Half the fun of going on a holiday is the time you spend dreaming of your escape. From meticulously perusing Pinterest and Instagram for inspo on the must-visit venues to doing flatlays of your vacay ‘fits, there’s nothing like that pre-holiday buzz. We’re helping to narrow down your search time with the best of the ‘where’ and the ‘wear’ with the ICONIC’s expansive range of cool outdoor wear.
To escape the hustle of your day-to-day work life, hold the tech and double the cossies with a coastal core location in mind. If you’re shifting your focus to shopping local and supporting family businesses, dust off the maxi dresses for a vineyard core getaway. Like exploring the rugged side of Australia’s off-the-beaten track wonders? Our pick of camping core destinations are your go-to eco-conscious inspo.
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On the same day in Port Stephens you can be one with the elements on a secluded stretch of beach in the morning, and then scrub up for a lavish dinner at Bannisters or Atmos come evening. It’s NSW’s perfect little pocket of barefoot luxury. The hubbub of everyday life will feel far, far away when you’re gazing out over Zenith Beach and the vast coastline from the lookout of the new Tomaree Head Summit walk. It’s our favourite way to stretch out the legs after a road trip.
If you’re not keen on going full cold turkey when it comes to escaping the city life, the Sunshine Coast offers a pretty mean compromise. Noosa’s high street, Manning Street, boasts an array of all the best Aussie boutiques and cult-favourite eateries, and it snakes right down to the water’s edge. You can really get your nature on with a hike through the hinterland, visiting Australia Zoo, lazing on Mooloobala Beach or cruising the Great Beach Drive. Or, just do all of the above!
If escaping city life is a spectrum, think of Albany as the extreme. It’s a four-and-a-half hour drive from Perth but your efforts will be rewarded. Strolling along the staggering cliff faces, you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’re the king of the world. Don’t miss the Granite Skywalk at Castle Rock, then venture down below for untouched beaches with a ridiculously gorgeous aquamarine hue. 40 minutes west of Albany, you can find the small town of Denmark. Here, you have to visit Elephant Rocks for a swim. You’ll thank us later.
This gorgeous slice of Victoria is only an hour away from Melbourne, making your dreams of bountiful grape vines and tasty tastings just a day trip away. Here you can find the masters of Australian bubbles, Chandon, alongside some other wine legends like De Bortoli and Oakridge. Don’t think you’re in for just primo vino – restaurants with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking vineyards and menus featuring artisanal local produce are plentiful. Bring your cutest look because the Instagram ops are endless.
The Barossa Valley is considered the most renowned wine region in Australia, and for good reason. It’s given us the gift of Penfolds, and if you want to talk about family-run businesses, some of these wineries have been kicking on for seven generations. If you play your cards right, you’ll find yourself there in February – on the third Sunday of the month, the ‘Barons of Barossa’ assemble to declare the vintage of the year. Autumn is a pretty great shout too for the nine day-long Barossa Vintage Festival complete with parades, live music, fab food and the star of the show: delectable vino.
This thriving regional hub attracts tourists from all over the country for its ridiculously fresh produce. The Orange Food Festival, among many other tasty annual celebrations, has been running for more than 30 years and has served a cheeky 6,000 bottles of wine to visitors and locals alike. It’s a particularly new wine region, only really kicking off in the 1980s, but that hasn’t stopped more than 80 wineries from cropping up around town. Make sure you sample a shiraz or chardonnay while you’re at it – they’re Orange specialities.
Whether you’re braving the chill of a Tassie winter or you’re soaking up the temperate January sun, Freycinet National Park should be on your must-visit list all year round. Wineglass Bay really puts on a show, both from the views at the top and the azure bay that’s like a reward at the end of your hike. The lookout walk only takes about three hours, but if you’re game, the Freycinet Peninsula hike is about three days long, and super popular in the summertime.
The NT is so hot right now. In fact, it’s hot all year round. If you get yourself a souped-up four wheel drive with a neat little rooftop tent, you’ll have access to (and accommodation at) some of the most remote and jaw-dropping sights Australia has to offer. Jim Jim Falls should take precedence on your Kakadu bucket list – the 200 metre high waterfall is truly astonishing. There’s an abundance of waterfalls in the area making for gorgeous swimming holes and come nighttime, the stargazing in the far-removed outback is out of this world.
Katoomba, home to the Three Sisters landmark, is a wonder, both for the beautiful sights and incredible Indigenous folklore. The Aboriginal Dreamtime story goes that the three formations are actually sisters Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo, who were turned into rock by a witchdoctor to protect them from a tribal battle. The witchdoctor died, and from then on the girls’ fates were set in stone. It’s a very whimsical sight to behold in winter, especially when fog covers the valley, however a summertime venture here allows for dips in the Blue Mountains’ lesser known swimming holes.
