Queenstown Budget Travel Tips for 2025

In this Queenstown travel guide, you will uncover the best Queenstown budget travel tips; from feeding farm animals for free on the side of the road, to getting the best views of the adrenaline pumping activities like jet boating and bungee jumping.

Our trips to Queenstown, the tourist capital of the south island of New Zealand, usually consist of too much food, plenty of outdoor experiences and far too much money spent. However this time round our visit to the south had to be reigned in on a tight budget, so we spent our week finding some of the best free things to do in Queenstown and the surrounding areas.

Although of course you can’t go on holiday without spending a good wad of cash, this list of free Queenstown entertainment will surely fill the gaps where you would otherwise spend at the pub or shopping.

Quick Queenstown Budget Travel Tips

You will never get away with having a free holiday in Queenstown, but if you follow these tips you will be certain to save a few dollars on your next New Zealand holiday.

• Visit during the shoulder season and avoid school holidays. Visiting Queenstown during Spring or Autumn will get you the cheapest deals on flight and accommodation as majority of people visit during peak Winter or Summer seasons.
• Book accommodation outside of the main Queenstown CBD.
• Compare car rental companies – Budget, Jucy, Omega and Yes rentals are some of the cheapest.
• Eat like a local – avoid restaurants in the center of Queenstown CBD or ones that are popular on social media.
• Food shop at Pak n’ Save – this is New Zealands cheapest supermarket
• Sign up for rewards programs; most fuel stations have rewards programs where you can save money on fuel.

Feed Friendly Roadside Goats

The south island is covered in paddocks, farm animals and native creatures, so why not take the time and meet some friendly farm friends while you’re visiting Queenstown? A few minutes outside of Arrowtown and sitting on part of a cycle trail is a picturesque section of farm that 5 goats and a chicken call home.

Lined up along the fence are jars of goat feed, for a small donation you can grab a few handfuls and feed the goats by hand. However don’t go crazy as you can probably imagine how often these animals get fed a day. Some of the goats have learnt to stand up on the fence to get the first offering of food so watch your fingers and any lose items.

You can easily find these goats by searching on Google Maps “Arrowbelle Feed the Goats”, this will take you to Arrow Junction Road where you can’t miss the goats peering across the fence waiting for their next feed.

Visit The Big Cow

The description is in the title, the Big Cow is a very large tan cow that hangs out in a paddock of the Remarkable Vets with several goats and a couple of sheep. Visiting The Big Cow should be on everyone’s Queenstown travel guide, as it is simple one of the most unexpected but pleasant free things to do in Queenstown. Sitting on Malaghans Road just 5 minutes out of Arrowtown, the Big Cow makes for a fun little stop whether you’ve got children or not. Believe it or not but all you have to do is search “The Big Cow” on Google Maps and bam, you have directions to your free Queenstown entertainment

Visiting the Big Cow is super easy if you’re already on your way to seeing Arrowtown, the paddock borders Malaghans Road and there is plenty of parking inside the Remarkable Vets driveway.

The paddock across the driveway houses a very vocal Kunekune pig, a doe that has a hankering for human hair and a sheep that is suspicious of everything. Grab yourself a handful of leaves from any of the trees and you’ve found yourself a furry friend. Seeing a bunch of farm animals might not be everybody’s idea of a fun Queenstown activity, however it’s not everyday you can scratch the back of a Kunekune pig and get your hair eaten by a doe.

Do you want some bonus Queenstown entertainment? Check out the reviews for The Big Cow, they definitely don’t disappoint.

Feed Friendly Cycleway Llamas

Unless you haven’t noticed; there is a bit of a theme with these free things to do in Queenstown, however when you are surrounded by green pastures of course there’s going to be animals, and what better way to spread joy than allowing the general public to feed them for free.

Along the cycle trail leading from Arrowtown to Gibbston Valley is a farm of llamas, and just like Arrowbelle Feed the Goats, you can grab some llama pallets for free and enjoy the feeling of your fingers being lapped with jelly like saliva. Before you move on to the next Queenstown activity, I can assure you this is the last animal related stop on my Queenstown travel guide.

Visit the Chinese Settlement, Arrowtown

I’ve mentioned it before in one of my Queenstown itinerary posts, the Chinese Settlement in Arrowtown is one of the best free things to do in Queenstown. Although based in Arrowtown, it is a short drive from Queenstown. The Chinese Settlement is a historic mining village from the late 1800’s when many Chinese emigrated to New Zealand in the hopes of finding prosperity in the shape of gold. Instead they were houses in small huts made from schist and mud that sat in the freezing shadow of the Crown Range.

Popular for it’s picturesque background, The Chinese Settlement offers a beautiful backdrop onto the Arrow River, follow the path along behind Arrowtown village and enjoy a serene walk.

The best time to visit Arrowtown is during autumn, when the colours of the leaves change to an array of reds, golds and yellows, draping the neighbouring hillside in warm glowing colours for weeks on end.

Lake Moke Walk

Lake Moke walk has very recently become one of my favourite hikes to do in Queenstown. A very common free thing to do in Queenstown is to find a hiking track and spend the day out in nature, all you need is a packed lunch, water bottle and access to a private vehicle.

Lake Moke is a picturesque lake seemingly untouched by human influence, the walking track navigates the edge of the lake taking you along a gravel pathway which tracks the hilly terrain around the lake. You will need a moderate level of fitness for this walk, but none the less the flat paddocks allow for a perfect relaxation location on the waters edge.

Moke Lake is a 30 minute drive from Queenstown and the hike took us around 2 hours to complete. Pack a drink bottle and sun protection because there is very little shade along the path. If you’re visiting during the summer months I highly suggest packing your swimwear or at least a change of clothes, there are several pockets of water edge access along the track where you can enjoy a cheeky dip in the water.

If you’re feeling a bit adventurous then pack some camping gear and spend the night by Moke Lake, a small fee and booking must be made with DOC but it’s a very inexpensive way to see the south island.

Watch the Shotover Jet

Experiencing a ride on the Shotover Jet is definitely a fun way to spend part of your day and something everyone must try and do if they’re visiting Queenstown. But if you can’t afford the exuberant fee which comes with such an adventure activity then sit river side with a cool drink and watch the jet spectacle unfold, there is also a pub that sits up above the Shotover River where you can grab a quick feed and relax in the afternoon sun.

A walkway borders the opposite side of the Shotover river where you can make your way to a rocky beach and explore the different stones that were once mined in the region. Watch out for the Shotover Jet which will come flying past so don’t get too close to the water if you want to keep your fingers and toes intact.

Queenstown Scenic Drives

Sightseeing is one of the best Queenstown activities you can do if you have access to a private vehicle and this Queenstown travel guide is not complete without a mention of the Crown Range. The Crown Range use to be a risky road before being sealed for safety, home to the famous Cardrona Tavern, bra fence and main access between Queenstown and Wanaka. The Crown Range is a road you will want to drive.

If you’re looking for more Queenstown scenic drives be sure to check out the following:

• Queenstown to Glenorchy
• Queenstown to Wanaka (Crown Range)
• Queenstown to Cromwell
• Queenstown to Kingston

More Experiences for your Queenstown Travel Guide

Queenstown is full of wonderful experiences but of course I haven’t indulged in them all. The following list of free things to do in Queenstown are worth adding to your Queenstown budget travel guide.

• Visit the Remarkables Market
• Hike Queenstown Hill
• Go for a lake swim
• Enjoy a picnic
• Hike Ben Lommond track

Queenstown is one of New Zealand’s biggest tourist destinations so of course there are going to be activities that deserve your hard earned money. Check out any of my other articles surrounding the best places to eat in Queenstown, or a 3 day itinerary for exploring Queenstown and Arrowtown for more inspiration on how to enjoy your South Island holiday in New Zealand.