Top Oz Tours offers a great range of Australia tours and experiences. You can browse the options here.
At 7.688 million square-kilometres, Australia is the sixth largest country in the world — and nutting out the itinerary for your first visit down under can be a daunting prospect.
There are many well known places you’ll almost certainly want to visit (Sydney, Melbourne, Uluru, and the Great Barrier Reef immediately spring to mind); others that you’re vaguely aware of and would like to do if time permits. And then there’ll be cities and towns that you’ve almost certainly never heard of, but are packed with memorable experiences.
When planning your trip, give careful consideration to the cost of accommodation (which can be significantly higher in the country’s largest cities). Search for a holiday home with Cozy Cozy, which compares a wide range of accommodation options (including homestays on Airbnb) in each destination you plan to visit. You can then filter the results by price.
Here’s a handy checklist of twenty of the best cities to visit in Australia — along with corresponding videos from our YouTube channel. Cooee (call out) if you need more inspiration!
1. Sydney
Think of Australia’s first city and many iconic landmarks spring to mind: the magnificent harbour, Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks historic precinct, Sydney Tower, and the golden expanse of Bondi Beach. Cosmopolitan yet chilled, endlessly popular yet lacking pretension, the New South Wales capital attracts over 30 million visitors annually. And whether you’re a culture vulture, sun worshipper, foodie, or fashionista, you’ll find endless ways to fill your time in the glittering Harbour City.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Sydney:
10 Top Things to Do in SYDNEY, Australia in 2024 | Ultimate Travel Guide & To-Do List
Support our channel and save on travel by joining our new Top Traveller Club! 😄 Member benefits include a branded travel water bottle delivered to your door, and 10% off day and multi-day tour bookings worldwide!
2. Melbourne
Chic, sophisticated, and always on trend, Melbourne is a mecca for city slickers and is renowned as the country’s cultural capital. Browse the vast collections of the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), The Ian Potter Centre (for contemporary art), Melbourne Museum, and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). Enjoy the Victorian capital’s thriving live music scene, and packed calendar of festivals and elite sporting events. Shop ’til you drop, party at a plethora of trendy rooftop bars, then revive with the best coffee you’re likely to find anywhere on the planet. That’s Melbourne.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Melbourne:
Top 10 Things to Do in MELBOURNE, Australia in 2026 (Cheap to Chic!) | Ultimate Travel Guide
👉👉👉 Support our channel and save on travel by joining our new Top Traveller Club: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWPeSl1aL72F1NCuS4ePTQ/join 👈👈👈 Member benefits include early access to videos, a branded travel water bottle, and 10% off day and multi-day tour bookings worldwide! Browse day tours: https://topoztours.partner.viator.com Browse multi-day tours: https://topoztours.trips.tourradar.com Join today!
3. Canberra
Nominated by Lonely Planet as one of the ten must-visit cities in the world back in 2018, Canberra has stepped up to take its place among Australia’s top travel destinations. The purpose-built federal capital has changed beyond all recognition over the past three decades. What was once largely a bureaucratic enclave occupied by a transitory workforce, is now a dignified, refined and leafy city — home to 400,000 people, and packed with world-class cultural institutions and monuments that reflect the country’s national pride.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Canberra:
Ten amazing things to do in Canberra | Canberra Travel Guide, 2021
Welcome to The Big Bus tour and travel guide’s YouTube channel. In this video, we bring you ten amazing things to do in Australia’s fabulous capital city. No…
4. Brisbane
Brisbane enjoys glorious sunshine for most of the year, but it’s not just the great weather that makes the Queensland capital such a fabulous place to visit. From an amazing arts scene and evolving laneway culture, to slick and sophisticated eateries, vibrant nightlife, and world-class shopping — the River City has become one of Australia’s most dynamic travel destinations. Urban renewal projects like the South Bank Parklands and Howard Smith Wharves have revolutionised how the city engages with its eponymous river.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Brisbane:
Top 10 Things to Do in BRISBANE, Queensland, Australia in 2026 | Ultimate Brisbane Travel Guide
👉👉👉 Support our channel and save on travel by joining our new Top Traveller Club: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWPeSl1aL72F1NCuS4ePTQ/join 👈👈👈 Member benefits include early access to videos, a branded travel water bottle, and 10% off day and multi-day tour bookings worldwide! Browse day tours: https://topoztours.partner.viator.com Browse multi-day tours: https://topoztours.trips.tourradar.com Join today!
5. Adelaide
During the annual Adelaide Festival and Fringe, the South Australian capital fills with people and pop-ups. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking that Adelaide is only fun during festival season. There’s a huge amount to see and do throughout the year. A vibrant street art and street food scene has breathed new life into the urban landscape in recent years, while a small-bar revolution is enlivening the CBD after dark. Add to that the stunning beaches, verdant vineyards, and wondrous wildlife viewing opportunities within easy reach of the city, and you have all the makings of a top holiday.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Adelaide:
Ten Amazing Things to Do in ADELAIDE, South Australia, 2025 | Ultimate Adelaide Travel Guide
Support our channel and save on travel by joining our new Top Traveller Club! 😄 Member benefits include a branded travel water bottle delivered to your door, and 10% off day and multi-day tour bookings worldwide!
6. Perth
Basking by the silky waters of the Swan River and blessed with an idyllic turquoise coastline, the natural beauty of Perth is unquestionable. However, Western Australia’s capital isn’t simply resting on its sun, surf, and sand laurels. There’s been a strong push in recent years to bring quality entertainment, top notch dining, and cultural kudos to the CBD through innovative urban regeneration projects like Elizabeth Quay and Yagan Square. The recently opened WA Museum — Boola Bardip — is forging a new narrative about the region’s Indigenous heritage. It’s an exciting time to pay Perth a visit!
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Perth:
Top 10 Things to Do in PERTH, Western Australia in 2026 | Ultimate Perth Travel Guide
👉👉👉 Support our channel and save on travel by joining our new Top Traveller Club: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWPeSl1aL72F1NCuS4ePTQ/join 👈👈👈 Member benefits include early access to videos, a branded travel water bottle, and 10% off day and multi-day tour bookings worldwide! Browse day tours: https://topoztours.partner.viator.com Browse multi-day tours: https://topoztours.trips.tourradar.com Join today!
7. Hobart
Tried booking a hotel in Hobart recently? Rooms are as rare as a hen’s dentures on weekends, so our first piece of advice is book early. It seems everyone wants a piece of the Tasmanian capital these days — and with good reason. A rich history to explore, revitalised cultural agenda, robust festival calendar, and sensational food and wine scene are just some of the many attractions. The city also makes a great base for exploring further afield, including stunning natural landscapes like Bruny Island and the Tasman Peninsula (home to infamous Port Arthur — Australia’s best preserved record of convict life).
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Hobart:
Top 10 Things to Do in HOBART, Tasmania, Australia, 2026 | Ultimate Hobart Travel Guide
👉👉👉 Support our channel and save on travel by joining our new Top Traveller Club: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWPeSl1aL72F1NCuS4ePTQ/join 👈👈👈 Member benefits include early access to videos, a branded travel water bottle, and 10% off day and multi-day tour bookings worldwide! Browse day tours: https://topoztours.partner.viator.com Browse multi-day tours: https://topoztours.trips.tourradar.com Join today!
8. Darwin
There are two things that hit you as you arrive at Darwin’s bustling airport — the heat and the relaxed vibe. Welcome to the Aussie city that’s closer to Bali than it is to any of the country’s other main urban centres. As such, you’ll find things are done a little differently in the Northern Territory capital. P.S. The dress code is strictly boardies, Havianas, and Akubra-style hats!
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Darwin:
Ten Amazing Things to Do in DARWIN, Australia, 2023 | Ultimate Darwin Travel Guide
Situated in Australia’s remote Top End, Darwin is a travel destination like no other! With its rich Indigenous cultural scene, diverse culinary offering, a turbulent history to explore, and epic natural landscapes within easy reach, you’re in for the holiday of a lifetime.
9. Cairns
Sitting pretty in Tropical North Queensland, Cairns has undergone an extraordinary transformation in recent decades. What was once the last stop on an all-points east coast tour of Australia for visiting backpackers, is now a must-visit destination in its own right for a broad cross section of travellers — thanks in part to the city’s unique location on the edge of the world-renowned Great Barrier Reef and Daintree rainforest. It may be hot, but Cairns is one of the most chilled-out urban centres in the country — and a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude imbues the lifestyle. However, with a raft of world-class attractions, eateries, and shopping options on offer, the once-sleepy outpost is all grown up and impressively cosmopolitan.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Cairns:
Ten Amazing Things to Do in Cairns, QLD | City Guide – The Big Bus
Welcome to The Big Bus tour and travel guide’s YouTube Channel. Sitting pretty in Tropical North Queensland, the city of Cairns has undergone an extraordinar…
10. Gold Coast
The Gold Coast — better known by locals as ‘the Goldie’ — is considered by many to be the home of Australia’s best beaches. The region is located an easy hour’s drive south of Brisbane in South East Queensland, and has long been known as a surfing hot spot and for its theme parks. The Gold Coast offers a relaxed, laid-back vibe that attracts holidaymakers from across Australia and beyond. Some never leave (this is one of the fastest growing urban areas in the country), and it’s not hard to work out why given the great weather, spectacular coastline, and endless attractions.
Watch our video of ten top things to do on the Gold Coast:
Top 10 Things to Do on the GOLD COAST, Australia, 2026 | Ultimate Gold Coast Travel Guide
👉👉👉 Support our channel and save on travel by joining our new Top Traveller Club: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWPeSl1aL72F1NCuS4ePTQ/join 👈👈👈 Member benefits include early access to videos, a branded travel water bottle, and 10% off day and multi-day tour bookings worldwide! Browse day tours: https://topoztours.partner.viator.com Browse multi-day tours: https://topoztours.trips.tourradar.com Join today!
11. Sunshine Coast
South East Queensland’s Sunshine Coast lives up to its name with ease. Fringed with golden beaches and bathed in glorious sunshine for most of the year, the somewhat ‘quieter’ of the coasts either side of Brisbane attracts flocks of contented holiday makers. From upscale tourist mecca Noosa at one end to relaxed Caloundra at the other, there’s a holiday option in between to suit every taste and budget.
12. Fremantle
Fremantle is Western Australia’s colourful port city, where old meets new, the vibe is relaxed and easygoing, and you’re invited to come as you are and join the party! ‘Freo’ — as the locals call it — is often done as a day trip from Perth, but it deserves a much longer visit. The city has an incredibly rich colonial and maritime history to explore, along with a world-class culinary scene and an eclectic range of cultural experiences.
13. Broome
The sheer ancientness of Western Australia’s far north-west Kimberley region becomes abundantly clear when you visit Broome. A climb down the red sandstone cliffs at Gantheaume Point at the lowest of tides reveals dinosaur tracks frozen in time and believed to be well over 100 million years old. Broome is well known as the gateway to the Kimberley, but equally it’s a popular holiday destination in its own right. Amazing beaches, great food, a colourful mix of local characters, and an uber-relaxed feel are all part of this remote town’s charm.
Watch our video of the top things to do in Broome:
Top Things to Do in Broome, Western Australia, 2022 | Travel Guide
★ Did you enjoy this video? Help us make more by hitting the subscribe button! It will help us get more destinations on board. Thank you! ★Related | Ten of t…
14. Newcastle
Australia’s eighth-largest city is still a big country town at heart. That’s why Newcastle is such an appealing place to visit — especially as a short break destination from Sydney (driving time between the two takes just 2.5 hours). Short distances, great walkability, and a free public transport zone make exploring a breeze, and you’ll discover a wealth of breathtaking beaches, historical and cultural attractions, and memorable cafes and restaurants. Enjoy!
15. Alice Springs
Alice Springs in the Northern Territory will forever occupy a special place in the hearts of all who visit. The city may look fairly low key at first glance, but be warned — it’s addictive, and you’re likely to hear tales from ‘locals’ time and time again of how they arrived in Alice Springs on holiday and never left. Immortalised in Nevil Shute’s novel A Town Like Alice and the cult Aussie film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, the unofficial capital and spiritual heart of the Red Centre will delight, challenge, and amaze as you chart your way around an endearingly-rough-and-cheerfully-ready piece of Oz.
Watch our video of the top things to do in Alice Springs:
10 Top Things to Do in ALICE SPRINGS, Northern Territory, Australia, 2023 | Ultimate Travel Guide
Alice Springs will forever occupy a special place in the hearts of all who visit. The city may look low key at first glance, but be warned – it’s addictive – and you’re likely to hear tales from ‘locals’ time and time again of how they arrived here on holiday and never left.
16. Launceston
Laidback Launceston (pronounced Lon-seston) is Tasmania’s second largest city, and answers to ‘Lonnie’ or even just ‘Lon’ if you’re embracing your inner millennial. Sitting at the confluence of three rivers in the idyllic Tamar Valley, there’s a lot to love about this destination. Fine food, fabulous cool climate wines, a wealth of well-preserved Victorian-era architecture, and a fast-evolving cultural scene are all yours to adore. Launceston also offers easy access to Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and several more of Tassie’s most celebrated natural landscapes.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Launceston:
Ten Great Things to do in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, 2024 | Launceston Travel Guide
In this episode of our online travel series, we bring you tips for ten great things to do in Launceston.
17. Geelong
While Victoria’s better known tourist hot spots tend to attract most of the accolades, Geelong’s star is on the rise. With an enviable position on Corio Bay in Port Phillip (just an hour by road or train from Melbourne), a beautiful foreshore precinct, and a revamped civic centre, there’s plenty happening inside the state’s second city. Outside, Geelong is the gateway to the magnificent Bellarine Peninsula — home to pristine beaches, charming holiday towns, and a growing gourmet food scene. Cool climate wines do well here, and several craft brewers have also set up shop. There’s never been a better time to get a taste of this amazing region!
18. Townsville
Azure waters; white sandy beaches; a palm-fringed waterfront; the essential elements of popular overseas destinations like Fiji and Hawaii are all on offer in our very own Townsville. And with its tropical take on all that city life entails, there’s little reason to travel further afield. Explore sublime Magnetic Island, snorkel or dive the Great Barrier Reef, trek the lush Wet Tropics rainforest, and delve into the vast outback (historic Charters Towers is easily done as a day trip). You’ll need at least a week to see and do everything this North Queensland holiday hot spot has to offer.
19. Broken Hill
If you’re up for a bit of poetic exaggeration, Broken Hill feels like it’s a million miles from anywhere. Situated in the far west of New South Wales, this outback city is just over 1,100 kilometres from the state’s capital Sydney, 500 kilometres from Adelaide, and 800 kilometres from Melbourne. You get the idea: it’s remote. Broken Hill was founded in the 1880s and is best known for its mining heritage. In 2015, it was the first, and only Australian city to date, to be added holus-bolus to the National Heritage List — thanks mainly to the incredible cache of period buildings that line its wide streets. Pick up a self-guided walking tour map from the excellent Visitor Information Centre and head off to explore.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Broken Hill:
10 Amazing Things do Do in Broken Hill, NSW | Travel Guide
★ Hit SUBSCRIBE for more amazing travel ideas! ★Welcome to Top Oz Tours’ (formerly The Big Bus) YouTube Channel. In this video, we take you to the fabulous o…
20. Bendigo
In 1851, two women washing clothes in a creek in regional Victoria came across a large nugget of gold. They took their precious find to a banker in Castlemaine — a town already heavily afflicted by gold fever. Within 48 hours, more than 400 would-be miners had flocked to the spot and Bendigo was born.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Bendigo:
Ten Great Things to Do in Bendigo, Australia | Travel Guide & Checklist
In this updated episode of our online travel series, we bring you tips for ten great things to do in Bendigo. We visit Bendigo Art Gallery, the Golden Dragon Museum, and the Central Deborah Gold Mine, and take a spin on one of the city’s famous Vintage Talking Trams.
Today, this elegant city of 100,000 people is packed with period architecture and draws visitors to its insightful galleries, gorgeous gardens, fashionable eateries, and cool cafes. You’ll be amazed at the variety of experiences on offer in the unofficial capital of the Victorian Goldfields.
This post was published thanks to Cozy Cozy.
Browse our range of Australia tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of the best cities to visit in Australia? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
