Our favorite ways to see all of the Australia Highlights on a short vacation
Last week we talked about how you can get the most out of a short vacation to Sydney. This got us thinking…What if you only had time to visit one or two Australian cities? What can you do and see in order to create the perfect been-there-done-that Australian vacation? So we’re putting together a blog series that takes all the main reasons people visit Australia and compresses them into an epic vacation comprising of just 1 or 2 destinations.
Here at About Australia, we work with hundreds of clients every week. Most Americans are aware that Australia is an amazing country with a vast diversity of beautiful sights, experiences and wildlife. They want to see the beaches, explore the Great Barrier Reef, experience Australian City life, see kangaroos and koalas, learn about the rich Aboriginal culture, check out the local food and wine and explore the Outback. Australia is on almost every traveler’s bucketlist.
What many people don’t realize is that Australia is a huge country – about the size of the United States to be exact. Once they wrap their heads around that fact, their next question is, “Do I have to travel all over Australia to see all the iconic sights?”
The answer to that question is both yes and no. It all depends on which iconic sights you want to see.
Sydney Harbour and access to the Great Barrier Reef are at least 1,000 miles apart. That’s a 2 -3 hour plane ride or over 20 hours by car. Then, if you have your heart dead-set on seeing Uluru (Ayers Rock), you’ll have to fly over 1,700 miles to the center of the country for a spiritual outback adventure. A similar trip in the US would take you from Orlando to NCY to Denver. So yes, if you want to see the Sydney Opera House, the reef and the Red Centre, you will have to do quite a bit of Australian Domestic Travel. And honestly, that’s ok! As they say in Australia, “No worries, mate!”
This type of trip is amazing! All of the once-in-a-life time experiences and amazing sights more than make up for the additional travel. But this type of trip takes time, a larger budget and quite a bit of patience, especially if you are traveling with young children.
But, you say, “I don’t have a lot of vacation time. Can I still travel to Australia and see the highlights without spending a ton of time and money?” Yes! With a smaller travel budget and just 5-7 days downunder, you can still get a great overview of Australia’s highlights just by visiting one or two select cities.
Or maybe you’re thinking, “I want to take my kids on an Australian adventure. But after that long plane ride to the other side of the world, I don’t want the stress of packing up the kids every few days and flying across the country just so they can get the full Australian experience.” You don’t have to!
Plan your trip to just one or two strategic locations and your kids will have an experience that is both educational and fun – one they will remember long after returning home to the rigmarole of everyday life. It’s one thing to spend your family vacation on the beach with playgrounds, kids programs and free child care. It’s quite another to live in an Australian city for a week visiting beaches, learning about ancient culture and cuddling kolas. I’d argue that the latter is much more engaging and educational.
The 7 major highlights of Australia are Beaches & Aquatic Life, Modern Culture & Art, Wildlife, the Outback, the Rainforest, Food & Wine and Indigenous Culture. A piece of these can be found in all major metro areas. You just have to know where to look…
…And thus the blog series has begun! Every week we’ll show you how you can see all 7 highlights in one city (or the surrounds). Browse through the series to help you pick a few cities which are best for you and your short vacation to Australia.
A word of advice:
Make sure you carefully plan every aspect of your trip. Know exactly what will be on your itinerary each day and book in advance. A lot of people believe they can book the flights and hotels then figure out the rest on the fly. This is a bad idea. The logistics alone can be quite daunting and after investing a lot of time and money into something, you want it to go well. We, of course, are proponents of you contacting us so we can use our expertise to help you plan the perfect trip. Sure, may be able to do it yourself, but you can avoid a lot of stress and worry if you let us do it for you!
Get-A-Trip-Quote or Phone us Toll Free on 1-888-359-2877 (CT USA, M-F 8.30am – 5pm).
Things to do in Australia | A Sydney Vacation with All the Australia Highlights
Things to do in Australia | A Melbourne Vacation with All the Australia Highlights
Things to do in Australia | A Brisbane Vacation with All the Australia Highlights
Things to do in Australia | An Adelaide Vacation with All the Australia Highlights
Things to do in Australia | A Cairns Vacation with All the Australia Highlights
Things to do in Australia | A Perth Vacation with All the Australia Highlights.
Tags: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Places to Visit in Australia, sydney, travel destinations, vacation planning
