There are few things more fun than celebrating a country’s national holiday in that country. Even if you don’t live there, the festivities alone are usually interesting enough to outsiders and the various observances can be quite entertaining. Such is the case with Australia Day.
Australia Day is Australia’s primary national holiday. It’s an official holiday in every state and territory throughout the country, marking the day the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove in 1788, and is celebrated widely with things like fireworks, parades, and family picnics. It also happens to be in the middle of Australia’s summer, so it’s a great time to get out and enjoy the fun.
Australia Day is celebrated on January 26th every year, and if that date falls close to a weekend many Australians figure that’s an excellent excuse for a long weekend trip somewhere. If you’re visiting from outside the country, just about any spot will do since it’s a nationwide holiday, but it can be pretty tough to beat the fireworks displays in the big cities.
>> In 2012, Australia Day is on a Thursday.
I was lucky enough to be able to take a trip to Queensland, Australia last month. Sailing the Whitsunday Islands, snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and drinking beers in the Aussie sunshine convinced me I need to soon return to the Land Down Under. Luckily, airfares to Oz are way down—in fact down as much as 50% or more from just a year ago. Which means, you could book your Aussie adventure for a whole lot less than you imagined.