Wanaka Guidebook
Our picks for dinner
$$$$ Fine dining, incredible views, beautiful Maude wines. Book early to get a spot.
67 locals recommend
Bistro Gentil
76A Golf Course Rd$$$$ Fine dining, incredible views, beautiful Maude wines. Book early to get a spot.
$$$$ Fabulous fine dining. You can usually pop in and get a table without a booking, you might just have a small wait. Generally it’s enough time pop across the road to Cork for a cocktail.
116 locals recommend
Kika
2 Dunmore St$$$$ Fabulous fine dining. You can usually pop in and get a table without a booking, you might just have a small wait. Generally it’s enough time pop across the road to Cork for a cocktail.
Muttonbird
33 Ardmore Street$$$ A new restaurant. Really fun, creative and fabulous food.
$$ A fun brew bar with great selection of craft beers. The burgers here are amazing.
8 locals recommend
b.social - wanaka brewery & bar
60 Anderson Rd$$ A fun brew bar with great selection of craft beers. The burgers here are amazing.
$ Affordable and delicious! Highly recommend the fresh home made tortilla chips (not the gluten free), and two can easily share a large burrito. Dinner for two for $20.
22 locals recommend
Burrito Craft
42 Brownston St$ Affordable and delicious! Highly recommend the fresh home made tortilla chips (not the gluten free), and two can easily share a large burrito. Dinner for two for $20.
Daytime dining
Little Black Caravan
42 Brownston StreetGreat coffee, delicious bagels, healthy treats.
Urban Grind
72 Ardmore StOur local go-to cafe. Great coffee and food. Fabulous pizzas.
Beautiful setting. Catch and fish and have it cooked for you, or just go and order some of their amazing salmon dishes! Wood fired pizzas are fantastic also.
32 locals recommend
Hook Wanaka - Lake to Plate
49 Monteith RdBeautiful setting. Catch and fish and have it cooked for you, or just go and order some of their amazing salmon dishes! Wood fired pizzas are fantastic also.
The cafe does fabulous made to order scones (highly recommend the ginger with rhubarb compote). Service can be a bit slow, but if you go there on a sunny day coffee and scones on the lake edge is hard to beat. You can park by the ‘Wanaka Tree’ and walk 5 mins down the track to get there, or park at the hotel.
18 locals recommend
Edgewater Hotel - Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
54 Sargood DrThe cafe does fabulous made to order scones (highly recommend the ginger with rhubarb compote). Service can be a bit slow, but if you go there on a sunny day coffee and scones on the lake edge is hard to beat. You can park by the ‘Wanaka Tree’ and walk 5 mins down the track to get there, or park at the hotel.
Located in Albertown, the Patisserie has delicious French pastries, sweets, lovely pies and tarts, and very good coffee. You can walk from there down to the lake edge, or drive along to the beginning of the outlet track walk.
53 locals recommend
Pembroke Patisserie
20 Alison AveLocated in Albertown, the Patisserie has delicious French pastries, sweets, lovely pies and tarts, and very good coffee. You can walk from there down to the lake edge, or drive along to the beginning of the outlet track walk.
Delicious, healthy, warm and fresh. Fill your plate with your chosen meats, cooked vege and salads.
84 locals recommend
Big Fig Wanaka
105 Ardmore StDelicious, healthy, warm and fresh. Fill your plate with your chosen meats, cooked vege and salads.
Walks and Hiking
Short local walk - lovely and shady, flat and among the edge of the Clutha River.
21 locals recommend
Outlet Track
Outlet RoadShort local walk - lovely and shady, flat and among the edge of the Clutha River.
5hrs - A beautiful view - which you can tick off if it’s on your must do list. Please note there’s no shade on the walk up. The views are amazing but the walk is just a zig zag up the hill and it’s very busy now days - so if you want a bit more variety on the walk there are some fabulous other options too! Perhaps 5 hrs return.
64 locals recommend
Roys Peak
5hrs - A beautiful view - which you can tick off if it’s on your must do list. Please note there’s no shade on the walk up. The views are amazing but the walk is just a zig zag up the hill and it’s very busy now days - so if you want a bit more variety on the walk there are some fabulous other options too! Perhaps 5 hrs return.
40mins or 3hrs - Diamond Lake & Rocky Mountain - A short walk up to the lookout over diamond lake is perhaps 20 mins each way, or do the loop (maybe 3 hrs return) for gorgeous views back towards Wanaka. Check with the DOC office on the condition of the track if doing the big loop, and it’s closed in winter.
25 locals recommend
Diamond Lake
40mins or 3hrs - Diamond Lake & Rocky Mountain - A short walk up to the lookout over diamond lake is perhaps 20 mins each way, or do the loop (maybe 3 hrs return) for gorgeous views back towards Wanaka. Check with the DOC office on the condition of the track if doing the big loop, and it’s closed in winter.
3hrs + travel - About 1 hours drive from Wanaka into Mount Aspiring National Park. A stunning walk! The walk is mostly in the shade as it heads up through beautiful native bush. Check with DOC if the track is open before going and note there is about 30mins of driving each way on gravel roads and some very small fords (water) to drive through which are fine if there hasn’t been heavy rain. Confident drivers only :) Well worth the adventure!
6 locals recommend
Rob Roy Glacier Track
3hrs + travel - About 1 hours drive from Wanaka into Mount Aspiring National Park. A stunning walk! The walk is mostly in the shade as it heads up through beautiful native bush. Check with DOC if the track is open before going and note there is about 30mins of driving each way on gravel roads and some very small fords (water) to drive through which are fine if there hasn’t been heavy rain. Confident drivers only :) Well worth the adventure!
40mins + travel - It’s a lovely drive up to Makarora, then an easy 20 mins walk each way from the car park to the Blue Pools. Definitely worth going on a sunny day so you get to see the amazing colours in the water. You can take a dip there, although it’s freezing! Sometimes there can be lots of sandflies, so repellant and long sleeves etc highly recommended.
29 locals recommend
Blue Pools Track
Blue Pools Track40mins + travel - It’s a lovely drive up to Makarora, then an easy 20 mins walk each way from the car park to the Blue Pools. Definitely worth going on a sunny day so you get to see the amazing colours in the water. You can take a dip there, although it’s freezing! Sometimes there can be lots of sandflies, so repellant and long sleeves etc highly recommended.
There are many more walks you can do. Pop into the DOC office up the top of town and they’re give you great advice.
20 locals recommend
Tititea / Mount Aspiring National Park Visitor Centre
1 Ballantyne RdThere are many more walks you can do. Pop into the DOC office up the top of town and they’re give you great advice.
Pamper
Organic Beauty Therapy only a 300m walk away, Ilu Hub is my absolute favourite place to be pampered. Devine organic vegan products. Anneli is an incredibly experienced beautician who specialises in skin treatment and massage.
Ilu Hub
3A Helwick StreetOrganic Beauty Therapy only a 300m walk away, Ilu Hub is my absolute favourite place to be pampered. Devine organic vegan products. Anneli is an incredibly experienced beautician who specialises in skin treatment and massage.
They take couples bookings, and every treatment gives you access to the beautiful pools and hot tubs which are part of the Oakridge Resort
Sanctuary Day Spa Wanaka
20 Studholme RdThey take couples bookings, and every treatment gives you access to the beautiful pools and hot tubs which are part of the Oakridge Resort
Movies
An absolutely lush cinema - our favourite! Book online or over the phone.
83 locals recommend
Rubys Cinema and Bar
50 Cardrona Valley RdAn absolutely lush cinema - our favourite! Book online or over the phone.
A cinema with lots of character. Watch the movie from the old car if you like, and make sure you order a hot freshly baked cookie at intermission :)
97 locals recommend
Cinema Paradiso
72 Brownston StA cinema with lots of character. Watch the movie from the old car if you like, and make sure you order a hot freshly baked cookie at intermission :)
Bars
The best bar in Wanaka. Craft beer, fabulous cocktails, with lots of live music. Opens early, closes late.
50 locals recommend
Cork Bar
14 Helwick StThe best bar in Wanaka. Craft beer, fabulous cocktails, with lots of live music. Opens early, closes late.
Activities
Located on the beach front. Paddle boards, single and double kayaks available.
18 locals recommend
Paddle Wanaka
151-153 Ardmore StLocated on the beach front. Paddle boards, single and double kayaks available.
A short paddle board from waterfall creek, grab a kayak from Paddle Wanaka, or talk to the two cruise boat options, Eco Adventure Tours Wanaka or Dual Image Cruises.
Ruby island
A short paddle board from waterfall creek, grab a kayak from Paddle Wanaka, or talk to the two cruise boat options, Eco Adventure Tours Wanaka or Dual Image Cruises.
Head out to the stunning Mowahu Island. There are several boat companies that get there, including the big cruise boat, Dual Image Charters.
Wanaka Water Taxi & 4x4 Explorer
Lakeside RoadHead out to the stunning Mowahu Island. There are several boat companies that get there, including the big cruise boat, Dual Image Charters.
BP 2go Wanaka
59 Ardmore StPlease refer to our separate guidebook for biking options.