I have put together my most memorable experiences from a bucket list trip that my husband and I took to New Zealand. For this blog, I am going to focus on my favourite little town on the South Island; Queenstown. If you are planning to travel to the South Island of New Zealand, Queenstown is not to be missed. 

Without further ado, let me present my recommendations to you: 

1. Stay at The Rees Hotel and Apartments:  One of the most important components of any travel plan is where to stay. I recommend a stay at The Rees Hotel, located in beautiful Queenstown, New Zealand. This accommodation is a beautiful and luxurious one; with stunning views of Lake Wakitipu and very conveniently located to downtown. The apartment suites have all the comforts of home, and you will want for nothing! The Rees Hotel is a sophisticated five-star hotel with all the little extras and conveniences you would expect from a luxury hotel including a fine dining restaurant with an award-winning chef and a fabulous selection of wine. Be sure to take advantage of the shuttle service in luxury vans to get back in forth from the town centre. 
2. Lunch from Ferburger – eaten at Perky’s Floating Bar: Speaking of going downtown, this brings me to my next ‘do not miss’ activity. Save room one of the days for lunch and head into town; it will not be difficult to find this iconic take-out restaurant but be sure to leave yourself ample time to wait in the queue as it tends to be a bit long. The location I am referring to is The Fergburger; a busy joint known for high-end inventive burgers made with beef, chicken & other exotic proteins. Adjacent is the Fergbakery, where the fresh burger buns are baked daily. Now along with your Fergburger I think you deserve a beautiful view; take your lunch in the to-go bag, and head on over to the Lake, where you will find Perky’s Floating Bar. This unique bar is actually a boat; and it only serves beverages, so you are welcome to bring your burgers on board, order your drinks and enjoy lunch with an incredible view. 
3. A visit to Wild Earth Winery and Restaurant: Next up on our itinerary was a visit to the Wild Earth Winery and Restaurant. This is quite possibly one of the most unique places I have been to, and I highly recommend you add it to your list. It is located outside of Queenstown so you will need to either drive or arrange transportation, but just the views alone will be worth it; it is located across from a spectacular gorge; cross over a wooden bridge and come upon the beauty that is Wild Earth. Do plan to enjoy a meal, whether it be lunch or dinner; the experience of the unique food presentation is part of its charm, and they use ingredients such as wild game meats in their dishes that are very appealing to the palate. 
4. Safari of the Scenes – Glenorchy – Nomad Safaris: Not sure if you are aware, but Queenstown is home to many of the “Lord of the Rings” scenes. “Safari of the Scenes – Glenorchy – Nomad Safaris”; is a tour that you can take from Queenstown, and it is phenomenal. The beautiful scenery that you will experience; while it is tied into the “Lord of the Rings” filming sites, it is not limited to its fans. A word of warning: if you do experience motion sickness perhaps take a dose of motion-sickness preventative medicine or, at the very least, try sitting close to the front of the off-road vehicle as you will be going over some very rough terrain on this tour. The views you will experience, however, will make it completely worth every bump along the way.  
5. Visit The Winery: While in Queenstown; and if you are a wine drinker, do not miss out on this experience. Conveniently located right in the centre of Queenstown, look for the bright red doorway. Here, you can taste over 100 of New Zealand’s Wines, as well as Whiskeys and Gins. You purchase a tasting card, and you get to choose which wines to taste. You might get lucky and spot the wine trolley out front. We thought this experience was lots of fun, and a great option to try out which wines to bring home.