Australia · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Australia
These are our favourite places to eat, drink, explore and stay across Australia, from harbourside classics to quiet local corners. Check opening days before you go, as some spots and festivals are seasonal.
Places to Visit in Sydney
Things to Do
- Sydney Opera House (Bennelong Point)
Take a guided tour or catch a show inside the country's most famous building. - Manly Ferry (Circular Quay)
The classic harbour ride past the Opera House and out to the heads. - Taronga Zoo (Mosman)
Native animals and harbour views, reached by a short ferry. - Cockatoo Island (Sydney Harbour)
Former convict prison and shipyard island with harbourside camping.
Nature and Outdoors
- Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk (Eastern Suburbs)
Clifftop path linking beaches, ocean pools and rock platforms. - Royal Botanic Garden Sydney (Farm Cove)
Harbourside gardens with the best walk to Mrs Macquarie's Chair. - Wylie's Baths (Coogee)
Historic ocean pool built into the rocks below the cliffs. - Bradleys Head (Mosman)
Quiet bushland lookout facing the city across the harbour. - Blue Mountains Echo Point (Katoomba)
Lookout for the Three Sisters, an easy train day trip from the city.
Arts and Culture
- Art Gallery of New South Wales (The Domain)
Major collection of Aboriginal and Australian art across two buildings. - Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (Circular Quay)
Contemporary art with a rooftop café overlooking the harbour. - Hyde Park Barracks (Macquarie Street)
World Heritage convict site telling the stories of those held there.
Shopping and Markets
- The Rocks Markets (The Rocks)
Weekend stalls of crafts and street food in Sydney's oldest streets. - Paddy's Markets (Haymarket)
Huge, cheap market for souvenirs and fresh produce.
Restaurants
Cafés
- Bills Surry Hills (Surry Hills)
The home of the famous ricotta hotcakes and the Sydney brunch.
Bars and Nightlife
- Opera Bar (Circular Quay)
Outdoor drinks with the bridge and harbour in front of you. - The Baxter Inn (CBD)
Hidden basement whisky bar down a laneway off Clarence Street.
Events
- Vivid Sydney (Citywide)
Winter festival of light projections, music and ideas around the harbour.
Stays
- Park Hyatt Sydney (The Rocks)
Luxury hotel at the water's edge facing the Opera House. - YHA Sydney Harbour (The Rocks)
Hostel with a rooftop terrace overlooking the harbour.
Places to Visit in Melbourne
Shopping and Markets
- Queen Victoria Market (CBD)
Historic market for produce, deli treats and the summer night market. - Rose Street Artists' Market (Fitzroy)
Weekend market of local designers and makers.
Arts and Culture
- National Gallery of Victoria (Southbank)
Australia's oldest public gallery, with free entry to its collection. - ACMI (Federation Square)
Free museum of film, television and games for all ages. - Abbotsford Convent (Abbotsford)
Former convent turned arts precinct with gardens and cafés.
Things to Do
- Hosier Lane (CBD)
Ever-changing street art in the most photographed laneway in the city. - Melbourne Cricket Ground (Yarra Park)
Watch cricket or Australian Rules football in the country's sporting temple. - Luna Park Melbourne (St Kilda)
Historic seaside amusement park with its famous laughing face gate.
Cafés
- Degraves Street (CBD)
Narrow laneway of tiny cafés that captures Melbourne's coffee culture. - Pellegrini's Espresso Bar (CBD)
Old-school Italian espresso bar serving coffee since the 1950s. - Patricia Coffee Brewers (CBD)
Standing-room-only espresso spot hidden on a side lane.
Restaurants
- Chin Chin (Flinders Lane)
Lively Southeast Asian restaurant that defines the Flinders Lane buzz. - Flower Drum (Chinatown)
Elegant Cantonese dining that has hosted the city's celebrations for decades. - Victoria Street Vietnamese restaurants (Richmond)
Strip of pho and broken rice spots in Melbourne's little Saigon.
Bars and Nightlife
- Section 8 (Chinatown)
Open-air bar built from shipping containers and pallets.
Nature and Outdoors
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (South Yarra)
Sweeping lawns and lakes beside the Yarra River. - St Kilda Pier penguins (St Kilda)
Little penguins return to the breakwater at dusk. - Twelve Apostles (Port Campbell National Park)
The highlight of the Great Ocean Road, best at sunset. - Penguin Parade (Phillip Island)
Watch little penguins waddle ashore at dusk.
Events
- Australian Open (Melbourne Park)
January grand slam tennis with a festival atmosphere. - Moomba Festival (Birrarung Marr)
Free family festival by the Yarra every March long weekend.
Stays
- The Langham Melbourne (Southbank)
Riverside luxury hotel close to the arts precinct.
Places to Visit in Cairns
Nature and Outdoors
- Great Barrier Reef outer reef trip (Marlin Marina)
Full day snorkelling or diving on the outer reef. - Green Island (Great Barrier Reef)
Coral cay with reef snorkelling just off the beach. - Fitzroy Island (Great Barrier Reef)
Rainforest island with walking tracks and a turtle rehabilitation centre. - Mossman Gorge (Mossman)
Clear river and rainforest walks with Kuku Yalanji guides. - Cape Tribulation (Daintree)
Where the rainforest meets the reef on empty beaches. - Josephine Falls (Wooroonooran National Park)
Natural rock slide and swimming hole south of the city.
Things to Do
- Cairns Esplanade Lagoon (Esplanade)
Free saltwater lagoon pool on the waterfront. - Skyrail Rainforest Cableway (Smithfield)
Glide over rainforest canopy on the way to Kuranda. - Kuranda Scenic Railway (Freshwater)
Heritage train climbing past waterfalls into the mountains. - Four Mile Beach (Port Douglas)
Long palm-lined beach in the relaxed resort town.
Shopping and Markets
- Rusty's Markets (Cairns City)
Weekend tropical fruit and produce market. - Cairns Night Markets (Esplanade)
Evening stalls of souvenirs, massages and food.
Restaurants
- Prawn Star (Marlin Marina)
Fresh prawns and seafood eaten on a boat at the marina.
Arts and Culture
- Cairns Aquarium (Cairns City)
Meet reef and rainforest species before heading out on the water.
Stays
- Silky Oaks Lodge (Mossman)
Rainforest lodge by the Mossman River.
Places to Visit in Brisbane
Things to Do
- South Bank Parklands (South Bank)
Riverside gardens with a free swimming beach. - Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (Fig Tree Pocket)
One of the world's oldest koala sanctuaries. - CityCat ferries (Brisbane River)
Ride the river between neighbourhoods on fast catamarans. - Story Bridge Adventure Climb (Kangaroo Point)
Guided climb over the river at sunset. - Sea World (Main Beach)
Marine theme park on the Gold Coast Spit. - Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (Currumbin)
Native wildlife and lorikeet feeding on the southern Gold Coast.
Arts and Culture
- Gallery of Modern Art (South Bank)
Major contemporary art gallery, free for the collection. - Brisbane Powerhouse (New Farm)
Former power station turned arts venue by New Farm Park.
Nature and Outdoors
- Mount Coot-tha Lookout (Mount Coot-tha)
Panoramic views over the city and Moreton Bay. - Kangaroo Point Cliffs (Kangaroo Point)
Lit-up cliffs for climbing, picnics and city views. - Burleigh Head National Park (Burleigh Heads)
Headland walk above surf breaks on the Gold Coast. - Springbrook National Park (Gold Coast Hinterland)
Natural Bridge waterfall cave lit by glow worms at night.
Shopping and Markets
- Davies Park Market (West End)
Saturday market with global street food and produce.
Restaurants
- Fortitude Valley Chinatown (Fortitude Valley)
Pedestrian mall of Asian eateries and late-night bites.
Bars and Nightlife
- Howard Smith Wharves (Brisbane CBD)
Riverside precinct of bars and restaurants under the Story Bridge.
Stays
- The Calile Hotel (Fortitude Valley)
Resort-style city hotel with a poolside scene.
Events
- Brisbane Festival (Citywide)
September arts festival with free events and Riverfire.
Places to Visit in Perth
Nature and Outdoors
- Kings Park and Botanic Garden (West Perth)
Vast inner-city park with wildflowers and a treetop walkway. - Rottnest Island (Rottnest)
Car-free island of beaches and friendly quokkas. - Cottesloe Beach (Cottesloe)
Perth's favourite swimming beach for sunsets over the Indian Ocean. - The Pinnacles (Nambung National Park)
Thousands of limestone pillars rising from yellow sand. - Swan Valley (Swan Valley)
Wineries, chocolate and farm gates half an hour from the city.
Things to Do
- Fremantle Prison (Fremantle)
World Heritage convict prison with tunnel and night tours. - Elizabeth Quay (Perth CBD)
Waterfront plaza with ferries across to South Perth and the zoo.
Shopping and Markets
- Fremantle Markets (Fremantle)
Victorian market hall of food, crafts and buskers.
Restaurants
- Little Creatures Brewery (Fremantle)
Harbourside brewery hall with pizzas and pale ale.
Arts and Culture
- WA Museum Boola Bardip (Perth Cultural Centre)
State museum telling Western Australia's stories, ancient to modern. - Art Gallery of Western Australia (Perth Cultural Centre)
Strong Aboriginal art collection and a rooftop bar.
Bars and Nightlife
- Northbridge laneway bars (Northbridge)
Small bars and live music in the city's nightlife quarter.
Stays
- COMO The Treasury (Perth CBD)
Luxury hotel in restored heritage buildings.
Places to Visit in Hobart
Arts and Culture
- MONA (Berriedale)
Provocative underground museum reached by ferry up the river. - Cascade Brewery (South Hobart)
Australia's oldest operating brewery below the mountain.
Shopping and Markets
- Salamanca Market (Salamanca Place)
Saturday market of Tasmanian produce and crafts by the waterfront.
Nature and Outdoors
- kunanyi Mount Wellington (Wellington Park)
Summit views over Hobart, often with snow in winter. - Freycinet National Park (East Coast)
Wineglass Bay and pink granite peaks, a scenic drive away. - Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary (Brighton)
See Tasmanian devils and wombats in rescue care.
Things to Do
- Port Arthur Historic Site (Port Arthur)
World Heritage convict settlement on the Tasman Peninsula. - Bruny Island (Bruny Island)
Cheese, oysters, wildlife and cliffs a ferry ride south.
Restaurants
- Fish Frenzy (Elizabeth Street Pier)
Fish and chips on the waterfront.
Bars and Nightlife
- Lark Distillery cellar door (Hobart Waterfront)
Tasmanian single malt whisky tastings.
Cafés
- Jackman and McRoss (Battery Point)
Bakery café loved for pies and pastries.
Stays
- MACq 01 (Hobart Waterfront)
Storytelling hotel on the wharf.
Places to Visit in Uluru
Nature and Outdoors
- Uluru base walk (Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park)
Walk around the great rock past waterholes and rock art. - Kata Tjuta Valley of the Winds (Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park)
Walk between the giant domes in the cool of morning.
Arts and Culture
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre (Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park)
Learn about Anangu culture before you explore.
Things to Do
- Field of Light (Yulara)
Tens of thousands of lights across the desert at dusk.
Stays
- Ayers Rock Resort (Yulara)
The only township near the rock, from campground to luxury.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Shanghai Street (Chinatown, Melbourne)
Fast, cheap dumplings loved by students and locals. - Siglo (Spring Street, Melbourne)
Rooftop terrace bar with views over Parliament House. - Space Hotel (CBD, Melbourne)
Budget hotel and hostel with a rooftop near the market. - Ochre Restaurant (Cairns City, Cairns)
Modern Australian cooking with native ingredients. - Gerard's Bistro (Fortitude Valley, Brisbane)
Middle Eastern inspired cooking in James Street. - Gino's Cafe (Fremantle, Perth)
Long-running café on the cappuccino strip. - Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe (Cottesloe, Perth)
Autumn outdoor sculpture exhibition along the beach. - Dark Mofo (Citywide, Hobart)
Midwinter festival of art, music and feasting. - Taste of Tasmania (Waterfront, Hobart)
Summer food festival on the harbour.