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Queenstown is the most popular vibrant stopover in the South Island of New Zealand and offers visitors a wealth of attractions and leisure pursuits. Here we highlight just a few Click on the picture links for full details. |
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Advise Go-Kiwi of your leisure requirements and save money.
Milford Sound Red Boat Cruises
Dart Safari Jet Heritage Tours
SKI Express MILFORD SOUND Coach or Fly
Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters
Nomad Safaris Queenstown Rafting
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For the ultimate thrill FlyByWire |
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Click on names below |
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Out & About in CHRISTCHURCH The Garden City
CHRISTCHURCH the garden city—On the authors very first visit to New Zealand he landed at Port Lyttleton and caught a steam train to Christchurch glimpsing his first views of this splendid country as he travelled. That was in the 50’s and there have been many changes since, but Christchurch was and still remains a garden city and probably the most English city outside of England. He fell in love with Christchurch as you will ... To enjoy the city to the full you should arm yourself with as much information as possible. On arrival by car follow the signs for the Visitor Centre on corner of Worcester Blvd and Oxford Ter (phone: 03 379 9629), there are also Centres at both the International and Domestic airports.
WALKING - The Avon river gently meanders through the city and it is worth strolling along the banks. After several blocks you will pass house after house with spectacular “very English suburb” flower gardens which really make you feel at home. If you wish you can hire a single or double canoe or let someone else take the strain and enjoy being punted along the river. Starting from the visitor centre take a two hour guided walk through the city. Visit the Cathedral and at 1pm, if he is still around, listen to the “Wizard of Christchurch” a very funny character dressed for the part propped up on his step ladder, informing, humouring, annoying, or out manipulating his daily audience. Visit the “Canterbury Museum” with its fabulous Hall of Antarctic Discovery (and an upstairs café for the odd cuppa), Air Force World, Dr.Heins Classic Car Collection, Science Alive and The Canterbury of New Zealand Sports Museum. At the Art Centre, which is a little like Covent garden in London, there are many entertainers and small restaurants/cafes. Christchurch has an Art Gallery – Robert McDougall behind the Canterbury Museum on Rolleston Ave. The Centre of Contemporary Art is at 66 Gloucester St. and no visitor to Christchurch will forget a visit to the International Antarctic Centre where you will find a realistic stimulation room of Scott’s base (very cold) and the history of the Antarctic exhibitions to date. The building actually hosts and acts as a base for the current New Zealand, United States and Italian Antarctic programs. It can be found at Christchurch International Airport on Orchard Road (take some time to take the lift to the roof of the departure lounge and do some plane spotting whilst here!). There are so many attractions in Christchurch it would take pages to record them all, the VISITORS GUIDE will put you fully in the picture. Finally, enjoy a trip on the Christchurch Gondola by taking a free shuttle bus from the Antarctic centre or drive to Ferry road where you can experience outstanding 360-degree views of the city, Banks Peninsula, Canterbury Plains and the distant Alps and enter the very interesting and informative Time Tunnel.
PARKS & GARDENS – As you would expect in a garden city there are many beautiful gardens for you to enjoy The Botanic Garden, Hagley Park and Mona Vale Homestead complete with an historic mansion are all a gardeners delight, 18 Km north of the city is the 1 Sq Kilometre Orana Park, New Zealand's largest wildlife park. On Hussey road, Harewood you will find the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve where you can view Kiwi’s in an outdoor environment.
SCENIC DRIVES – It is worth picking up a leaflet with detailed map to enjoy this to the full as it offers great views of Sumner, Lyttelton Harbour Estuary, the Seaward Kaikoura Range to the north, Christchurch City, Canterbury Plains, and the distant snow-capped southern alps. Take the 45 km scenic Northern Summit Road circuit. From the city centre, follow high street east onto Ferry road, heading along the old main road to Lyttelton. Go through Sunmer and up Evans Pass but instead of continuing along the main road down into Lyttelton, turn right (south) onto spectacular Summit Road. Be sure to stop at the Bridle Path. Just meander along this road and enjoy. If on your return you fancy a cruise, you can take an afternoon 40 minute scenic water tour which departs at 2-45pm daily. Return to the city along Summit Road, turn right at the “Sign of the Kiwi” on Dyers Pass Road and continue down through Victoria Park with its impressive rock gardens to the “Sign of the Takahe” a great place to stop for morning or afternoon tea or a smorgasbord lunch, it is on the corner of Dyers Pass Road and Victoria Park Road. From here continue through the attractive suburb of Cashmere via Hackthorne Rd onto Colombo St., which leads back to Cathedral Sq. There is also a Southern Summit Scenic Drive, part of which includes the above drive, and is all contained in the “drive” leaflet available from the Visitors Centre. Christchurch being very flat you might fancy Bicycling? Rent-a-Cycle can be located at 141 Gloucester St or try Cyclone Cycles at 247 Colombo St. ENTERTAINMENT – Bars and Nightclubs abound. There is a Casino, the Southern Ballet and Dance Theatre, and many cinemas. In summer there is outdoor entertainment in the parks and at New Year, Mardi Gras in Cathedral Square. EATING OUT – Restaurants come and restaurants go and whatever we recommend is “as was”. Food is only as good as the person who cooks it and sadly “Chefs” get itchy feet and are frequently head hunted and on the move, so our notations are purely suggestions based on “as was”…..do give them a try. Most of the city centre cafes and tearooms serve light continental style breakfasts, you will not find many serving Bacon and Egg. For that you need to stay in an hotel or there is a walk-in for the general public at The Hereford Hotel and the YMCA . For light lunches try Pastels Café, 77 Hereford Street or the botanical gardens Tea Kiosk. There are so many places you will not go hungry. Canterbury Tales (Park Royal Hotel) has wonderful food, top service and is for special occasions. Mainstream Café (Colombo Street) is a vegetarian restaurant, try the Kumara and Pumpkin Balls with the Sesame sauce if it is still on the menu. Another excellent vegetarian restaurant is DUX DE LUX (Cnr Hereford & Montreal Street) it also has live entertainment. MONTEBELLO'S RESTAURANT at the Christchurch Gondola is great especially on a clear night before and after sunset. A good "all you can eat" for the price Restaurant, is the SEQUIOA 88 at the Redwood Hotel (Main North Road). Huge selection of food, and excellent value. IL FELICE RESTAURANT (Lichfield Street) - for scrumptious Italian fare, LONE STAR CAFE in Manchester Street, for large helpings at reasonable prices, and last but certainly not least SPAGGALIMIS Pizza restaurant, 155 Victoria Street where you can get good home baked pizza’s at reasonable prices.
Enjoy your food and PLEASE tell us if you find somewhere special so that we can include it.
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