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Whoever said Australian architecture is boring clearly hasn’t done their building-spotting rounds across the country. Modernist structures take to the sky, Gothic Revival cathedrals captivate and Byzantine-inspired complexes inspire – not to mention a bizarre UFO-like dome over in Canberra, too. Australia’s architectural scene is diverse, and we’ve put together a list of incredible spots where you can gaze upon some remarkable sites – take a look.  🖼️ The best art galleries to explore in Australia👀 Australia's finest museums🌳 The 20 top tourist attractions in Australia

Hello parents, babysitters and tech-savvy toddlers. Are you looking for a super fun weekend activity or planning an adventurous activity for your next family holiday in Australia? You’ve come to the right place. Australia is one of the best places in the world to be a kid, with a virtually endless stream of cool things to do – from parks and waterparks to free museums, theatre shows and zoos galore. We reached out to our network of talented writers, who are also parents, for their top recommendations of the best things to do with kids in each Australian capital city. No matter the age, budget and weather, there’s an activity to make the whole family happy. 🏝️ The best holiday destinations for families in Australia🦘 Where to see kangaroos and koalas🎡 All the best theme parks in Australia

Combining seriously stylish design with access to abundant fresh produce from the surrounding wine regions, Adelaide’s restaurant scene has the best of both city and regional dining. Forward-thinking mod oz cuisine is informed by food traditions from across the world, which are also visible in everything from Afghan comfort food to Parisian classics and what might be Australia’s first pizza restaurant.  The accompanying wine lists are just as wide-ranging, encompassing powerful Barossa reds, spritzy natural wines and everything in between, all served by knowledgeable staff. And the best bit? Even the extended degustations sit at a price point that will come as a pleasant surprise to East Coast diners. Time Out’s expert local writers have curated this of the best restaurants in Adelaide for all your eating pleasure – tuck right in! 🍷 The best bars in Adelaide🍕 Adelaide's best pizza joints☕️ The best cafés in Adelaide

Reality check: Australia is in the middle of a cost of living crisis – and for us, this means helping you on your journey to finding the best cheap eats in Perth. Here in the west, we’re fortunate enough to satisfy our cravings with an array of multicultural cuisines, and some of them are doing God’s work when it comes to substantial and downright delicious feeds that won’t pinch your pockets.  Polish off Vietnamese rolls, Chinese noodle soups, Middle Eastern pitas, Indian curries and Greek street food, to name a few hot deals and meals for under $20 in Perth. We hope you’re hungry! 🥐 The best bakeries in Perth🍱 Perth's top Japanese restaurants🍕 Where to get the best pizza in Perth

We're calling it: Adelaide is one of the most underrated cities in the country. The South Australian capital punches well above its weight with its stunning walks, top-notch wineries and unexpected water adventures. Whether you're visiting for a quick weekend away or an extended stay, you'll leave wishing you'd booked a few extra nights. From amazing places to eat and drink, to family-friendly strawberry picking, via a quick stop at the zoo, our local writers have curated this list of the best things to do in Adelaide. Now, where to begin? 🍽️ Where to eat and drink in Adelaide🖼️ Adelaide's best galleries and museums⭐️ The best hotels in Adelaide

Perth might feel like it's in a world of its own, but anyone who's been there will tell you it's absolutely worth the trip (which is a little over four hours by plane from Sydney or Melbourne). Once solely known for its pristine beaches and perfect weather, Perth’s booming restaurant and culture scenes, and its trendy sister city Fremantle (located just half an hour from Perth) have put Western Australia’s capital city on the international radar. Our local writers have collated this mega guide on the best things to do during your stay in Perth. Happy exploring! 🍽️ The best restaurants in Perth right now🖼️ Perth's top museums and galleries⭐️ The best hotels in Perth

Don't let the designation of Australia's capital city fool you; there are plenty of diverse and exciting things to do in Canberra. It may be the seat of Australia’s political power, but the city’s reputation for being the Bush Capital is well-earned. Despite the museums and monuments, Canberra has much the look and feel of a country town, right down to the kangaroos that bound around the city’s abundant nature reserves. Over the last five years, the capital has undergone a hospitality glow-up, with world-class wine bars, trendy restaurants and stylish boutique hotels opening in the rapidly developing cultural precincts of New Acton and Braddon. Although once only visited by eye-rolling schoolkids on excursions, culture vultures drawn to the National Art Gallery and political wheelers and dealers, Canberra’s now a perfect weekend getaway spot, regardless of your interests. Our Travel and News Editor, Melissa Woodley, lived in Canberra for four years and has carefully curated this list of the best things to do on your next trip. 🍽️ The best restaurants in Canberra🥾 All the best hikes to conquer in the capital🖼️ Canberra's best museums and galleries

If there was any lingering doubt that Queensland's capital is a world city, it was put to rest with the announcement that the 2032 Olympics would be hosted right here in Brisvegas. And truth be told, for a long time the River City has been much more than just a pit-stop on the way to the Gold Coast. In QAGOMA, the city has two of the best-designed art galleries anywhere in the world, and blockbuster art to show in them. We have great barbecue spots, sure, but there are also some great high-end, fine dining experiences too. With an incredible climate (although slip, slop, slap please, we implore you) and a great set of river walkways and public transport connections, it’s also easier than ever to get around. Whether it’s a family adventure, a romantic weekend or a spare 24 hours at the end of a business trip – our local writers have rounded up the best things to do in Brisbane right now. 🌳 Here are the best free things to do in Brisbane🚗 The coolest day trips from Brisbane🥐 Where to find Brisbane's top bakeries

If you’re all about striking sandy beaches, staggering hillsides, and bushwalks in the company of native flora and fauna, look no further than Esperance, or Kepa Kurl, as the Wudjari Nongar Traditional Land Owners call the region. Fixed along Western Australia’s southern seaboard, this hotspot is a smorgasbord for outdoorsy folk regardless of its remote locale.  Esperance sits 700 kilometres southeast of Perth, reachable by a scenic seven-hour drive or a 1.5-hour flight, if time is of the essence. Either way, we reckon the town is worth seeing for yourself, and we’ve put together a guide on the best things to do in Esperance to help you on your merry way. 😍 Everything you need to do in Busselton🌊 The best things to do in Margaret River ☀️ Your ultimate guide to Albany

Truth be told, Adelaide isn’t home to a designated, inner-city viewing deck – for that, we resort to our good old-fashioned rooftop bars. Same-same, but better, right? Whether you’re after a nibble in the shade or a tipple under the sun, Adelaide’s rooftop bars take things to new heights.  From quaint hideouts with concrete jungle views to breezy, sky-high haunts with panoramas for days, you can find your ideal altitude in Adelaide. Take a look at our pick of the best rooftop bars in the city. 🍔 The best burgers in Adelaide🍕 Adelaide's best pizza joints🥘 Where to find the best Indian food in Adelaide

Known as a zoo without fences, Kangaroo Island is a wildlife and nature reserve that we reckon everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. Before you ask, yes, there are kangaroos on the island –  along with koalas, dolphins, sea lions and penguins. You’re pretty much guaranteed to have an in-the-wild encounter with these Aussie animals, given that the island is more than one-third protected national park.  Despite its remote feel, Kangaroo Island is actually pretty easy to reach via a 40-minute flight from Adelaide or a 45-minute ferry ride from Cape Jervis. The latter is preferable as you can bring your car or campervan along for the journey, with these four wheels coming in handy if you want to explore the entirety of the island.  Whether it's seeing dolphins jump in crystal waters, sipping wine in the sun, dipping in Australia’s best secluded beach or staying at the country’s coolest lodge, you’ll only wish you had more time. Here's your guide to the best things to do, places to eat and drink, and stays to book on Kangaroo Island. 🌊 The best beaches in Australia🏝️ Australia's most beautiful islands☀️ The best things to do in Adelaide

Did you know that Kalgoorlie is Australia’s largest outback city? Well, now you do. The remote township lies just under 600 kilometres east of Perth in the Goldfields-Esperance region, and was indeed established as a result of the Gold Rush in 1893. Ever since, Kalgoorlie has remained one of the most bountiful gold deposits in the world, and you’re invited to experience it first-hand.  You can take a stab at sifting for the shiny stuff, learn about the locale’s diverse history, cherish some crazy-good sundowns, and discover the story behind the name ‘Kalgoorlie’, which derives from the Wangkathaa First Nations words ‘karlkurla’ and ‘kulgooluh’, meaning ‘place of the silky pears’. A deluge of pursuits await in the rural city, and we’ve rounded up the standouts when it comes to the best things to do in Kalgoorlie. It’s just a hop, skip and a jump (plane, train or car ride) away from Perth, too – it’d be rude not to. 🌳 All the best things to do in Perth🚘 The greatest day trips from Perth😎 Interesting regional towns to explore

Six levels above Fortitude Valley’s The Constance hotel lies Dirty Sultan, an urban oasis that welcomes you upstairs for a taste of Istanbul nightlife and dining. The Turkish-style hang-out is a multifaceted hub that takes claim to Brisbane’s first rooftop shisha lounge title, all while dishing up polished street food that’ll take you straight to flavourtown, along with a weekend DJ that never fails to get the party started. In a wise move by Dirty Sultan, the shisha lounge is separate from the dining room and bar. Here, you can tuck into plates with the likes of slow-cooked lamb ribs, roast cauliflower and artichoke with buckwheat, and harissa-roasted half chicken, too. Artful cocktails are a Dirty Sultan mainstay, including the Musa of brandy, white crème de cacao liqueur, roasted macadamia and wattleseed liqueur with a hint of orange. 

One of the newest additions to Adelaide’s day spa scene is Davaar House along South Terrace’s leafy hive. The 19th-century mansion has been transformed into a truly luxurious sanctuary where the city sounds are a distant memory. Complete with original fireplaces and yesteryear finishes, Davaar House gives formal minimalism. Along with the usual day spa suspects, this wellness institute serves up downright cutting-edge treatments. Stimulate your cells with mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy, tingle in an anti-inflammatory ice bath, breathe easily during salt therapy, and regenerate upon a red light therapy bed. They also offer reiki, sound healing, yoga and naturopathic consultations, plus healthy bites, coffee and smoothies at the beautiful café.

Sit back and relax – or float, more like it – at Hyde Park and Fulham Gardens’ Blue Lagoon Float and Spa outposts. The award-winning Roman-inspired bath houses flaunt bath-side columns, timeless archways and a distinctly reflective shade of blue that does wonders for the senses. Among Blue Lagoon’s restorative massages, nourishing facials, body treatments and sauna offerings, the day spas are all the rage for their inviting, flotation therapy amenities. Leave that concept of gravity at the door and experience weightlessness upon a dense bath of epsom salt. Release tensions of the mind, body and soul; drift through the realms of relaxation; and maybe even astral project to Ancient Rome. Queue the mood lighting.

Would you believe us if we told you that one of the best urban spas in Australasia is located right here in Adelaide? Well, truth be told, Ione Spa and Wellness along the pristine West Lakes waterfront takes claim to just that, having won runner-up honours at the prestigious 2023 Australasian Spa and Wellness Awards. Forget no-frills, Ione has all of the frills with its organic skin products, Swiss vichy jet shower and lakefront lounge with refreshments on the house. The building itself is even constructed with non-toxic materials and incorporates a crystal grid in the foundation for maximum energy healing. May we recommend the whopping 3.5-hour spruce-up? Essentially, you will be reborn. It’s no surprise Ione Spa and Wellness is one of the best day spas in Adelaide.

Coming in hot (or pleasantly warm in this scenario) is Temple Day Spa over in Unley – where an earthy facade of wood-clad walls and greenery suspended from the rafters entices that sweet inner peace. With a multitude of awards under its belt across 11 years, it’s safe to say that Temple’s therapists know a thing or two about self-care. Circling back to the ‘hot’ thing, Temple Day Spa does actually offer an ever-so-soothing hot stone massage – your discs will thank you later. But if that’s a little too much Mother Earth for your liking, opt for a full-body exfoliation, a hydrotherapy shower or an infrared sauna session. Oh, and to those up in the north-western suburbs, you’ll be pleased to know Temple Day Spa Semaphore is officially open for your pampering desires.

First things first: skin is the top priority at First Skin and Body. Having collected a slew of awards over the years and boasting 15 different skin-specific treatments, First is set on helping you feel your absolute best. Located inside one of Adelaide’s finest gyms, Next Gen Memorial Drive, this day spa is well-versed when it comes to the latest newfangled technology and procedures. As for the more so day spa side of things, we are all about the organic rehydrating honey and cocoa body wrap, where you’ll be lathered in papaya cream and walnut exfoliant, cocooned in French clay, and left to marinate and tenderise, leaving you oh so fresh and clean. 

There’s much more to Australia’s architectural landscape than just our poster child Sydney Opera House. While its striking white sails are easy on the eyes, our nation is home to many other remarkable buildings that double as picture-perfect backdrops. Rocket-like structures take to the sky, grand domes command attention and ancient pavilions whisper stories of the past – not to mention a bizarre UFO-like dome in Canberra that looks like it landed from another planet. After exploring every Australian state and territory, our Travel and News Editor Melissa Woodley has scoped out the coolest architectural buildings in Australia you need to see with your own eyes at least once. Don’t forget to look up. The Bell Tower, Perth Is it a rocket ship? A towering crystal shard? Or a futuristic shield protecting the city? No, it’s The Bell Tower – Perth City’s landmark pride and joy, chiming sweet melodies across the Swan River. Standing 82.5 metres tall and complete with 18 bells, this striking glass and copper spire is one of the largest musical instruments in the world. It’s a sight to behold from below, but the sixth-level vistas across the mighty river are pretty epic too. Photograph: Robert Seba Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne What do Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building and Paris’ Eiffel Tower have in common? Both were built for World Fairs (or World Expos) – global gatherings of the most creative minds that happen every five years. Our very own Carlton Gardens masterpiece