Queenstown & Wanaka
The only indications that you've arrived are the unmarked blue doors – push them open and it's like stepping into a prohibition-era speakeasy. The low-lit…
Must-see nightlife in Queenstown & Wanaka
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Queenstown & Wanaka
The wood-panelled facade looks like a film set, but it's the real deal – NZ's most photographed pub is a gold-rush relic from 1863. The sense of history…
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Wanaka
Beer-loving locals head to this inconspicuous tin shed – situated in a light-industrial strip on the edge of town – to escape the tourists down at the…
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Wanaka
Before the Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone flick, there was already this Lalaland in Wānaka. Sink into a comfy chair at the little, low-lit palace/bordello,…
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Wanaka
If you're in the swing for bling, this lush bar is like stepping into a Baz Luhrmann film set. Gilded mirrors, a grand piano (yes, you can ask to play it)…
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Queenstown
There are usually 23 craft beers on tap at this pint-sized lakefront bar, headlined by brews from Dunedin's Emerson's Brewery and Queenstown's Altitude;…
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Queenstown
That hint of wobbliness you feel isn't the alcohol (yet), it's the fact that you're drinking on an old tour boat that's now permanently moored at the…
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Queenstown & Wanaka
Built as a bank in 1870, Fork and Tap's currency is now craft beer, with up to 19 suds on tap. Add in good food, including shared meat and cheese platters…
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Queenstown
Ignore the uninspiring location and settle in for a journey around NZ wine. Load up cash on a smart card and then help yourself to tasting pours or…
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Queenstown
How often do you get to drink in a courthouse, as opposed to ending up in a courthouse because of drink? This bar is inside a heritage-listed 1876-built…
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Queenstown
Queenstown's legendary party hub before it was destroyed by fire in 2013, the World is once again spinning. Decor swings between degrees of eclectic, from…
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Queenstown
Bunkered upstairs rather than down, this chi-chi little bar clearly fancies itself as the kind of place Sean Connery's James Bond might frequent, if the…
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Queenstown
This small, cavelike wine bar is all class. Under a low ceiling are plush leather armchairs and a fireplace made from Central Otago schist. Whisky is king…
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Queenstown
It's back to basics in everything but the taps, with bare concrete floors and industrial tables and chairs, but 36 creative NZ craft beers to sample. The…
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Queenstown & Wanaka
Just off the Gibbston Hwy, this supremely rustic pub has a jute-lined interior and outdoor seating gathered around a fire. All wines are from Gibbston,…
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Queenstown
Schmick interior design combines with handsome woodwork at this popular pub, with fake sheep heads to remind you that you’re still in NZ. Mac’s beers on…
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Queenstown
Queenstown's hippest rock bar is located – as all such places should be – in a dark, grungy, concrete-floored space off a back lane. There's a popular…
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Queenstown
Tucked into a corner of the Sofitel, this velvet-smooth jazz lounge is named for the French Revolution, with a bloody colour scheme to suit. There are…
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Queenstown
Enter the underworld, or at least the space under the World Bar, to find the heartbeat of Queenstown's late-night life. It's a proper, sweaty, industrial…
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Queenstown
This vibey basement bar serves Rhino's house lager on tap ($5), hot rum in the ski months and empanadas. Animal pelts, snowshoes and skis line the…
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Queenstown
Slink into the darkened interior of this slick bar for a sneaky afternoon cocktail, or perch yourself on the waterfront terrace for views over the lake.
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Wanaka
The mainstays of Post Office Lane are this sports bar and neighbouring Barluga, sharing a courtyard and operating more or less in tandem, especially when…
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Queenstown & Wanaka
Dating from 1866, this gold-rush pub still has the right amount of rough edge to provide a juxtaposition to Arrowtown's relentless quaintness. The gnarled…
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Queenstown
Queenstown has two ice bars and they're pretty similar, but this one is apparently the biggest in Australasia. The frigid room is entirely furnished out…
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Queenstown
Like an English boozer framed with large-screen TVs, and with 17 beers on tap, this pub is a great place to watch the rugger. There's good pub grub (mains…
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Queenstown
The big attraction at this otherwise average bar, huddled among shops, is the roof terrace – a wonderfully hidden-away spot for an alfresco drink, though…
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Queenstown
Beyond the eclectic decor (stuffed bear, stock-exchange boards on the wall), Ballarat is quite a traditional spot, with gleaming beer taps, nightly bands,…
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Queenstown
With the vibe of a pub, but the wine list of a sopshisticated lounge bar, Barmuda is a drinking hole for all-comers. A huge open fire makes its walled-in…
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Queenstown
Pool tables and shared rotisserie chickens make this a top spot for easy carousing. Free-flowing beer and well-mixed cocktails will help things along. If…
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Queenstown
If you're wanting a shot of caffeine courage as you head up the hill to the Shotover River or Coronet Peak, this tiny black cabin brews a fine coffee…and,…
