So you’re craving a weekend away, but the same familiar names keep making your shortlist: the Gold Coast for surf-and-city buzz, Byron Bay for slow coastal days or the Blue Mountains for fresh-air adventures. If you love the feel of those trips but want a new backdrop, consider this your destination matchmaker. Swipe through to find your next favourite Australian weekender.
If you love the Gold Coast’s beachy city-break energy…
Surf in the morning, dinner by the water and a big-ticket attraction on the same weekend: that easy mix gives the Gold Coast its beach-meets-city buzz. For your next weekend away, look for a shoreline with an equally lively centre close at hand that lets you trade sandy feet for a great table in the evening.
Try Perth
With City Beach about 15 minutes by car from the CBD, Perth makes it easy to fit a swim into a city break. Scarborough pairs a surf beach with places to eat, while Fremantle sets the cafés of its Cappuccino Strip a short wander from Bathers Beach. When you’ve had enough salt in your hair, cruise along the Swan River, catch a comedy show at Comedy Lounge Perth City or find a bar for a well-earned cocktail.
Try Newcastle
A compact city with a working harbour, six beaches and a six-kilometre coastal walk, Newcastle swaps the Gold Coast skyline for a sea breeze. Follow Bathers Way between Nobbys and Merewether, then duck into town for a whisky at Bartholomew’s (set in a former Methodist Mission theatre) or take in bold contemporary artworks at the Newcastle Art Gallery. A harbour cruise is another way to enjoy the city from the water.
If you love the Hunter Valley’s cellar-door weekends…
Cellar door tastings, vineyard lunches and rolling countryside give a Hunter Valley weekend its deliciously unhurried rhythm. For your next escape, seek out another wine region where distinctive local drops come with generous produce and scenery worth lingering over.
Try Orange
Want cool-climate wines, seasonal produce and a country-town setting? Then Orange is for you, just a three-and-a-half-hour drive west of Sydney. Spend the morning at a cellar door such as Ross Hill or Rowlee, then make time for lunch among the vines at Printhie Dining or head back into town to browse the boutiques. Autumn brings copper and orange leaves to the streets, while Orange FOOD Week in April and the Orange Wine Festival in October are two tasty reasons to time your visit.
Try the Tamar Valley
Cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and sparkling wines put cellar doors at the heart of a Tamar Valley stay in northern Tasmania. The 170-kilometre Tamar Valley Wine Trail follows both sides of kanamaluka / River Tamar, so choose a stretch and leave time to linger over a few tastings. Base yourself in Launceston to explore its heritage streets and sample local produce between vineyard visits; Cataract Gorge’s gardens, walking tracks, lookouts and roaming peacocks make for a different kind of day out.
Try Mudgee
Mudgee’s more than 35 cellar doors make it easy to find a favourite, whether you’re after a crisp white or a generous red. The region is home to some of Australia’s oldest vineyards, and its chardonnay story has a local twist: Mudgee winemaker Pieter van Gent made what the regional wine association describes as Australia’s first chardonnay at Craigmoor Winery in 1971. Visit the cellar door he later founded, then relish a long lunch at Zin Food + Wine House or take a wander through Mudgee’s heritage streets to upgrade your winery escape to something much more special.
If you love Byron Bay’s laid-back coastal scene…
A sunrise surf, a coastal walk and a sunny lunch at an independent café make Byron Bay’s relaxed rhythm easy to love. For your next getaway, find a destination where good food sits naturally alongside the coastline, and a river swim or a winding drive to a hinterland village can turn a simple beach break into a full weekend.
Try Yamba
At the mouth of the Clarence River, Yamba is a relaxed surf haven with a slower, small-town rhythm. Swim at Main Beach or the ocean pool, watch the surfers at Angourie Point, then make time for the locally caught seafood – Yamba prawns have quite the reputation. Yamba Street’s small shops and cafés make for an easy browse, while the lighthouse looks out to the point where river meets sea. It’s a longer road trip from Sydney – around seven and a half hours by car – but an easy stop on an east-coast drive.
Try the Tweed
This northern New South Wales pocket pairs surf beaches with fresh seafood and a slower pace. Spend the morning by the water at Hastings Point or Fingal Head, then head inland for the Tweed’s hinterland flavours – at Husk Farm Distillery, Australia’s first agricultural rum distillery, you can taste rum made from sugar cane grown on the farm, while Potager’s kitchen garden shapes what lands on the menu. When it’s time to hit the surf, Cabarita Beach has several breaks to choose from – no hang-ten experience required.
Try Phillip Island
Swap subtropical surf for cooler coastal air and wildlife in spades. Just 90 minutes from Melbourne by car, the pint-sized island combines serene beaches and tumbling surf with the nightly Penguin Parade, where little penguins return to shore at dusk. Warm up at Phillip Island Sauna in Cowes or make a mainland detour to Maru Koala and Animal Park near Grantville on the way to or from the island. Finish with dinner at Rusty Water Brewery Restaurant & Bar.
If you love the Blue Mountains’ dramatic landscapes and cosy stays…
One moment you’re following a bush track beneath towering sandstone; the next, you’re looking out across waterfalls, cliffs and deep green valleys of the Blue Mountains. Your next nature escape needs walking trails that lead to memorable views, a cute village and a great dining haunt to finish the day at.
Try the Southern Highlands
South of Sydney, the Southern Highlands is a nature break with village charm and cellar doors in the mix. Bowral makes a handy base: wander Corbett Gardens, browse the shops and galleries or book a tasting at Centennial Vineyards. Nearby Berrima and Mittagong add heritage streets and places to eat, while Fitzroy Falls drops 81 metres into the valley below. Bring your walking shoes; the views are worth stepping away from the car for.
Try the Grampians / Gariwerd
For a longer nature escape, Grampians / Gariwerd brings together sandstone ranges, lookouts, waterfalls and walking trails. Gariwerd has deep cultural significance to the Jadawadjali and Djab Wurrung peoples; Mount Sturgeon (Wurgarri), near Dunkeld, is one option for a walk. Parks Victoria’s Brambuk National Park and Cultural Centre is currently closed for refurbishment, and access across the park can change, so check official alerts before you set out.
If you love the Whitsundays’ turquoise-water snorkelling…
Sailing between islands, stepping onto Whitehaven Beach and snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef give a Whitsundays trip its distinct flavour of tropical island paradise. Your next island break should keep the reef as the centrepiece while adding an element of seclusion and exclusivity that can’t be copied.
Try Magnetic Island
A 20–40-minute ferry ride from Townsville brings you to Magnetic Island, where national park, walking trails and beaches make it easy to spend the day outside. Choose a coastal walk, cool off with a swim and keep an eye out for koalas in the island’s bushland. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park surrounds the island, so snorkelling is close at hand when conditions are right.
Try Lord Howe Island
For a quieter island escape, Lord Howe Island has a sheltered lagoon, snorkelling and walks beneath volcanic peaks. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed island is the eroded remnant of a shield volcano that erupted around seven million years ago. The island caps visitor numbers at 400 at any one time, which helps keep the pace gentle; book ahead, because that limit also means there are only so many beds to go around.
If you love Margaret River’s blend of surf, wine and good food…
A weekend in Margaret River can take you from a morning surf break to a cellar door and a long lunch, with tall forests and the coast woven through the drive. For your next escape, seek a place where wild shoreline, local wines and memorable food all belong on the same itinerary.
Try the Mornington Peninsula
For a Victorian getaway that brings together crystal-clear waters and the freshest produce, head to the Mornington Peninsula, where you’ll find a serene coastline alongside villages, farm gates and cellar doors. Build a weekend around a swim or coastal walk at Blairgowrie, a tasting in Red Hill and a long lunch at a winery restaurant. Slow things down even further by adding an evening of relaxation at Peninsula Hot Springs to your itinerary.
Try McLaren Vale
For beach time, vineyard lunches and scenic drives in South Australia, try McLaren Vale. Start with a cellar door or long lunch in McLaren Vale, then head towards the coast for a walk, a swim or a stop beneath Port Willunga’s soaring cliffs. The Shiraz Trail links McLaren Vale with Willunga, so you can cycle between vineyards before your next tasting. Plus, you’re about 45 minutes from Adelaide – a hop, skip and a jump by regional-drive standards – so a winery weekend is yours for the taking.
