This dreamy seaside town in Victoria is the top weekend getaway destination in Australia for 2026

It’s not breaking news that taking a big ol' break from the 9-5 can boost your day-to-day joy levels. But according to Airbnb, 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 fun 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 believe 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 – and regional Victoria dominates the podium. According to Airbnb, Warrnambool – aka the largest town along the Great Ocean Road – is the best weekending destination in the country for 2026. This vibrant coastal hub has been a longstanding favourite with Melburnians – just 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, consider 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 two hours from Melbourne, you can clock off work on a Friday arvo, arrive in time for dinner and then lap up the entire weekend.

The rest of the top ten features gems across New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, but these two Victorian idylls top the list. The full list is below, and you’ll find our pick of the best weekend getaways from Melbourne over here.

The top 10 weekend getaways in Australia:

1. Warrnambool, VIC
2. Inverloch, VIC
3. Mandurah, WA
4. Pokolbin, NSW
5. Callala, NSW
6. Maleny, QLD
7. North Stradbroke Island, QLD
8. Tanunda, SA
9. Port Willunga, SA
10. Bicheno, TAS

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