Queenstown: Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza

Queenstown’s nightlife is easy to find but less easy to navigate on your first night. This four-hour crawl gives you a ready-made route through five bars, with a free shot at each stop, pizza along the way, and guides to keep the group moving. It is a social night built for meeting people, not a quiet pub tour.

I like the low $17 price and the practical mix of inclusions. Five shots, free entry, pizza, drink discounts, games, and photos add up quickly in Queenstown. I also like the changing mood from bar to bar, which lets you sample the town’s nightlife instead of gambling on one venue for the whole evening.

The main drawback is the group size. One past night reached 112 people, so you should expect noise, waiting, and a large crowd rather than intimate conversation. Bring a valid passport or New Zealand driver’s license, pace yourself, and remember that extra drinks cost more.

Key points before you book

• Five bars in one night: You move between five Queenstown nightlife spots, with The London Bar as the 9 PM meeting point.
• Five included shots: One welcome shot comes with entry to each bar, plus free pizza during the evening.
• Strong value at $17: Free entry, food, photos, discounts, games, and prizes make this one of Queenstown’s cheaper organized nights out.
• A social format: Guides bring the group together and help solo visitors, couples, and friends meet other people.
• Large-group energy: The crowd can be very big, which helps create a party mood but can make personal conversation harder.
• Late finish, flexible ending: The organized crawl ends shortly after midnight, and you can continue at the final bar if you wish.

Starting at The London Bar at 9 PM

Your night begins downstairs at The London Bar, next door to Fergburger. That location is handy if you are already in central Queenstown, and the nearby landmark makes the meeting point easy to find.

You check in with the crawl team, receive your wristband, and get the first drink voucher. The guides explain how the evening works, including when the group will move on. This short briefing matters because a bar crawl works best when you know where to be and do not wander off just as the group is leaving.

The first stop also gives you time to meet the people around you. The crowd can include solo backpackers, couples, birthday groups, and friends on a weekend away. I would arrive a little before 9 PM, especially if you want time to check in, find the group, and order anything beyond the included drink.

The experience is conducted in English. You should bring your passport or a New Zealand driver’s license, as this is an 18-and-over activity and valid identification is required. A photo of an ID may not be accepted, so carry the proper document.

Five venues, five different moods

The appeal here is variety. You are not committing your entire night to one crowded room or one style of music. The guides lead you to five popular party spots, and each stop has its own feel.

The exact venue order can vary, so I would not book this expecting a fixed pub-by-pub program. What you can count on is the structure: one free shot on entry at each of the five bars, free entry throughout, and a host-led move from one venue to the next.

The first bar works as a warm-up. You collect your first shot, learn who is in your group, and get used to the pace. The later stops are where the party tends to build, with more games, more mingling, and a livelier atmosphere.

The changing settings are useful if you are new to Queenstown. You get a quick look at several nightlife venues without paying separate cover charges or spending time searching for the next place. If one bar is not your style, you only need to wait until the next move.

That said, five venues in four hours means the schedule can feel brisk. You may only have a limited amount of time at each stop. If you prefer settling into one bar, ordering carefully, and talking at length, this will feel hurried. If you want movement and variety, the pace is part of the fun.

What the five free shots really mean

Five complimentary shots are the headline inclusion, but you should treat them as an option rather than a challenge. The tour provides one shot at each bar, yet you do not need to drink every one, especially if you have already had drinks before meeting the group.

The shots help break the ice. A group of strangers can become a little less awkward after the first venue, and the shared ritual gives everyone an easy way to start talking. The risk is obvious too: five shots, extra drinks, and a late night can catch up with you fast.

I would eat before the crawl and use the pizza as another chance to slow down. Keep water in your plan, even though it is not listed as an inclusion. You are responsible for any extra drinks, so budget beyond the $17 if you plan to drink at each bar.

The free pizza is more than a small bonus. It gives you food during a night built around alcohol, and it helps make the price work. The details of when and where it is served are not fixed in the supplied information, so do not expect a full meal or a particular pizza style. Think of it as useful party food.

Games, prizes, and the social side

Games add structure to the night. They give you something to do beyond standing in a crowded bar, and they create an easy way to meet people outside your own group.

You can take part for the chance to win prizes connected with local activities. The exact prizes are not specified, so I would see them as a fun extra rather than a reason to book. You do not need to compete to enjoy the crawl, but joining in can help if you are traveling alone or want to meet people quickly.

The guides are an important part of the experience. They collect the group, explain the next move, and keep everyone on track through the venues. At least one large night had a group of 112 people, and the hosts managed to keep the evening organized. That scale tells you what kind of night this is: energetic, social, and not especially private.

Large groups bring a few practical issues. It may take time for everyone to enter a venue, order a drink, or gather before moving on. You may lose sight of friends in a busy room, so agree on a simple meeting habit and keep your phone charged.

The upside is that a large group gives you plenty of chances to meet people. If your own companions want different things, the organized route keeps the night moving instead of leaving you stuck deciding where to go next.

Drink discounts that last beyond one night

The package includes drink discounts for your whole stay in town. This can improve the value if you are in Queenstown for several days and plan to return to the participating bars.

The exact discount terms are not provided, so check how the offer works when you receive your wristband or other tour information. Ask which venues accept it, how long it lasts, and whether there are limits on particular drinks or times.

I would not count an unspecified discount as guaranteed savings until you understand the conditions. Still, it is a useful extra for anyone planning more nightlife after the crawl. The $17 cost is already reasonable without it, especially because entry and five shots are included.

Queenstown prices can add up quickly at night. Paying one small booking fee for access to five bars can be cheaper than separate entry charges, provided you actually want a full evening of partying.

Finishing after midnight

The organized part ends at the final bar shortly after midnight. You do not need to stop there. The party can continue for as long as you want, and the last venue gives you a natural choice between carrying on and calling it a night.

This finish works well for different schedules. You can leave after the planned crawl, stay with the group, or continue with new friends. Since there is no hotel pickup or drop-off, plan your own way back to your accommodation.

The central location is useful, but the activity does not include transport. You should know where you are staying before you go out and avoid relying on memory after several drinks. If you are in a large group, decide in advance how you will get back.

The late ending also makes this a poor match for an early morning activity. If you have a dawn departure, a Milford Sound trip, or a demanding outdoor plan the next day, think carefully about whether a four-hour nightlife event is sensible.

Is $17 good value?

At $17 per person, the basic arithmetic is favorable. You receive free entry to five bars, five shots, free pizza, games, the chance to win local activity prizes, free photos, and drink discounts for the rest of your stay.

You will still spend money on extra drinks. The package is not an all-inclusive night, and the value depends on how many of the included features you use. Someone who enjoys one or two drinks, eats the pizza, joins the games, and visits all five bars gets a strong deal.

The value is also practical. You do not have to research venues, queue separately at each door, or decide where to go next. For a first Queenstown night, that convenience can be worth as much as the free items.

If you already know the bars you want to visit, dislike organized groups, or plan a quiet evening, you may get more from choosing your own route. For most social visitors who want nightlife without a large planning effort, $17 is a modest gamble.

Photos and memories from the night

Free photos are uploaded to Facebook after the crawl. That gives you a record of the evening and may help you reconnect with people you meet during the night.

The photos are an extra, not a guarantee that everyone will appear or that every moment will be captured. Keep your own phone secure and do not rely on the official photos for important memories.

The photo feature fits the social purpose of the crawl. You are not only moving from venue to venue, you are also meeting people who may be heading in different directions after midnight. A shared photo can make it easier to find someone again online.

Who will enjoy this Queenstown night out?

I would recommend the crawl most strongly to:

• Solo visitors who want an easy way to meet people
• Friends looking for a birthday or weekend-night activity
• Young adults who enjoy loud bars, games, and a changing venue
• First-time visitors who do not know Queenstown’s nightlife
• Anyone looking for a low-cost, organized night out

It is less suited to anyone under 18, people who want a quiet pub evening, or anyone uncomfortable in large crowds. It is also not ideal if you want detailed information about Queenstown, since the focus is nightlife rather than sightseeing or local culture.

The activity suits people who can be flexible. Venue order, timing inside each bar, and group size can shape the night. You should enjoy the general format rather than expect a carefully controlled evening.

Booking, cancellation, and useful preparation

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Queenstown plans are still changing.

Check the available starting time when booking, although the stated meeting time is 9 PM. Arrive at The London Bar downstairs, next door to Fergburger, with your passport or New Zealand driver’s license ready.

Wear something suitable for walking between bars and changing weather, but do not bring anything you cannot keep track of in a crowded venue. The tour does not include hotel pickup, hotel drop-off, or extra drinks.

Most important, pace yourself. The night is designed to keep moving, and the included shots arrive across five venues. Eat beforehand, take the pizza when it is offered, and do not let the package pressure you into drinking more than you want.

Should you book this bar crawl?

Book it if you want a cheap, social introduction to Queenstown nightlife and like the idea of five bars in one evening. The combination of five free shots, pizza, free entry, games, photos, and discounts gives the $17 price real value.

Skip it if you prefer small groups, long conversations, or choosing each bar at your own pace. The large crowd can be part of the appeal, but it can also make the night noisy and impersonal.

For a first night in Queenstown, I think it is a sensible choice. You get a route, a group, and enough included extras to protect your budget. Just bring ID, expect a big party, and treat the five shots as optional rather than a test of endurance.

FAQ

How much does the Queenstown bar crawl cost?

The listed price is $17 per person. Extra drinks are not included.

How long does the bar crawl last?

The activity lasts four hours. The organized crawl finishes at the final bar shortly after midnight.

Where does the bar crawl begin?

Meet downstairs at The London Bar, next door to Fergburger.

What is included in the price?

The package includes free entry to all five bars, five free shots, free pizza, free photos uploaded to Facebook, drink discounts for your whole stay, games, and prizes.

What identification do I need?

You must be at least 18 and bring a valid passport or New Zealand driver’s license.

Can I cancel or pay later?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option lets you book without paying immediately.