Stories from the Road: Mini Tales from Queenstown

This is a sponsored post written for Destination Queenstown. All opinions are 100% mine.

We’ve been to Queenstown twice in the one year we’ve lived in New Zealand. And I already have a trip planned to go back again in a few months. Queenstown pairs well a cute town full of delicious eateries with easy access to an extraordinary number of adventures ranging from easy strolls along lake Whakatipu to the challenging summit of Ben Lomond. The great part is though, especially for families, the views and the vibe from any part of Queenstown feel epic, awe inspiring, and rejuvenating.

Now imagine we’re on a hike together or snuggled up by a campfire sharing our adventure stories. I’ll go first. Here are three of our stories from the road in Queenstown.

An Ever Changing Backyard

Wherever we stop in Queenstown to explore, play and adventure, the benefits of time spent playing outside are plentiful. The sunshine, the exercise, the ways we interact together, they are all lovely. But what I most love to watch is the ways in which nature-play invites my kids to take risks and exercise their brain’s executive functioning - the skills that help us plan, prioritize, troubleshoot, negotiate, and multitask. The skills that help us be successful humans. From my experience, and also many scientific studies, there seems to be no better place than the perfectly sensory balanced environment of nature and wild spaces. The camper van door slides open and I watch the kids hop out into an ever changing backyard. 

At Twelve Mile Delta campground it's only moments before 4 year old R has hoisted a fallen branch out of a bush and is holding it up as her walking stick. It’s over twice as tall as she is. I watch her head off in search of treasure in the forest, little sister in tow with her own smaller stick. I trade off watching the kids in the bush, and the lake in the distance, shining blue in the rising sun.

At St. Omer’s playground, we race down the grassy hill to build a bridge in the stream with branches and the biggest rocks we can find, and throw arguably the best skipping rocks I’ve ever seen. They are light gray, a half inch thick, and nearly perfectly round and flat. Rock throwing is a favorite simple pastime of ours I’ve come to hold close to my heart. With 1-year-old Q, I practice throwing. With 4 year old R, we practice skipping rocks. And then I watch as my husband skips stones across the water with ease. Some skip over 20 times before finally piercing the surface. Others bounce once and sail across the water like a frisbee.

In the afternoon we found street parking and hopped out for a short walk to the Bathhouse Playground, one of my favorite playgrounds in Aotearoa New Zealand. The playground equipment is plentiful and fun, including a big slide down the hill, but it's the natural playspace that makes it for me. A stream runs right through the spacious park right into the lake. There are climbing trees and a floating dock to swim to. The views of Lake Whakatipu and Queenstown, and its proximity to Fergburger clinch its place on the top of my list.

At dinnertime we drive around the lake toward Glenorchy, and it's not long until we find a quiet spot to park. I cook dinner and watch out the window as the kids stack rocks with their dad.

At Frankton Beach we play on the playground at sunset in PJ’s before bed, watching the light turn the mountains beyond the lake a dusky blue.

After a few kilometres' drive down a gravel road through rolling green hills covered in sheep - the quintessential NZ view - we park for the night at grassy Moke Lake, where the Shelduck and Kereru seem to quiet down just as we do, in time to go to sleep.

Little Legs and Lessons from Mother Nature

I pulled into the Showground parking lot at Lake Hayes feeling a little weary. My husband, Travis, had left a couple days prior - heading back home to work for 9 days while I continued road tripping with my 2 kids before he returned to finish up the trip with us - and parenting solo on the road was proving to be a tad exhausting.

But the antidote to tired parenting for me is often a hike and a sense of flexibility. I threw some snacks in the bottom of my Osprey Poco carrier backpack, attached my Trail Magik carrier in case I needed to carry both kiddos and pointed them in the direction of the trail, unsure exactly where we’d end up.

It was the first day since our arrival we’d seen clear blue skies overhead. We wandered 100m or so before 4 year old R was already asking for a snack. Wracking my brain for some of the tools I keep in there for keeping little legs moving, I offered a game of red light, green light and promised snacks when we found a good shady spot to play in the water.

We pointed out flowers and mama ducks swimming with their babies in the lake as we walked along until we came to the first shady spot, conveniently also the first accessible spot for water play. After a snack and some wading and throwing of sticks, I felt the urge to get some more solid non-toddler pace exercise and exploring in. With a little convincing, I got the kids loaded in the carriers, R in the backpack and 1 year old  Q on my front before continuing around the lake.

Luckily, carrying two kids, at a total of about 30kg, makes for plenty of exercise regardless of how long (or short) I carry them. After only a half km or so I found the kind of picturesque spot I was looking for. Right along the water was a huge shade tree, also good for climbing, and not only was it next to a gorgeous dock on the calm waters of Lake Hayes reflecting the clouds and green rolling hills, but hanging from the tree was a rope swing. Perfect.

After taking turns on the swing, checking out the view from the old, wooden dock, and watching another few families of ducks go by, I suddenly remembered how hungry I was. I sat down beside my bag on the shore and began pulling out various bags of crackers and apples and yogurt drops when all of a sudden a mama duck and her 6 fuzzy little ducklings came purposefully swimming around the corner and waddled up on shore right towards me.

At first they walked around, curiously checking the ground for food and testing, I assume, to see if I’d give them any. While I was watching the ducklings to my right, a duckling snuck up on my left and nibbled my toe. It startled me and I made a little scared squeak before realizing what had happened and laughing with the kids.

R was intrigued and slipping her right foot out of her gray Croc, she stuck her toe out toward the ducks. Without hesitation, a little yellow one with a brown top walked right up and took a few nibbles on her foot. She giggled with delight.

While we watched the ducks circle us, we talked about why it’s not ideal to feed birds and wild animals. About how people's food can hurt their bellies and foster inappropriate behavior, like some birds we’ve seen be aggressive in trying to steal our food. We talked about how it’s our job to help take care of the environment, and respecting wildlife is one of the ways we can do that.

Then I sat back and watched my 4 year old test her limits climbing the tree with its trunk so wide it would take 4 of me to wrap my arms around its trunk, and swinging as high as she could over the water on the rope swing. I watched sticks become swords. I watched my 1 year old navigate uneven surfaces. I watched the two girls work together to climb over rocks, and invite one another to play.

I may have started the hike overwhelmed, but free play in nature did its job. I felt, all of us felt it seemed, more balanced, rejuvenated, and ready to tackle the rest of the day. Starting with a heavy hike out and a well earned lunch.

Queenstown makes it easy. To find that balance and rejuvenation, that is. There seem to be infinite hikes, nooks and crannies on the lake to play in, and views to be soaked up, all within minutes of town. They call it the Adventure Capital, but I like to call it Home of the Easy but Epic Adventures.

5 Minutes or 5 Hours

We woke up at Twelve Mile Delta Campground and peeked out the window at Lake Whakatipu and the surrounding hills in the distance. The sky was lighting up pastel with streaming clouds across its morning face. Chaffinch and realizing chirped good morning.

I popped open the van door for some fresh morning air while we cooked breakfast, eggs and bagels, on our van stove. The kids and I snuggled in bed, reading books and playing tickles. It’s pretty darn convenient we can play in bed while my husband cooks, all hanging out together with views like that.

A few minutes down the road we parked at the Bob’s Cove trailhead, loaded up with swimsuits and towels and were hopeful to make it to the lookout before heading down to the lake to play. But it was one of those parenting mornings. You know the ones. When everyone seems rather grumpy and a short stroll through the shady bush down to the water sounds a whole lot more manageable than carrying many kilograms of gear and grumpy kids up a trail.

Disappointed and a little grumpy myself, we walked from the car park just a few minutes down the hill until we found a little side trail leading to the rocky shore. I stepped over tree roots in the moist soil and onto the gray stones that lead to the water.

It was early and a little chilly, but the kids were game, so we changed into swim suits and waded into Lake Whakatipu. I’d been so focused on logistics and managing everyone’s needs that when the kids finally settled into playing and I had a moment to breathe, I was surprised as I looked up and felt that loved and familiar sense of awe sink into my chest. The deep blue water of the lake calmly reflected the rolling hills beyond and the bright blue sky above. I could feel the cool breeze spilling out of the dark green of the forest.

We stacked rocks into piles, climbed on the bigger ones, laid in the sun and soaked up its rays to warm up before heading back in to splash again. We found perfectly bench shaped rocks to sit on while we ate snacks. And when we’d had our fill, it was a relief to only have a few minutes’ walk back that day.

I may have set out to reach a different destination, but Queenstown always delivers. Whether I walk 5 minutes or 5 hours, the views are soul-relaxing. As a young adventure family, I value that deeply. You don’t have to take on some taxing hike to feel adventurous here. All you have to do is look up.

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Want more details on the highlights of our trip mentioned here? Check out my Ultimate Family Travel Guide to Queenstown, NZ blog post here.