Australia is the ULTIMATE Vacation Destination and Here's Why!
Sydney | Perth | Brisbane | Hamilton Island
With a moniker like “the land-down-under” and tons of frightening creepy-crawlers that gets Australia into literally every wildlife TV show, you might be asking why anyone would fly across the world to visit. Of course, the adorable Koalas, the spectacular beaches, and the go-with-the-flow and naturally comedic Aussies are just a few out of a thousand reasons why we think everyone needs to go! Honestly, after more than a week freely roaming around many of Australia’s coastal cities in a constant state of critter-defense readiness, we were sadly never dive-bombed by a single magpie, although there were many around, nor punched by a wild Kangaroo, leading us to conclude that either we were extremely lucky or, more likely, that these types of things happen less frequently than social media would have us believe. All this to say that while Australia does have exotic and sometimes deadly wildlife, particularly in the Outback area, you’re unlikely to encounter any remotely dangerous wildlife in the major urban centers. Well, that is, nothing more dangerous than confused tourists trying to figure out which side of the street to drive on. Now that we’ve hopefully convinced you that Australia is, in fact, a very safe place to travel to, read on to see all the fun and unique things that await you once you finally get there!
What Australian cities should be on your shortlist?
We must admit that this is a tough one to answer. When you think about it, Australia isn’t just a country, it’s its own enormous continent with tons to see and do. Everything from trendy, waterfront cities to deserts, mountains, and pristine beaches are at your fingertips! So how did we choose where to go? Well, we chose cities based on the experiences that were of highest priority to us. Sydney for its iconic opera house, Brisbane for the famous Gold Coast beaches and access to the Great Barrier Reef, and the Whitsunday Islands for the chance to stay within the Great Barrier Reef itself.
We also paid a visit to the city of Perth which we didn’t select for any particular reason other than the fact that it was on the opposite coast from Sydney and would place us the furthest away from home that we’d ever been. We didn’t think it unusual that we chose to do this so imagine our surprise when practically every Aussie that enquired about our travels through the country regarded us with a perplexed look and pretty much the exact same question each time: “Perth…huh…what’s in Perth?” It turns out that tons of Aussies have never actually been to Perth! Having just returned from the city, we think Perth deserves more recognition than it’s gotten from its countrymen. Understandably, the city was smaller and less congested than its counterparts, but we found it to be clean and diverse with a formidable food scene. Add in proximity to the Indian ocean and unique landforms like the Pinnacles and it becomes easy to see why Perth is worth the trouble.
Admittedly, every part of Australia is unique and worth a visit and you’ll frequently find that when you tell an Aussie that you’ve visited such and such city, they’ll invariably recommend something super cool to do in another city leaving you feeling that you’re missing out on a lot. Honestly, unless you have infinite time on your hands to see and do everything, you’re bound to miss out on something, so we recommend choosing the things that you absolutely want to try or do or see then picking the city that has what you’re looking for. We should mention that we visited mostly coastal cities and did not tackle the Australian outback on this trip. You’ll have to check back later for our updates on that as we need to develop a little more mental fortitude before we dive into that particular area of Australia.
Want to know more about the EPIC places we’ve been to? Check out our other destinations HERE!
When should you plan to visit?
Generally speaking, spring and summer are the best seasons to visit Australia. As such, the tourism high season extends from November to May and the weather in these months are thought to be idyllic. Although we did not experience it ourselves, winter in Australia can apparently range from frigid days with temperatures less than 10 degrees F to extremely hot days with temperatures in the 90s depending on where you go. We can too easily imagine how exhausting packing for this kind of weather could be, so we understand why most people choose the more moderate seasons to visit.
Knowing that Australian summers can be as hot and buggy as any in Florida with a high risk of sun burn from just the glare off the buildings, we decided that a Spring visit was more to our liking. We arrived to Australia in the first week of November and were met by mostly clear skies and temperatures in the 60s-70s (F) which we thought was just perfect!
As far as what to pack, if you’re visiting in the Spring, we recommend packing convertible clothing like pants that can easily be zipped off into shorts. Lightweight, quick dry, SPF rated clothing is your friend! Be sure to bring a few articles of clothing to layer with and a light jacket. Finally, make sure you have a great pair of water shoes, a hat, sunshades, and lots of sunscreen!
What’s the best way to get to Australia?
Unless you fancy spending a good chunk of your precious vacation time at sea, a flight is the best travel option to Australia. We know you’re probably thinking “well duh” but hear us out. The point we’re trying to make here is not whether you should fly to Australia but rather how you can take some of the agony out of this potentially grueling trip. If, like us, you’re traveling to Australia from anywhere in North America then we know you’re staring down the barrel of a 27-hour plus flight. This is a daunting undertaking even for the hardiest of us. That many hours on a plane where you have to politely ask to get up every time you need to go to the loo is enough to break anyone!
To make the journey more palatable, we suggest building an overnight layover into your itinerary. For instance, we opted to spend a night in Hawaii on our way to Australia and another night there on our way back. This was ideal as it not only divided our long flight into more palatable, shorter sections but it also allowed us the chance to get some incredible Hawaiian food, lounge at the beach, and get a good night’s sleep before continuing on to our destination. Despite the long journey and thanks to the long layover, we arrived to Sydney surprisingly energized and ready to tackle a whole new world. Even though the long layover may seem like a waste of time when you’re trying to squeeze in as much as you can do at your destination, we urge you to consider working it into your Australia trip. What’s the point of getting there faster if you’re too jet lagged to do anything, right?
Oh, we should mention that if you’re traveling to Australia from the US, you need to apply for an Australian Electronic Travel Authorization or ETA. This is easily done by downloading the Australian ETA app on your smartphone then filling out the brief application and paying the small fee. Our applications were approved within 24 hours, so you don’t necessarily have to do this far in advance however try not to forget as you won’t be allowed into the country without an approval.
Where should you stay once you arrive?
Finally, an easy question! The Central Business District (CBD) is, as the name suggests, the most central and therefore most ideal location to stay. Each major city has a CBD and not only are these areas close to many tourist attractions and restaurants, but they also have excellent public transportation which makes getting around a breeze. Hotels in the CBD areas are also plentiful and, unlike similar areas in other countries, are shockingly affordable. We made sure to book at least a four-star hotel in each city which may sound extravagant, but which cost us about 100 USD or less per night! And don’t let the cheaper prices fool you, all our hotels were spotlessly clean, comfortable, and spacious, often including kitchenettes and full washers and dryers! As we really loved all our hotel stays in Australia for their accessibility and comfort, we’ll include the names here in hopes that you find them useful as a guide when booking your trip.
In Sydney, we spent our first night at the Citadines Connect Sydney Airport hotel. Contrary to its name, this hotel is, in fact, not located at the airport but was about five minutes away by car. Our favorite thing about this hotel, other than its proximity to the airport, was its bird’s eye view of the airport and of Sydney. Our room was well-appointed and cozy. We do have to mention that there are some food options within walking distance of the hotel however these were largely American fast food style restaurants. If you’d like to stay as close to the airport as possible then consider booking a room at the Rydges Hotel.
For a more immersive Sydney visit, we also stayed at the Mantra 2 Bond Street Hotel located within the CBD. Here, our room was so large that it included a semi separated bedroom, living room, and kitchen. The hotel was located within a twenty minute to thirty-minute walk of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, the Observatory, the St. Mary’s Church, Hyde Park and a slew of other amazing tourist attractions.
In Perth, we stayed at The Melbourne Hotel, a newly renovated hotel in the city’s CBD. This was by far the classiest stay of our time in Australia thanks to the minimalist yet impactful design and enormous rooms and bathrooms. The location was also perfect and within easy walking distance to restaurants and even Chinatown!
Much like our stays in the other Australian cities we visited, we chose Voco Brisbane City Centre for its ease of access to the waterfront, shopping, and dining. We do have to say that Brisbane is a wonderful pedestrian city and that you’re most likely to strike gold no matter where you choose to stay. Although, we do concede that Voco’s proximity to the Victoria Bridge was a big selling point for us.
Our final stay in Australia was in a veritable paradise i.e the Whitsunday Islands. Although there were many islands to choose from, we ultimately decided to stay on Hamilton Island, the largest inhabited island of the Whitsundays Islands. If you haven’t heard of it, we’re not surprised as Hamilton Island seems to be a somewhat of a secret as it is THE Australian vacation spot. Accommodations in the island are limited hence we made sure to book our stay early. We chose the Whitsunday apartments where we, in fact, did have an entire apartment to ourselves complete with an oceanfront view and our very own cockatoos!
What’s the best way to get around in Australia?
All major Australian cities have a reliable public transportation network with trains and buses to get you to whatever destination you choose for a fair price. As we were spending only a short time in each city and therefore didn’t have even a minute to spare, we exclusively used Uber which turned out to be fast, reliable, and relatively cheap!
If you’re feeling more adventurous or just want the freedom of having your own car, driving in most of the Australian cities is very manageable. A few things to know if you do rent a car is that you must drive on the left-hand side of the road and must be ready for a LOT of awkward merges on the highways. Honestly, and according to multiple Uber drivers and guides, highway merging is a battle, and in fact, the first 15 minutes of one of our tours involved a motorcyclist insisting on pacing our large tour bus in his quickly dwindling merging lane yet shaking his fist at us! Surprisingly enough, despite this odd quirk of the Australian drivers, we didn’t witness a single wreckage, so we don’t think you have too much to worry about here. Traffic within the cities was as expected with an average amount of congestion. We must warn you though that the highways are generally small and can have standstill traffic during rush hours. Another thing to know is that there are tolls on many of the roads however you don’t need a toll-pass or toll-plate as your rental car will be automatically scanned and the fees will be billed to the credit card that you leave on file with the rental company. A final word of warning, if you’ve got a “heavy foot” then you might want to consider using just your big toe to press down on that gas pedal. The speed limits in Australia are exactly that: limits! If you drive even 5-10 kilometers per hour over that limit, which is shockingly easy to do by the way, there are tons of speed cameras, and you can be confident that you’ll getting a nice little traffic ticket in the mail when you get home.
Now that we’ve made you just nervous enough to consider not renting a car, we have to say that it really was fine driving in Australia for us! We had no major incidents and no traffic-police drama! If you decide to visit Brisbane, we do suggest renting a car so that you can drive yourself to destinations on the outskirts of the city like the Lone Pine animal sanctuary and the Gold Coast.
While we could have visited these areas by bus or ride-shares, there were so many other stops we had in mind that it just made sense to drive ourselves. Plus, if we didn’t rent a car even once we may never have driven through some of the many Koala zones around the Queensland area which would’ve been a tragedy! Who doesn’t want the chance to see a Koala in the wild right?
Do you need to exchange currency?
You do not need cash in any of the major Australian cities! In fact, rumor has it that Australia plans to be a completely cashless country by 2025. This was evident as we were able to pay by credit card and Apple Pay literally everywhere! The closest we ever came to needing cash was at a coin laundromat but even that was circumvented as we found washers and dryers that had a credit card payment system installed! If you do need Australian dollars for some reason, you can easily use a bank card to withdraw Australian dollars and save on fees. We never exchanged any of the US dollars or Euros for that we took with us and only used cash to tip a handful of times throughout our visit.
What’s the food like in Australia?
We found the food in Australia to be AMAZING for several reasons. First, everything we ate was incredibly fresh and well prepared. Second, and most importantly, there was no high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, enhancers, or fillers in anything we ate! We actually noticed within 3 days of arriving how clear and much improved our skin looked! There’s lots of great information published when it comes to the benefits of “eating-clean” and we were thrilled to find Australia following those principles.
Tipping in Australia is not common or expected. We did not know this prior to arrival and had a few awkward encounters before finally figuring it out. Apparently, once the bill arrives for payment, the customer has to request to leave a tip before swiping their credit card that way the server can enter in the appropriate transaction. If this isn’t done first and the credit card is swiped, then the bill gets paid and there is no other way to leave a tip unless you have cash on hand. Since practically every server we had was attentive, we were happy to figure out how to show our appreciation.
As for what we actually ate there, well, Australia’s favorite dishes appear to be meat pies and sausage rolls. Both are exactly what you’re probably imagining: flakey pastry filled with stewed minced meat or flakey pastry rolled around minced sausage. Both are hearty and delicious, and you absolutely have to try both on your visit to Australia. Although it’s hard to go wrong with either of these choices, we do have a favorite and that is the sausage roll. Get yourself a little tomato sauce (they don’t have ketchup in Australia) and you’ve got yourself a tasty, Australian style fast food meal!
Being a wonderfully diverse country, practically every kind of cuisine can be found in Australia, so you’ll have no trouble satisfying your cravings. There are even American fast-food joints like KfC, McDonald’s and Hungry Jacks aka Burger King for those who get home sick! Just make sure to take advantage of the amazing Australian Wagyu, Lamb, and Barramundi while you’re in town! Check back later to see our favorite restaurants throughout Australia here!
Is it safe to drink the water?
Quick answer: yes! Tap water in all major Australian cities is safe to drink. We drank tap water across Australia and, sadly, don’t have even a single GI distress story to entertain you with. If you’re not a fan of filling up at a random faucet, then refreshing bottled spring water is available for purchase everywhere. Bottled water is relatively cheap to purchase but does include a bottle fee so don’t be surprised to see that on your receipt.
Must Do's in Australia
Let’s start by saying that there was much more to do in Australia than we had time for. In truth, we would need years to truly experience everything the country has to offer. Despite our short time in Australia, we somehow still managed to experience tons of fun stuff and here are some of the must-do things we think are worth adding to your list!
Sydney
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The two most iconic places that everyone paying a visit to Sydney absolutely has to see are the Harbour Bridge and the Opera house, of course. Neither of these places are hard to get to and both can even be seen from your plane as it comes in for landing at the Sydney Airport! There are a few ways to experience the Harbour Bridge. If you’re looking for a stunning view of the bridge, you’ve got several good options. One of the best vantage points is found along the waterfront leading to the Sydney Opera House. From this location you can also capture the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in just one photo!
Although seeing the bridge and the Opera house together all at once was a treat, we think that there’s an even better way to experience the bridge. To get a little more up close and personal with the Harbour Bridge, we recommend visiting the Rocks neighborhood. A quaint and lovely little neighborhood with lots of homes and restaurants overlooking the Sydney Harbour, the Rocks sprung up beneath the Harbour Bridge and allows pedestrians the opportunity to walk underneath the enormous bridge and examine it to their heart’s content. Want a little more adventure than just walking beneath the bridge? Well, you’re in luck as, just up the hill from the Rocks, you will find an entrance that allows you to actually climb onto and walk along the underside of the bridge! Want an even more thrilling adventure? Then book a bridge climbing tour and walk to the very top of the bridge for a heart-pounding but gorgeous view of the Sydney Harbour.
When you’re done exploring the bridge to your heart’s content, we recommend continuing up the hill from the Rocks and towards the Sydney Observatory for the what we think are the most epic views of the Harbour Bridge. Make your way behind the observatory where you’ll find a lush hillside with panoramic views of the harbor and the Bridge. If you happen to be visiting on a clear, warm day, we suggest bringing a picnic and passing the evening on this picturesque hillside watching the boats sail by and waiting for the lights to go on on the Bridge!
Sydney Opera House
Idyllically situated on a promontory, known as Bennelong Point, jutting into the harbor and bearing the appearance of a majestic ship about to set sail, it is not hard to see why the Sydney Opera House was inducted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Opera House is home to several theaters and is renowned for the creative and stunning performances that it hosts. While just walking along Bennelong Point and taking in the Opera house is a treat, we must encourage you to see a performance if you have the time! Despite its fame and the high volume of tourist visits, the Opera house is surprisingly approachable and getting tickets to a performance is not has hard as you might imagine. We secured tickets to Marguerite and Armand by the Australian Ballet held in the Joan Sutherland Theatre in the Opera House. Both the show and the venue were phenomenal in our estimation. Admittedly, we had never been to a ballet before but, honestly, we imagine its hard to beat a first-ever ballet held at a UNESCO World Heritage Site followed by over-water fireworks!
Hyde Park
Located within Sydney’s Central Business District, Hyde Park is famous for its avenues lined by enormous fig trees and for being one of the oldest parklands in Sydney. The park is a lovely blend of ancient trees and sculptures set against a city backdrop featuring glittering steel-and-glass monoliths.
Wander through the park and take in the many sculptures of various Monarchs, visit the reflection pool, toss a coin into the Archibald Fountain, or accidentally go to mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral as we did! Hyde Park has something for everyone and, no matter what you choose to do, we can guarantee you’ll have an incredible time.
The Sydney Tower Eye
Within walking distance of Hyde Park is the Sydney Tower Eye. The main draw, as you might guess, is the Observation Deck that provides magnificent, 360-degree views of Sydney. Tickets are around $20 USD per person, and you can stay as long as you like. If you’re feeling adventurous then purchase tickets to the Skywalk and you’ll get to spend 60 minutes in overalls and a harness on a guided tour on a catwalk outside the observation deck!
The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Another incredibly lovely green space in Sydney is the Royal Botanic Garden located just across the street from the State Library of New South Wales. The garden is free to enter and explore and is beautifully landscaped. You can take in the native flora, grab a bite to eat at the cafes in the garden or just stroll along the tree-lined pathways. A twenty-minute walk from the entrance of the garden will will bring you to the Harbour Bridge and provide plenty of jaw-dropping views of both the Opera House and the bridge.
Circular Quay
If you’re looking to spend some quality time at Sydney Harbor, maybe before or after taking in a show at the Opera House then Circular Quay is the ideal hangout spot. With plenty of restaurants, bars and gelato spots to choose from, it’s easy to spend an hour or two taking in the surrounding water views or checking out the maritime museum.
Sydney Beaches and Rock Pools
Being a coastal city, it’s probably no surprise that Sydney is home to some outrageously beautiful beaches. Picture sparkling sapphire blue waters as far as the eye can see. We should mention that Sydney’s beaches are rocky with powerful waves and somewhat strong winds. Unless you’re a surfer of some skill, you may find these beaches intimidating however we’re here to tell you not to worry! Being the roll-with-the-punches people they naturally are, Sydneysiders have figured out how to turn wavy, smash-you-into-the-rocks beaches into calm, wading pools. How, might you ask? With one-of-a-kind rock pools!
These rock pools are numerous, extend along the Sydney coastline, can be natural or manmade and are hugely popular with tourists and locals alike. The pools are very different from traditional pools in that they are not dug into the ground and filled with salt or chlorinated water. Instead, these pools are essentially areas of the coast that are sectioned off by concrete or rocks that serve as wave breakers. As waves crash into the ‘walls,” ocean water flows over and into the pools creating a serene, protected area where swimmers can relax and yet still enjoy the ruggedness of the Pacific.
Some Rock Pools that you may want to add to your list of must-dos are Wylie’s Baths, Bondi Icebergs Pool, South Curl Curl Rock Pool, Mahon Rock Pool and the famous Mona Vale Rock Pool. While we didn’t have a chance to visit them all, we thoroughly enjoyed the Ivo Rowe Rock Pool in South Coogee which was somehow 10 degrees warmer than the surrounding air and super protected from the constant wind and dramatic waves.
Perth
Although much less popular than Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, Perth is a wonderful Coral Coast city with plenty to keep tourists busy. We particularly loved the wide-open green spaces, proximity to the Indian Ocean, the huge Chinatown, general cleanliness, the less hectic pace, and the friendly locals. If we had to choose an Australian city to live in, Perth would be our front runner! That being said, here are some of the things you absolutely have to do when you visit Perth.
The Pinnacles Desert and Star Gazing
Roughly two hours north of Perth along Indian Ocean drive is Nambung National Park. Contained within the park are remarkable natural limestone pillars called Pinnacles that are colorful and numerous and that range in height from shorter than a toddler to greater than 11 feet! The Pinnacles are spread throughout a vibrant golden desert that extend all the way to the azure waters of the Indian ocean. Nesting within the pillars are colorful wild birds and kangaroos. If that’s not enough to capture your interest, then you should know that this National Park is also a famous dark-sky destination where all you need to see the Milky Way is your own eyes!
There are several ways to visit the park with the most popular choices being a tour from Perth or renting a car and driving yourself. Getting to the park is straightforward and visitors are allowed to drive and explore the park on their own. The park closes at 9pm and, although there are no gates, visitors are encouraged to leave for their own safety. There are no paved roads in the park however there is a well-marked road that is easy to follow by day but a challenge to navigate in the dark.
We decided to take a tour from Perth which included several stops along the way for viewing the Indian Ocean and getting a look at the rugged beauty of the Coral Coast. Our tour guide planned our arrival for early evening, which apparently was the best time to arrive to see the Pinnacles brilliantly lit by the light of the setting sun. We were then provided with detailed instructions and a map and were able to wander the desert on our own an, stopping every 30 seconds to take pictures of either the gorgeous sunset over the Indian Ocean or the Pinnacles bathed in the light of the sunset. We honestly couldn’t decide which was more beautiful!
After a picnic style dinner prepared and served by our guide on blankets spread between the darkening skies, the telescope was rolled out to start our stargazing fun. We concede that the telescope provided was pretty cool but have to admit that viewing the Milky Way with our own eyes was even better. After years of chasing it, in the perfect darkness of the park, buffeted by the cold wind off the ocean and standing beneath the bejeweled sky, we finally saw the Milky Way in all its glory! It was certainly not as bold to see as the stylized photos often featured in magazines, but we found it to be just as spellbinding!
Whale Watching from Perth
Admittedly, you can take a whale watching tour from just about any coastal city in Australia thanks to its proximity to various whale migration routes through the Pacific Ocean. So why bother going all the way to Perth? Two words: Blue Whales! You can see a humpback or orcas in lots of places, but Blue Whales are trickier to find. Recognized as the largest living mammals, Blue Whales are known to gather just off the coast of Perth in the Perth Canyon to feed from March to May each year. If your plans to visit Australia fall outside of this time period, don’t despair! There’s still plenty of whale watching to do from September to December each year as well. Just be sure to plan and book your tour early!
Caversham Wildlife Park and Whiteman Park
Situated within Whiteman Park, a conservation area about 30 minutes away from Perth Central Business District, Caversham Wildlife Park is a must visit if you happen to be in the area! The wildlife park is home to a huge variety of Australian fauna with everything from Koalas and Kangaroos to Cassowaries and even wild Peacocks! Entrance to the park is just around 20 USD and you can stay and play, so to speak, for as long as you like.
The park hosts a variety of animal experiences daily all of which are included in the ticket price, a rare commodity if you ask us! Be sure to check their website for event timetables and to purchase your tickets. We were thrilled to be able to pet the Koalas and the Wombats, feed the Kangaroos and tour the rest of animal enclosures all of which we were able to in 3 hours and without any prior planning! The park is only open daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm so come early and leave plenty of time to explore otherwise you risk missing out on getting to meet some of the coolest wildlife on Earth!
Once you’ve had your fill of the wildlife park, if that’s even possible, don’t forget to check out the rest of Whiteman Park. Grab a bite at the Village Café then hop aboard a vintage train for a ride or browse any of the fun transportation museums in the park. We highly recommend the Motor Museum of WA found in the park where you can see, but not touch, some incredible vintage, modern and custom cars many of which probably cost more than most of us earn in a lifetime!
Visit Barrack Square and Perth’s Bell Tower
In Barrack Square, where Perth meets the Swan River, stands an eye-catching glass spire that is the famous Perth Bell Tower. The tower is home to the Swan Bells which include the Anzac Bell and a set of royal bells known to have been rung before the 14th century! For a small fee, visitors can enter the Bell Tower and rise to the 6th floor observation deck for an open-air, panoramic view of Perth and the Swan River. We recommend starting at the Observation deck then taking the stairs down one floor at a time to see the historic Bells and other displays. If you want to hear the bells ring, visit the Bell Tower from noon to 1pm on a Thursday or a Sunday and watch the Bellringers put on an incredible performance!
Don’t forget to check out the rest of Barrack Square after you exit the Bell Tower. Take a walk along the breezy Riverwalk, grab a bite by the river or just sit and enjoy the views. Whatever you choose to do, we’re positive you’ll have a fabulous time doing it!
The Perth Mint
A short 15-minute walk into the city from the Bell Tower is the Perth Mint, another fun stop on our self-guided tour of the city. As we arrived a little on the later side, we couldn’t tour the entire building but were given access to the Bullion Exchange where we could purchase bullion and gold bars. We were pleased that they weren’t put off by our general disheveled appearance and slight funkiness courtesy of the animal sanctuary from which we had arrived. Of course, we didn’t invest as we’d already spent any reserves we had left over after funding this trip on a tiny, stuffed Koala to bring back home. Priorities, you know? Regardless, we had fun shopping the extravagant jewelry store and gift shop and have tiny, albeit fake, gold bar to show for our efforts!
Spend a day in Fremantle
Recognized as the largest port city in Western Australia, Fremantle is located approximately 20 minutes away from Perth CBD and is a tourist destination for several reasons. First, all the whale watching cruises and tours depart from the Fremantle harbor. Second, the Freemantle Waterfront also known as Victoria Quay with its live music, many restaurants and shops and its overall energetic vibe is a great place to unwind. Third, the Freemantle Prison, the one and only UNESCO World Heritage site in the area, is an irresistible draw for those who don’t mind bumping into a murderous ghost or two!
Fremantle is also considered the gateway to Rottnest Island. From the harbor, you can hop on a ferry for a day tour of the Island, which is a nature reserve with gorgeous white sand, cove beaches. Spend the day admiring the native Quokka, small wallaby-like animals, taking a dip in the pristine beaches or enjoying the serenity of this mostly untouched island.
Brisbane
A lovely waterfront city, we found Brisbane to be rather similar to Chicago in the United States. Modern and hip, the city is situated on the banks of the Brisbane River and is known for its culture, food and nightlife. Check out some of our favorite things to do in Brisbane.
Victoria Bridge
If you’re in the Brisbane CBD area, then seek out the Victoria Bridge. The bridge spans the Brisbane River, connecting the CBD and South Brisbane and is hard to miss at night thanks to its neon green glow. The bridge features protected pedestrian walkways that are entirely separated from the traffic which is limited to buses and cyclists only. Crossing the bridge on foot, we were treated to lovely views of the Brisbane River, the CBD and South Bank which we would otherwise have miss out on. We recommend crossing the bridge towards South Bank while keeping an eye out for the popular Brisbane sign. From here, you can walk along the South Bank Park lands or delve into the hopping food scene just a block or two away!
Brisbane City Hall and King George Square
Located in the heart of the city, the Brisbane City Hall is almost a hundred years old and is open to the public with daily guided tours of the Main Auditorium and the Clock Tour. The Museum of Brisbane can also be found within City Hall for those interested in viewing works by local artists. Not really into museums or gorgeously preserved ancient buildings? We suggest you pay a visit to the building anyway! This way you can catch a lovely view of the majestic building as well as King George Square. Brisbane City Hall adjoins King George Square, a public gathering place where locals meet to mingle and where, if you time it right, you’ll find local markets and artisanal goods.
Queen Street Mall
Fittingly, we suppose, the Queen Street Mall can be found just across the street from King George Square. A huge open-air shopping center, the Queen Street Mall is worth a visit whether you’re looking to shop for high-end wares or just browsing the dazzling stores. Beware though, shops at this mall tend to close early so if you come after 6-7 pm then be prepared to do some heavy window shopping only. Even if you’re running late though, the mall is worth a visit thanks to the many lively restaurants and, in the holiday season, the extra festive decorations!
Brisbane River Cruise
For a fun and unique way to see Brisbane, consider booking a river cruise. Brisbane seems to offer river cruises for just about any time of the the day. Whether you’re interested in a morning “Tea Cruise” or a midday cruise or a sunset cruise, there’s plenty for you to choose from.
Eatstreet Northshore
Want to try foods from 6 continents without traveling more than 15 minutes? We assume your answer is a resounding yes hence we suggest that you carve out some evening time in your schedule to pay a visit to Eatstreet. Built on a historic wharf, Eatstreet is essentially a collection of shipping containers turned into restaurants and food stalls. If creative and eclectic dining is the order of the night, then you can’t go wrong here. Be sure to check hours before you visit as Eatstreet is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for limited hours in the evening. There’s also an entrance fee of 6 AUD per person but parking is free!
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
About 20 minutes away from Brisbane Central Business District is the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Being relatively close to the city, Lone Pine is extremely popular with tourists and can be crowded even at off times. The major draw to the sanctuary is, as the name suggests, the Koalas. At Lone Pine, visitors can buy passes to pet or hold the Koalas in addition to the general entrance fee. There are limited time slots available for these one-on-one interactions which do tend to sell out. We made sure to buy the extra Koala experience online and reserve our time slot prior to arrival.
Was holding the Koala worth all the extra planning? Yes! Although they’re less like soft, stuffed animals and more like lean, muscled machines, they’re still cute and cuddly. Thanks to the attentive rangers that kept them happily fed, they were calm and relaxed and didn’t seem to mind being held so long as no one took away their Eucalyptus leaves! If you do spring for the hold a koala experience, you’ll get a commemorative picture of you and your cuddle buddy for free.
Once you find the strength to break away from the Koalas, you’ll probably notice that the sanctuary is huge with tons of native Australian animals. Make sure to leave time to check out unique animals like the tree kangaroos or the Tasmanian devils! Although many people visit the sanctuary via a tour, we encourage you to consider visiting the sanctuary either by a ride-share like Uber or driving there yourself. Th drive only around 20mins from Brisbane CBD and not difficult at all plus there’s plenty of free parking. Going on your own means more time to explore and trust us, you’ll want more time once you see all that Lone Pine has to offer!
Brisbane’s Gold Coast
One of our main reasons for getting a rental car in Brisbane, aside from the animal sanctuary, was to visit the famed Australian Gold Coast. We could’ve taken the train from Brisbane to the Gold Coast which took about an hour but really preferred to drive since we could see more of the city and surrounding area this way. Following recommendations from a local, we set our gps app (link app post here) to Currumbin Beach and arrived at a lovely little seaside parking lot. It was immediately evident why the area was called the Gold Coast.
Met by cerulean blue waters lapping at shores of golden sand, it wasn’t hard to guess why this was called the Gold Coast. With miles and miles of glittering sand and glimmering water, the Gold Coast beaches are a haven for surfers, swimmers, and sunbathers alike. Although we had been repeatedly assured by locals that jelly fish were only a minor concern at these beaches, we didn’t want to chance catastrophe especially since we were only about halfway through the trip. Choosing prudence over thrill for once, we decided to have lunch at the Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club. The name is a mouthful, we know! But thanks to its unique location and build, we were treated to spectacular floor-to-ceiling glass window views of the beach from above while we ate. We also made sure to climb the old observation tower attached to the restaurant from which we had unobstructed views of the entire coastline its rustic rock formations!
If time permits, we suggest spending a few days at the Gold Coast to enjoy the beach and surrounding forests. If visiting Currumbin, seek out Springbrook National Park. Here you can swim in the Currumbin Valley Rock Pool, hike or check out the many waterfalls!
Hamilton Island
Fondly known as “Hamo” to locals, Hamilton Island is the most inhabited of the Whitsunday Islands. What are the Whitsunday Islands? Australia’s own of slice of paradise! More specifically: the Whitsundays are a group of islands off the coast of Queensland each with lush green forests, white sand beaches and spectacular shades of turquoise waters. Aside from the sun, sand, and gorgeous beaches though, you may be interested to know that the Whitsundays also offer easy access to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef!
Although several of the Whitsunday Islands offer accommodations most lack airports and require transportation by ferry. The ferries are reasonably priced however ferry schedules can vary dramatically from season to season and requires advanced planning and booking. In this regard, Hamilton Island is the better choice for a base as there is a small airport located on the island. Flights are offered daily from all major airports in Australia to Hamo making it the most accessible island. Because of its popularity and ease of access, accommodations do sell out so be sure to book in advance. For a very classy stay and the chance to possibly rub elbows with the famous Helmsworth clan, you can book a stay on Hayman Island. Be warned though, access to the only hotel on this very remote Whitsunday Island is by yacht or helicopter all of which cost a pretty penny. Seeing as neither us could even spell the word “yacht” much less afford to use one as regular transport, we went with the more reasonable but just as spectacular, we’re sure, Hamilton Island.
Completing our tour of Brisbane, we boarded our flights to Hamilton Island amidst exclamations from a surprising number of airport staff to the tune of “Going to Hamo then? Nice mate!” By the time we claimed our seat onboard, we were feeling a little overinflated but who doesn’t like to feel a little envied now and again? Arrival to the island was stunning with our airplane taxiing into dazzling blue waters. The airport was small and very much like many of the Caribbean Island airports we’ve been to.
Accommodations on the island ranged from apartments and hotels to private villas and cottages. We chose the Whitsunday Apartments situated at Catseye Beach. From our living room, we had unobstructed views of the beach and lots of one-on-one time with the bold, native Cockatoos. Our apartment was well equipped and comfortable and even included access to laundry. We recommend bringing some loose coins with you if you want to do laundry here though as the machines are all coin operated.
Getting around Hamilton Island was interesting as only very few cars are allowed on the island meaning there were no taxis or rideshares. Guests on the Island have the option of renting a golf cart or using the free shuttles. As we were on the Island for only a couple of days and did not want to deal with charging a golf cart, we took advantage of the shuttles which we found more than sufficient in getting us around.
Our first stop on our exploration of the Island was the Marina which was a 5-minute shuttle ride away from our apartment. As this was where most of the shopping, including groceries, and restaurants were, it was an excellent place to start. We toured much of the coast on foot enjoying the balmy breeze, swooping lorikeets and cockatoos and the lazily grazing kangaroos! We didn’t see any wild Koalas although we heard there were plenty on Hamilton Island. If you absolutely must see a Koala, there is a little animal sanctuary on the island just for you! Of the places we visited, One Tree Hill, a high point on the island that definitely had many more than one tree, was our favorite. To be fair, this lookout point is one of the most popular stops on the shuttle route and is probably most people’s favorite spot. With an open-air bar, live music in the evenings, panoramic views of the surrounding islands, and fiery sunsets that turn the water into shimmering, liquid gold, we can hardly imagine a better hangout spot.
Although small, Hamilton Island had a surprisingly varied and delicious food scene and plenty of fun stuff to do. We ate all our meals at the restaurant row by the marina where we could burn off some calories fighting Cockatoos and sea gulls off our food. For the best fish and chips on the island and probably the entire Whitsundays, check out Popeyes Fish and Chips takeaway!
As far as what we did in the Whitsundays other than alternately eating and gaping at the scenery, well, we went to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), of course! To do this, we booked a full day tour with Explore Tours which included at trip to White Haven Beach and snorkeling at Chalkies beach. One of the most stunning beaches in the world, Whitehaven Beach is located on Whitsunday Island and is only accessible by boat. The island lacks accommodations but does have a campground for those wanting to stay overnight.
A short hike from the water and upward into the forest along a well-marked trail provides incredible birds-eye views of Whitehaven Beach and the surrounding islands. Somehow managing to resist the call of the clear blue water, we completed the one-mile hike first then rewarded ourselves by belly flopping into the cool, refreshing Pacific. As we were visiting during the height of stinger season, we were encouraged to wear stinger suits which were surprisingly comfortable. Word to the wise though, go on the hike before you don the stinger suit otherwise, you’ll be sweating in places you didn’t even know existed!
After lounging on Whitehaven Beach for a few hours, we crossed the bay to the nearby Chalkies Beach where we once again put on the stinger suits, strapped on life jackets, grabbed a floating noodle or two, gave up on ever figuring out how to walk in flippers, donned our snorkeling gear and hopped back in the water for our first ever-brush with the Great Barrier Reef. Even though we were inexperienced snorkelers we still managed to see the reef and admire the colorful coral fish and plenty of other sea creatures. We totally had a blast with our amateur snorkeling but if you’re an excellent snorkeler and are looking for a more immersive Great Barrier Reef adventure, consider taking a tour to or booking a suite at Reef World. Not only will you be able to snorkel, kayak, dive or take a submarine to the GBR, if you book an overnight stay at Reef World, you’ll be able to enjoy 24/7 views of the reef from your underwater suite!
Can’t get enough of a good beach? Then see why the Dominican Republic should be top of the list for your next vacation!
Sadly, our trip to the Great Barrier Reef was our last big Australian adventure before moving on to our next destination but it was the perfect way to wrap up our visit. With everything from epic snow-capped mountains to tropical beaches all in one place, Australia is a hard to beat vacation destination if you ask us! We absolutely can’t wait to see what we uncover on our next trip down under!
