The last-minute long weekend staycations you didn’t know you needed
The only thing we love more than a long weekend is a spontaneous mini getaway!
You don’t need to go overseas to make the most of your time off when you’ve got SO MANY great destinations to explore in your own backyard.
AAT Kings have compiled a fabulous list of the perfect day trip options to pop on your weekend agenda so you can grab some me-time, or score major brownie points with your mother, lover or significant other.
Blue Mountains and Australian Wildlife
Take a moment to sit back and relax this long weekend as you travel into the spectacular blue mountains.
The views of Jamison Valley will take your breath away as you wind along Cliff Drive before arriving at the Three Sisters vantage point for a chance at some unbelievable pictures.
Ride on the famous skyway with 360 views around the valley before exploring the gorgeously quaint town of Leura. We really recommend using this stop for a sugar hit at the Candy Store, stocked with more than 1000 unusual sweet treats or stop by the famous Whisk and Pin for a rocky road or two.
You’ll even get a stop at Featherdale Wildlife Park to visit the koalas and to hand feed the kangaroos.
Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles
This one’s for the Melbournians with departures out of the city straight to Australia’s famous Great Ocean Road. It’s the perfect mini getaway for the family looking to explore.
If you’ve not experienced its natural wonder before, now is the perfect time to admire the rugged splendour of the coastline between Torquay and Warrnambool before spotting the Twelve Apostles towering majestically out of the water.
These incredible rock formations are the result of erosion that began up to 20 million years ago – a truly amazing piece of geological history.
Barossa Food & Wine Experience
There’s nothing better than a winter weekend filled with food and wine right? It’s really a no-brainer to head to the Barossa this long weekend and drink up (pun intended!) everything our most famous wine region has on offer.
With the finest wines to taste and a gourmet lunch to enjoy it’s impossible not to have an amazing time.
There’s even a stop at the famous Maggie Beer’s Farm to taste her delicious seasonal produce before heading back to the city after stopping at bakeries and cellar doors galore!
Think you’ve left it a bit late for a proper getaway this weekend?
No worries, we’ve got future Staycay inspo in honour of the Queen’s birthday Long weekend. Lock in your staycay for the October long weekend now, it’s basically right around the corner!
Kings Canyon & Uluru Explorer (3 Day Adventure)
Travelling to the Northern Territory truly is one of the most important experiences you can have as an Australian. Stop leaving it until you retire and get out there now!
You’ll instantly transform into an amateur photographer any time you point your camera towards the natural beauty!
An Uluru base tour at sunset will make you feel the magic of our lucky country and the awe will only grow as you climb the rim of King’s Canyon with views over Watarrka National Park.
Round off this magnificent adventure with a sunrise at Uluru then explore Walpa Gorge exploring the ancient rock formations.
Kangaroo Island Discovery (2 Day Adventure)
If wildlife is your thing, then Kangaroo Island is for you. You’ll see rare Australian sea-lions in the wild as well as soaring birds and raptors, and you guessed it, kangaroos.
The second day you’ll explore the rugged southern coastline with the Remarkable Rocks providing the perfect photo backdrop.
The seals are out again at Admirals Arch where you’ll take a boardwalk down a rugged cliff face to reveal a spectacular arch, a natural nursery and safe haven for the seals playing and swimming in the waves or chilling on the rocks.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
aat kings barossa blue mountains kangaroo island kings canyon Long weekend mini-break staycation Twelve Apostles ularuLatest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.