What To Do This Long Weekend

If long weekends were an Olympic sport, then Australians would be the undisputed gold medalists. Between giving it 100 per cent at work and play, looking after ourselves and our families, and dealing with the stresses of modern living, you can't say we don't deserve the occasional extra day added to our weekends now and then.

With the first long weekend for 2023 looming, here are some exciting ideas for outdoor fun and adventure this long weekend.

Camping

A long weekend is the perfect time to escape on a three or four-day camping getaway. In Australia, we're particularly fortunate to have so many different outdoor adventures and experiences to choose from that don't take up a lot of travel hours, so we can get the most out of the precious time available.

Camping is great fun at any time of the year but especially so when a long weekend comes calling. Pitching a tent and establishing a base camp makes it easy to enjoy some off-roading action, go on a series of hikes and bushwalks, or even do some mountain biking.

Beachside camping is a great way to set yourself up for a weekend of snorkelling, stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking, and one of Australia's most popular and time-honoured weekend traditions - fishing. For bonus summer long weekend relaxation, hammocks are perfect for the afternoon nap of champions!

A good camp fridge or cooler means you can bring a range of nutritious meals and snacks from home and, with the range of camp cooking equipment available today, there's plenty of easy camp food recipes you can cook up.

If you're not up to camping, day trips are an excellent option for getting some mileage out of your long weekend. Our Adventure Centre has plenty of ideas for awesome day trips, the best kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding spots, exciting weekend bike trails, great 4WD destinations and all the resources you need to make a long weekend escape relaxing and enjoyable.

Watersports

Long weekends in the warmer months are fantastic for getting into watersports. There's almost no end of awesome activities to safely enjoy around water for getting the most out of your extra day off.

Activities like snorkelling and bodyboarding are the more popular beach pastimes. As well as being right at home on the ocean waters, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and canoeing are versatile enough to enjoy at lakes and river destinations too.

Part of the beauty of watersports is they're fantastic workouts, so they tick a lot of boxes for people who like to exercise and keep active. Similarly, these kinds of activities give you access to a really different perspective of your natural environment, or areas that you might not otherwise get to explore.

If you simply want to enjoy the sun and sand, accessories like inflatables, soccer balls and beach cricket sets can't be beaten for keeping family members entertained while others indulge in a spot of napping or meditation. (Oh, and mums and dads will love how much easier beach wagons can make life when it comes to a day at the beach!)

Picnics and alfresco dining

The most sought-after picnicking locations are the well-resourced and well-maintained parks and gardens in your local community. Beaches, coastal parks and other seaside locations are always popular with picnickers but, if you're looking for something different, you might like to add lake-side noshing to your to-do list.

Maybe you'll choose to head to the mountains? If the high country is your speed, the Dandenongs in Victoria, Mt Tamborine in Queensland, the Blue Mountains in Sydney and, of course, the Adelaide Hills in South Australia are all ideally placed for an easy-breezy day trip and picnic.

Loading the esky, camp fridge or picnic basket with tasty and healthy goodies is the first thing many people think of when it comes to picnics, but why not change things up and do your cooking at the picnic site? The range of portable cookware and accessories that are available will help you turn your humble picnic into a five-star affair. As well as being lightweight and super convenient, portable cookware is easy to maintain and purpose-designed for go-anywhere creativity with cooking, regardless of where you position your picnic site.

Maybe simplicity is a non-negotiable when it comes to picnicking? Or you're in the mood for a surprise, romantic fuss-free escape for two? If that's the case, stocking a picnic backpack to take along on the ride is the way to go.

There's no shortage of places to choose from when planning a long weekend picnic. And, if you want to get it right, our Picnic Like a Pro guide will help ensure you've taken into account all the elements for creating some unforgettable picnic fun on the long weekend.

Hiking

There's no better way to combine exercise with exploring our natural environment and connecting to the great outdoors than hiking. No matter which part of Australia you live in, you'll find a range of national and state parks with established hiking trails and nature walks for people of all ages, experience and fitness levels.

Whether your hike involves camping in different locations over a number of nights or a gentle, leisurely single or half-day trek, always have your hiking essentials and other handy accessories in your pack, and be familiar with the fundamental precautions and safety tips, so your hike doesn't end on a downer.

Fishing

One of the many positives of fishing on the long weekend is you don't have to be a master angler to truly enjoy it. Obviously, it's great to reel in fish after fish, but it's often the challenge of getting them to bite in the first place, or taking in your surroundings on your own or with family and friends, that makes fishing a past-time that never loses popularity.

Looking up 'fishing spots near me' on your preferred search engine is a simple way to find a location. You'll get an endless stream (no pun intended) of beach, estuary, lake and river locations. As well as where to go fishing, many websites are loaded with helpful info on what's on the bite, the best bait and tackle to catch them with (as well as launching ramps, if you're fishing off a boat), plus tide times, bag limits, local regulations and so on.

Meanwhile, if you're a more seasoned fisherperson, a long weekend is the perfect opportunity for trying different locations to your usual go-to favourite spots. Spread your wings and open your eyes to the wondrous fishing destinations Australia has to offer.

For advice on how to get started, through to maintaining your gear and specialised guides for catching particular types of fish, our Fishing Adventure Centre is chock-full of useful tips and information so you can get the most out of your fishing adventures.