The Blue Mountains is a must visit for anyone who comes for a trip to Australia. The national park, located just two hours west of the Sydney CBD is your perfect nature getaway, filled with nature trails, waterfalls, caves, cliffs for that will help you get that perfect Instagram shot and surrounding towns like Katoomba and Leura are filled with quaint cafes and vintage shops for a unique shopping experience.
Three Sisters: Views that should not be missed
Anybody who has been to the Blue Mountains or is planning a trip there will always have the Three Sisters at the top of their mind. From the Echo Point, you can easily head to the marvelous Three Sisters Rock, which was formed naturally. Get the perfect Instagram click during sunrise, or sunset, while breathing in fresh air.
Scenic World: Your alternative to hiking
If you want to skip all the hikes and walks, which is absolutely fine as they can be really strenuous if you are not completely prepared, you can go for a tour and get a overview of the entire place. A cable car will take you across the valley to the lookout and give you an amazing view of the whole area Ride the world’s steepest train at this attraction!
So pack your bags and plan an spontaneous trip to connect all your senses with nature and you can also go onAabode.com to find some of the cutest cottages or cabins for your stay, which will give you the perfect Blue Mountains experience!
Logging into Instagram and seeing a notification from Aabode that I was the winner of return flights for two and three nights accommodation at the Gold Coast I was completely over the moon! As most of you know, i’m a total compaholic and while I’ve had a small handful of wins, this one tops them all, I couldn’t wait to enjoy this little getaway with my husband and all it took was a simple follow, like and comment!
Balcony view outside our bedroom
Departing from Sydney we arrived into the Gold Coast in just over an hour and caught a courtesy shuttle to pick up our rental car from East Coast Car Rentals then made our way to pick up the keys to our accommodation for the stay, a beautiful apartment at The Rocks Resort.
Our apartment was huge offering 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a very spacious open kitchen and lounge room area and my favourite thing about the place was the stunning ocean views on one side and forest views on the other! We were just metres away from the beach, walking distance to cafes and only a 10 minute drive to restaurants and bars.
Once we settled in it is was only lunch time and we didn’t want to waste the afternoon inside so we decided to check out the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary which was only about an 800 metre walk from our apartment.
This place is massive and I would highly recommend you give yourself at least a couple of hours here to experience all there is on offer. There are feeding shows and free flight bird shows as well as a miniature train ride that takes you around the park, you can walk around at your own pace and there are plenty of photo opportunities along the way. Popular areas of the sanctuary would be the free range kangaroo enclosure where you can feed and mingle with the resident kangaroos and there is also a treetop adventure park on site where you can challenge yourself to climbing over obstacles amongst the trees!
Open: Daily from 8am – 5pm (except for Christmas and ANZAC Day)
The following day we drove to a beach side cafe for breakfast and afterwards walked across the road to check out the coastline. The beaches looked absolutely gorgeous and the water was such a beautiful shade of blue, not even the dark clouds on the horizon could dampen the busy atmosphere taking place in the area. There’s also a sculpture located on the state’s border and it’s pretty cool to be able to stand in both NSW and QLD at the same time!
As the rain clouds approached we hopped back into the car and thought about what other spontaneous activity we could do. Just a short distance from our apartment there is a place called Honey World on the way and decided to have a quick visit. Honey World has a whole range of honey and wax products available for purchase and also free samples of honey. I’m not the biggest fan of honey but they were very delicious! Entry into the building is free but for a small price you also have the opportunity to be guided by a bee keeper and shown the many hives and watch bees in action and what they get up inside of the hives, I would really recommend it, I learnt some things about bees I never knew and my husband is now even keen on having our own beehive!
Open: Monday – Saturday from 9am – 5pm, Sunday from 10am – 5pm
Address: 35 Tomewin St, Currumbin QLD 4223
Contact: (07) 5598 4548
Later that afternoon, my husband and I met up with a friend and tried our hand at Topgolf, a facility where people can play different games of golf from accuracy to hitting distances and are scored on their shots. You stand on a platform and hit as many balls until the game is over, the golf balls have chips in them that register where your shot landed and that is how you get your score. Table service is also available in your bays so you can order food and drinks without disturbing your game. It was so much fun and probably one of the highlights for me on the trip!
Open: Daily from 9am until late (except Christmas and ANZAC Day)
Address: Cnr. Roadshow Way and Entertainment Road, Oxenford QLD 4210
Contact: 1300 008 442
On our final day, we drove to Surfers Paradise and spent the day like tourists checking out some of the top spots in the area. This mall precinct is absolutely huge and you are really spoilt for choice when it comes to what to eat and what to do!
First up we went to Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, an interactive museum full of weird and wonderful things found from all over the world. This museum was really fascinating and was chock a block full of interesting facts. Having read the books as a child, it was great to see it all in person!
Then we moved onto Infinity, an interactive maze like facility where you have to move your way through obstacles in complete darkness and feel for a door that will take you into the next room. Some rooms have laser lights, one a galaxy full of stars and others obstacles hanging from the ceiling and coming out through the walls. Although nothing jumps out at you, if you have a fear of darkness, enclosed spaces and are unsteady on your feet, I wouldn’t recommend this place to you, but if you have a mind full of adventure and discovery you MUST go here! If you do find yourself stuck or lost, a staff member will be quick to assist you.
I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way through, it was just so incredible to experience all the wonder in each room and I absolutely loved it! Your own photography and videos are strictly prohibited in this experience however you get a photo taken half way through and are given the opportunity to purchase it afterwards.
Open: Daily from 10am – 10pm
Address: G31 Chevron Renaissance Centre, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Lastly, this one is for all you feline lovers out there, a visit to the Crazy Cat Cafe! The cafe has two sections, the dining area which offers hot and cold drinks and a basic breakfast and lunch menu and the other section, absolute cat heaven!
For a small price you can go into the cat room and indulge yourself amongst the absolutely beautiful resident cats there from all different breeds. There are two time sessions on offer, 25 minutes or 50 minutes. You can simply sit on a lounge and wait for the cats to sit in your lap, you can lie on the ground with them or you can play with them using the many toys scattered around, if they’re in the mood you can even pick them up for a cuddle. Being a cat owner myself, I really loved this place and really enjoyed some relaxation time just being in the company of these cats!
Open: Monday – Saturday from 10am – 5pm and Sunday from 9:30am – 7:30pm
Prance around in a field of tulips and sip on some of the best wines in the Southern hemisphere! There’s a ton of stuff to do in Tasmania but we’ve boiled it down to the best! Check out 5 things that you must do when you’re in Tasmania.
Visit the largest tulip fields in the southern hemisphere
Peruse your way through the vibrant tulips in spring at
Table Cape! People come in from all corners of the globe to walk amongst the
tulips and admire the colourful blooms. Whilst you’re there, make a day of by
bringing along a picnic or a bottle of wine to share. If you’re in Tasmania in
spring, this is a must for you! Bring along the whole family and snap some pics
with the vibrant tulips before they go away!
Visit MONA
This controversial and crazy museum is not one to miss! The
Museum of old and new art is situated in Hobart and is abundantly filled with interactive
art and enticing activities! Filled with eclectic galleries and confronting
works of art, this museum shatters the norm of average art galleries. This
gallery is one that doesn’t lack creativity or out of the box thinking!
Relax at Wineglass Bay
Situated in one of the most beautiful areas in Australia,
Wineglass Bay offers some of the best waters in the country! Located in
Freycinet National Park, the bay offers crystal clear waters and a spectacular
view. But there’s a catch! It’s only accessible by kayaking or hiking, so put
on your boots and get your gear ready! Although it might be a long journey to
get there, it’ll be well worth it!
Home to one of the top 10 wine routes in the world, this is
a must do when in Tasmania. Producing some of the best wines in Australia, this
wine region has dozens of vineyards and estates for you to explore. Hop on to
the website and plan out your wine route so you can get the most out of your
day! Sip some of the best wines in the southern hemisphere and relax as you
jump from estate to estate sampling from the best wineries in Tasmania.
Tempted? Of course you are! Head over to Aabode.com to book your luxurious stay at one of our Tasmanian properties!
Our daily lives sometimes gets the best of us and make us feel mentally drained. Looking after your mental health should always be a priority and travel is one way you can fuel your mind up again. We’ve just compiled some of the ways travel can beneficially contribute to positive mental health!
Stress reliever
Work deadlines, personal commitments and external pressure can really get the best of us in our lives. Taking yourself out of that environment and placing yourself in a new foreign destination is one of the best ways to clear your head and de-stress. Travelling allows you to explore and do things at your own pace with no expectations! It’s a great way to compose all of your thoughts and alleviate all of the pressures that you have.
It gives you time to reflect
During your travels, you’ll have time to evaluate your
priorities and thoughts while learning valuable lessons along the way. By
travelling, you’ll give yourself the time and attention you need to deeply
reflect your principles, values and purpose. In a way, going to a new place can
sometimes represent a fresh start! Often, a change of scenery is all we need to
reignite the flame in our lives. Being stuck in the same routine every day is
straining both physically and mentally, so a pause for travel might be the
reflection time to need to continue your life with a bang!
It expands your perspective
When you immerse yourself in a new environment, you allow
yourself to be pushed outside of your comfort zone. Whether you’re exploring new
communities, meeting new people or trying out a new dish, you broaden your own
perspective and allow yourself to learn new things! The experiences that you will
go through are priceless as you embrace new cultures, sights and languages. After
your journey, you’ll come back with a broader perspective of how other
communities around the world function!
It builds resilience
Although travelling might be relaxing and exciting, it’s
also intimidating and challenging. Travelling, particularly by yourself in a
foreign environment, presents a lot of lingual, physical and metal barriers, By
travelling and understanding how different communities function, you learn to
adapt to an environment that is out of your comfort zone. By learning to deal
with these pressures, as an individual, you’ll be able to become more flexible,
patient and calm when dealing with complication in your everyday life!
It gives you time to be independent
In our daily lives, people often always require things from
us and we always have a set routine. We know the tasks we have to undertake
everyday to satisfy our own needs and the needs of others. Whether you’ve never
moved out of home or if you’ve never travelled on your own, travelling can be
the first step you take to promote your independence. Some experiences in a
different place can seem daunting but accomplishing goals, solving problems and
meeting new people will all be worth it.
Regardless of what you do and where you are, mental health is always a priority. If you need a helping hand to get started with your travels and accommodation, head to Aabode.com!
The Gold Coast is one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations. And this isn’t simply because of its long sandy beaches and surfing hotspots – the Gold Coast is complete with everything you’d ever want in a holiday!
With all sorts of adrenaline-filled activities to do, awe-inspiring sights to see and luxurious accommodations to enjoy, the Gold Coast is hands down the perfect all year round holiday destination for everyone.
The Village Roadshow Theme Parks are always catering to families by offering a variety of passes all year round for cheaper access to the Gold Coast’s famed amusement parks. Ticket types range from annual passes to unlimited entry for 3 days. Be sure to buy your tickets online to save $10 and keep a lookout on Groupon for the occasional discounted package deals!
Make the most of a family holiday by exploring the Gold Coast’s marine life extravaganza at Sea World, take on authentic Australian farm life experiences at Paradise Country and even immerse yourself in fantasy by visiting Movie World! In the Summer, Wet’n’wild is a must-go and for thrill-seekers, Dream World is another attraction with an abundance of amusement rides to challenge.
As the Gold Coast is known even internationally for its surfing community, where else will your kids learn to surf? Treat your kids to some surfing lessons from the experts at Get Wet Surf School for $30/hr. We can guarantee it’d make for some pretty good photo opportunities!
For Couples
Photo credits: Dev Ocean Coffee Surf
Currumbin beach is a resident favourite for its cozy small-town feel and hidden from all the bustling tourists, it is the perfect place to go for some alone time with your partner. After exploring the pocket beach, head over to Little Truffle, an award-winning fine dining Australian restaurant serving the most delicious foods your taste palette will ever experience!
At the Gold Coast, you can also plan some outdoor activities with your partner by heading over to the Springbook National Park. Witness mother nature’s beauty with your own eyes and do some exercise while you’re at it! Enjoy a romantic stroll and follow the park’s quiet trails to see glorious waterfalls, explore an underground glow-worm cave and more!
To truly make the most of your romantic adventure, why not book this stunning Penthouse Apartment in the heart of Currumbin, just meters from the beach!
For adventurers, the Gold Coast offers many unforgettable outdoor experiences, such as snorkelling and kayaking tours. In particular, the Stradbroke Island Kayak and Snorkelling Tour is the perfect combination of exercise and stunning scenery, complete with Australian wildlife interaction. For under $100, spend a full day paddling around and exploring Australian seas to your heart’s content at the Gold Coast!
And for those interested in extreme sports, be sure to get a thrill out of the Gold Coast’s hot-air balloon rides and sky-diving services! Check out highly-rated Gold Coast Skydive and Hot Air Balloon Gold Coast for more information on the once-in-a-lifetime experiences and again, keep a lookout on Groupon for the seasonal sales!
Sometimes it’s difficult to enjoy a relaxing holiday with company and travelling alone is just as fun – so don’t be ashamed to treat yourself with a solo trip to the Gold Coast! Splurge on a combined theatrical and dining experience at the Dracula’s, where they serve you a spooky three course dinner while you’re watching an even spookier musical show!
Or if you’re looking for a healthy, de-stress retreat, the Gold Coast has you covered with some of Australia’s best spa and massage services. We recommend Q1 Resort and Spa! Located conveniently in Surfers Paradise, their reclaimed Royal Thai Massage is sure to be a refreshing experience!
With so many activities catered to all types of visitors, the Gold Coast is surely the place to be for your next holiday break! And how would you upgrade your holiday at the Gold Coast to perfection? By booking your accommodation through Aabode.com, where the most homely and comfortable living experience is always guaranteed at the most affordable prices!
