Travel guide for Pet friendly

  Lake Macquarie is one of Australia’s largest coastal salt water lakes, four times the size of Sydney Harbour. It is a fabulous aquatic playground for boating, skiing, fishing, swimming and more and includes more than 90 villages between the coast, lake and mountains.   This is such a vast area, with so many things to do and see, and so close to Sydney!     Top 5 things to do and see   1. Caves Beach The caves at Caves Beach rate a first mention. Accessible from the southern end of Caves Beach at low tide, an area carved out by the sea with multiple caves, water channels and rock pools. You can even walk through some of the caves. You could literally spend hours here sitting in the shade, or the sun, climbing over rocks and discovering all the life ... Read more

A recent visitor to the area referred to the town as “Pamperton” and for those who enjoy the finer things in life, like wine, art, spas, and gourmet food, a trip to Pemberton is a dream. Yet for those who prefer simple pleasures, like a walk through a forest, throwing a fishing line or swimming in a dam, Pemberton is a relaxing yet exhilarating break. Located in a region of Western Australia known as the South West, Pemberton is a delightful town close to the Margaret River. Like many towns in this region, it has gone through a series of changes, having first been settled as an agricultural town. Later, it became known for its timber, while today tourism and wine are its lifeblood.      Things to do:   Indulge:  Local spas offer relaxing treatments ... Read more

Everyone in Australia has a favourite family holiday place. The place that you might have gone to when you were a child, or that place that you go to with your family on holidays, every chance you can get. For us it’s Tathra on the NSW South Coast.     We know the area quite well, but there are always those wonderful spots that you always say you should visit but often don’t. This time we vowed to visit as many as we could. We based ourselves in Merimbula in a holiday house and this time we had more than just our family; we were accompanied by Greg’s brother Vince, and our niece Theresa. Our children, Jasmine (7), Jemma (5) and Teddy (15 months) are used to travelling, but the extra people made this adventure even more fun for them.   Working closely wi... Read more

If you are considering taking a break where you can achieve the perfect mix of excitement and relaxation, look no further than Victoria’s Ocean Grove. This seaside town situated along the Bellarine Peninsula offers visitors thrills, surfing, and plenty of natural beauty. Things to do: The proximity of Ocean Grove to both Melbourne and Geelong, combined with its seaside location, means that you will find something to keep you busy, whatever you choose to do. Whether you want to leap out of a moving aircraft, scuba, surf or sip wine, you can do it nearby. Here are a few interesting ideas to get you started: Adventure Park: Geelong has an exciting theme park that will thrill children and adults alike (hey – there’s even an adult jumping castle!). Themed water slides, trad... Read more

Taking a break in Wynyard, Tasmania offers an unusual array of laid-back excitement. This delightful seaside town offers the best of relaxation, while providing adventure lovers plenty of scope to keep their adrenaline pumping. Spectacular views from Table Cape offer year-round enjoyment, made even more exquisite when the region brightens up with colour during the Wynyard Tulip Festival.   Once a major Tasmanian sea port due to its previous timber industry; today the town is a quiet haven of beauty and friendly locals.    Things to do: Tiptoe through the tulips: Wynyard is famous for its Tulip festival each October. If you’re in the area during late September or early October, also be sure to check out Van Diemen’s Bulb Farm where you can view fields of... Read more

Talk to any adult who grew up in Sydney, and there’s a good chance they have fond memories of spending family holidays driving up the Pacific Highway to the Mid North Coast. For decades it has been a popular holiday region, with plenty of farms, quaint towns, parks and wildlife to enjoy. Year-round pleasant weather combined with delightful scenery beckon families, couples and groups alike. Wauchope is a small country town, which was originally home to a thriving timber industry. Today the timber mill is gone but the town has immortalised its origins by building a historical tourist attraction called Timbertown, which recreates the early settlement of the area.   Wauchope also prides itself on a thriving dairy industry and within Timbertown itself, you can visit a cheese makin... Read more

  Apollo Bay lies on Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road and is less than three hours by car from Melbourne. Featuring stunning coastal scenery and nestled into rolling green hills, Apollo Bay is a treasure trove of things to see and do and features a wide range of accommodation options.  The Great Ocean Road stretches for 300km along the coast and is dotted with villages like Apollo Bay, which welcome the influx of visitors over the summer months and offer a range of experiences to enjoy, as well as glorious views around every bend of the road.   Featuring a variety of swimming and surf beaches, as well as a boat harbour, and with the marina home to a large fishing fleet, there is no shortage of attractions. Many visitors like to relax on the beaches, while... Read more

The Heritage listed country town of Adelong is nestled along the Adelong River to the northwest of the Snowy Mountains. This pretty 19th century town has an array of historic farmhouses, town buildings and plenty of trees, which change colour in a spectacular fashion in autumn. Ghosts of gold diggers long past would likely be thrilled to see how much of their history has been preserved, offering a mixture of charm and beauty to an area that is frequented by bushwalkers and skiers alike, staying in nearby tourist centres.   Things to do: Given Adelong is best known for its golden history, you may want to try your hand at fossicking for gold at Richies Gold Battery located at Adelong Falls Reserve.    Walking the streets of Adelong will provide a feel for the charm of the... Read more

The next time you plan to take a break, bring your pets with you! There was once a time pet owners wanting to take a fun-filled holiday would need to arrange for someone to watch their animals or pay to send them to a kennel. Today, thanks to countless pet-friendly accommodation options, owners can share their holiday fun with their four-legged mates. This is the ultimate way to enjoy a break; save money you would otherwise spend on a boarding kennel, avoid the worry and/or guilt you might feel at leaving them behind, and instead experience the joy of sharing your special times with a loyal friend. The wagging of a dog’s tail can add to the enjoyment of any special break. The question then arises – what do you do with your pets while on holiday? Few pooches would appreciate th... Read more

Holiday journalling for kids: It can be exciting for a child to develop their own scrapbook, and with the many family-friendly accommodation options on takeabreak.com.au, you’ll have endless choices to explore with your children. Each evening, have them write, type, or illustrate their experiences. It may be as simple as asking a preschooler to draw their favourite memory of the day, or asking a toddler to paste ticket stubs, pamphlets and photos into a book alongside their photos. Older children can use the computer to write out their journal entries, or if doing it the old-fashioned way, can neatly write onto the pages and then attach their favourite photos and travel memorabilia.   Including the family pet: If you’ve travelled to one of the many pet-frie... Read more