olympic hopefuls among you can really thrash it out and the more sedate swimmers can go at their own pace. Aqualand has a hydroslide that kids (and big kids) will love, a warm leisure pool heated to 32 degrees with a lazy river, floats, basketball hoop and mischief-inducing super soakers. There is also a toddler pool for the tiny ones and a relaxing hot pool heated to 39 degrees for adults. Location:  Joe Oconnell Drive, Frankton.
7. Art Galleries

Queenstown has a flourishing arts scene with plenty of art galleries dotted through the downtown area, Speargrass Flat Road and Arrowtown. Visit our guide to Queenstown's art galleries featuring contemporary leading New Zealand painters, sculptors and artisans.
8. Kingpin

All the fun under one roof. Kingpin offers the ultimate family experience under with ten pin bowling lanes, arcade, virtual reality games, escape rooms, karaoke rooms, table tennis, billiards, cocktails and corporate functions. There are also restaurants and bar areas with stunning views. Location: 35 Brecon Street.

9. Day Spas

Aching limbs and weary feet are a hazard of active holidays and bad weather is the perfect opportunity to remedy this. Highly-skilled massage and beauty therapists at established spas such as Body Sanctum and Forme will tend to your needs and tailor treatments to your requirements. Read our guide to the best spas in Queenstown to visit for more details.
Queenstown on a rainy day 10.  Visit A Winery

Central Otago is one of the country's premier wine-growing regions. In particular the hills and valleys around Gibbston, 30km due east of Queenstown, seem to benefit from this climate concentration. A short drive out of Queenstown along State Highway 6, offers visitors a chance to sample award-winning wines from the wineries that are dotted among the Gibbston, Bannockburn and Cromwell wine growing regions. Read our guide to the wine regions and our Wine Section for details on the major wineries to visit which also segments wineries by tasting rooms and with restaurants.

Get Wet Anyway:

There are myriad adventure activities and things to do in Queenstown that involve getting wet, so if you don't mind getting even wetter because it's raining, just go ahead and take the plunge. Jet boating, white water rafting, River Boarding are all wet activities, so it's not always necessary to change your plans or miss out because Mother Nature is having a bad day. Ziptrek Ecotours also operates whatever the weather and has purpose-built treehouses which are as sheltered from the elements as much as possible. Queenstown on a rainy day
Visit Nearby Regions:

Just because it's raining in Queenstown does not necessarily mean it's raining nearby. Arrowtown has pleasant walks, a beautiful river and quaint backstreets with charming boutique shops. Wanaka has a beautiful lake with hiking trails into Mount Aspiring National Park. Cromwell has walking trails, Lake Dunstan and award-winning wineries. Art galleries, cafes and vineyards populate the remote areas of Speargrass Flat Road, Dalefield and Bannockburn. Check out our Less than an hour's away guide for more inspiration.

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