Going Places: Destinations

Cosmo-cool Sydney

Somehow, Sydney balances skyscrapers and surfboards without breaking a sweat.

• See: Snap a pic of the Sydney Opera House. Climb Harbour Bridge if you dare. Stroll the Bondi to Coogee Walk for cliffside views and hidden coves. And hop aboard the ferry to Manly Beach to catch one of its famed waves.
• Eat & drink: Start with Sydney rock oysters, renowned for their complexity and sweetness, best freshly shucked and raw with a glass of Hunter Valley Sémillon. Also, try acclaimed Saint Peter, where every part of the fish is used. And a cocktail from Maybe Sammy or Cantina OK! (both appear on The World's 50 Best Bars list).
• Escape: Kayak or paddleboard in the harbor for a whole new perspective on the skyline.

Artsy Melbourne

Creative, caffeinated, and a little unpredictable (pack a jacket-it's "four seasons in a day" here), Melbourne is Australia's cultural capital.

• See: Hop on the free City Circle Tram. Wander down Hosier Lane for street art. Catch a game of footy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (Aussie meat pie obligatory). And dive into the live music scene at The Night Cat or along ACDC Lane.
• Eat & drink: Melbourne's true obsession: coffee. Higher Ground and CIBI are standouts. Get a taste of the city's multicultural dining scene. In Chinatown, dim sum and dumpling houses rule, with Lee Ho Fook serving a modern take. On Victoria Street, try I Love Pho, and in Footscray go for an Ethiopian feast at Ras Dashen.
• Escape: Break away from the bustle at the Royal Botanic Gardens or on the Yarra Trail.

Sunny Brisbane

Easygoing and blissfully warm, Brisbane is subtropical living at its best, with wildlife sanctuaries, riverside strolls, and quick escapes to top beaches along the Sunshine and Gold Coasts.

• See: Stroll the Mangrove Walk for First Nations history. Visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (world's first and largest). Hop a sunset ferry down the Brisbane River. Extra time? Go 90 minutes south: Lamington National Park has waterfalls and treetop walks.
• Eat & drink: Grab a platter of Moreton Bay bugs (slipper lobsters, but don't call them that) at The Prawnster. For something sweet, try a Lamington (chocolate, coconut, sponge cake bliss). And if you're thirsty, Fortitude Valley rooftops like Soko serve cocktails with a view.
• Escape: Day-trip to Moreton Island for sandboarding, snorkeling shipwrecks, and dolphin spotting. Or head north to the Sunshine Coast for laid-back beaches and the Australia Zoo, or south to the Gold Coast for surf breaks and nightlife.

Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef

In Far North Queensland, Cairns is your launchpad to rainforest adventures and the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system-and the only living thing visible from space.

• See: Float above the canopy on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, or in the Esplanade Lagoon in town. Explore tropical flora at the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Day-trip to Port Douglas or Cape Tribulation for rainforest tours (the former also has stellar markets).
• Eat: Reef‐fresh seafood's the idea here. Think big prawns and cocktails with sunset views. Grab street bites by the marina and tropical fruit treats (or homemade gelato) for dessert.
• Escape: Spend the night in a Reefsuite. By day, snorkel and swim straight off the pontoon; by night, sip wine under the stars before drifting off in a glass-walled room, where your neighbors are Great Barrier Reef clownfish and coral gardens.

Good to know

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