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

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

Perth might feel like it's in a world of its own, but anyone who's been there will tell you it's absolutely worth the trip (which is a little over four hours by plane from Sydney or Melbourne). Once solely known for its pristine beaches and perfect weather, Perth’s booming restaurant and culture scenes, and its trendy sister city, Fremantle (just 30 minutes from Perth), have put Western Australia’s capital city on the international radar. Our expert writers, including Time Out's Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, have collated this mega guide on the best things to do in Perth. From a breezy stroll through Kings Park to a dip at the stunning Cottesloe Beach, the essentials are all here. We also reckon day trips to Fremantle and Rottnest Island are absolute musts. Happy exploring! Editors' favourite things to do in Perth: Best for a sunny day: Cottesloe Beach Best for families: Picnic in Kings Park Best for an adventure: Kitty's Gorge Walk  🍽️ The best restaurants in Perth🖼️ Perth's best museums and galleries⭐️ The best hotels in Perth

Whoever said "nothing in life is free" clearly hasn’t been to Australia. 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, has backpacked all around the globe, so she knows a thing or two about savvy travel. With the help of her trusted team of Aussie travel writers, she’s curated this list of the best free things to do in Australia’s major cities. Whether you’re into soaking up the sun outdoors with swims, picnics and hikes, or cooling off inside with free exhibitions, chocolate tours and tram rides, there’s a budget-friendly activity to make you feel filthy rich with happiness. Here are the best free things to do in Australia. Editors’ favourite free things to do in Australia: 🍫 Best for families: Haigh's Chocolate Factory, SA 🌳 Best outdoor adventure: Cottesloe Beach, WA ☀️ Best for a hot day: NGV, VIC 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

We're calling it: Adelaide is one of the most underrated cities in the country. The South Australian capital punches well above its weight with its stunning walks, top-notch wineries and unexpected water adventures. Whether you're visiting for a quick weekend away or an extended stay, you'll leave wishing you'd booked a few extra nights. Our expert writers are here to help you plan the perfect trip with this list of the best things to do in Adelaide. We've got activities for foodies, families, hikers, day trippers and everyone in between. So, where to begin? Editors' favourite things to do in Adelaide: 🍎 Best for foodies: Adelaide Central Market 🌳 Best outdoor adventure: Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens 🍫 Best for families: Haigh's Chocolate Factory tour  🍽️ The best restaurants in Adelaide🖼️ The best galleries and museums in Adelaide⭐️ The best hotels in Adelaide

If there was any lingering doubt that Brisbane is a world city, it was put to rest the moment we scored the 2032 Olympics. Since then, the River City's been named one of the world's trendiest travel destinations and one of the friendliest places to live. Whether you're a local or just passing through, our editors have compiled the ultimate guide to the best things to do in Brisbane right now. In QAGOMA, the city has two of the best-designed art galleries on the planet, and blockbuster art to show in them. Sure, we've got great barbecue spots, but you'll also find some seriously impressive fine dining experiences and rooftop bars, too. Add in that year-round sunny climate (though slip, slop, slap please) and a great set of river walkways and public transport connections, and you’ve got yourself a city that’s a dream to explore. Start ticking off this list of the best things to do in Brisbane. Editors' favourite things to do in Brisbane: 🐶 Best for families: Bluey's World 😋 Best for foodies: Eat Street Northshore 🧺 Best for locals: West End Markets 🌳 Free things to do in Brisbane🚗 The best day trips from Brisbane🥐 Brisbane's best bakeries

If you need proof that Brisbane’s subtropical humidity is a blessing, not a curse, start with a rooftop spritz. This city was practically built for golden-hour drinking – all pastel skies, warm air off the river, and the occasional cockatoo cutting through your skyline shot. From poolside lounges with infinity pools to Riviera-style terraces and jungle-topped breweries, the best rooftop bars in Brisbane make a solid case for living life above sea level. And as Time Out writers who spend a frankly concerning amount of time researching where to eat and drink next (purely for journalism, of course), we’ve narrowed it down to the ones that actually live up to the view. Editor’s favourite rooftop bars in Brisbane 🏙️ Best views: Joey's 🍸 Best cocktails: Above Rooftop and Bar  💎 Best hidden gem: Ooh La La Bar 🍹 More of our favourite bars in Brisbane🌮 The best places to eat in Brisbane🌳 All the best things to do in Brisbane

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.

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.

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. 

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