If you are going to learn to surf anywhere, there is no better place to do it than at the beautiful Surfers Paradise, and the following is a look at some of the main things to consider when planning to do it.

Stay close

One of the best things about Surfers Paradise is that all of the major Gold Coast accommodation options are within walking distance of the beach, with hotels, resorts, hostels and B&B’s all within minutes of the sand and surf. If you are heading to Surfers Paradise and are planning on surfing, almost anywhere you stay will be conveniently located, and even if you have to stay just outside Surfers Paradise in Main Beach or Broadbeach accommodation, you won’t be far away.

Take your time

While most people will be able to get the hang of surfing relatively quickly, as with anything, if you want to be able to get any good at surfing you should allow plenty of time to practise. Considering that Surfers Paradise gets some of the best waves in the world, it makes sense to stick around a little while and get the hang of surfing right here.

Avoid the crowds

There is no better place to learn how to surf than on the beaches of Surfers Paradise, but if you plan on coming in the summer months there is a good chance you will be accompanied by some pretty large crowds. If you want to avoid the big crowds, it is a smart move to come in the shoulder seasons instead. Spring and autumn can still see some fairly warm weather, but will also have fewer people as well, so time your learn-to-surf mission for when there will be a few less people on those waves.

Get help

If you are coming to Surfers Paradise to learn how to surf then you are in the right place, because there is no shortage of people here set up to help you learn the art of surfing. However, if you are planning on coming during the summer months it is wise to book well in advance. A two-hour group lesson will normally cost somewhere around $50 per adult, and having a few pointers can make it a whole lot easier to soon be standing up on your board with regularity.

A surf lesson or two is also sure to have you a bit better educated on surf safety — for example, spotting rips and reading undercurrents in the surf.

Rent your gear

Even if you have your own board, wetsuit and other surf gear, rather than bring it all with you to Surfers Paradise, it can be a lot less hassle to simply rent your surf gear once you get here. This way you will have everything you need without any of the hassle of bringing it with you, and you can even try out a few different types of boards or suits while you are learning, helping you decide on which is the best to invest in for yourself.

Learning to Surf at Surfers Paradise is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast

Brisbane has become known throughout Australia as having a blossoming art scene, so if you are interested in art and are visiting Brisbane for whatever reason, don’t check out of your Brisbane accommodation before checking out the arts here first. The following is a brief look at how and where to find the art scene in Brisbane, and be sure to ask at your accommodation in Brisbane about anything that may be happening in the arts while you are visiting.

The Queensland Gallery of Art

Considered one of Australia’s leading art museums, the Queensland Gallery of Art is somewhere that any art lover must visit when in Brisbane. While the building itself is a work of art, the exhibitions, collections and programs it hosts are world class, and include an impressive Indigenous Australian Art collection, as well as a number of constantly changing travelling exhibitions.

Museum of Brisbane

This incredible institution operates an exhibition program that aims to support and document the social and cultural history of Brisbane, as well as provide space for the city to express and define itself. By constantly hosting exhibitions, installations and events, the Museum of Brisbane has become a vehicle by which the people of this world-class city can get creative, challenge themselves, and ultimately make the city a better place to live.

Queensland Museum South Bank

One of the most popular art and culture institutions in Brisbane, this museum features a constantly changing variety of educational exhibitions and programs, including those highlighting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Ancient Egyptian history and artefacts, and a strong focus on natural history.

Brisbane Arts Theatre

Performing arts are a huge part of the art scene here and there is no better place to check it out than by visiting one of Brisbane’s longest running theatre companies, the Brisbane Arts Theatre. This important Brisbane institution has been around for 76 years, and apart from offering two complementary seasons of live theatre each year, also offers a wide variety of training related to theatre performance and operations. If you are in Brisbane for a visit and want to check out the arts, be sure to stop by the Brisbane Arts Theatre to see if anything is going on.

Galleries

There are a huge number of privately owned and operated art galleries in Brisbane that regularly host some of the city’s most promising up-and-coming artists, so if you want to get a good sense of what is going on in the Brisbane art scene, be sure to pay a visit to some of the local galleries.

The street

Street art has become an increasingly popular medium over the past couple of decades and following on from the world acclaim achieved by graffiti artists in Melbourne, Brisbane street artists have stepped it up in a big way of late. Whether you keep your ears open for graffiti art exhibitions taking place at galleries, cafes and art spaces, or you just walk around the alleys of inner-city Brisbane, make sure you check out the incredible street art when you are up here.

Exploring Brisbane’s Art Scene is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is famous for a lot of different things, such as its beaches, the nightlife, the dining options, the spectacular Gold Coast accommodation options or even the theme parks, but among the lesser-known highlights here are the museums. The museums offer everything from surfing history to Aboriginal culture, and can make it a whole lot easier to get a better understanding of the people and the area. The following is a brief look at some of the museums you simply must see if you are visiting the Gold Coast; and remember, some Gold Coast hotels will even help you get there.

Minjungbal Aboriginal Museum

This educational museum is an important place for anyone coming to the Gold Coast to visit, as it helps to explain the history of the area from the perspective of its original inhabitants, the Minjungbal people. Featuring art, artefacts, photos and stories, you can learn about the culture and lifestyle of the Minjungbal, as well as get a sense of what life was like for Aboriginal people in Australia in the thousands of years they lived here before the arrival of white settlers.

Wax Museum

If you have never been to a Wax Museum before this is your big chance, because the Wax Museum on the Gold Coast is Australia’s largest, and includes all of those figures you know and love, such as Kylie Minogue, Crocodile Dundee and even a few of those less likeable characters, such as John Howard.

Surf World

It makes sense that the home of some of the world’s best waves would also be the home of Queensland’s only surf museum, and this wonderful homage to surfing does an incredible job outlining the history of surfing in Australia since the 1930s. Featuring boards, photos, art and other memorabilia related to surfing lifestyle and culture, Surf World is a definite ‘must-see’ museum for anyone visiting the Gold Coast.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum

If you are looking for a fun way to entertain the kids for the day, head to this most entertaining of museums, where you can hear incredible stories, experience fantastic illusions and delve into the realm of the unbelievable. You can experience what it would feel like to ride over Niagara Falls or check out the shrunken heads of the South American Jivaro Tribe. Regardless, you are guaranteed a day filled with entertainment and fun, so make sure this unconventional museum makes your ‘must-see’ list.

The Sue Ellen Gallery

Featuring jewellery, antiques and paintings representing art and culture from the last several hundred years, this unique museum features everything from modern Australian art to Native American jewellery. The antiques alone are worth checking out, and include some of the most beautiful clocks and mirrors you will ever see. You may even stumble across works by Picasso or Renoir.

Visiting a few museums while you are in the Gold Coast area will help to make your visit not just a lot more educational and fun, but also a lot more meaningful, so when you are planning your next Gold Coast trip, don’t forget about the fantastic museums.

Must See Museums on the Gold Coast is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast

If you are coming to Australia for any length of time it is smart to come prepared for a variety of weather conditions, because pretty much anything can and does happen weather wise down here. The following are a few things to keep in mind when packing for your Australia trip.

It can get cold here too

Even though the stereotype of Australian weather is of being hot all of the time, it can actually get fairly cold down here too, so make sure you pack some warm clothing. While the temperatures will rarely get below zero, it can certainly get cold enough to be uncomfortable, so even if you are only coming for a few weeks, pack at least one outfit for dealing with cold weather.

When it rains, it pours

Despite experiencing drought conditions in most of the country for much of the past century, Australia has become known for its heavy rainfall in recent years, which has in some cases been severe enough to cause flash flooding. Regardless of which part of the country you are heading to, pack some wet weather gear. It is common across the country to experience ferocious electrical storms throughout the summer, which are frequently accompanied by heavy downpours, and come winter, some areas will get rain for days on end.

Swimmers and cool clothing

Regardless of when you come to visit, Australia can get extremely hot at almost any time of the year, and while most holiday apartments and group accommodation will be well air conditioned, don’t get caught out on a scorcher down here without your swimmers and some appropriate clothing. Be sure to pack some of your lightest, coolest clothes for your trip, especially if you will be here during the summertime, because in hotter summers the temperatures can soar to the high 40s with regularity.

Wind protection

Australia can be quite a windy place, especially if you spend much of your time near the water — as most people do — so if you have a decent windproof layer at home, be sure to bring it with you when you come. If you own a hoodie, definitely bring it, as a decent hooded top can be the perfect layer of protection for any of those windier days.

Don’t bring too much

There is no need to bring a huge amount of stuff with you to Australia, because you can get anything you may want or need when you get down here. For those who don’t mind buying second hand, you won’t need to bring much at all, because Australia has more second-hand stores than just about anywhere in the world, so you can pick up practically anything for your adventure cheap when you arrive.

Australia is a huge country and the weather can be totally different from one place to the next, so if you want to come prepared to get the absolute most out of your trip, pack for all types of weather. It is hard to be prepared for every type of weather condition, but just don’t leave your awesome rain jacket or windproof layer at home, because you will probably wish you had them at some point in your trip.

Packing For Australia’s Varying Climate is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast

In recent years, Brisbane has become quite well known for its blossoming restaurant industry, and there has been no shortage of fantastic new operations opening their doors of late. Unfortunately, not all of these dining options can be considered family friendly, so make sure you know which ones are before you make your family dinner plans.

If you are in Brisbane with your family looking for some decent places to eat, your best bet is to get online and do some research, because this is guaranteed to save you time, money and frustration. The following is a brief look at some of the best options in Brisbane for family dining.

Earth n Sea Pizza & Pasta

With four different locations to choose from across Brisbane, Earth n Sea provides the perfect mix of great food in an informal atmosphere, making this the perfect place to take the entire family. A four-time winner of the people’s choice awards for Favourite Casual Restaurant and Family Dining, Earth n Sea has also won the coveted Best Pizza in Brisbane award.

If your family is looking for a value-for-money, delicious lunch or dinner that is always made from the freshest local ingredients, head to your nearest Earth n Sea, as there is likely one not far from your Brisbane accommodation.

Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon

Located in Aspley, Browns Plains and Springwood, Lone Star offers good food at reasonable prices, and if you come on a Monday, or between 11am and 4pm on a Saturday, kids under 12 eat free.

Samford Valley Hotel

Located a short drive north west of Brisbane in the beautiful Samford Valley, the hotel here provides the perfect spot to stop for lunch or dinner, especially if you are dropping by with your whole family. They have put a big effort into pleasing the kids here, constructing an entire play area with them in mind — known as Krusty’s Playground — and if you arrive late and decide to stay the night, the Samford Valley Hotel also offers comfortable, value-for-money short stay accommodation.

Sizzler

When you have a big, hungry family to feed and don’t want to have a lot of fuss and hassle doing it, head to Sizzler and let your gang choose their own meals, and eat as little or as much as they like. Sizzler offers a clean, tasty, value-for-money dining option. It is most definitely family friendly, and of all the dining options for families in Brisbane, it can easily be considered among the best.

The Pineapple Hotel

Located in the Kangaroo Point area of Brisbane, the Pineapple Hotel consists of a steakhouse and beer garden, and has thoughtful and tasty menus for both adults and kids, so you should all be able to find something to eat. The steaks are among the best in Brisbane and the wine list is quite respectable as well, so rather than support unhealthy fast food, take your family to the Pineapple Hotel.

Finding family friendly dining options can make a huge difference on a trip, so before you even book your tickets to go, start looking into your dining options. One of the best places to get advice is from other families who live in or have travelled to the Brisbane area, so read the reviews, visit blogs or ask friends with families who have made the trip.

Family Dining Experiences Around Brisbane is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast

There is no better way to kick-start your fitness than by heading off on a holiday somewhere gorgeous, where it will be easy to motivate yourself to start getting into shape. Of anywhere you could go, there is nowhere more conducive to a fitness holiday than the Gold Coast, but you had better come prepared. The following is a look some of the things you should consider when planning your Gold Coast fitness holiday.

Get ready to run

Running can often play a major role in helping to improve fitness, and so if you are coming to the Gold Coast with fitness in mind, there is no better place to go running than along the magnificent beaches. Running on sand will also be better for your body than hitting the pavement, and you won’t find it hard to get motivated to head off for a run several times a day when you are staying in paradise.

Stay somewhere with fitness equipment

By choosing the right place to stay on your holiday you can make it easy to focus on fitness, because by staying at serviced apartments with a gym or holiday apartments with a lane pool, you will make it extremely easy to focus on fitness rather than food. When you are choosing your hotel, don’t just assume they have the precise equipment you will need or want — ask about the facilities before you book anything.

Do some surfing

Surfing is extremely good for your strength, agility and fitness levels, so if you surf, make sure you bring your board along on holiday with you. If you don’t know how to surf, take the opportunity to learn on this trip, and spend some time every day practising, because apart from being a lot of fun, surfing will help get you into shape quite quickly as well.

Take daily swims

Any fitness holiday has got to include a large amount of swimming, because there is no better activity to help with your fitness and overall health, and you won’t find more beautiful beaches anywhere in the world at which to swim than the Gold Coast. You don’t even need to swim long distances to see the benefits, because just playing in the surf and getting tossed about by the waves will help improve your fitness significantly.

Control yourself

Apart from being a fantastic place to come and get in shape, the Gold Coast is also home to some of the country’s best restaurants, hippest bars and hottest clubs, so if you are coming with fitness in mind, you will have to make a big effort to control yourself. You should by all means partake in some of the treats up here, but try to limit your indulgences and avoid undermining all your hard work.

Planning a Fitness Holiday on the Gold Coast is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast

Regardless of the time of year, Sydney always has a huge amount of tourists coming and going, providing quite a challenge for the local transit system; after all, being a city of more than 4 million people, Sydney has a lot of locals to worry about getting around too. A few main hubs tend to deal with the bulk of the tourist traffic, and for the most part they do an amazing job, with the following places among the busiest tourist transit hubs in Sydney.

Sydney Airport

One of the busiest of Sydney’s tourist transport hubs is of course Sydney Airport, and between the Domestic and the International terminals, these hubs see thousands of visitors on a daily basis. Both terminals are now connected to the city rail system, making it extremely easy to get to almost any part of Sydney straight from the airport. There are also a huge amount of buses and taxis, and many Sydney hotels even have their own shuttle services.

Central Station

One of Sydney’s older and more beautiful tourist transit hubs, Central Station is a major stop used by inner-city commuters, as well as where some of the country’s most famous long-distance tourist trains set out for destinations all over the country. Housed in a graceful old building with extremely high ceilings, this busy hub is worth a visit whether you need to go anywhere or not, and if you are a tourist looking for a special journey to take, get on the Indian Pacific at Central and ride the train all the way to the West coast!

Circular Quay

Hands down the most spectacular of Sydney’s tourist transit hubs, Circular Quay is most famous as a ferry transportation hub, and where you can catch a ferry to Balmain, Manly or even just tour around the harbour. Circular Quay has its own train station, and is also a major hub for buses coming from all over the city, and regardless of the time or the day of the year, this place is always busy with locals and tourists alike.

Town Hall

Located right in the heart of Sydney’s Central Business District on one of the city’s busiest arteries, George Street, is the beautiful Town Hall building, and every tourist to Sydney will likely come through this area at least a few times on their trip. The train station at Town Hall is also among the busiest in Sydney, and you can catch a bus from there to just about anywhere.

Kings Cross

Sydney’s red light district is also home to a lot of budget short term accommodation, meaning the trains and buses running through here are always packed with backpackers, tourists and travellers of every stripe. Whether they are staying in the Cross or not, most visitors to Sydney hear about this infamous part of town at some point and come by for a visit. With its own train station, lots of buses passing through the area, and an almost constant stream of taxis, Kings Cross is easily among the busier tourist travel hubs.

Tourist Transport Hubs In Sydney is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast

Australia is easily one of the most beautiful places on earth, and between the striking landscape, beautiful animals, thunderous oceans and hypnotic bird calls, your first trip to Australia is something you will never forget. The following offers some helpful tips for trying to fit in as many sights and sounds as possible on your Australian adventure.

Research your options

Australia is a very big place with an enormous amount of sights and sounds to enjoy, and while you are no hope of experiencing all of it, the better you know what is out there, the more chance you are of finding those particularly well hidden gems. By familiarising yourself with where all of those highlights are or will be taking place, it will be far easier to plan your trip, and knowing a little more about them can also make your visit there far more meaningful.

Hit the festivals

If it is sights and sounds that you are after, checking out a few of Australia’s many festivals is an absolute must. The festivals here take place all year round, right across the country, from the massive Festival of Sydney and the Big Day Out to the growing number of food and wine festivals popping up everywhere. By attending the right festivals you will be treated to some of the best music, art and culture the country has to offer, meaning you can save a lot of time trying to find it all yourself.

Follow the locals

Whether you are looking for a good spot to watch the sunset or a place to hear some live music, the locals will always know best, and by following their lead you will often end up being treated to some of the real hidden highlights of the country. The locals will also be a great source of information when it comes to the best ways to see or hear things you have your heart set on already, and they may even be able to help you get there if you are lucky.

Pick your accommodation wisely

If you know which sights and sounds you want to be able to see while you are in Australia, do some research, find out where they are, and choose your hotel, serviced apartments or group accommodation somewhere conveniently located. By basing yourself nearby more than one of these ‘must-see’ areas or events, it will be easy to see more of it without having to be constantly moving around. Make your trip easy on yourself and be strategic with where you set up your base.

Get out into nature

As far as the sights and sounds go, the biggest highlights in Australia are without doubt the flora and fauna, so if you want to see and hear some truly special things, get out to the beaches, National Parks and into the wilderness areas. Doing some hiking is a great way to immerse yourself in it, and will increase your chance of seeing some of those classic Australian animals in the wild, such as koalas, kangaroos, emus and goannas, while also enjoying landscapes of breathtaking beauty.

Fitting in All of Australia’s Sights and Sounds is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast

When it comes to picking a place to hold an end-of-year conference, most groups look for a place where they are able to mix business with pleasure. Apart from taking care of that all-important end of year business, it should also be a time to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of the year, making it important to find the right place. The following are some of the hottest destinations for end-of-year conferences.

Las Vegas

One of the most popular destinations for just about anything, Las Vegas is also a hotspot when it comes to end-of-year conferences, so if your business or organisation is looking for somewhere a little more exciting for this year’s event, consider heading to Vegas. While the short-term accommodation is fantastic and the conference facilities are world class, whether or not Vegas will prove to be the best fit for your group will usually come down to how you like to have fun, because the Las Vegas style of partying most certainly is not for everyone.

Sydney

It is little wonder that Sydney has consistently been the preferred choice for many end-of-year conferences, because when you aren’t in the conference there are few places in the world more beautiful. Between the serviced apartments, beach-front hotels and wide array of conference facilities, Sydney is more than well enough equipped to host a conference of any size, and the beaches, nightlife and friendly people make Sydney a favourite choice of conference venue for many.

San Francisco

One of the world’s most beautiful and vibrant cities, San Francisco is more than capable of putting on a good conference, and every year’s end sees hundreds take place in this gorgeous city by the Bay. Being the home of IT, there is most definitely no shortage of high-tech capabilities here to suit any kind of conference, and few cities offer as much in the way of extracurricular entertainment options than San Francisco.

Melbourne

Arguably the most vibrant of Australia’s cities, Melbourne has become one of the most popular choices for end-of-year conferences. Apart from being well and truly equipped to host any kind of conference for any amount of people, this great city is also a world leader in hospitality, fashion, sport and entertainment, and hosts some of the world’s biggest trade shows each year. If your group or organisation decides you want to host this year’s annual conference in Melbourne, be sure to book early, as a lot of groups have permanent bookings for particular conference venues and, if you leave it late to book, there may not be space available.

New York City

There really is no place on earth like New York City, and many groups choose to hold their end-of-year conference here just as an excuse to have their members spend some time in what is a truly inspiring location. The cost of accommodation and conference facilities in Manhattan can be out of the reach of some groups, but many feel it is well worth it for the experience, not to mention the buzz their members take home with them.

Hottest Destinations for End of Year Conferences is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast

It can be extremely frustrating to wait all year for those holidays to come around and then be stuck dealing with traffic jams. Sometimes there’s not a lot you can do, but either way, plan ahead as much as possible to deal with any possible delays. The following is a look at some of the things you can do to smooth your holiday travel path a little.

Keep yourself amused

Dealing with traffic delays while you are on holidays can be extremely frustrating, but there often isn’t a lot you can do to about them. One of the best ways to prepare for any kind of delay you may have to deal with on your trip is to be sure to have plenty of ways to keep yourself amused. If you have a good book to read or a computer game to play, you are far less likely to have delays ruin your holiday, as chances are you won’t notice it as much.

Time your holiday well

It makes sense that some times of the year see more people holidaying than others, so if you can avoid going during busy times, you will likely significantly reduce the chances of traffic delays impacting your holidays. Sometimes, you have no choice but to travel when everyone else is, such as in the case of public holidays, festivals or national celebrations. However, if you have a choice on when you take your holiday break, plan to go when there are a few less other people. Apart from being a bit quieter, travelling during the off season will also usually mean you will save a fortune on your accommodation costs, as everything from serviced apartments to group accommodation drop their prices as they look to attract customers.

Allow plenty of time

It is always best to allow plenty of time when it comes to travelling, especially if you have to make any time-specific transfers, like getting on a connecting bus or plane. While it might seem like a good idea to not have to wait around at the airport for the later flight, unless you allow for unforeseen problems like traffic delays, you may end up stressing over whether or not you will make that tight connection at all.

If you allow for delays but don’t have any and therefore arrive early, most types of accommodation will allow you to store your luggage until check in time, and some may even allow you to check into your rooms early. Talk to your accommodation provider when you are making your booking about options in case you arrive early.

Become a calmer person

Whether you start meditating or learn how to make the most of breathing exercises, if you don’t want to be one of those people losing their minds in a holiday traffic jam, make a point of becoming a lot calmer. Planning to be calmer in all aspects of your life will benefit you considerably if you are unlucky enough to be caught up in a holiday traffic jam, as well as generally make it harder for things outside of your control to be able to turn into a nightmare situation.

Planning for Traffic Delays on Your Next Holiday is a post from: Travel Tips Around Sydney, Brisbane & Gold Coast