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Discover Australia’s top 100 Amazing Road Trips in one quick reference guide.

Start planning your next road trip by reading our 100 Amazing Road Trips by experience below.

Coastal road trips

Even a road trip well-travelled can reveal plenty of surprises if you take the time to slow down. Here are 11 of Australia’s best coastal road trips to inspire you.

  • Sydney to the Gold Coast
  • Sydney to Ulladulla, NSW
  • Broome to Cape Leveque, WA
  • The Capricorn Coast, Qld
  • The Great Green Way, Qld
  • East Coast Tasmania
  • Fleurieu Peninsula, SA
  • Sydney to Port Macquarie, NSW
  • Eyre Peninsula, SA
  • Central Coast, NSW
  • Yorke Peninsula, SA

Iconic road trips

Journeys of epic proportions through wilderness that will shift your perceptions and stay with you forever. Here are 11 of Australia’s iconic road trips to inspire you.

  • Gibb River Road, WA
  • Sydney to Melbourne
  • Darwin to Kakadu, NT
  • Kosciuszko Alpine Way, NSW
  • Hobart to Cradle Mountain, Tas
  • The Nullarbor
  • Murray River Drive
  • Great Barrier Reef Drive, Qld
  • Adelaide to Ikara/Flinders Ranges National Park, SA
  • Great Ocean Road, Vic
  • The Big Lap

Don’t miss our beautifully illustrated wall map of the Great Ocean Road and Geelong in our 100 Amazing Road Trips edition or you can download the PDF version.

Great Ocean Road Illustrated Map

Illustration: Mike Rossi @micro.grafik

Outback road trips

Take a journey into the vast, red heart of Australia and discover the magic of the outback. Here are seven of Australia’s best outback road trips to inspire you.

  • Golden Quest Discovery Trail, WA
  • Broken Hill via White Cliffs, NSW
  • Kings Canyon to Uluru, NT
  • The Warlu Way, WA
  • The Savannah Way
  • The Canning Stock Route, WA
  • The Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail, WA

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Regional road trips

It’s not just good things that come in small packages, but road trips too. Here are 13 of Australia’s best regional road trips to inspire you.

  • Huon Valley, Tas
  • Victoria’s Silo Art Trail
  • Dubbo, NSW
  • Mudgee, NSW
  • Brisbane to Charleville, Qld
  • Bushranger Country, Vic
  • Hobart to Launceston, Tas
  • Scenic Rim, Qld
  • Northern Rivers, NSW
  • Great Alpine Road, Vic
  • Limestone Coast, SA
  • Bathurst, NSW
  • Albany to Margaret River, WA

Weekend road trips

Even a short weekend road trip can leave you feeling refreshed for the months ahead. Here are 12 of Australia’s best weekend road trip destinations to inspire you.

  • Sydney to Wolgan Valley, NSW
  • The Grampians, Vic
  • Kangaroo Island, SA
  • Phillip Island, Vic
  • Darwin to Katherine, NT
  • Sunshine Coast, Qld
  • West Coast, Tas
  • Daylesford & Macedon Ranges, Vic
  • Southern Highlands, NSW
  • Canberra museum road trip, ACT
  • Lithgow round trip, NSW
  • Canberra to Sapphire Coast

Day trip drives

While the next long weekend is still months away, one can still explore by taking easy day trips from the city. Here, find the best day trip drives to inspire you.

  • Wildflowers road trip, WA
  • Litchfield Loop, NT
  • Swan Valley, WA
  • Great Beach Drive, Qld
  • Mary River Valley, Qld
  • Kenilworth, Qld
  • Adelaide Hills, SA
  • Tasman Peninsula, Tas
  • Melbourne to Marysville, Vic
  • Sydney’s Northern Beaches, NSW
  • Royal National Park, NSW
  • Mornington Peninsula, Vic

No drive road trips

Kick back, relax, and let someone else take the wheel. Here are 8 of Australia’s best no drive road trips to inspire you.

  • That Pink Merc, NSW
  • Globus Gems of the Red Centre, NT
  • Outback Spirit Binns Track, NT
  • Melbourne urban tram trip, Vic
  • Kiff & Culture Brisbane to Byron food trail
  • AAT Kings Outback Adventure
  • Overland Adventure Aboard the Ghan
  • Inspiring Journeys Dark Mofo, Tas

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Off-the-beaten-track road trips

Give way to spontaneity and discover some hidden gems along the road less-travelled. Here are 9 of Australia’s best off-the-beaten-track road trips to inspire you.

  • Atherton Tablelands, Qld
  • Darling River Run, NSW
  • Oodnadatta Track, SA
  • Tassie’s interior
  • Arnhem Way, NT
  • Launceston to Penguin/Stanley/Tarkine, Tas
  • Sydney to Birdsville (and back)
  • Cocos Keeling West Island Tour
  • Port Douglas to Coolangatta, Qld

Food and wine road trips

Some road trips lead to the most memorable food and wine experiences in Australia. Foodies, take note: here are 11 of Australia’s best food-and-wine-focused road trips to inspire you.

  • Hunter Valley winery trail, NSW
  • Noosa Country Drive, Qld
  • The Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Trail
  • Melbourne to Macedon Ranges, Vic
  • Melbourne to Gippsland, Vic
  • Adelaide to Barossa Valley, SA
  • Orange winery trail, NSW
  • Adelaide to McLaren Vale, SA
  • Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast
  • Sydney to Canberra via Yass
  • Margaret River region, WA

Two-wheel drives

Not all road trips require four wheels. Sometimes riding freely atop your two-wheeler can be just as exhilarating, especially in Australia. Here are six of Australia’s best cycling and motorcycle trips to inspire you.

  • New England High Country, NSW
  • Cairns to Cape York by motorbike, Qld
  • Great Southern Rail Trail, Vic
  • Lakes Highway, Tas
  • Cycling the Clare Valley, SA
  • Canberra’s cold climate wine region, ACT

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9 of the best Sydney hotel bars for a local adventure

(Credit: Nikki To)

    Lucy Cousins Lucy Cousins
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    A great night out doesn’t need a road trip, just the right bar. Swap the long drive for an evening at these standout Sydney venues.

    If you’re thinking of a staycation or a long weekend (with foodie benefits), you can’t get much better than the bright lights and beautiful vistas of Sydney. From tucked-away bars to late-night hidden hangs, Australia’s (unofficial) favourite city is packed full of venues that make staying local feel like an adventure.

    1. El Vista, Circular Quay

    bar tender at El Vista, Circular Quay sydney hotel bars
    Enjoy tasty cocktails and gorgeous Sydney views. (Credit: Mario Francisco)

    This welcoming bar by the Maybe Sammy team offers a fun buzz and jaw-dropping harbour views. Part of the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, this lounge bar sits above Circular Quay with the harbour on one side and the Botanical Gardens on the other. You may start here for pre-dinner drinks, but you won’t want to leave before the early hours. If the 1960s Acapulco vibe isn’t enough, the views will be – the Sydney Harbour Bridge is so close it hardly fits in the window, while ferries glide by all night.

    2. Bar Allora, CBD

    Bar Allora, CBD Sydney hotel bars
    Settle in for a taste of Italy.

    Inspired by Milan in the 1980s, Bar Allora brings Italian style and culture to the CBD. Although it’s officially part of the Mantra 2 Bond Street hotel, it’s designed to look and feel like you’ve travelled to Italy for all-day dining. Think espresso in the morning, aperitivo in the afternoon and Negronis late into the night. Accompany your liquid diet with Italian-style small plates and pastas with a modern twist.

    3. Percy, Pyrmont

    Percy Sydney hotel bars
    Spanish-style tapas and wine is the name of the game. (Credit: Steven Woodburn)

    Taking centre stage in the luxe foyer of the Woolstore 1888 Hotel in Pyrmont, Percy is a popular Spanish-style tapas and wine bar serving food that makes you want to linger. The restored 138-year-old wool store creates an atmospheric backdrop to your glass of merlot with exposed timber beams, brick and the echoes of Sydney’s past. With an air of Barcelona, expect low conversations, creative dining and the city moments away.

    4. The Crudo Bar at Flaminia, CBD

    The Crudo Bar at Flaminia, CBD Sydney hotel bars
    Seafood lovers should head to The Crudo Bar. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Grab a seat at the beautifully designed crudo bar, taking centre stage in Giovanni Pilu’s latest CBD restaurant, Flaminia. Enjoy a glass of chilled Vermentino from Sardinia or prosecco from the hills of Treviso, matched with freshly shucked oysters. Complement your seafood with a range of special dressings, influenced by iconic Italian port cities. It’s the perfect spot for a pre- or post- glass of wine before visiting the Sydney Opera House.

    5. Mee So, Sydney Central

    Mee So sydney
    Enjoy Japanese-influenced food and drinks.

    For something a little different, Mee So is a modern, neon-lit Japanese-influenced bar in the Ibis Sydney Central. Serving bold flavours and umami-heavy dishes alongside sake and yuzu-infused cocktails, this Tokyo-esque venue offers an escape from the busy streets outside. Order steaming ramen, a Japanese whisky, and make a corner of Mee So yours for the night.

    6. Bar Morris, Haymarket

    Bar Morris sydney
    Settle into old-world European glamour.

    Housed in a 1929 heritage-listed building, Bar Morris brings old-world European glamour to the Hotel Morris Sydney, part of Accor’s Handwritten Collection. More of a destination than a pitstop, this bar leans into its Art Deco past with velvet features, intimate lighting and bold brass finishes. Here you can order smaller plates like burrata, cured meats, and seasonal seafood to match your martini.

    7. Pumphouse, Darling Harbour

    Pumphouse sydney
    Enjoy a tipple inside a building from the 1880s.

    When you first walk into Pumphouse, you’ll quickly notice the high ceilings, exposed brick and industrial-style decor. Officially part of the busy Novotel Darling Square, this busy local hang doesn’t feel like it; it’s housed inside a former hydraulic pumping station from the 1880s – hence the name – and is a local institution. Grab a seat if you can and order off the classic modern Australian menu, before trying one of the many craft beers on tap to wash it down.

    8. Wentworth Bar, CBD

    Wentworth Bar sydney hotel bars
    Drink where the celebrities once did.

    Designed for big groups and late-night cocktails, this open-air terrace bar is part of the Sydney Sofitel Wentworth – one of Sydney’s most iconic hotels. Once the watering hole of royals and celebrities, this mid-century building has recently been refurbished to be sleek, modern and inviting. The stunning rooftop bar attracts Sydneysiders who love to watch the sunset with a table full of Vietnamese and French-inspired dishes.

    9. Monica Rooftop Bar, Paddington

    Monica Rooftop Bar, Paddington sydney
    See the city skyline, drink in hand.

    Sitting pretty on top of a restored 110-year-old theatre, Monica is a Hollywood-style rooftop bar with views across Paddington and the city skyline. Part of the 25hrs The Olympia hotel, this isn’t a quick drink kind of place; it’s a ‘let’s stay all night’ kind of venue. Weekend DJs will take you from sunset to late-night conversations, while you graze on ceviche, grilled meats or sharing plates.

    For more information on how to enjoy Sydney for a long weekend, visit ALL.com.