Days out & tours

Days Out & Tours

With hundreds of day tours and day trips across Australia, the hardest part is narrowing it down. Here's where to start, state by state, plus a few of the best day tours near the country's biggest cities.

New South Wales: Sydney and the Blue Mountains

A Sydney day trip usually means one thing: the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains Tour with Steam Train, Scenic World and Ferry packs the lot into one day out: the Zig Zag Railway, Scenic World's cableway and railway, and a harbour ferry home. It's the kind of day trip that covers a lot of ground without ever feeling rushed.

Victoria: Melbourne and Phillip Island

Melbourne day trips tend to head one of two ways: wine country or wildlife. For the wildlife route, the Full Day Phillip Island Wildlife and Brighton Beach Tour takes in the Brighton Beach Boxes, a wildlife park and the Penguin Parade at sunset, a solid day tour from Melbourne for anyone who hasn't seen the little penguins waddle ashore.

Queensland: Brisbane, Cairns and the Whitsundays

Queensland's day trips lean tropical. From Brisbane, the Tangalooma Day Trip with Snorkelling Tour and Sunset Cocktail is one of the more popular ways to spend a day on Moreton Island: wrecks to snorkel, a resort day pass and a sunset drink to finish. Further north, the Fraser Island National Park Discovery Tour covers K'gari's beaches, rainforest and wildlife in a single day out from Hervey Bay.

Further up the coast, Airlie Beach day tours are mostly about one thing: getting to Whitehaven Beach. The Whitsundays Whitehaven Beach Big Island Day Tour cruises past Whitsunday, South Molle and Hook Islands with a guided walk to the Hill Inlet lookout thrown in.

Cairn's day tours usually mean the Kuranda hinterland. The Kuranda, Scenic Rail, Coach and Hartley's Crocodile Adventures combines a scenic railway journey with crocodile spotting, a full day out that suits families and first time visitors alike.

Western Australia: Perth and Rottnest Island

Perth day tours almost always point west, to Rottnest Island. The Rottnest Island Ferry and Bike Hire from Perth covers the ferry crossing and a day of bike hire to explore the island's beaches and bays at your own pace, a favourite among day trips from Perth.

South Australia: Adelaide

Adelaide day tours don't need a car. The Adelaide City Walk and River Cruise Tour covers the city's history on foot before a relaxed cruise along the Torrens, an easy half day out for visitors and locals alike.

Tasmania: Hobart and Bruny Island

Tasmania tours often mean Bruny Island, and for good reason. The Bruny Island Lighthouse Tour, Wildlife and Lookouts is one of the better day tours from Hobart, taking in the island's lighthouse, lookouts and wildlife over a full day.

Wherever the day out happens, a RedBalloon gift voucher lets the recipient choose their own experience, so there's no guessing which day trip suits them best. It's one way to discover Australia at your own pace, on your own terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a day trip and a day tour?

The terms are mostly used the same way. A day tour usually means a guided experience with an itinerary already mapped out, while a day trip can be more open, guided or self drive. Either way, you're out and back within a day.

Can I give someone a day tour or day trip as a gift?

Yes. Day tours are one of the more popular experience gifts on RedBalloon, since they hand someone an actual day out rather than another thing to unwrap. A gift voucher lets the recipient pick their own day tour, so it works even if you're not sure which one they'd choose themselves.

Are there family friendly day out options?

Plenty. Many of our day tours and day trips are built with kids in mind. A family day out doesn't need a full itinerary either, a half day tour close to home works just as well as a kids day out further afield.

What's a good day tour near Canberra?

The Guided Stargazing with an Astronomer in Canberra is a shorter option for an evening out, ninety minutes under some of the clearest skies near the capital.

What's a good day trip from Perth beyond the beach?

The Perth Hills Hiking Tour with 2 Course Lunch trades the coast for waterfalls and forest trails in the Perth Hills, with lunch at a local cider house to finish.

What's a fun way to see Brisbane in just a few hours?

The Segway Around Brisbane Day Tour covers the river, Story Bridge and South Bank in two hours, a quick day tour for anyone short on time.

More Ways to Spend a Day Out

Days out and tours covers plenty of ground beyond the options above. A few more categories to explore:

• Day tours: the full range of guided day tours across the country, filterable by state, price and special features.
• Cycling tours: pedal through wine country or along the coast. The Yarra Valley Guided Bike Tour with Lunch and Drinks covers around 30 kilometres through Victoria's wine region with lunch and tastings included.
• Steam trains: heritage rail journeys through some of the country's prettiest scenery. The Puffing Billy Steam Train Tour from Melbourne winds through the Dandenong Ranges on one of Australia's oldest working steam railways.
• Evening and night tours: for something after dark. The Sydney Night Lights Panoramic Bus Tour takes in the city's landmarks lit up after sunset.
• Ghost tours: for a different kind of evening out. The Phantom Pursuit Sydney Rocks Investigation Tour digs into the darker side of Sydney's oldest neighbourhood.
• Island day trips and ferry transfers: for island escapes without the overnight bag.
• Scenic railways and cable cars: for a different view of the landscape.
• Segway tours: for covering ground on two wheels, standing up.