The Thirsty Tourists Are Heading South Again!
It’s that time of year when we start planning another adventure, dusting off the travel gear and deciding which country pubs, tourist attractions and restaurants deserve a spot on the itinerary. Because apparently, sitting at home doing nothing isn’t really our thing!
This year, we’re keeping the annual Thirsty Tour a little shorter than usual, as we also have a trip to Bali planned. Tough life, isn’t it? One minute we’re exploring the Australian countryside, and the next we’re contemplating a tropical getaway. Someone has to do it!
Road Trip Instead of Flying
Normally, we’d fly down to Sydney, but this year we’ve decided to drive instead. That gives us the opportunity to explore a few places along the way, discover some country pubs and enjoy a few restaurants that might otherwise be missed when travelling by plane.
Let’s face it, flying might get you there quicker, but it doesn’t offer quite the same opportunities to pull into a country town because an old pub catches your eye. And if there’s a historic building, a lighthouse or a scenic detour involved, you can pretty much guarantee we’ll be adding it to the itinerary!
We’ll once again be staying at our favourite Rendezvous at The Rocks, with three nights planned in Sydney. The Rocks remains one of our favourite places to stay, with its historic streets, harbour views, iconic landmarks and an excellent collection of pubs within easy reach.
After Sydney, we’ll continue on to Brisbane to visit our adult children and spend some quality time with our two handsome little grandsons. Of course, family visits are always a highlight, and we’re looking forward to catching up with everyone.
But first, there’s a road trip to enjoy!
The Places on Our Hit List
We’ve got a few interesting destinations lined up for this year’s adventure.
Sofala — The Royal Hotel
One of the stops we’re particularly looking forward to is the Royal Hotel in Sofala.
This one is part of our Aussie Pubs book bucket list, so naturally, it deserves a spot on the itinerary. Sofala is a historic gold-rush town in New South Wales, making it an appealing destination for anyone who enjoys a little history alongside their country pub visits.
We’ll be keen to check out the Royal Hotel, soak up the atmosphere and tick another pub off the list. One more for the touring diary — and potentially another reason to raise a glass!
Mount Panorama — Bathurst
Next up is Mount Panorama, the legendary motor racing circuit at Bathurst.
Even if you’re not a die-hard motorsport fan, Mount Panorama is an iconic Australian destination. It’s famous for the Bathurst 1000, and seeing the circuit in person is a different experience from watching the cars battle it out on television.
We’ll be checking out the place where so many racing legends have made their mark. Whether you’re a Holden fan, a Ford fan or someone who simply enjoys the spectacle, it’s hard to ignore the history attached to this famous stretch of bitumen.
The Three Sisters — Blue Mountains
We’ll also be visiting the famous Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.
This iconic rock formation near Katoomba is one of Australia’s best-known natural landmarks, with spectacular views across the surrounding mountains and valleys.
It’s one of those places that deserves more than a quick glance through the car window. We’ll be taking the opportunity to enjoy the scenery and, naturally, grab a few photos along the way.
Tacking Point Lighthouse — Port Macquarie
Our love of lighthouses continues with a visit to Tacking Point Lighthouse at Port Macquarie.
We’ve developed quite an appreciation for these coastal landmarks over the years. Some are easy to reach, while others require a bit more effort, but they all have stories to tell about Australia’s maritime history.
Tacking Point is another opportunity to enjoy some coastal scenery, explore a little local history and add another lighthouse to our ever-growing collection of travel memories.
Cape Byron Lighthouse — Byron Bay
No lighthouse tour would feel complete without considering Cape Byron Lighthouse at Byron Bay.
Located at Australia’s easternmost mainland point, the lighthouse is a well-known landmark with sweeping coastal views. It’s a brilliant combination of history, scenery and photography — three things that tend to get our attention when we’re travelling.
With the Pacific Ocean stretching out before us, it should be another memorable stop on our journey.
The Pubs and Restaurants — The Important Stuff!
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Thirsty Tour without a few familiar pubs and restaurants thrown into the mix.
While we’re in Sydney, we’ll be revisiting some of our favourites. There’s something enjoyable about returning to venues we’ve visited before, especially when they’ve earned a place on our personal list of must-visits.
Our Sydney shortlist includes:
The Spice Room — a favourite for Indian food and a venue we’re keen to enjoy again.
Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel — historic pub atmosphere with its own brewed beers.
Harts Pub — a familiar stop for craft beer lovers.
The Glenmore Hotel — a classic Rocks pub with that rooftop harbour outlook.
We’ll also be checking out a few venues in Brisbane, including:
Pig ‘N’ Whistle Riverside — a riverside stop while we’re in the city.
Fat Angel Sports Bar and Grill — somewhere to enjoy a meal and a drink in a sports-bar atmosphere.
Treasury Casino and Hotel Brisbane — another familiar Brisbane landmark on our list.
Of course, this is only the planned list. We all know that a touring itinerary can change once you hit the road. A recommendation from another traveller, an interesting-looking pub or a bakery with a promising pie display can easily throw a spanner in the works!
And we’re perfectly happy with that.
Let the Adventure Begin!
So, this year’s Thirsty Tour might be shorter than some of our previous adventures, but we’re certainly not short of things to see and do.
We’ve got historic country pubs, famous racing circuits, spectacular mountain scenery, coastal lighthouses, favourite restaurants and, best of all, time with family waiting for us in Brisbane.
We’ll be sharing our experiences along the way, so keep an eye out for updates, photos, pub visits and whatever other adventures we manage to get ourselves into.
The bags will be packed, the route planned and the appetite for adventure switched on.
Now, if only someone could organise the weather, make sure the pubs are open when we arrive and guarantee a cold beer at every stop, we’d be all set!
Stay tuned — another Thirsty Tourists adventure is about to hit the road.
#TheThirstyTourists #TouringIsThirstyWork
