Wanaka, located on the Southern Island of New Zealand, is a ski and summer resort town about an hour away from Queenstown. There are so many fun and exciting things to do in Wanaka that you can add to a New Zealand itinerary. Previously, the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, used this area for hunting and fishing. Now, it is the perfect place for an array of outdoor activities, especially hiking.
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Where to Stay in Wanaka
There is a wide range of places to stay in Wanaka: motels, lodges, chalets, etc. We opted to stay in an Airbnb guest house that was a block away from the main part of town. You can also visit Wanaka as a day trip from Queenstown.
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. You can find a range of hotels in Wanaka, but most are on the lower end. These are a few popular options.
- Edgewater Hotel
- Wanaka Hotel
- Club Wyndham Wanaka
- Alpine Hotel
- Archway Motel and Chalets
- Bella Vista Motel
Transportation in Wanaka
It is easy to walk around the main part of Wanaka. If you would like to go to some of the sites such as puzzling world or the lavender farm or do some hiking or skiing, you will need to rent a car or it may be possible to Uber there. I recommend renting a car through Economy Bookings as it will search all rental car companies for you.
Things to Do in Wanaka
1. Mount Aspiring National Park
Cost: Free
Hours: 24 hours
Mount Aspiring National Park is one of the best things to do in Wanaka. Wanaka is the gateway to this amazing National Park and people travel from all over New Zealand to visit here. It has some gorgeous sites to see and some spectacular hikes. Easy trails include the Blue Pools walk or visit Fantail Falls. These can be completed in under an hour. The most popular walk is the Rob Roy Glacier Track. The Rob Roy Track is 10 kilometers and may take 4-5 hours to complete. It goes through an area full of glaciers, mountains, and lakes.
2. Puzzling World
Cost: $20 and up
Hours: 9am-5pm
Puzzling World is another unique thing to do in Wanaka. This museum is full of optical illusions and has a super maze for visitors to go through. It is a great stop, especially for those traveling with children! Visitors can opt to spend as little as an hour here or an entire day exploring what Puzzling World has to offer. You won’t want to miss an afternoon here.
3. Rippon
Cost: Free
Hours: 12pm-5pm
One of the best things to do in Wanaka is wine tasting. There are a ton of wineries surrounding the area as the Central Otago region is known for some of the best wine in New Zealand. Rippon is a small winery that overlooks Lake Wanaka and is the closest one to town. It began making wine in 1975. At Rippon’s cellar door, visitors are able to try 5 different varietals of wine. Tastings are free, but in return, there is a box for donations if you do not buy any bottles.
4. That Wanaka Tree
Cost: Free
Hours: 24 hours
That Wanaka Tree has become Insta-famous due to its picturesque area, thus making it one of the best things to do in Wanaka. It is a unique willow tree that lies in the water of Lake Wanaka. It stands alone away from the other trees and protrudes out of the water creating a magical scene.
5. Wanaka Lavender Farm
Cost: $7+
Hours: 10am-5pm
The Wanaka Lavender Farm contains 10-acres of wonderful fields of lavender, several resident farm animals such as donkeys, alpacas, and cows, as well as beehives. There is also a shop where you can sample the honeys made on the property, buy some ice cream, or have a cup of tea. This is a great stop to grab some lavender goods to take home with you and makes for one of the best things to do in Wanaka.
6. Winter Sports
In the winter season, winter sports are a big attraction and one of the best things to do in Wanaka. The area is home to four ski resorts. If you are into winter sports (skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and more) you can easily spend a week visiting the different resorts and spending time on the mountain.
Best Places to Eat in Wanaka
Bombay Palace Wanaka
Cost: $$
Hours: 12:30pm-3pm, 5:30pm-9:45pm
Bombay Palace Wanaka is one of the best places to eat in Wanaka. This Indian restaurant has spectacular views of Lake Wanaka and the food is super delicious and the employees were very friendly. It is the perfect thing to do in Wanaka, especially if it is cold out.
Patagonia Chocolates
Cost: $
Hours: Varies by Location
Patagonia Chocolates is a popular chocolate shop with several locations around the Queenstown area. They also serve breakfast, drinks, and ice cream! It is a wonderful place to satisfy your sweet tooth. It is the perfect place to stop for dessert when planning things to do in Wanaka
Water Bar Wanaka
Cost: $
Hours: 12pm-Late
Looking for one of the best places for a nightcap in Wanaka? The Water Bar has many different beers on tap as well as an extensive menu. They also host various events throughout the week such as trivia night. You can check out their schedule online or stop by for more information.
The Doughbin
Cost: $
Hours: 6am-5pm
Meat pies are one of the most popular breakfasts in New Zealand. The Doughbin had at least 10 different pies to choose from and many of them have won awards. There is also a fantastic assortment of baked goods. Thus, you will want to stop here for breakfast during your one day in Wanakana.
17 thoughts on “6+ Fun and Exciting Things to Do in Wanaka, New Zealand”
I loooved staying in Wanaka. It’s so awesome how quickly you can get out hiking and into the mountains, but that there is so much amazing food there too. That’s for reminding me that I need to go back and explore this area more.
There is soooo much more to Wanaka than that tree! 😉
Right!? Wanaka was so cute and I’m glad we stayed there for a night! I’m already dying to go back!
Right!? I loved the little downtown. And agree… the tree was cool but agreed… so much more to Wanaka.
New Zealand is still on my bucket list and this post has given me even more reasons to go!
It is amazing! I already want to go back!!
You have to go! It was so awesome!
This place looks absolutely stunning!
It was SO pretty as was everything in New Zealand!
It was gorgeous.
New Zealand is so much on my bucket list. I need to include this place
New Zealand was amazing! Go ASAP. It was on my list for awhile and I’m already wanting to go back.
Thank you for acknowledging the Maori people! And i will definitely have to add this in to my itinerary when i visit!
Learning about the Maori history was awesome.
I LOVE WANAKA!!! My favourite place in New Zealand! Holy hell, the view from that winery!! And Puzzling World is sooo much fun haha. I really want to go back as I didn’t have time to hike to Roy’s Peak – in fact, there’s a lot I didn’t have time for! I love that photo with the tree, by the way.
Right!? Wanaka was such a good stop. We didn’t get to do the Roys peak this time since it was wintertime. Just means we have to go back!
I’ve had New Zealand down as a bucket list destination for so long and am always on the lookout to add destinations to my one day vacation there. Thanks for this post, will certainly be using this in the future 🙂
New Zealand is a must! It was on my bucket list for awhile and we finally found good airfare!