In Winter or Summer, Queenstown is a fantastic place to holiday. In the Winter it is full of people there for the skiing, and in summer it is full of people there to take the white water trips down the Shotover river. I would also say that the food in Queenstown ranks as the best I have eaten in the entire world; though food in New Zealand is of an extremely high standard in general. There are a large number of hotels right on the waterfront of Lake Wakitipu (New Zealand's longest lake and third largest). The water is bitterly cold (even in summer) – but it is beautiful to look at from your hotel window and if you can stand the cold, bathing is certainly allowed. Queenstown is also New Zealand's jetboat and bungy jumping capital. And if you think the price is too high – you can always pop to Arrowtown right next door and try panning for gold in one of New Zealand's old mining towns. Oh – and don't forget, New Zealander's are the friendliest people in the world.