With sun-kissed beaches, thrilling waterparks and dazzling rooftop bars, Australia shines as the ultimate summer destination. When the warmer months roll around, Aussies flock to their favourite coastal towns to soak up the very best of what our glorious country has to offer. But this summer, there’s a new holiday spot to put on your radar – and it’s hiding halfway between the Gold Coast and Byron Bay.
If the name Tweed Heads rings a bell, it’s likely because you’ve spotted it on road signs while driving along Australia’s gorgeous East Coast. As the most northerly town in NSW, just ten minutes from Gold Coast Airport, this charming city has everything you need for a quintessential summer getaway. We’re talking 37 kilometres of golden beaches, lush rainforests and World Heritage-listed national parks.
Now, fresh search data from Booking.com reveals that Tweed Heads has skyrocketed in popularity for domestic holidays across the warmer months. It climbed to become the 12th most-searched Aussie destination in the lead-up to summer, jumping 25 spots compared to the same period last year.
Given Tweed Heads sits on the edge of a time zone during Daylight Savings, holiday-goers can celebrate the New Year twice by hopping across the QLD and NSW border to Coolangatta just after midnight. You can also catch the first rays of sunlight to hit the Australian continent from the summit of Wollumbin/Mount Warning, which sits on one of the world’s largest natural erosion calderas.
The next biggest climber, Busselton, jumped five places to become the 19th most-searched summer destination in Australia. Among the top 25, Caloundra, Port Douglas and Margaret River were the other biggest movers and shakers. So, who took the top spot as the hottest summer destination? You can check out the full rankings below.
The 25 most popular summer destinations in Australia:
- Sydney
- Gold Coast
- Melbourne
- Perth
- Brisbane
- Cairns
- Adelaide
- Canberra
- Hobart
- Byron Bay
- Newcastle
- Tweed Heads (+25)
- Airlie Beach
- Noosa Heads
- Townsville
- Port Macquarie
- Caloundra (+3)
- Mooloolaba
- Busselton (+5)
- Darwin
- Coffs Harbour
- Nelson Bay
- Port Douglas (+1)
- Fremantle
- Margaret River (+4)