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There’s a new way to hack your happiness in 2026: ‘Weekending’. Never heard of it? Neither had we until five minutes ago – but it’s pretty easy to get the gist. Instead of waiting for one big annual holiday, Australians are now spreading the joy year-round by taking more short, regional trips.
Airbnb describes weekending as the modern, stress‑free alternative to a traditional holiday – an easy, close‑to‑home escape that delivers a genuine mental reset without the admin overload. New research they commissioned found 91 per cent of Aussies feel that a weekend getaway leaves them feeling revitalised – sometimes even more than a long-haul trip.
To provide you with some weekending inspo, Airbnb has rounded up the top weekend getaways across Australia that are close enough to major cities. Regional Victoria had a strong showing on the list, with Warrnambool – aka the largest town along the Great Ocean Road – topping the list. This vibrant coastal hub has been a longstanding favourite with Melbournians, just a breezy three-hour drive from the CBD. Last year, Warrnambool won the title of Victoria’s Top Tourism Town, largely thanks to its rich maritime history, excellent beaches and some of the best whale watching in the state. If you’ve never been, your weekend plans are officially sorted.
Next up was Inverloch, a charming coastal town in Victoria loved for its family-friendly beaches, scenic coastal drive and calm nature walks. Located just two hours from Melbourne City, you could clock off work on a Friday arvo, arrive in time for dinner and then lap up the entire weekend.
On the West Coast, Airbnb chose the coastal city of Mandurah as Australia’s top spot for a weekend escape. This vibrant coastal city is less than an hour’s drive from Perth CBD, meaning you could even do it as a day trip – though we recommend lingering longer to soak it all in. The rest of the top ten features gems across NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, with the full list below.
The top 10 weekend getaways in Australia
- Warrnambool, VIC
- Inverloch, VIC
- Mandurah, WA
- Pokolbin, NSW
- Callala, NSW
- Maleny, QLD
- North Stradbroke Island, QLD
- Tanunda, SA
- Port Willunga, SA
- Bicheno, TAS