Wanaka

Wanaka sits on a lake that rivals Wakatipu for beauty but attracts a fraction of the visitors. The town is small, the mountains are enormous, and the energy is outdoor-focused without the commercial intensity of Queenstown forty-five minutes away. The famous lone tree — a willow growing from the lake shore, now the most photographed tree in New Zealand — is as lovely as advertised and somehow not ruined by its fame.

We hiked Roys Peak — a four-hour climb that delivers one of the most photographed viewpoints in the country, the lake and mountains laid out below in a panorama that earns every drop of sweat. The Puzzling World attraction was unexpectedly wonderful — optical illusions and a labyrinth that entertained us longer than we would admit. We drove the Crown Range road from Queenstown to Wanaka and stopped at every lookout. We swam in the lake, which was cold enough to remind us this is New Zealand and warm enough to make it worthwhile. The town’s cinema, paradiso, has couches instead of seats and intermission with ice cream.

When to go: December through March for hiking, swimming, and long summer days. June through August for skiing at Treble Cone and Cardrona. Roys Peak is best in autumn with golden colours. The lake is swimmable from December through March. Winter brings snow and a cozy town atmosphere.