The sun has come out to play and that means one thing in Australia – it’s the season for spending time outdoors. Whether it’s camping, hiking or attending one on the many Summer music-festivals over the next few months, we have compiled a list of the coolest accessories and gadgets that will have you exploring…
It would be naïve to assume that the stigma of luxury cruises being a thing for older people has gone anywhere; though it’s almost certainly on the way out. As comfort travel makes a big comeback for millennials, so too does the desire to fully immerse oneself in a travel experience as rich and ambitious…
It becomes immediately apparent when driving down the New South Wales South Coast that you will have the choice of two soundtracks during your adventure: waves crashing onto the rocks and sand of uncrowded beaches or ultimate silence with occasional pops of birds and rustling tree branches in forests and National Parks. The wealth of…
As we steamroll towards summer, and Sydney’s temperature really ramps up, some of the city’s most festive annual – and inaugural – events are being readied for crowds of locals and visitors to get across. Whether it’s watching a provocative Japanese film in the air-conditioned comfort of Event Cinemas, indulging in exclusive dishes by renowned…
Earlier this month, I was flying around Canada with WestJet and Air Canada, long the only Commercial players in the Canadian domestic market. Now there are finally budget (or “ultra low-cost”) airlines entering the country, with Westjet’s Swoop (like Jetstar to Australia’s Qantas) having commenced flights in June, Jetlines commencing flights next year and Flair…
You have to be careful when promised a luxury festival experience nowadays. One minute you’re proudly uploading Instagram stories and living your #bestlife, the next minute you’re stranded in The Bahamas being chased by rabid dogs, desperately downing questionable ham sandwiches, and watching through tears as your tent is used as fire fuel. Okay, maybe…
Located “just three kilometres from downtown Toronto”, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport sits on an island off the city’s centre; accessible by ferry or a relatively new underground walkway. And it may just be the world’s most conveniently located airport, as they go out of their way to make sure every passenger feels like a…
After-dark museum spooktaculars, scary Inner-West pub raves, Bojack Horseman dress-up parties, and ghoulish dog shows. Yeah, it’s Halloween in Sydney alright. Each year some of the best venues in the city attempt to out-do themselves and lure you into webs of themed events and expensive drinks. Not all are made equal though, so we’ve done…
There are few places in the world which change as regularly as New York City. The dynamic, kinetic centrepiece of the U.S is rightfully one of the most common answers to the question “what is your favourite city in the world?”, with it’s unmatched landscape of world-class restaurants, museums, comedy clubs, public parks, and distinctive…
We’re getting into the nitty gritty of spring now, and as a result there’s plenty of outdoor things to do around Melbourne this month. If you don’t feel like spending one of the most exciting months of the year on the couch, then what awaits for your is an urban jungle full of rooftop pool…
October is consistently one of the best months to be living in, or visiting, Sydney. Why? Festival. As we enter the middle of spring, there’s a true celebratory air across the city, as festivals, fairs, and multi-day events pop-up for their annual editions, providing plenty of things to do for those who want to get…
It’s safe to say that when it comes to travel Catriona Rowntree, rightfully referred to as the country’s “Most Travelled Woman” and famed as the bubbly presenter of Getaway, is an authority. She’s been leaping from country to country for years now, and so an opportunity to pick her brain about travel isn’t to be…
If you haven’t already rinsed Phantastic Ferniture‘s eponymous 2018 debut LP so much that you know the exact length of each song, you absolutely need to get onto that NOW. It’s without a doubt one of the best debut releases this year. Fresh from the Sydney underground music scene, the three-piece bring that raw flavour straight…
Melbourne’s dynamism and constant revolving door of things to do is one of the reasons why it has remained one of the world’s most desired cities. Now that Spring is here, there’s going to be a bunch of things happening across town, and we’ve picked out six of our favourite things to do this month….
Be gone winter. Spring is here, which means some of Sydney’s best events and openings are coming up throughout the month of September. There’s a whole heap of one-off events, openings, festivals and exhibitions to get out and see so we’ve listed some of our top picks, including two very worthwhile road trip ideas that…
Starting in 2015, Snowtunes is hosting one of the countries most impressive and exciting lineups in one of the coolest (sorry) locations in the country. If 2018’s decent snowfall isn’t enough to get you to the slopes, we make the case why it’s not too late to book a last-minute road trip to the ski…
Long seen by tourists as little more than a city of transit and the hub of Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi is fast becoming a tourist destination in its own right, with new theme park and museum openings, and things like the relaxing of licensing laws to make the city more approachable for non-Muslim tourists. Here’s…
There are millions of interesting little details threaded through the rich, and often controversial, history of Los Angeles: one of the most storied cities in the world thanks to its confluence of just about everything you can think of. It’s one of North America’s most multi-cultural, famed for it’s (mostly) sunny weather and largely distinct…
Just shoot straight up to the top of the 210-foot Coit Tower for an immediate reminder that you’re in one of the United States’ most beautiful cities. Perched high above Telegraph Hill, you’ll take in the iconic San Francisco Bay and its sprawling urban metropolis, framed by a fog so thick and ubiquitous it has…
Now more than ever, the Cook Islands are an accessible destination to soothe your cold, stressed-out city-oriented lives thanks to a new direct flight service to Australia. Of the Cook’s 15 islands, Rarotonga is its capital and largest island where we spent a week-long voyage. Enclosed by a continuous sky-blue lagoon full of fish and…
While many save their Canadian adventures for the snow covered winter months, the great country of the North has a lot to offer through the Summer months, too. With weather often as warm as Australians are used to, it will ensure you can pack a little lighter for the journey. It also means that a…
The Okanagan Valley mightn’t be the first stop travellers think of when they are planning a trip to Canada, but in many ways it should be top of the list for any lovers of beautiful scenery, and locally produced wine. An hour flight from Vancouver – or a four hour drive – heading east across…
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city in the Canadian Provence of Manitoba, and is known as the “Gateway to the West” thanks in part to its location on the country’s rail network; sitting almost exactly halfway between Toronto and Vancouver on the itinerary of the iconic train experience that is “The Canadian”. Recently I…
Portland, Oregon had long been on my bucket list of destinations to visit. Renowned for great food and beer, arts, bookstores and scenery, and infamous for its hipster lifestyle, the city is one of the finest in the world. There’s so much to do in the city, but to help you on your way, here…
The LEDs are bigger and brighter. The food is more diverse. The artworks are more defined. And they even have a sports team now! Yes, the Las Vegas Strip has been an ever-changing beast, but some of the changes across the last two years have been amongst the biggest the Strip has experienced for decades….
Niagara Falls. The name alone conjures up a sense of mystic beauty, let alone the magnificent splendour that awaits its onlookers. The journey to Niagara Falls’ Canadian side from Toronto is an easy one. On my own journey, the weather couldn’t have been more beautiful, and the ride via Greyhound served as an excellent way…
Acquiring the freedom of hiring a car with a low-budget to assist in exploring California and its surrounds has, for a long time, been impossible. L.A.’s independent Sakura Car Rental changes all of that. From Yaris’ to Corolla’s to 15-passenger vans and to our Americana urge – the Ford Mustang convertible (in red of course), Sakura…
Technological advancements have brought in some new rules of modern travel. And while scams and hacks are getting more sophisticated, there are several smart, simple steps you can take to cleanse your digital footprint each time you travel and keep your data safe and secure. There is an undeniable magic to closing your laptop in…
There’s a scene in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, when Gil, played by Owen Wilson, is reminiscing about a time he never lived in; “Imagine this town in the ’20s,” he said of Paris. There was something forlorn about it, a regret that he was living now instead of then. Though Allen portrays this romanticisation…
Over the past few months on AU Abroad, we’ve been taking you in and out of the West Coast Canadian city of Vancouver, from a look at the Airport’s incredible Fairmont Hotel, to reviewing our flight from Vancouver Airport back to Sydney with Air Canada. We filled you in on the airline’s expansion to Brisbane, and…
