Top travel tipples for all tastes

If you need more inspiration to travel, then you might like to drive yourself and your friends and family to drink. Metaphorically, of course!

What we’re talking about here is a holiday free of weather worries focussed on a place or region to enjoy a unique local experience – like a visit to a special brewery or distillery in your state.

It could be the highlight of a special occasion, like a milestone birthday or anniversary, or just because you like to be surprised or educated.

The recent explosion of world-class spirit distilleries and craft breweries in Australia has multiplied the choices for travelling Australians in search of a top shelf tipple.

Some specific places that might inspire your next holiday travel destination include:

South Australia

Renmark’s Twenty Third Street Distillery on the corner of Twenty Third Street & Renmark Avenue specialises in a range of locally-crafted top shelf boutique spirits – gin, whisky, vodka and brandy – but if you’re going to sample them all, it’s best to stay nearby in this pretty Riverland town.

Recommended park to stay: BIG4 Renmark Riverfront Holiday Park

Victoria

Located in Healesville, on the edge of Victoria's Yarra Valley, about an hour's drive from Melbourne, Four Pillars Gin Distillery is the place to go for an enjoyable tasting of a variety of gin styles.

There, you can grab a paddle of mini-G&Ts, or try one of Four Pillars’ seasonal gin cocktails in the distillery new gin garden, while its Gin Shop is open if you want to stock up on all things Ginny to take home.

Recommended park to stay: BIG4 Yarra Valley Park Lane Holiday Park

Tasmania

Tasmania is world-famous for its gin, but with its abundance of clear, clean water it is also ideally situated to make malt whisky.

Yet surprisingly it took 150 years after the last licenced Tasmanian distillery closed its doors for a whisky lover to realise the environment was perfect.

Located just 20 minutes from the Hobart CBD, Sullivans Cove Distillery in Cambridge is the quintessential small-batch luxury whisky. Their single malt whiskey is hand made using traditional methods and uses only Tasmanian ingredients, making it the world’s most southerly whiskey.

Appealingly, tasting appointments are not necessary, with the tasting room open between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Recommended park to stay: BIG4 Hobart Airport Tourist Park

Western Australia

If you’re in the West, the Shelter Brewing Co at the foot of the famous Busselton Jetty, is a well-known local beer brewery and kitchen offering a unique selection of beers and seasonal menus.

Overlooking tinnies on the bay and perfect for watching kids competing for the biggest bombie, it’s an ideal drop-in to complete a great day in this popular WA tourist town 220km south-west of Perth. The Shelter is a must-visit attraction of the town, voted the State’s top tourist town in 1995, 1996, and 2005.

Recommended park to stay: BIG4 Breeze Holiday Parks Busselton

Northern Territory

Needless to say that if you’re in Darwin, your arm will easily be twisted to enjoy a beer –  or two.

Opened in 2016, the Six Tanks Brew Co, is a great place to start, or finish. Located in the heart of Darwin's CBD, this micro-brewery, bar, and kitchen has 26 taps in total, with six tanks on-site.

As it brews its distinctive hand-crafted beers directly from these tanks to its taps, it can truly claim to offer the ‘taste of the Territory’ and of course, welcomes visitors up to 2am each morning.

Recommended park to stay: BIG4 Howard Springs Holiday Park

Queensland

If you are in Far North Queensland on holiday, there’s a fair chance that you’ll visit the delightful seaside town of Port Douglas.

Situated on the picture-perfect Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina in Port Douglas, Hemingway's Brewery is the latest of the group’s boutique breweries on the Australian east coast and is located arguably in one of Australia’s most picturesque settings.

Offering a relaxed setting to enjoy Hemingway’s core range of 10 authentic craft beers, perfectly suited to the tropical climate, accompanied by fresh local produce, it’s a great place to meet friends for a sunset drink at the end of a day doing… very little, in the best holiday tradition.

New South Wales

If you fancy a relaxed holiday by the ocean in New South Wales, Murray's Craft Brewing Co. at Bob’s Farm in Port Stephens is probably where your friends will find you at some stage.

One of Australia's leading craft beer brewers, sharing its home with the region's oldest winery, the Port Stephens Winery is where you can taste Murray's distinctive local beers, as well as local and regional wines, then stay on to dine at the Brewery restaurant.

Recommended park to stay: BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Soldiers Point or BIG4 Karuah Jetty Holiday Park.

While drinking and driving is not an option, all these top tipplers have BIG4 Holiday Parks located close by, ensuring a hassle-free holiday.