Hailed as Queenstown’s shy little sister, Wanaka is probably great in the summertime. The increasingly popular resort town is built around a crystal clear lake and surrounded by that quintessential Kiwi cluster of mountains. Wanaka offers a whole host of outdoor activities for the rosy-faced, enthusiastic tourist and has quickly transformed into a must-visit in New Zealand’s south island.
In overcast June, however, the ‘lifestyle reserve’ is pretty much a ghost town. Unless you’re into skiing (which we are not), there’s really not much going on.
So we made our own entertainment.
What to do in Wanaka during winter?
Go to the flicks
When we realised all the lake based activities weren’t possible in Winter, we smuggled a bottle of wine into the cute Paradiso Cinema, where they serve freshly baked cookies during the interval. We watched the Hangover 3 on comfy sofas and took photos in the Morris Minor that served as cinema seats. Definitely worth a visit!
We spent the rest of our 2 days in Wanaka drinking in front of fires in pubs or at the YHA Hostel‘s regular movie nights.
Where to eat in Wanaka
After a few pints C and I were pretty giddy and went to get (amazing) pizza at Kai Whakapai. The name of the restaurant translates in Maori to ‘Food made good’, and its lakefront location was great for people watching.
Tourist attractions in Wanaka
On our last day we walked out to Puzzling World. Its a fun place to waste a rainy day, especially for kids and adults interested in illusions.
On the way back we realised we were going to miss our bus so we tried our hand at hitchhiking and got picked up by a hairy ginger Australian guy. Sorry Mum.
Maybe it was a little deserted, but Wanaka at winter is still a must-see. Enough tranquility, we wanted to party! Next stop Queenstown!
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