Instead of using Pinterest - I am using this journal to note my ideas for a road trip from Brisbane to Melbourne. We are thinking October as our daughter turns 10 and it would be a good trip for her eg visit her bestie in Sydney and cousins in Melbourne.
I am just posting accommodation ideas first (so we can get the dates in order) - then food stops (fave thing) - then activities.......
Ok - so maybe not.....
I need to look at the activities we want to do, the budget and then the hotel ;-)
Excuse while I note this out
1. Must be in the Hills District in Sydney - where friends live (can get a nice hotel - kids will stay with friends)
2. Want to stay a night in Sydney CBD and take kids to Darling Harbour (budget hotel)
3. Want to go to the beaches for a day - east or north?
4. Zoo or zoo in Melbourne?
5. Melbourne CBD - budget accom - need two rooms two nights. Want to see a show in Melbourne
6. Ballarat - must take kids to Ballarat (and relive the horse's head lollipop days of my youth)
7. Husband wants to take a bike and ride the Yarra Valley - I want to the chardonnays wherever possible
8. Want to visit Mornington Peninsula for exactly the reasons above and we can get free accommodation
Ok.....
So when I was in Honk Kong, I joing an Accor club - I haven't got my membership card yet but I looked online and found a few hotels that may or may not work. I think I get 10% off any rate but I haven't got log in details for the membership either. If anyone has feedback, let me know!
Sydney - two options but because we will have the kids the first couple of nights, I was thinking http://www.ibisworldsquare.com.au/ - cheap! Or lush maybe http://www.sebelpierone.com.au/ - I think we will go cheap and spend the money on the zoo. have decided the zoo in Sydney as we will run out of time in Melbourne.
Also need to be near the Hills district. No kids - lush is budget http://www.hillslodge.com.au/
Loads of motels on the highway and some All Seasons but I think we will be better off not booking. We are not travelling in a peak school holiday period so hoping it won't be too bad.
Ballarat - the Mercure Ballarat is no longer but I like the hotel http://www.ballaratlodge.com/ - I rang them and they said they would do 10% off as well! Maybe I didn't need the membership afterall ;-). They also suggested Yarra Valley Lodge, their sister property http://www.yarravalleylodge.com/ but I think being so close to a golf course may make a family holiday more like mum and kids holiday while Dad plays golf!
Melbourne is on a budget so back to Accor options - http://www.victoriahotel.com.au/ or an Ibis but I read TripAdvisor and the rooms are tiny. At least the Victoria hotel has been refurbed this year.
Now shows...... and maybe avoiding any security at Crown Casino!
