Most people I know have always wanted to go to Australia. Why wouldn’t you? The people are “Incredible”, the country is “Amazing”, and the scenery is “Extraordinary”. In today’s economy it might not seem like the best time to go on your dream vacation, but the truth is, this might be the perfect time to go. If you look around (or call me) you can find some incredible deals. The question is, “where do you go” & “what do you see”? I am fully aware the typical American has only 2 weeks of vacation. The tough part about Australia is it’s almost the same size as the United States, and that is a lot of land to cover in two weeks. What would you tell a friend that only had two weeks to explore the United States? My first trip to Australia could have been daunting, but because of some great advise it was perfect. So, I thought I would put together a few ideas of what to do on your first Australian Adventure.
In my opinion Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef are “must do’s”. Most people already know this, but let me explain why. Sydney is the city that has it all. For those that enjoy the city life, Sydney is an incredible metropolis of food, shopping, and fun. During my first trip to Sydney, I spent an entire day exploring the city and loved every minute of it. While walking around the city you will see two unforgettable icons, The Sydney Opera house and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Most recently the Sydney Opera House was featured on Oprah (say that ten times fast). Oprah actually filmed two episodes on the steps of the Opera house. The Opera House has over 40 shows every week (that’s well over 2,000 per year), there is something for everyone to enjoy. I went on a back stage tour of the Opera house and had an incredible time.
Next is the Sydney Harbour Bridge; and why all of the fuss over a bridge? The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the greatest engineering masterpieces of its time. According the Guinness World Records it is the worlds widest long-span bridge and is the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 440 feet from the top to water level. The bridge is made of over 52,000 tons of steel and has 6 million hand driven rivets. Oh and did I mention you can climb it? In 1988 the Sydney BridgeClimb opened. This is definitely a “must do”. In all honesty I am scared of heights and have climbed it twice. Both times were incredible! Before my first climb, the guide informed me that a 100 year old woman climbed the bridge just a couple of weeks prior, and last fall I had the opportunity to see the most incredible rainbow I have ever seen. There is so much more to do in Sydney including the Taronga Zoo, the famous Bondi Beach (as seen in the Olympics), and the Rocks district. Trust me you will love it!
The next must do is the Great Barrier Reef! The Reef is probably the most well known attraction in all of Australia. There are several ways to get to there including day trips from nearby cities such as Cairns or Port Douglas, or staying at one of the nearby islands like Hamilton Island. The Great Barrier Reef is the worlds largest reef system with almost 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching over 1,600 miles. CNN labeled it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, not to mention it can be seen from outer space. It doesn’t matter if you like to scuba dive, snorkel, or just relax on a boat; everyone should experience The Great Barrier Reef while in Australia.
There are so many more fantastic things to do in Australia such as, Ayers Rock, Kangaroo Island, and the city of Melbourne. If you have a month or more you will be able to see so much of it. Although, if you are like me and only have two weeks of vacation per year, then do not miss out on Sydney & The Great Barrier Reef. The biggest concern people tell me is that Australia is just too far away. It is far, but don’t worry about the long flight. The flight attendants on all of the airlines that fly to Australia are head and shoulders above our domestic flight attendants. The flight is actually very easy; just enjoy your dinner; watch a couple of movies, take a nap, and you will be there when you wake up.
If you are thinking of going to Australia give me a call, I am happy to share my experience.
Jason
Jason,
Great scribe about my backyard of Australia. Having grown up in Sydney you have hit the nail on the head with your detailed highlights. These days I am living in Perth and an area of Australia that doesn’t see that many tourists from the US. The Margaret River region is an icon and offers some of the finest wineries on the planet. Margaret River is also home to a great array of surf beaches that are clean and still untouched. There are so many great places to explore in Western Australia from the rugged coastline of towns like Albany to the tranquil beauty of Cable Beach. Look forward to seeing further updates on Australia.
Cheers
Evan
Jason and Evan,
This is my fourth back to australia but my first trip without my parents. I was born in sydney but moved to the UK when i was 2.
I am 17 so i am quite nervous, but i am lucky to have family and friends to stay with.
Anyway one of the times iv been back we went in the winter. For people that have longer than 2 weeks i would deffinetly reccomend exploring both sides of australia. In perth it is still nice and warm at abouth 25 degrees celcius. My family hired a campervan and drove up the west coast from Perth to Broome. There are a number of sights you can hit on the way. You can drive through the pinnacle dessert, Feed dolphins in monkey mia, Go whale watching in Kalbarri, visit national parks and swim with whale sharks or manta rays in coral bay.
There is a lot to do, my family did all this in 2 weeks. We then got a plane from broome to sydney. It is a lot colder in sydney. We went skiing in the snowy mountains for a week which was amazing but very cold.
Any advice for melbourne would be much appreciated as i am going there this time.
Hope this helps anyone else who is planning a holiday in Oz.
Rosie