Dale Anninos-Carter

Don't let the political reputation of Australia's capital city fool you; there are plenty of diverse and exciting things to do in Canberra. Over the last five years, the city 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, political wheelers and culture vultures, Canberra is now a perfect weekend getaway spot, regardless of your interests. Our Travel and News Editor, Melissa Woodley, lived in the capital for four years and has carefully curated this list of the best things to do in Canberra. Her ideal weekend here involves catching up with friends over a lap of Lake Burley Griffin, a big wander in the National Portrait Gallery, hunting for pastries at the Capital Region Farmers Market, and of course, watching the sunset from the top of Mount Ainslie – a non-negotiable too.  Editors' favourite things to do in Canberra: 🌳 Best hidden gem: National Arboretum ☀️ Best outdoor adventure: Mount Ainslie Lookout 🖼️ Best for a hot day: National Portrait Gallery 🍽️ The best restaurants in Canberra🥾 The best hikes in Canberra🖼️ The best museums and galleries in Canberra

We Aussies are a lucky bunch. You only need to drive an hour or so from any major Australian city to wind up in some of the most beautiful places on earth. However, with so many options, picking which road to venture down can be quite a challenge. To make life easier, our Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, has cherry-picked a selection of the best day trips around Australia – many of which she's tried, tested and would happily do all over again (if only there were more days in the year). From heritage-listed towns and coastal hangouts to mountain escapes, Australia has something for every explorer. Now, all that’s left for you to do is to load the car and hit the open road. Editors' favourite day trips in Australia: 🌊 Best for beach: Perth to Rottnest Island 🌳 Best for nature: Sydney to Blue Mountains ☀️ Best for peace and quiet: Brisbane to Scenic Rim Go to: Sydney | Melbourne | Adelaide | Perth | Brisbane | Canberra | Hobart | Darwin  🚘 Australia's most popular road trips🌳 Regional towns that you can tick off in a day

Adelaide looks good from above. But it looks even better when you've got a cocktail in one hand and a delicious little bite in the other. When it comes to good times at new heights, Adelaide's rooftop bars are truly the answer.  Whether you're after a sky-high haunt with eye-watering panoramas, a quirky hideout in the clouds with sweeping concrete jungle views or just a really excellent place to watch a golden South Australian sunset soak across the city (with a chilled beverage in hand, of course), there are plentiful options for anyone looking for their ideal altitude across the city. Take a look at our pick of the best rooftop bars in Adelaide. Editors' favourite rooftop bars in Adelaide: 🌅 Best for sunset: Sol Rooftop ⭐️ Best for location: Merrymaker Rooftop Bar 🔎 Best for views: 2KW Bar and Restaurant 🍹 The best bars in Adelaide🍔 The best burgers in Adelaide

Adelaide prides itself on being a family-friendly city that's safe, calm and perfectly adapted to the unique rhythms of kids. With heaps of accessible kid-friendly activities running in the city year-round, you can rest assured that neither you or your child needs to have a restless day.  Like the sound of plucking fresh strawberries, sliding around waterslides or cuddling an actual, real-life koala? Time Out's editors have got your next family fun day covered with all of the above, and a whole lot more. Here's our pick of the best things to do with kids in Adelaide. Editors' favourite things to do with kids in Adelaide: 🌳 Best for daredevils: TreeClimb 🐨 Best for animal lovers: Cleland Wildlife Park 🌊 Best for water babies: Glenelg's Beachouse 🦋 The best things to do in Adelaide🥐 The best cafés in Adelaide

​​With trendy restaurants and bars popping up all over the city, it’s no wonder Brisbanites and visitors alike can feel a bit overwhelmed when deciding where to eat. That’s where we come in! Our expert local writers, along with Time Out Australia’s Travel & News Editor Melissa Woodley, have tasted their way through Brisbane’s diverse food scene to bring you this list of must-try restaurants. From a sprawling Japanese izakaya overlooking the river and an old-school pizzeria to a contemporary Chinese eatery with a spicy Sichuan fish broth that will make your eyes water, these are the best restaurants in Brisbane for a culinary adventure in the River City. Update summer 2025: Since our last update, we’ve welcomed a fresh crop of heavy-hitters – Supernormal, Golden Avenue, Clarence, Marlowe, The Fifty Six and Winnifred’s – all quickly staking their claim as the city’s next must-book table. Editors' favourite restaurants in Brisbane: 🔎 Best for views: The Summit Restaurant and Bar 🍜 Best affordable eat: Taro's Ramen ⭐️ Best new opening: Supernormal For more about how we curate our reviews and guides, see our editorial guidelines. 🍸 The best bars in Brisbane☕️ The best cafés in Brisbane🥐 The best bakeries in Brisbane

Whoever coined the phrase “nothing in life is free” has clearly never set foot in Australia – a country where some of the best experiences come with a $0 price tag. Our Great Southern Land is full of bucket list experiences that won’t hurt or even touch your bank account. Hiking through some of the world’s most beautiful national parks? Free! Spotting fairy penguins on the beach? Free! Sampling your way through a world-class market? You guessed it – free! Our Travel and News Editor, Melissa Woodley – a woman who has backpacked, bused and budget-airlined her way across the planet – knows the art of stretching a dollar without sacrificing the fun. With intel from a crack team of Aussie travel writers, she’s pulled together the definitive list of the best free things to do in Australia. Whether you’re an outdoor person (swims, coastal walks and picnic rugs) or more of an indoor creature (air-con, art galleries and free chocolate samples), consider this your cheat sheet to feeling inexplicably wealthy on a budget of exactly zero. Editors’ favourite free things to do in Australia: 🍫 Best for families: Haigh's Chocolate Factory, SA 🌳 Best outdoor adventure: St Kilda Beach, VIC ☀️ Best for a hot day: Berry Springs Nature Park, NT NSW | VIC | SA | QLD | WA | ACT | TAS | NT 🌊 The best things to do in Australia🎢 The coolest things to do with kids⭐️ The best tourist attractions in Australia

When most people think about visiting Darwin, food likely isn’t the main motivating factor. But with steaming bowls of laksa and uniquely Territorian bites, Larrakia land gives plenty of reasons to linger. By day, you’ll come across cosy cafés with creative cross-cultural fare and bustling markets serving some of the nation’s best noodle soups. As the sun sets, Darwin’s dining scene heats up with harbourfront restaurants showcasing tropical fruits and upscale pubs featuring local wildlife, like crocodiles and kangaroos. Our Travel and News Editor, Melissa Woodley, along with NT-based contributing writer, Leah McLennan, keep a weather eye on every nook and cranny of the wee but mighty city – and have curated this list of the best restaurants in Darwin right now. Now, all that’s left for you to do is eat up. Editors' favourite restaurants in Darwin: ✨ Best for special occasions: Ella by Minoli 😍 Best for views: Pee Wee's at the Point 🐠 Best for seafood: Fin & Tonic For more about how we curate our reviews and guides, see our editorial guidelines. 🍕 The best pizza in Darwin🌳 The best things to do in Darwin🍻 The best bars in Darwin

Canberra's dining has had a huge glow-up in the past five years, with Aussies finally giving our capital the credit it deserves for its top-tier restaurants that rival those in Sydney and Melbourne. The star of the show is the region’s local produce – including truffles, smoked meats, cool-climate wines and stone fruits – which are fired, flamed, fermented and fried into all sorts of culinary creations. Time Out Australia’s Travel & News Editor Melissa Woodley spent four years immersed in Canberra’s dining scene before moving back to Sydney, and she can vouch that its newest openings are right up there with the Emerald City’s. Whether you’re dining at the Italian spot in Braddon, vying for a table at an award-winning French fine diner, or making friends at one of the city’s funkiest pan-Asian eateries, these are the best Canberra restaurants you want to be hittin' up. Update summer 2025: Three new restaurants have stolen the spotlight in 2025, already earning a reputation as some of Canberra's best – Lunetta Trattoria perched atop Red Hill, Azuma Den at East Hotel, and Shaw Estate Restaurant in the Murrumbateman wine region.  For more about how we curate our reviews and guides, see our editorial guidelines. 🍹 The best bars in Canberra☕️ Canberra's coolest cafés🍣 The best Japanese in Canberra

Adelaide’s restaurant scene has the best of both city and regional dining, combining seriously stylish design with access to abundant fresh produce from the surrounding wine regions. Forward-thinking mod-Oz cuisine is informed by food traditions from across the world, which are 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. The best part? Even the extended degustations sit at a price point that will pleasantly surprise East Coast diners. Time Out’s Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, has joined forces with 11-year Adelaide local and passionate food writer, Dale Anninos-Carter, to bring you the ultimate guide to the best restaurants in Adelaide. Whatever you’re craving, you’ll find it here! Editors' favourite restaurants in Adelaide: ✨ Best for special occasions: Magill Estate Restaurant 🫶🏾 Best for wholesome vibes: Parwana Afghan Kitchen 💛 Best for groups: Golden Boy For more about how we curate our reviews and guides, see our editorial guidelines. 🍷 The best bars in Adelaide🍕 Adelaide's best pizza joints☕️ The best cafés in Adelaide

You might come to Perth for its breathtaking sunsets and beautiful beaches, but the city's food scene will convince you to extend your stay. With world-class seafood, truffle farms and wine regions on its doorstep, we reckon the culinary scene here is one of Australia's most underrated. Picking where to eat in Perth isn't easy – the city spoils you with everything from cool coastal eateries to charming European bistros and hidden laneway curry houses. Luckily, you're in safe hands when it comes to choosing the best restaurants in Perth to dine at. Our contributing food writer, Dale Anninos-Carter, who lived in the west for 17 years, has teamed up with Time Out's Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, a regular visitor to the WA capital, to bring you this list of the best restaurants in Perth. So, put that appetite of yours to good use and get feasting. Editors' favourite restaurants in Perth: ✨ Best for special occasions: Wildflower 🍹 Best for seafood and spritzes: Madalenas ⚡️ Best for groups: Light Years For more about how we curate our reviews and guides, see our editorial guidelines. 🍷 The best bars in Perth🍝 The best Italian in Perth☕️ The best cafés in Perth

Hobart’s food scene is undoubtedly one of the best in Australia, and the locals will happily back that up. As will Time Out Australia’s Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, who after dining across every state and territory, can confidently vouch for it.  Tasmania’s food scene is spectacular for a number of reasons. In recent years, a wave of talented chefs has traded the high‑pressure kitchens of the mainland for Hobart’s relaxed, slow‑food lifestyle. This influx of talent, combined with Tasmania’s naturally bountiful fresh produce, has turned Hobart into quite the destination for food lovers. You'll find everything from intimate ten-seater bars and waterside fine diners to showstopping museum restaurants and everything in between. Here’s our list of the best restaurants in Hobart to score a reservation (or a walk-in table) at. Editors' favourite restaurants in Hobart: 😍 Best for views: Faro Bar and Restaurant 🌱 Best for special occasions: The Agrarian Kitchen 🍹 Best for snacks and spritzes: Restaurant Maria For more about how we curate our reviews and guides, see our editorial guidelines. 🍷 The best bars in Hobart☕️ The best cafés in Hobart🌳 The best things to do in Hobart

Western Australia is one of the most spectacular and varied places on the planet. Spanning 2.5 million square kilometres, it’s packed with dreamy beach towns, isolated wine regions and jaw-dropping islands that you have to see to believe. But with so much ground to cover, creating the perfect travel plan can be a bit overwhelming. That’s where our Travel & News Editor Melissa Woodley steps in to share her top tips on the best places to visit in Western Australia. Short on time? Spend a few days soaking up the buzz of Perth, exploring its hip neighbour Fremantle (Australia's top tourism town for 2025), and taking a day trip to the iconic Rottnest Island. For the ultimate Western Australia adventure – think swimming with whale sharks and sunset camel rides on the beach – a month-long road trip is the way to go. Be sure to tick off all the destinations included below. Editors' favourite places to visit in Western Australia: 🌊 Best for beaches: Rottnest Island 🌳 Best for outdoor adventures: Ningaloo Reef 🍷 Best for food and drink: Margaret River 😱 The best places to visit in Australia🥾 The best things to do in Perth

This intimate three-tiered restaurant takes things up a notch with its European fare, along with its thoughtful wine list to match any dish that takes your fancy. By no means is Le Rebelle a burger bar; however, we’d go there for Le Burger alone. It bleeds two types of French cheese in all their glossy glory, a punchy tomato relish, and features a melt-in-the-mouth wagyu patty that seeps with its grilled juices – rebellious by nature, and indeed one of the best burgers in Perth.  Other classic mains include glazed whole duck with bearnaise sauce, saffron cavatelli complemented by potato, broccoli and espelette, plus poisson du jour (fish of the day). The house baguette is a non-negotiable too, and the same goes for a glass of red. Time Out tip: Big on cheese? Oh, sorry, we meant ‘fromage’. Well, Le Rebelle is the place to be with the separate fromage menu of local and international choices. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Perth

Nothing can beat a great curry, and few chefs can outdo Minoli De Silva’s jaggery lamb with spiced tomato salsa. The former MasterChef contestant has set up a city centre establishment that marries creativity with reverence for traditional Sri Lankan ingredients. Fill the table with spice-cured kangaroo tartare, spiced lamb ribs that are slow-cooked for 18 hours, and twice-cooked eggplant moju (a kind of relish-y curry). The plates are pretty and the product placement is thoughtful, accompanied by verdant sauces that dance around the dish, with a symphony that concludes in your mouth. The choice is only made harder by the wafting (and sensational) aromas that linger around the contemporary dining room. Top it all off with a zingy cocktail from Ella’s extensive list, where ingredients like kaffir limes, cardamom and pandan steal the spotlight. The Kiwi Bay not only leaves you refreshed, but it changes colour too. Time Out tip: Nab a seat in West Lane Arcade – the alfresco atmosphere only adds to the Ella by Minoli experience with Darwin’s tropical weather. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Darwin

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.

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. 

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.

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