We've lived in Dunedin for about 2.5 years and consider it "home". At the same time, though, we're in love with the Southern Alps, and with 2 toddlers, the 4 hour drive from Dunedin to Wanaka and Queenstown is a bit tortuous. We're considering moving out to Wanaka or Queenstown, and are at the stage of considering the pros and cons of those places.
Wanaka
We spent 4 months in Wanaka last summer and loved it. Compared to Dunedin, Wanaka seems a lot more child-friendly in terms of outdoor activities: biking, hiking, and water sports. The trails in Wanaka are flat, the lake is safer than the ocean, and bikes don't have to share the road with cars as much as in Dunedin.
However, there doesn't seem to be very much to do when it rains. There's the pool and the library, but those are really the only things we know. Are there other activity centers where kids and/or adults congregate during the rainier stretches? Or is it pretty much every family for itself?
Queenstown
I personally don't like crowds, so the Queenstown shopping district always rubs me the wrong way. However, I enjoy Queenstown Gardens, the lakefront trails, and the trail up to the gondola. Last weekend we noticed an ice rink and lawn bowling, both of which were full of activity, which was cool.
Since Queenstown is bigger than Wanaka, our assumption is that there are more activities for kids and families. However, we've never actually seen many family activities in Queenstown; it seems to be dominated by tourists. So where do the families hang out? Frankton? Or are there no real family neighborhoods around there?
Dunedin
I'm mentioning Dunedin simply to point my observations. We live in Northeast Valley, which is a mix of students, retired people, working class, and professionals. It's a strange mix, not nearly as "yuppy" as Wanaka. Our area has a great sense of community (lots of activities, especially for kids) and the university is always a source of entertainment and action.
However, Dunedin's houses are old, cold, and typically have horrible layouts, and there aren't the same picture-perfect neighborhoods that we see in Wanaka, where each cul de sac seems to have its own playground or at least a walking trail to one nearby.
As our kids get older, we want them to have more and more freedom to play outside. To us, Wanaka seems like the safest, easiest "big kids' playground" for them. At the same time, we realize that job opportunities are scarcer there (which doesn't really apply to me, since I work at home, but will apply to my partner), and there's that rainy day issue. And we really don't know anything about the "family" areas in Queenstown, since we've never seen them.
The Question
So we're wondering what your thoughts are on Queenstown vs Wanaka (vs Dunedin) for families. How do their schools compare? How safe are they? How much freedom do the kids get to run around?
Thanks!