As Australia starts to open back up, we’ve partnered with RedBalloon to uncover the best of what our country has to offer. From experiences and weekends away, to gift ideas (to treat yourself, and others), we’re encouraging you to make every moment count, think outside the box and get out there to support local businesses and communities.
After a quiet and necessary few months spent in isolation, we feel now is the perfect time to stretch our legs and experience new things beyond the four walls in which we came to know so well (perhaps a little too well).
The world is a big place beyond the confines of our homes, and just because we can’t yet travel overseas and in some cases, interstate, doesn’t mean we can’t still have those game-changing experiences that open our minds and expand our horizons — something that perhaps no company does better than RedBalloon.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the most desirable experiences on the platform to help you find space once more, see far into the distance, and experience the magic of the wide world around you.
After so many weeks cooped up inside, it’s the least you could do for yourself or a special someone to gift the experience of a lifetime.
★ Scenic Helicopter Flight
A helicopter ride over Sydney’s stunning harbour offers a different and one-of-a-kind perspective on one of Australia’s most beautiful skylines. Over 20 minutes, you’ll take in the cityscape with world-class commentary from your pilot, heading towards the east for a jaw-dropping view over Bondi Beach. Finish off the experience with complimentary refreshments and take home a memory full of mental pictures, or real ones. Check the offerings in your capital city to find the perfect flight for you.
★ Hot Air Ballooning at Sunrise
What better way to start your day than by witnessing a glorious sunrise from a hot air balloon over rolling valleys? Hot air ballooning is a memorable experience available at varying price points all around Australia, and usually within a short driving distance of major capital cities.
This one in the NSW Hunter Valley offers a view over vineyards and farmland, and comes with a complimentary glass of sparkling to toast to lifelong memories in the sky. Following the ride, ballooners sit down for an à la carte breakfast at a local winery. Bliss.
★ Enjoy Whale Watching
The opportunity to spot a Humpback whale is a truly mindblowing experience, and between the months of July and October, you have a chance to do just that. Cruise alongside some of the world’s largest and most majestic creatures in Sydney, Perth, Victoria, Brisbane and other coastal locations around Australia. Ultimately, it’s up to the whales as to whether you’ll be able to really see them up close and be treated to a spectacular show, but even if they’re feeling a little shy that day, (in many cases) you can receive 50% off your next booking to try again.
★ Get Lost and Go Glamping
Don’t conflate getting back to nature with ‘roughing it’. Glamping experiences offer the chance to immerse yourself in a picturesque and remote landscape while never compromising on luxury. You’ll still have the chance to build a campfire, see the stars, get acquainted with wildlife and fall asleep to the sounds of rustling leaves and crickets, only you’ll do it in a king-sized bed with a world-class mattress. Now that’s camping. RedBalloon has a number of all-inclusive packages with accommodation, food, drinks, and activities. Good luck choosing just one.
★ Seek Thrills with Skydiving
There’s no denying 2020 has been a tough year for making memories. In fact, the year has brought a plethora of events we wish we could forget. Wiping memories isn’t quite an option, but we can certainly make new ones. And what better way to leave your troubles behind than by leaving them in a tiny plane you jump out of? Skydiving isn’t for the fainthearted, but it is, without doubt, an exhilarating experience that keeps people coming back for more. Before booking, best to consult your doctor to ensure you’ve no health complications.
★ Explore on Four Wheels
Quad biking is a far safer alternative to dirt biking, although the grunt of the vehicle still allows you to explore similar off-road terrain, plus, they’re easy to get your head around and operate (take it from someone who can’t even ride a bike). Sand, dirt; mud, the bike can handle it all, even if your clothes become collateral to the splashback. And with so many adventures available around Australia, you’ll find the perfect experience close to home in no time at all.
★ Fine Dining
You deserve to reward yourself for the months you spent cooking, baking banana bread, and finding new ways to prepare all those dried beans you bought prior to lockdown. Now that you can dine out again (in most states and territories), we can’t think of a better way to do so than with a fresh seafood feast or multi-course degustation.
Some of Australia’s best restaurants have food and wine packages on RedBalloon, that allow you to sample the culinary treats of the nations best chefs with paired wines. Right now, we’re coveting this six-course seafood degustation from Otto Ristorante in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo, $195 for two people.
