Cardrona is known for its ski fields, but beyond them, there are a few things to do in Cardrona once you get off the slopes.
Named after a town in Scotland, Cardrona is another town in Otago that developed as a result of the gold rush.
If you want to read more about the history of Cardrona, check out this little summary. We’ll get into the fun things to do in Cardrona now.
7 FUN THINGS TO DO IN CARDRONA
1. Enjoy the Cardona Slopes
2. Cross Country Skiing at Snowfarm
3. Have a beer at Cardrona Hotel
4. Experience Cardrona Distillery
5. Hike into Meg Hut
6. Add your bra to the famous fence
7. Picnic at the Hall
8. Accommodation in Cardrona
1. ENJOY THE CARDRONA SLOPES
The Cardrona Alpine Resort is one of the most famous ski fields in the country.
There’s the full gammit here, with seven lifts in operation from June to mid-October.
The skifield vitals are:
Base Area Elevation: 1670m
Highest Lifted Point: 1860m
Vertical Rise: 600m
There’s a lot of information to take in, so head to the official site to find exactly what you’re looking for. One thing you need to do before heading to the Alpine Resort is check the weather.
If you’re not staying in Cardrona, you might be driving a decent way just to be disappointed.
I haven’t spent time at the Alpine Resort in summer, but the mountain biking and drift carting look awesome.
2. CROSS COUNTRY SKIING AT SNOWFARM
Wow, Snow Farm needs more love and I’m here for it.
Everyone always seems to talk about Cardrona, Remarks, and Coronet ski fields. But if you’re new to life on the snow, Cross Country Skiing here is a great introduction. You’ll move around on the snow and actually get to do something other than falling over every other minute.
It’s a 13km drive up the hill, but it’s much more affordable for a full day pass and rentals than other ski fields which is great. They’ve got 55km of groomed trails and 3 huts along the way. With such a large area, the place doesn’t feel busy at all.
And there’s more than cross country skiing.
There’s a Snow Fun Zone which is great for kids to slide down hills on tubes, and/or throw some snowballs around. And there are spots where you can safely snowshoe if it’s your first time.
Save the backcountry touring for the experienced skiers 😉
In the things to do in Cardrona in summer, you can hike out to Kirtle Burn Hut/Mount Pisa a lot easier. You can ride your bike around Snow Farm in the summer as well.
READ THE FULL POST: A GUIDE TO SNOW FARM FOR FIRST TIMERS
3. HAVE A BEER AT CARDRONA HOTEL
When you drive through the small town that is Cardrona, there’s a good chance you’ll see someone taking a photo of the famous pub/hotel, Cardrona Hotel.
A Speight’s TV campaign (I believe it’s this one) helped propel the pubs popularity.
Established in 1863, you don’t have to just stop for a photo. You can stay at the Cardrona Hotel (a.k.a. pub), and the restaurant and pub are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The restaurant’s dinner menu changes regularly (see an example) which I like.
The goal? To create the usual pub classics, but with locally sourced produce. And of course, the beer garden is a win. Of course, you can find Speights here, but you’ll find a few craft beer options too just like the good beer spots in Queenstown.
READ MORE: ABOUT VISITING CARDRONA HOTEL
4. EXPERIENCE CARDRONA DISTILLERY
We visited Cardrona Distillery after hiking out from Meg Hut, and wow this spot is gorgeous.
The distillery uses local ingredients along with pure alpine water from Mount Cardrona to make whisky, gin, vodka, and liqueurs.
The family-owned and operated place launched in 2015 and has started to build momentum as a must-visit place in Cardrona. There are two ways to experience the Cardrona Distillery.
1. There are tours you can take which are 75-minutes long, and a very reasonable $25 per person. The classic tour is available from 10 am – 3 pm every day of the week on the hour. There’s also a fancier private option.
2. Come for a meal/drink and you’ll find some interesting dishes that are always changing. And delicious cocktails! If you fall in love with the drinks, they offer a subscription product to get bottles delivered to your house every month. How fun!
p.s. if you’re looking for a beer, you’ll have to head to the Cardrona Hotel. There’s no beer on-site.
5. HIKE INTO MEG HUT
Hiking into Meg Hut is an awesome walk that takes you into the Pisa Conservation Area on the eastern side of the Crown Range Road.
The 14km return walk has about 1000 metres of elevation gain in total so it’s a good workout. You get amazing views of the surrounding area and of the Cardrona slopes.
And if you’d like to walk in the snow this hike gives you an opportunity to do so provided the snow is below 1200 metres. The walk is along 4WD tracks, so assuming the weather isn’t terrible, it’s an easy track to follow.
The last 1.5-2km of the hike dives into a valley where a few streams intersect. From here you can continue walking deeper into the Pisa Conservation Area, but they can make for a long, long day so most of the time people will turn around at Meg Hut (or Tuohys Saddle). If you’re super ambitious, turn right at the saddle for the Rock Peak Track.
6. ADD YOUR BRA TO THE FAMOUS FENCE
According to Uber Suggest, over 300 people Google ‘bra fence Cardrona’ every month. That’s a pretty famous fence!
And with fame comes controversy. The origins of the bra fence are unknown, but bras started appearing on the fence in the late 1990s. After they were removed a few times, the fence started to get more media attention. That saw more bras turn up. You know how it goes from here…
Some claim the fence to be an eyesore/traffic hazard, but there’s no denying the vast majority of the population appreciate the fun of it all. On my most recent visit there were hundreds, if not 1000’s of bras attached to the fence at the entrance to the Cardrona Distillery ( here).
Why not add one of your bras to the fence?
It’s fun to read some of the notes people write on their bras (I typed that in a non-creepy way).
7. PICNIC AT THE HALL
There are a few places mentioned above where you can eat, but if you’re looking for things to do in Cardrona on a budget, come and have a picnic on the grounds of the Cardrona Hall and Church (it’s free).
Both buildings have an interesting history and make for a nice setting to enjoy a picnic, ideally in the sun. There’s a couple of picnic tables and plenty of open ground. This is a great spot to relax in Cardrona.
8. ACCOMMODATION IN CARDRONA
The most famous place to stay in Cardrona is the Cardrona Hotel which starts at about $225 for two people.
If you’re looking for a cheap place to stay, you’ll have to hike into Meg Hut. You can stay here with a DOC backcountry hut pass or buy a $5 standard hut ticket at a DOC visitor centre/Macpac/Kathmandu.
There are a few places available on Booking.com, but I think your best bet for finding accommodation in Cardrona is Airbnb.
You can find quite a few places in the $100-200 range for four people/two beds which is pretty reasonable I think.
Of course, for the ski season, you’ll need to book accommodation in Cardrona well in advance or be content with the slim pickings available.
And there you go. If you looking for things to do in Cardrona in Winter, the answers usually lean straight to snow-based activities.
But you can visit Cardrona all year round and have fun for a day or two here.
If you have any questions about what to do in Cardrona, leave a comment below or email me, jub@churnewzealand.com .
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Hey, it’s Jub here. I’m the guy behind Chur New Zealand, helping you have the best time hiking, trekking, walking…whatever you want to call it…in NZ. I’m based in Queenstown and am always out and about exploring trails, old & new. If you have any questions, reach out.