It’s all about squeezing the most out of these rare four-day weekends.
The long weekend over Easter is prime for a getaway – it’s longer than a regular long weekend, full of public holidays (so you don’t use up your annual leave AND no one will be sending you emails), and it’s at exactly the time of year when you feel ready for a little adventure.
One thing to know about short vacays, though, is that if they’re not planned well, they can quickly become stressful rather than relaxing, and we just don’t have time for that. So, we’re giving you our top tips for a mini break full of fun, rest and delicious drinks and food.
Some of us spend all our time dreaming of the beach. Rain, hail or shine, proximity to sand will always win out. If that’s you, we hope you have friends in high places because family beach shacks are the best kind of getaways. If there’s no such thing in your friend group, rope in all of your favourite people to chip in on a holiday rental. The more the merrier (and cheaper).
Alternatively, old-school motels in country towns can come in at a great price and offer something different for a long weekend away. Take a look at all those quaint towns you drive past on your way somewhere else – ideally within an hour or two of home. There’s bound to be a classic bakery, boutique gift shop, bushwalks and a great country pub all in easy reach – AKA everything you need.
For the campers among us, you’ve probably had your site booked for 12 months already, so we don’t need to give you any tips. But if you’ve been roped into a camping trip and you’re a newbie at this outdoorsy activity, we have a handy guide with everything you need to know. It’s going to be more fun than you think – we promise.
If that all sounds like too much effort, there’s always a last-minute hotel deal in town. City stays are pretty awesome, especially if you don’t spend too much time in town. Online mystery deals can come cheap – and with the added sense of suspense. Then you can spend a couple of days wandering random streets, visiting museums and other city landmarks, and finally checking out that restaurant everyone keeps talking about.
And to anyone with a budget that doesn’t quite stretch that far, consider the humble staycay at home. No, this isn’t just rebranding four days on the couch (although you do you) – this can be as inspired as you like. If you take the time to prep the house and plan ahead, you can almost pretend you’re somewhere else. Need ideas? Check out our blueprint for the best possible staycay at home.
Whether you’re headed to a friend’s place, campground, Airbnb or a hotel, making a little welcome basket of your favourite snacks means you don’t have to look for a supermarket as soon as you arrive. Instead, you can bust into a stack of delicious treats as you take a tour of your new digs for the weekend.
Here’s a working list to get you started:
- Cheeses (one hard, one soft and one more because, well, cheese)
- A fresh baguette
- Crackers
- Chips (especially Cheezels – trust us)
- Quince paste
- Dips
- Prosciutto
- Chocolate eggs, plus extras (it’s not just kids who need an Easter egg hunt)
- Milk
- Tea bags
- Coffee (or pods, if the accommodation has a machine)
Click image to shop
1. Stone & Wood Peach Radler
Even when it’s pouring outside, there’s something about a fresh peachy drink that just screams holiday. Or maybe that’s just us. Whatever the case, we reckon the Stone & Wood Peach Radler is an essential pick for your Easter long weekend. This fruity beer is lightly hazy, with pops of peach flavours and a touch of citrus in there to balance it all out. This is bright, easy drinking, best paired with a board game showdown, prepping the cheese board or waiting for the pizza to arrive.
2. Squealing Pig Sauvignon Blanc bagnum
We love a bagnum around here, but there’s surely no better time for one of these clever wine pouches than on a getaway. For a start, there’s 1.5 litres of wine in there to share around with the whole gang. It’s also not going to weigh down your bag. We have a particular soft spot for this crowd-pleasing sauv, which can pair perfectly with just about every platter of arvo snacks you line up over the long weekend (cheese plates definitely, goat’s cheese essential). The clincher? If there’s any left, you can take it home again and it’ll stay fresh for up to four weeks.
Click image to shop
Click image to shop
3. Poco Vino Pinot Grigio
Heading away again with that crew who loves nothing but pinot noir? You can still mix things up for yourself without having to buy a heap of bottles and lug them along in the process. The Poco Vino Pinot Grigio comes in a fancy little 187mL bottle (there’s a whole range of other varieties, too), so you can smugly pour yourself a glass of this fresh, bright white wine while everyone else is cracking into their favourite red. Problem solved.
4. Tread Softly Rosé
Wine in cans is nothing new, but if you’re heading away camping or maybe your bag is already chocked (in case you go ‘out out’), this is the way forward. Canned wine is also great when you already know the others won’t join you in a glass of same style. Their loss, we say, because this Tread Softly Rosé, which comes in at just under 10% ABV, is pretty, light and ready to crack ice-cold from the esky or poured into a proper (read: plastic) wine glass.
Click image to shop
Click image to shop
5. RYSE Vodka Lemon Soda
Sure, you could grab a bottle of vodka and a few bottles of your favourite spritzy lemon mixer, but this is a holiday, so we’re all about convenience and packing lightly. Keeping costs down doesn’t hurt either – not when there’s a grab-and-go option as tasty as this one. RYSE Vodka Lemon Soda is crisp, bubbly and zesty with a real slice of lemon in each can, so you can even skip the shopping trip for the garnish.
