Arrowtown

After the gold rush ended in 1865, the place became another sleepy rural town until tourism created a boom. This village at the foot of the steep Crown Range, with weathered-timber shop fronts and white stone churches shaded by ancient sycamores, was simply too gorgeous to escape the attention of tour buses. It has become a tourist trap, but a highly photogenic one, especially when autumn gilds the hillsides. Each April, Arrowtown celebrates the Autumn Festival when the trees are at their most spectacular. On a stroll along Buckingham Street, you can stop in the old post and telegraph office, still open for business. Take time to explore some of the lanes and arcades, filled with cafés and boutique shops.