The Best Things to Do in Queenstown at Night

At night, the Skyline Gondola glides gently down, taking you to the heart of Queenstown where dozens of evening activities await. Now you’re standing in awe at the Queenstown lakes, watching the water sparkle as the sun dips past the horizon.

And you’re wondering – what can you do now? Get excited – we have evening itinerary options to suit every traveller, whether you’re here to relax or have the adrenaline adventure of a lifetime.

The best things to do in Queenstown at night are:

1. Night Luge
2. Skyline Gondola and Dinner
3. Stargazing
4. Earnslaw steamship cruise
5. Wine & craft beer twilight tours
6. Lazer Tag at Game Over
7. Onsen Hot Pools
8. The Big Night Out
9. Night Ski

Our Night Luge experience allows you to enjoy over one and a half kilometres of colourful tracks. We open at dusk, with both our Luge tracks brought to life with stunning white and multi-coloured LED lights. To enjoy the full intensity of our vibrant tracks against the dark night sky, make sure you check the sunset hour for your chosen booking time.

Opening Hours: When the sun goes down, the lights go on! See the most up-to-date luge open hours here.

After your exhilarating Luge race (and a victory lap, since Once Is Never Enough!), reward your tastebuds and settle into the evening with some of New Zealand’s finest cuisine. If you’re coming directly from town, take the Skyline Gondola on a gentle, scenic ride up to Skyline Queenstown’s Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar. Our Stratosfare team has joined forces with local farmers and growers to offer you delicious meals, crafted with care from pasture to plate.

Opening Hours: Open hours vary between holiday periods, so visit our Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar page to see the most up-to-date dining times, where you can also book your table.

Looking for what to do with the family on a gorgeous clear, starry night? Head up to the Skyline Queenstown Stargazing location atop Bob’s Peak. Here, you can watch for elusive shooting stars, view illustrious constellations, and search for distant planets invisible to the naked eye.

Uncover these infinite wonders of the universe, as well as the Southern Cross and the Milky Way through an incredible, 100kg state-of-the-art telescope that allows an exceptional sharpness for stargazing.

Opening Hours: Head over to the Stargazing page for the most up-to-date Stargazing timetable (please note: stargazing is currently closed).

You can spend a leisurely evening on a lake cruise aboard the TSS Earnslaw. Lay your eyes on spectacular alpine scenery during a 90-minute cruise across Lake Wakatipu. Riding this century-old vessel – an iconic piece of New Zealand’s living history – is one of the most relaxing things to do in Queenstown at night.

Peek inside the engine room, the mini-museum, and the captain’s bridge before grabbing a delicious cold drink and snack at the onboard Promenade Café and Bar. You can book this iconic cruise as a standalone experience or include a visit to the Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet BBQ dinner.

Opening Hours: Daily, year-round apart from during annual maintenance (this is normally from early June to early July), during which a smaller boat will operate the tours.

With the Altitude Twilight Wine & Craft Beer Tour, you can feast on the best local wine or craft beer, complemented by antipasto platters to share with your friends and family. Uncover the magic of one of the world’s premium wine-producing regions in Gibbston. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or simply love a good glass, take a tour to learn more about the history and production of Queenstown’s world-class vino from the winemakers.

Opening Hours: tours departing daily in central Queenstown, lasting from 3.45pm – 7.45pm.

Wondering what to do in Queenstown to amuse the kids, the parents, or your most competitive mates? Challenge them to an action-packed game of laser tag! Gentler than paintball – but with all the challenges of accuracy, coordination, teamwork, and speed – this dynamic game will deliver laughs and great lasting memories. The exciting dinosaur-themed laser tag arena at Game Over provides an extremely enjoyable and safe way for any person to get active.

Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm daily (open 1pm – 7pm on Anzac Day, closed on Christmas).

Ready to unwind in a 38.5-degree cedar hot pool, enjoying a full hour of complete relaxation with a complimentary drink and some of Queenstown’s most beautiful views? The luxury Onsen complex is set between mountains and lush forests, with a unique spa experience inspired by Japanese bathing traditions.

These private cedar-lined Onsen hot pools are replenished daily with therapeutic fresh water. Onsen’s evening spas, high-quality facials, and body treatments are the perfect way to relax and revitalise your body and mind.

Opening Hours: 9am - 11pm daily.

When night falls, what’s better than kicking off your evening adventure with a pub crawl? Enjoy the liveliest nightclubs in town with The Big Night Out Pub Crawl – hosted by New Zealand’s finest party experts. With the Big Night Out, you’ll explore hidden laneways filled with some of the city’s best and liveliest drinking holes. Discover talented local cover bands and visiting DJs in Queenstown’s very best bars, clubs and pubs. Happy hour, here we come!

Opening Hours: Check their website for current open hours.

For winter activities in Queenstown, you’re in the best place for a spot of skiing. Family-friendly Queenstown ski fields such as Coronet Peak have incredible mountains and terrains, located just 20 minutes from downtown Queenstown by car or bus.

During the day the views are jaw-dropping, but in Queenstown, at night, you’re in for a visual treat. Ski down wide-open flood-lit trails from 4 pm to 9 pm every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday throughout the season.

Opening Hours: Wednesday, Friday & Saturday nights until the season ends (subject to weather conditions).

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing time or for the best adrenaline activities to continue your adventure into the night, Queenstown has some of the best evening attractions in the country. Can you find the time to fit all these things to do in Queenstown at night, into your itinerary?

Get inspired with more of Queenstown’s great attractions in our blog. From our world-class Gondola-assisted bike park to the iconic Queenstown Luge, this little scenic New Zealand town has an unbelievable amount of adventure to offer.

Now that you know the best things to do in Queenstown at night...

Read on to prepare yourself for a Queenstown trip-of-a-lifetime: