It’s Friday, and two days off is always welcome. But it’s even more welcome if you know you’ve got a great weekend away planned. Here are some of the best places to head to.
Picture by Flying Cloud
Ten Breakfast asked me to do a spot this morning on weekend break destinations that were within an hour’s drive of the main capital cities. You can watch the appearance online; here are the places I suggested, all of which are fine choices for a weekend away or even just a day trip:
- For Sydney, Hawkesbury River: Nestled just to the north of Sydney (and also accessible by rail), the region boasts a host of small villages, a massive national park, scenic ferry cruises and lots of outdoor activities. It also has Australia’s last remaining riverboat postman.
- For Melbourne, Geelong: People often dismiss Geelong as full of industrial buildings and footy fanatics, but it also has really attractive beaches, some great restaurants, a stack of great museums (including the Ford Discovery Centre and the National Wool Museum) and easy access to the Great Ocean Road. Also an easy train trip if you want to leave the car behind or don’t have one.
- For Brisbane, Mt Tamborine: Nestled in the Gold Coast Hinterland but with a far more sedate pace than the bustling main strip, Mt Tamborine is a great location for wineries, cheese, galleries, and nature walks on the mountain itself (including the Rainforest Skywalk which places you high above the tree tops).
- For Perth, Yanchep: Fabulous-looking secluded beaches and the massive Yanchep National Park are the main attractions. The area offers boating, golf, and cave tours (including the Cabaret Cave, which you can hire for private functions), plus whale watching in season.
- For Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills: Packed with excellent wineries, it’s a great location for an indulgent weekend away. Plenty of fine walking trails too and a chance to soak up German culture in Hahndorf, plus the SteamRanger heritage railway and the National Motor Museum.
Those are impressive locations (I’ve been to them all myself except Yanchep), but obviously they’re just the tip of the iceberg. What are your favourite places for a weekend break? Tell us (and tell us why) in the comments.
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