{"id":83,"date":"2013-06-25T09:22:53","date_gmt":"2013-06-25T09:22:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-summer-festival-road-trip\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:18:28","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:18:28","slug":"the-ultimate-summer-festival-road-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-summer-festival-road-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Summer Festival Road Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lately I’ve been thinking about my dream bucket list \u2013 what I would do if time and money were no object \u2013 and have been quietly putting together a list just in case I become instantly independently wealthy. And right at the top of that list is to do the ultimate festival road trip, to spend a year travelling around Australia visiting as many music festivals as I could.<\/p>\n

And then I got to thinking that it might be a possibility even without a fortuitous lotto win. With enough careful planning, money saving and leave time from work, picking a time of year like Summer when the festivals come thick and fast and choosing a route that would take in the best of the best, it just might be possible, if only for a month.<\/p>\n

Due to weather and a wealth of events, I picked\u00a0December through January, bought a map of the East Coast and started to plot a route based on the music festival trail. Here\u2019s what I came up with:<\/p>\n

<\/b>Gulgong Folk Festival<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Where: <\/b>Gulgong, NSW
\nWhen: <\/b>28th<\/sup> to 31st<\/sup> Dec
\nAbout: <\/b>Historic Gulgong feels as though it\u2019s straight out of the 1900s with its wide country streets and ornate shop fronts. The festival features some of the country\u2019s best up and coming talent in an atmosphere that feels local and intimate.
\nWhile You\u2019re There:<\/b> The Mudgee wine region is right on your doorstep.
\nWhere to Stay: <\/b>Options are limited in Gulgong, especially when the festival is in town. Drive the 20 mins to Mudgee and book into the De Ruisse Suites<\/a>. You won\u2019t regret it.<\/p>\n

<\/b>Woodford Folk Festival<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Where: <\/b>Woodfordia, QLD
\nWhen: <\/b>27th<\/sup> Dec to 1st<\/sup> Jan
\nAbout: <\/b>Probably the biggest folk festival in the country, Woodford will help you see in the New Year in the beautiful Sunshine Coast hinterland while listening to some of the best folk, acoustic, rock and pop music from around the world.
\nWhile You\u2019re There: <\/b>Why not explore the stunning Glasshouse Mountains or head to the famous Eumundi markets.
\nWhere to Stay: <\/b>Woodfordia is just outside of Woodford in Queensland and in the summer rains the festival is nicknamed \u201cMudford\u201d by regulars. You can camp on site but a better bet is to head to the coast. The BreakFree Alexandra Beach<\/a> is just up the road from Mooloolaba\u2019s busy main beach but a world away from the bustle. Mooloolaba is a popular summer spot with Expedia’s travellers.<\/p>\n

 
\n
\nSydney Festival<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Where:\u00a0<\/b>Sydney, NSW
\nWhen:\u00a0<\/b>January
\nAbout:\u00a0<\/b>Taking over Sydney for the whole of January, the Sydney Festival incorporates music, dance, art and more. There’s something to please everyone. Definitely worth a stopover on your road trip.
\nWhile You\u2019re There:\u00a0<\/b>Chill out on the beach for the day \u2013 you\u2019ve earned it.
\nWhere to Stay:\u00a0<\/b>You\u2019re in the big city \u2013 why not treat yourself to the luxury of the\u00a0Hilton Sydney<\/a>. It\u2019s a prime spot after the many events held in Hyde Park.<\/p>\n

<\/b>Illawarra Folk Festival<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Where:\u00a0<\/b>Bulli, NSW
\nWhen:\u00a0<\/b>16th<\/sup>\u00a0to 19th<\/sup>\u00a0Jan
\nAbout:\u00a0<\/b>Australia\u2019s best small folk festival in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. You\u2019ll never want to leave.
\nWhile You\u2019re There:<\/b>\u00a0Go for a drive up the coastal road to the Royal National Park. A stunning drive with a stunning destination.
\nWhere to Stay:\u00a0<\/b>Get the most of the beach and the festival by staying at the\u00a0Novotel Wollongong Northbeach<\/a>. It\u2019s not right in Bulli but with the beach on your doorstep, you won’t mind the commute.<\/p>\n

 
\n
\nBig Day Out<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Where:\u00a0<\/b>Flemington Showground, Melbourne, VIC
\nWhen:\u00a0<\/b>Jan tbc
\nAbout:\u00a0<\/b>At the Melbourne leg of Australia\u2019s biggest rock festival, you\u2019re always guaranteed of an amazing lineup.
\nWhile You\u2019re There:\u00a0<\/b>Go shopping \u2013 that\u2019s what Melbourne\u2019s for right?
\nWhere to Stay:<\/b>\u00a0Fraser Place Melbourne<\/a>\u00a0is in the heart of the CBD, on a laneway right between Little Lonsdale St and LaTrobe St, perfect for post-festival fun.<\/p>\n

<\/b>Newstead Live Festival<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Where:\u00a0<\/b>Newstead, VIC
\nWhen:\u00a0<\/b>24th<\/sup>\u00a0to 27th<\/sup>\u00a0Jan
\nAbout:\u00a0<\/b>Finish your road trip the way you started, at a small local festival in an historic town. Given its proximity to Melbourne, there\u2019s always some well known acts on the bill plus locals just waiting to be discovered.
\nWhile You\u2019re There:\u00a0<\/b>Make the most of the local mineral springs and day spas.
\nWhere to Stay:\u00a0<\/b>Peppers Mineral Springs Retreat<\/a>\u00a0between Daylesford and Castlemaine is the ideal place to relax after a long day watching music.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here’s my guide to the ultimate summer festival road trip – get out there and travel around Australia visiting as many music festivals as you can.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,25,6,2,14,7],"tags":[8,26,31,118],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-83","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-celebration","category-destination","category-experiences","category-interests","category-oceania","tag-australia","tag-festivals","tag-music","tag-summer","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Ultimate Summer Festival Road Trip - Expedia AU Stories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here's my guide to the ultimate summer festival road trip - get out there and travel around Australia visiting as many music festivals as you can.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-summer-festival-road-trip\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Ultimate Summer Festival Road Trip - 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