The best things to do in Australia

Where: Along the southeastern coast of Victoria

Justifiably one of Victoria’s most popular tourist destinations (and Australia's favourite road trip), the Great Ocean Road is a must-do in Australia. The winding stretch from Torquay to Warrnambool takes four hours to drive non-stop, but you’ll want to take it slow to admire the jaw-dropping vistas, including the Two Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and the London Arch. 

Time Out tip: A pit stop at Apollo Bay Fishermen's Co-op for some grilled lobster with garlic butter and thick-cut chips is a must.

When to go? Spring or autumn for warm weather without the Christmas crowds.

📍 More of the best road trips in Australia

Where: Sydney Harbour, NSW

A sunrise paddle with Sydney by Kayak offers glorious photo opportunities that are sure to make your hungover friends incredibly jealous. Along with their passionate team of kayaking guides, life and business partners Laura and Ben Stone run daily dawn tours that make the most of Sydney Harbour before most people turn over on their pillows and hit snooze. The harbour water is velvety smooth, and the kayaks are very stable, so you don’t need to work hard to paddle around Luna Park and into position as the sunlight hits the Sydney Opera House. Flat whites never tasted more satisfying than when you're bobbing under the bridge, paddle under arm and wrangling a camera for that perfect Instagram shot. 

Time Out tip: If you're too hungry to go hunting for your perfect post-yak brekkie, North Sydney's Victoria Cross Metro station is home to a sprawling food precinct with lots of excellent options. 

When to go? Tours run year-round, but we recommend a summer kayak.

📍 More of the best things to do in Sydney

Where: Located 55 kilometres off the Queensland coast

Australia's best beach is in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef in the Whitsundays, which comprises 74 islands, most popularly Hamilton Island, Hayman Island and Daydream Island. There’s no wrong way to spend your time in this tropical paradise – whether you’re relaxing on the silica-white sands of Whitehaven (ranked fifth best in the world), wandering through the national parks (fun fact: the Whitsundays is 70 per cent national park), or snorkelling with thousands of brightly coloured fish in the Great Barrier Reef.

Time Out tip: Flying over Heart Reef is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that's totally worth the splurge! 

When to go? Winter for warm weather with low humidity.

📍 More of the best things to do in the Whitsundays

Where: Blue Mountains, NSW

Just two hours west of Sydney's CBD, the Blue Mountains – a vast, largely untouched wilderness, spanning some 11,400 square kilometres – is crisscrossed with many of Australia’s top walking trails. Take in the most astounding views of the valley, including the Three Sisters, at Scenic World. You can ascend the valley in a glass-walled cable car suspended 270m in the air, and descend in the Scenic Railway, which chugs down a hair-raising 52-degree decline. Of course, the forested canyons, towering rocks and majestic waterfalls can also be explored on foot.

Time Out tip: If driving to the Blue Mountains from Sydney, be sure to make a detour at The Hydro Majestic. It’s one of Australia’s most historic hotels, and with sweeping views of the Megalong Valley, it would be a crime not to pop in for the famed high tea and feed your love itty-biddy sandwiches.

When to go? Year-round – each season is charming in its own way. 

📍 More of the best restaurants in the Blue Mountains

Where: Perth, Western Australia

 When it comes to beaches in Perth, we are definitely spoiled for choice. But for the most photogenic seaside destinations in WA, Cottesloe Beach is easily among the top hot spots. With its shady Norfolk pines, pristine sand and abundance of watering holes, there’s just something about Cott that makes it the ideal spot for any occasion. Swimming, snorkelling, surfing or sipping the evening away, this picturesque beach is a WA icon.

Time Out tip: On Sundays, head to the Ocean Beach Hotel for sundowner sessions with live DJs from 3 to 6pm.

When to go? Year-round, but especially in the summer.

📍 More of the best things to do in Perth

Where: Sydney, NSW

Sydney locals use the Manly Ferry voyage every day on their commute to work, but it's an impossibly beautiful treat for visitors. While the motors chug soothingly, enjoy the scenery of Sydney Harbour as it glides by, taking you past the bridge, Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo and harbourside beaches such as Shark Beach and Camp Cove out to one of the city’s most popular beachside suburbs, great for bars, restaurants, shopping and snorkelling.

Time Out tip: We suggest you hop off and explore part or all of the Manly to Spit walk for spectacular views of the north and south headlands.

When to go? Travel outside the morning and evening rush to avoid any commuter crowds.

📍 More of the best things to do in Sydney

Where: Hobart, Tasmania

The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is the crown jewel of Hobart’s arts and culture scene. With revolving exhibitions, a trip to this colossal and futuristic alien space – which has been described as a “subversive adult Disneyland” – will never be exactly the same experience for every visitor. Explore the weirdest, most dazzling and generally shocking exhibitions, then enjoy lunch at one of its fine dining restaurants. 

Time Out tip: The hottest festival ticket to MONA is arguably Dark Mofo, a winter art party that takes over this Tasmanian city during June, bringing with it a wacky combo of art, music and community spirit.

When to go? Open Thur-Mon from 10am to 5pm.

📍 More of the best things to do in Hobart

Where: Uluru, Northern Territory

Designed by renowned British artist Bruce Munro, and named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku or ‘looking at lots of beautiful lights’ in local Pitjantjatjara language, this dazzling light spectacle is currently the largest of its kind to date – promising a truly incredible viewing of the nation’s most important rock, Uluru. You'll get a ripper view of the famous landmark illuminated by more than 50,000 multi-coloured LED lights.

Time Out tip: Visit it at dusk to see Uluru at its most spectacular.

When to go? Sessions run each night.

📍 More of the best things to do in Uluru

Where: Melbourne, Victoria

The National Gallery of Victoria, the grand modernist building that sits pretty on St Kilda Road, is also Australia's oldest and most popular art museum. It brings major international art exhibitions to Melbourne, showcasing classic works of art alongside hot contemporary talents. In the past, we've seen Van Gogh, MC Escher, Dior, Dali, Warhol and works from New York City's MoMA gallery. 

Don't miss: Given the near-constant rotation of fabulous special exhibitions at the NGV, you’d be forgiven for neglecting the equally impressive (and free!) permanent collection. Next time you visit, make sure you spend a good few minutes with Dosso Dossi’s portrait of Lucrezia Borgia, Duchess of Ferrara (1519-1530). It’s one of the only known portraits of the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI, which makes it, as NGV curator Laurie Benson explains, “a unique record of one of the most famous women in history”.

When to go? Open daily from 10am to 5pm.

📍 More of the best things to do in Melbourne

Where: Nationwide, including Sydney and Melbourne

The women’s league of the AFL hit the big time a few years back, and what better way is there to support the athletes than heading along to a game? Follow the pros and get yourself a pie, a hot jam doughnut and a beer, then yell like a bastard, heckle the umpires and have a bloody great time watching the AFLW’s brightest stars. The season starts in August and ends in December, with games played in all of Australia's major cities.

Time Out tip: If you can't watch it live, head to your local pub and catch the action on the big screen.

When to go? The season runs from August to November.

📍 More of the best sporting events in Australia

Where: Hobart, Tasmania

Tasmania's most visited tourism attraction brings together more than 300 stallholders in Hobart's Salamanca Place every Saturday. Fuel your exploration through the loud and proud market stalls with freshly shucked oysters, barbecued scallop sticks, pocket curries or a fried weisswurst (white sausage). Pick up tasty treasures for the road too, including local liquor-filled chocolates, artisan cheese, Tasmanian truffles and award-winning gin.

Time Out tip: Get there early to avoid the bulk of the crowds (which seem to peak at around 10am) and you’ll be able to wander, as opposed to shuffle, around the stalls.

When to go? Every Saturday from 8.30am to 3pm.

📍 More of the best things to do in Hobart

Where: Barossa Valley, South Australia

Characterised by its luscious rolling countryside dotted with charming stone churches, the Barossa Valley is home to many of Australia’s most renowned and historic wineries. You could spend weeks, if not months, going between the 150 wineries and 90-plus cellar doors in South Australia’s beautiful Barossa Valley. Regarded as the wine capital of Australia, the region is perfectly suited for producing big, beefy red wines, which you can sip all day long. Start at the cellar door of Australia’s most famous wine producer, Penfolds, before touring along for tastings at the secluded Seppeltfield, the award-winning Hentley Farm or the boutique Rockford Wines.

Time Out tip: Here are more of the best things to do in the Barossa region, for when you've had a glass (or two) too many.

When to go? Year-round

📍 More of the best things to do in the Barossa Valley

Where: Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne

Lune Croissanterie's croissants earned the venue the top spot on Time Out Australia's best bakeries list, and they were dubbed "the world's best" by a writer for the New York Times. Not a bad gig for brother-sister team Kate and Cameron Reid. As with many celebrated eateries, such high accolades often mean crowds. The lines snake out of the door nearly every day, in fact. But does Lune really cut the mustard? In short, yes. Created in a climate-controlled lab, Lune croissants are almost mathematically perfect: crisp and golden with visible layers of delicate pastry. This isn’t really so unusual when you consider the fact that Kate Reid used to be a racing car engineer.

Time Out tip: Arrive early to beat the queues.

When to go? Open daily – check location for opening hours.

📍 More of the best croissants in Australia

Where: Melbourne, Victoria

Nicknamed the "coffee capital of the world", Melbourne has no shortage of excellent coffee shops. Although you’re rarely more than a hundred metres from a good brew, there still are some standout roasters. One such caffeine queen is Bonnie, a CBD coffee joint whose house specialty is cold drip coffee. We also back Collingwood’s Acoffee – more like a coffee museum than a café – and the ethical brews from Padre Coffee, located in Brunswick East or in the heart of South Melbourne Market.

Time Out tip: Nine Aussie cafés were named in the world's top 100 coffee shops for 2025 – and you can find the closest one near you here. 

When to go? Whenever you need your coffee fix (note: most coffee shops in Australia close at 2pm or 3pm).

📍 More of the best things to do in Melbourne

Where: Located off the Queensland coast

Whether you’re a hardcore scuba diver, novice snorkeller or want to see the Great Barrier Reef without getting your hair wet, there are plenty of ways to see the world’s largest coral reef. It comprises more than 3,000 reefs and 1,050 islands, and you’ll have the opportunity to swim alongside squids, turtles and a myriad of psychedelic fish, making it one of the most magical and peaceful experiences you will ever have.

Time Out tip: For the ultimate experience, stay the night in Australia’s first underwater hotel with breathtaking views of the Great Barrier Reef.

When to go? Winter, to avoid stinger season.

📍 More of the best places to go scuba diving in Australia

Where: Rottnest Island, Western Australia

Rottnest Island's cutest inhabitants love to investigate and mingle with new visitors. These adorable marsupials are native to the A-class nature reserve located off the coast of Perth. Along with friendly quokkas, the island boasts 63 white-as-snow beaches perfect for snorkelling, diving, surfing off the back breaks and posting to Instagram with #nofilter.

Time Out tip: Remember to always approach with caution when leaning in for a selfie, and don’t touch or feed them (it’s against the law).

When to go? Summer for prime weather.

📍 More of the best things to do in Rottnest Island

Where: Adelaide River, between Darwin and Kakadu National Park

Get up close to Australia’s deadliest animal on a Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise. Located en route from Darwin to Kakadu National Park (where Crocodile Dundee was filmed), this hour-long tour will have you trembling in your boots as you witness powerful saltwater crocodiles leap spectacularly in the air. It’s a year-round fear factor affair.

Time Out tip: Heads up – you can’t do it during the wet season because there are too many crocs and too much water for a boat to safely go out.

When to go? Tours run daily at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm

📍 More of the best things to do in Kakadu National Park

Where: Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, Western Australia

When it comes to bucket list experiences, swimming with the world's largest fish in the drop-dead gorgeous Ningaloo Reef nears the top. This spectacular fringing reef stretches more than 260 kilometres, meaning in many places the coral comes right up to the beach. So, while you can admire it from the sand, we definitely recommend joining a whale shark tour – don’t worry, they’re harmless filter feeders who just so happen to grow up to 18 metres in length.

Time Out tip: Be on the alert for Exmouth’s other visitors like humpback whales (July to November), giant manta rays, dugongs and spinner dolphins who drop by all year round.

When to go? Mid-March to October.

📍 More of the best things to do in Exmouth

Where: Phillip Island, Victoria

About a two-hour drive from Melbourne is the wildlife wonderland of Phillip Island, visited by some 3.5 million people every year. There are plenty of activities for families, couples and solo visitors, including a chocolate factory, wildlife parks full of native animals and of course, the nightly penguin parade. You can watch from elevated viewing platforms or boardwalks as the little penguins waddle ashore at sunset and learn about conservation efforts that protect these charming birds. 

Time Out tip: Flash can frighten the penguins, so stick to your eyes.

When to go? The penguins come ashore at sunset, so arrive 30 to 60 minutes before.

📍 More of the best things to do in Melbourne

Where: Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Native Australian wildlife reigns supreme on Kangaroo Island, the country’s third-largest island, which is easily accessible by ferry from South Australia’s Cape Jervis. Animals well and truly outnumber the island’s modest human population, with tammar wallabies, koalas, echidnas, brush-tailed possums, bottlenose dolphins, goannas, sea lions, about 250 species of birds, and kangaroos (naturally) calling Kangaroo Island home. 

Time Out tip: While there, be sure to check out the Remarkable Rocks, too. This natural landmark is, well, quite remarkable.

When to go? Summer for swimming weather.

📍 More of the best things to do on Kangaroo Island

Where: Cradle Mountain, Tasmania

World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain comes to life in all seasons with a seriously surreal maze of walking tracks showcasing its ancient rainforests, snow-kissed mountain tops, crystal clear lakes and playful wildlife. Experienced bushwalkers can conquer the Cradle Summit, which is a rewarding eight-hour return hike. However, you can also take a pleasant stroll around the picture-perfect Dove Lake, followed by a dip in the lake during the warmer months. Make sure to also visit Devils@Cradle – an animal sanctuary where you’ll find the feisty Tasmanian devil, as well as spotted-tail and Eastern quolls

Time Out tip: Cradle Mountain is one of the best locations for wombat-spotting in Tasmania. Follow the Overland Track path from the Dove Lake car park and you’ll likely see heaps, especially if you time it for dusk, as that’s when they come out to munch on grass.

When to go? Spring for wildflowers and active wildlife.

📍 More of the best things to do in Cradle Mountain

Where: Nationwide, including Port Macquarie, Jirrahlinga and Kangaroo Island

When it comes to Australian icons, it doesn’t get much more true blue than the humble koala (and kangaroo). It isn't easy to spot these nocturnal creatures in the wild as they spend most of the day sleeping in eucalyptus trees. However, there are plenty of wildlife sanctuaries where you can see them up close.

Time Out tip: We recommend the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie – it does some incredible work in fighting to save these real-life teddy bears from extinction. Entry is free, and you can head behind the scenes to see the koalas in the hospital. 

When to go? You have the best odds of spotting them in the wild at dawn and dusk.

📍 More of the best places to see koalas in Australia

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