Top Things to do in Cromwell
Top Restaurants in Cromwell
- 1. Carrick Winery & Restaurant
- 2. Lazy Dog
- 3. The Winery Restaurant at Mt Difficulty
- 4. Cromwell Brew House
- 5. Nichols Garden Cafe
- 6. Bannockburn Hotel - Wine Country Restaurant and Bar
- 7. Armando's Kitchen
- 8. Wild Earth Outdoor Kitchen & Cellar Door
- 9. Tarras Country Coffee Shop
- 10. Thai Crom Restaurant
The 10 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Cromwell, South Island
Discover the best top things to do in Cromwell, New Zealand including Cheeki Cherries, Misha's Vineyard Tasting Room, Central Otago, Quartz Reef Wines Cellar Door, Bannockburn Sluicings Walks, Goldfields Mining Centre, Cromwell Museum, Cromwell Heritage Precinct, Wooing Tree Vineyard, Desert Heart Estate.
Restaurants in Cromwell
1. Cheeki Cherries
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 147 reviews
Cheeki cherries is now the home of Dam good fruit, come along and have a great day with the family. We offer 18 varieties of cherries with over 2000 trees to choose from. We also have peaches, apricots, plums, nectrarines, raspberries and strawberries.
Reviewed By kordia345
We had a blast going in to pick cherries at this PYO orchard! Prices got explained by a lovely staff member at the start then we were taken in and shown how to actually pick a cherry which was very helpful. Found some lovely cherries and picked light and dark ones! Overall it was such a nice experience being able to pick your own fruit, will definitely be back next year! ????
2. Misha's Vineyard Tasting Room
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 91 reviews
Misha's Vineyard Tasting Room offers the opportunity to taste and purchase Pinot Noirs and aromatic white wines from this highly regarded Central Otago wine producer (named one of New Zealand's Top 20 Producers by Decanter (UK) magazine.) In a stylish and sophisticated tasting room, visitors are seated at our small tables and are given a tutored tasting where they learn about New Zealand wine, the wine growing region of Central Otago as well as finding out more about the wines and the stories of Misha's Vineyard. Visitors can also enjoy a delicious platter (with several options offered) and glass of wine whilst overlooking the spectacular Lake Dunstan. You might consider joining the Misha's Vineyard Vine Club where members have access to a the exclusive members' tasting room (by appointment).
Reviewed By M5840OQdavidb
This was one of the most pleasant vineyard visits we have had. We enjoyed tastings of 5 wines of our choice from the Mischa range. And these were accompanied by a nicely matched, generous and varied platter of nibbles and breads. Suzie was the perfect host - timed each wine delivery perfectly to let us take our time, chat, and relax; explained each wine clearly, and encouraged us to develop our own appreciations of them; nice balance between attentiveness and distance. A real professional who made our visit very enjoyable. Handy hint: we had bought the Bucket List special deal - for tastings, platters, and three bottles of wine. Great deal! and we walked away with even more, and committed to coming back. Enjoy!
3. Central Otago
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By mgreaney2018 - Wellington, New Zealand
I stayed for a week and the weather fluctuated between very hot and very cold - whatever the weather it is always beautiful. Lots of eateries to choose from and beautiful walking tracks. A good base to visit other places in the area.
4. Quartz Reef Wines Cellar Door
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 33 reviews
Quartz Reef farm holistically, with full organic & biodynamic certification. Our aim is to craft engaging wines that tell a story, that capture the extraordinary beauty & energy of our landscape and express this with purity & precision in your glass. Sitting in prime location as the pioneer of Bendigo, our sun-drenched Quartz Reef Estate vineyard is BioGro certified organic and Demeter certified biodynamic. Our grapes are hand-harvested and vinified with a respectful and non-interventive philosophy, combined with the vision of Rudi Bauer to express our sense of place. We produce our Estate Grown Methode Traditionnelle Non-Vintage and Vintage, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. All Quartz Reef wines benefit greatly from Rudi Bauer’s Austrian heritage exploring the many dimensions of the varieties.
Reviewed By 840gabrielh - Bellaire, United States
Arriving to the Quartz Reef winery tasting room might turn you off, since tasting takes place in a small portable building planted in a parking lot. It is surrounded by run down warehouses and there is nothing attractive about it. As a concession to oenology, these is a third of an acre vineyard just a few steps from the tasting room. As you walk in, the diminutive tasting room has room for perhaps 10 people, crowded at that. The small counter offers 4-5 wines to taste. The sparkling wine is actually better than you expect, and the other wines are quite enjoyable. And then, you are served the Pinot Noir, without any pretensions. This is an outstanding wine and among the best Pinots in the Central Otago area. Don't let the surroundings discourage you and enjoy the wine offerings.
5. Bannockburn Sluicings Walks
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 85 reviews
Reviewed By kestonr2018 - Wellington, New Zealand
We visited the Bannockburn Sluicings Walks yesterday and walked the loop track in an anticlockwise direction. The walk was fantastic and the landscape, like many others have said, was like very few others you will see on walks in New Zealand. It was especially meaningful to myself as my great great grandfather was a digger at Bannockburn and was actually arrested there with some of his colleagues in 1870 for sheep rustling. Awesome to see the type of place he would have been living in at the time. But back to the walk, as others have said, it takes about one and a half hours to do the loop track and take in Stewart Town. We did it in this time with three children and a certain amount of photo taking and climbing in and out of tunnels. The view from the top is awesome. We went in the steeper direction as climbing up into Bailey’s Gully seemed to provide a scenic view on the way up. Coming down the other side was then a gentle, easy roll back down to the carpark. It is quite cool and damp in Central Otago at the moment when compared to normal summer temperatures, meaning it was sunny but cool when we did the walk. This was a good thing as I can imagine it gets pretty hot and dry out the track on other days. The wild thyme added to the goldfields feel. As others have said, you can smell it all around the track. The information boards around the track were very informative, although the walking times for return to the carpark at various points were a bit askew. We also visited the General Store at Bannockburn township. There is an old slicing jet sitting outside the front which was helpful for explaining to my kids what had caused the landscape. In all, even if you aren’t descended from a miner I would highly recommend this walk!
6. Goldfields Mining Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 195 reviews
Reviewed By Michalo416 - Hawera, New Zealand
Glad we turned around. Cool self guided walk around the old miners huts and shafts then met up with Bruce who showed us lots of interesting stuff and how to pan for gold. We managed to find 3 pieces to take home. Well priced at $25 each.
7. Cromwell Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 33 reviews
Reviewed By MarieAnnNZ - Rotorua, New Zealand
We were visiting Cromwell, and wandering around came across this museum. We spent sometime talking. to this lovely lady called Ann what a wealth of knowledge she was. You need a bit of time it might, look small but goes on and on. Wonderful. A gold coin donation
8. Cromwell Heritage Precinct
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 316 reviews
History |Galleries | Cafes | Boutique shops Central Otago's best kept secret - a free visitor attraction that has something for the whole family. When the Clyde dam was completed in 1990, Cromwell's main street disappeared under Lake Dunstan. Some of the historic buildings dating back to the gold rush of the 1860's were saved or lovingly rebuilt on higher ground, creating the Cromwell Heritage Precinct. Step back in time to the gold rush and explore heritage buildings, many with artisan businesses in them, located on the shore of beautiful Lake Dunstan. Open daily.
Reviewed By musketeers123 - Gold Coast, Australia
Visited this area on the day of the markets which was Sunday morning - great stories of history in the different preserved buildings as well as good mix of places to grab a bite to eat - the markets were unique with lots of fresh produce and cakes as well as craft items - a great walk to this area from our accommodation along the lake with lots beautiful houses throughout the neighbourhood as well
9. Wooing Tree Vineyard
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 122 reviews
The Wooing Tree is a local landmark that sits prominently in the middle of our family vineyard. It has long been a place for locals to woo their lovers, and if it could talk, would have many a story to tell! These days it is not quite the private spot it once was...but we still have plenty of visitors proposing marriage and even getting married under our beautiful iconic tree, amidst the vines. Central Otago enjoys a perfect climate for producing beguiling Pinot Noir. Our single vineyard site is located in the very heart of the region, in the town of Cromwell, opposite the 'Big Fruit Sculpture'. Come and visit! You'll discover why we specialise in making Pinot with Passion...
Reviewed By richardbK7627VT - Levin, New Zealand
Been a fan of Wooing Tree Blondie for several years since meeting it in Hippopotamus in Wellington. After a very testing trip from Gore/Mataura recently (roads flooded etc) spotted Wooing Tree on entering Cromwell. Next morning, walked down to the Cromwell Chafer Beetle Reserve (you know about the Cromwell Beetle - right?) and then returned, picking up some excellent cherries from a roadside stall by the Polytech orchards. Had a really wonderful tasting, guided by Charlie, and the Blondie was as good as ever. The Pinot gris was a real find, as was the up-market, and, for me, unaffordable, Pinot noir. However, the Beetle Juice was a real surprise as it helps to fund the beetle reserve and there were a couple of beetles to show the connection. Lunch was delightful - a basic platter with a very wide choice of add-ons - the Windsor Blue cheese and roasted cherry chutney was the star combination. Would like to try the gravlax salmon with an ice-cold vodka!
10. Desert Heart Estate
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 42 reviews
Desert Heart Estate is our small boutique vineyard, which hosts our tasting room, cellar door and the Desert Heart Kitchen, situated on the iconic Felton Road in Bannockburn. This is where our beautiful wines are created, with what is best for the land, the grape and the soul. We are not pretentious, just fun, and creative with energy and passion. Desert Heart is the perfect place to drop in, taste our award winning wines or sit and sip on a glass of wine and enjoy a seasonal, beautifully prepared platter whilst delighting in the sweeping vista of surrounding mountains and Kawarau River. This is Denny and Jane’s place, and reflects their attitude in that Desert Heart wines and food are not just made, but are created by an unyielding and impassioned focus on quality and attention to detail. Call in share a taste of “Desert Heart” and the culture and care that created it.
Reviewed By mcnz - Auckland, New Zealand
Great food, great wine Lunchtime platter and sides were really good in a setting in the vineyard overlooking the river and looking across the valley.. Very well put together food, really tasty cheese rolls, varied platter which was refreshingly different to most vineyard platters. Wine tasting good fun with Jane, Chardonnay and Seduction Pinot noir great wines. We’ll definitely be back
