Australia Travel Packages: The Top Hotels & Experiences to Make the Most of Your Aussie Getaway
Curated By
Catherine McGregor
Curator’s statement
Big, boisterous and bursting with amazing sights, Australia is a true once-in-a-lifetime destination. Planning travel in a country this large can be an overwhelming prospect – which is why travel packages to Australia can be such a lifesaver. To get you dreaming about your trip, here’s a few of my favorite Australia Travel Packages experiences, places to stay and things to eat in the “lucky country.”
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Things to do in Australia
Experience Uluru
A visit to the sacred monolith formerly known as Ayers Rock is a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. While you can get there under your own steam, a travel package that includes a guided tour by local Aboriginal experts will make your visit all the more rewarding.
Walk the Sydney coast!
Australia’s largest city is full of spectacular views and gorgeous beaches, and one of the best ways to experience both is on the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk. My tips: start early to avoid the midday sun, wear your bathing suit beneath your cover-up (the opportunities for beach dips are too good to pass up), and start at Bronte rather than the other way round – Bondi isn’t just an iconic beach, but also a fantastic place to end your walk with a leisurely lunch.
Ride the Ghan train
One of the world’s great rail journeys, The Ghan is the most luxurious way to travel through the dramatic but unforgiving Australian outback. The entire trip from Darwin in the north to Adelaide in the south takes four days, but shorter travel packages are also available.
Go island-hopping in the Whitsundays
There’s as many ways to experience the Whitsundays as there are islands in this breathtaking island group at the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. Charter a yacht to explore the islands, take a seaplane to visit Whitehaven Beach (regularly named Australia’s best beach), or book into a luxurious resort like the Intercontinental Hayman Island – however you get here, the Whitsundays won’t disappoint. Insider tip: visit between June and September for your best chance of seeing humpback whales.
Drive the Great Ocean Road
Australia is a fantastic place for a road trip, and the stretch of coast running east from Melbourne is one of the country’s best driving routes. The limestone formations known as the 12 Apostles are the most famous sight but the entire spectacular route will leave you slack-jawed in wonder. Allow three or four days for a leisurely self-drive; if time is short, book a guided day trip to the 12 Apostles from Melbourne.
Explore Melbourne’s laneways
Melbourne’s network of character-filled laneways are the city’s most fun way to get lost. Put on your walking shoes, grab a flat white coffee and set off to discover the boutiques, bars, street art and independent cafes that help make Melbourne Australia’s coolest city.
Discover unique Tasmania
Tasmania is unlike anywhere else in the country. Dotted with fascinating historic sites – the former penal colony at Port Arthur is a must-visit – and home to unique wildlife including the Tasmanian devil, the island state is a magical place to explore. Totally different, but just as amazing, is MONA, a quirky modern art museum just outside Hobart. The private ferry ride to get there is all part of the fun.
Meet the quokkas of Rottnest Island
Australia is a wildlife-lover’s paradise, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see Aussie icons like koalas and kangaroos during your visit. But there’s something really special about the quokka, the adorable marsupial known as “the happiest animal on earth”. Meet these inquisitive little creatures on Rottnest Island, off the coast of beautiful Western Australia.
Places to eat & drink in Australia
Bar Conte, Sydney
As someone whose drink of choice is almost always a negroni, I immediately fell in love with this Surry Hills bar dedicated to the deliciously bitter cocktail. Ever wanted to try a negroni made with whisky instead of gin? This is the place to go.
Sounds of Silence, Uluru
An absolutely magical outdoor dining experience on the doorstep of Uluru in the Northern Territory, Sounds of Silence can be booked alone or as part of a travel package with accommodation and other Uluru tours.
Vue de Monde, Melbourne
Perched on the 55th floor of a center-city skyscraper, this tasting-menu-only restaurant boasts impeccable Australian cuisine to match its sky-high views. It’s superb fine dining, minus the stuffiness.
Bills, Sydney
The late chef Bill Granger is credited with bringing laidback Aussie food culture to the world and his Sydney cafes are still some of the best places for a lazy brunch.
Herbert, Noosa
Home to Australia’s most famous food and wine festival, the town of Noosa is one of Queensland’s culinary hotspots. Among Noosa’s best restaurants is Herbert, a particularly good choice for vegetarians and the vegetarian adjacent.
Higher Ground, Melbourne
Choosing the best cafe in coffee-mad Melbourne is a truly impossible task, but if I had to recommend just one it would be this industrial-chic downtown fixture. The chilli scrambled eggs are out of this world.
Smith’s Pies, Hobart
The meat pie is an Australian icon, but Aussie pie culture is much bigger than just steak and cheese. If you’re in Tasmania you have to try a scallop pie, ideally from Smith’s bakery – find them each Saturday at Salamanca Market on Hobart’s harborside.
Bush tucker and Aboriginal food experiences, nationwide
Learning about Indigenous culture – including its unique cuisine – unlocks a whole new side of Australia. For the most rewarding experience, join a foraging tour into the native bush.
Travel Advisor
Catherine McGregor
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For more travel tips, check out Fora Advisor Suzanne Bryant's guide, Traveling to Australia from U.S.
This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to Australia.