Australia is a beautiful place to visit, especially as a couple. While honeymooners from the United States tend to keep travels short, we have met plenty of honeymooners from around the world taking very extended honeymoons ranging from 3 to 6 weeks. If I had the opportunity, I would take the opportunity to visit Australia for a lengthy trip to really explore the country.
Being that Australia is a huge area to cover, planning can get overwhelming with the endless list of places to visit. To make things easy or you, we planned out the top spots we would visit if we were to go on an extended honeymoon in Australia.
Getting Around
Now if you are going to be traveling around Australia for an extended honeymoon, there are a few options to get around. You could fly around to bigger cities and rent a car once you arrive at each point. If you are going to stay for over a month, it might even make sense to buy a car or a campervan and resell it when you are done. There are a lot of websites like this one where you can buy second-hand cars or campervans and then resell them.
Your Route
If you are going to take a road trip in Austraila, start at either Brisbane or Melbourne and make your way along the coast to the other cities. Here are several stops you can make along the way.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia and is considered the cultural capital because of its reputation for street art, music, and theatre. There are a variety of accommodations from cheap hotels to luxurious Airbnbs in Melbourne and plenty of things to do.
Things to do in Melbourne
Hot Air Ballooning: Nothing is more thrilling and exhilarating than waking up and catching a glimpse of the beautiful city of Melbourne from a bird-view point! Melbourne is known for its blue skies riddled with hot air balloons, especially in the mornings and evenings, a must try for every couple. A good way to kick off your adventure in Melbourne.
Visit the Botanic Gardens: Stroll around the varieties of evergreen plantations and healthy horticulture, you both can sit and relax on the benches by the lake.
Visit the Federation Square: The Federation Square at Corner Swanston and Flinders Streets, is an iconic destination for those visiting Melbourne, it depicts a 100 years of federation and is a major tourist hotspot. There are lots of tours offered here, as you bask in the glory of this architectural wonder.
Be Inspired at the National Gallery of Victoria: This is the oldest public art gallery in Australia, and it houses over 70,000 art pieces, in two various locations. There is an international collection centre at St. Kilda and the other collections are located at the Ian Potter Gallery at the Federation Square.
Elevate at the Eureka Tower: Take a trip to one of the most daring architectural wonders in Australia. The Eureka tower; a 91-story building located at Riverside Quay, Southbank. The building is made out of gold plated windows and finishing, which makes it sparkle and glimmer under the sunlight.
Get some Cuteness Overload at the Melbourne Zoo: The Melbourne zoo is home to over 320 animal species and boasts of state-of-the-art facilities and enclosures. There you can see Asian elephants go about their day in village-garden scenery, see the Orang-utans in their tree houses and cute koalas crawl up and down from tree branches. This is an exciting destination for every animal lover while in Melbourne.
Go Shopping at Queen Victoria Market: While on your road trip through Melbourne, if you ever find yourself passing along the Queen and Victoria Streets, you might want to pull over and go shop for some supplies at Queen Victoria Market. This is a popular place swarmed with lots of locals and tourists. It is a historic icon in Melbourne and is home to lots of fresh food produce, huge food halls and markets that sell anything and everything; from clothes to toys and even travel souvenirs.
Daylesford
Daylesford is only about an hour drive from Melbourne. There’s a reason this place is dubbed as the ultimate relaxation haven in Oz. Daylesford has the highest concentration of natural spas in all of Australia. Over 100 natural mineral springs can be found here! And there are various therapies and or treatments you can choose from. Whether you or your partner want a massage, facial or mud bath, you’ll find them all here. After being out on the road, and perhaps still quite jetlagged, this is a perfect way to relax your sore muscles. While in the area, check out the historic Hepburn Springs and Bath House.
Sydney
You cant take a trip to Australia without a stop in Sydney, Australia’s cosmopolitan and tourist hotspot; the largest city in the country. With its multicultural background and chilled atmosphere, there are tons of fun places to visit here and ah yes, ambrosia meals to indulge in.
Melbourne is approximately 878.24km from Sydney and a ride that spans just over 7 hours. The drive from Melbourne to Sydney or vise versa is in itself an experience and total delight. There are many linking routes between these two cities, but I recommend you take the Hume Highway as it is a pretty straightforward route and takes about 10 hours to arrive at Melbourne, the only downside being its scarcity of scenic views. The Coastal route, however, gives you the pleasure of lake and sea views, which could be breathtaking and makes the drive less boring.
Things to do in Sydney
Visit the Sydney Opera House at Bennelong Point: The opera house is the first thing that comes to most people minds when it comes to touring around Sydney. It is a world heritage site that features a boisterous architecture which lights up beautifully at night. There are tons of events for you and your partner to enjoy, a tour around the opera house is available, and meals are also sold around. The best part is enjoying the each other’s company while seeing an opera show –truly romantic.
Sydney Harbour: You simply can’t go around Sydney and not visit the Darling Harbour! It is a well-known recreational complex directly opposite the city center. Here you can relax and enjoy a romantic stroll around the harbor. There are loads of fun activities to do, you can go for a cup of tea at the Chinese Garden of Friendship, enjoy a boat cruise or even go laser tagging at the Harbourside shopping centre.
Drive across the Sydney Harbour Bridge: This would be best enjoyed at night, as this is when the bridge colorfully lights up.
Royal Botanic Gardens: The Royal Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in Australia and makes for a clever destination spot to go on a romantic and intellectual expedition around on the most iconic places in Australia.
Go to a nearby beach for a picnic: Sydney is crawling with hundreds of beaches, both open and secluded, so it is never a bad idea to take a day off and enjoy a picnic date! For an even more intimate time, head out to a secluded beach like Reef Beach (located at Manly Point) on a weekday to enjoy a peaceful alone time with each other.
Go to the Blue Mountains for a 3-day Retreat: The Blue Mountains is a historical site, known for icons like the Three Sisters and Katoomba. This is a great place to retreat for a while, during your drive through Sydney. It is the best place to end your Sydney adventure, as there are so many things to see and do here that requires more than a day or two. So get your backpack ready and adventure through the vast plains of the Blue Mountains and enjoy a romantic weekend.
Hunter Valley
Located a little less than 2 hours from Sydney, the Hunter Valley is a wonderful winery region worthy of a stop. See if you can catch a hot air balloon ride in time for the sunrise. The floating balloon will take you on an hour tour around the wine region. As an alternative, you can also tour the town on a bicycle. Explore the landscapes at your own leisurely pace. Of course, don’t miss the chance to sample a variety of wines. If you want more done, break your wine cellar itinerary with a visit to a cheese factory.
New England
Sandwiched between Sydney and Brisbane, New England is located in the northern part of New South Wales and has spectacular scenery. The New England National Park offers a wealth of activities for couples visiting. Indulge in the beauty of nature as you walk past through the lush greens. Keeping you company in your walk are pigeons in flight and the soothing sound of the flowing stream. There’s something to indulge your sight and senses on regardless the season you visit. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars! You never know when your eyes will catch something interesting you’ll want to take a closer look at.
Brisbane
At the other end of your trip in Brisbane, a vibrant city with so many potential hot-stops as it is Australia’s third largest city. There are plenty of fun things to do together as a couple. Take a stroll through the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary at Fig Tree Pocket, Queensland. Go to South Bank and taste varieties of cuisines. Take a few days to go glamping at Moreton Island.