Food is right at the top of the list of reasons to travel for some people – it is just never the same to recreate things at home, and getting the authentic flavors involves travel. Foodies are increasingly loving the land down under. If you’re thinking of a trip, Australia is more than just kangaroos and koalas—though those are definitely worth the hype. This country offers a smorgasbord of experiences that can tickle your taste buds and loads of interesting influences, plus there are plenty of things besides to do.

Australia Activities

Taking in the culture is often a big part of travel, and Aussies certainly have some activities that are very popular.

The casino culture is one that visitors will probably notice, with options to play a lot of games online. Like “slots” being so popular in the US and “fruit machines” being so popular in the UK, it is online pokies in Australia – online pokies take inspiration from the symbols of poker but provide a slightly different game.

Video poker doesn’t require you to play against other humans and works more like a gaming interface or slot machine. In Australia, these games are massive. 20% of all the video poker machines in the world are said to be in the country even though it has less than 1% of the world’s population, so this shows the kind of levels we’re talking about.

Sports are also huge activities in the country and people often visit top sports arenas when visiting. The MCG is an example that has an unbelievably high capacity and hosts cricket (probably the nation’s favorite sport) but also Aussie Rules football.

A trip wouldn’t be complete without delving into the water, either, and watersports as well as scuba diving and other aqua activities are super popular. A spot of fishing or just time chilling at one of the hundreds of miles of coastline can also be a big part of the trip. Aus has something for everybody.

Food and Drink in Australia

Culinary class and delicious drinks are things that a lot of people also associate with the country. Historically, the land down under doesn’t have a history to rival, say, Italy, in terms of amazing food, but it is becoming a melting pot of different cultures.

Wine

Australia’s wine regions are legendary and those who enjoy a tipple are likely to want to get involved in some vineyard tours or just sample the produce in a bar – whether you’re a wine connoisseur or just enjoy a good glass of vino, places like the Barossa Valley in South Australia are a chance to try some world-class Shiraz and enjoy the stunning vineyard views.

Australia is sixth on the world leaderboard for wine production (talking volume, exclusively) but the country produces some amazing grapes and top varieties of wine. The climate’s just right for producing wine so it is little surprise that there’s so much industry around the world’s favorite (probably) drink.

Coffee Culture

Australians take their coffee seriously and though coffee doesn’t grow easily in the country, cities like Melbourne and Sydney boast some of the best coffee shops you’ll ever visit and import from all over the world.

Loads of folk order a flat white or a latte —a delicious blend of espresso and steamed milk that’s a local favorite. These cafes aren’t just about the coffee, though; they’re perfect spots to take a break from walking around the hot cities (an iced coffee might be a way to go on a steaming day!)

Aussie Cuisine

What kind of food can you expect in Australia? Seafood is huge in the country, whether you’re going to independent fish restaurants or one of the chains like Barnacle Bill. So many sea creatures are native to the area, it’s no surprise that restaurants have focused on this particular type of food.

BBQs, or “the Barbie” as you’ll hear it called in Oz, are a staple. Christmas day barbecues are even a tradition in loads of places due to the hot weather in December. British links are also everywhere and the Aussies love pies and fish and chips (generally speaking).

Vegans and vegetarians find themselves spoiled for choice in the country, too, as there are a lot of different options – surveys show that more Australians are choosing to go without meat or switch to pescatarian or other diets.

Conclusion

Antipodean countries are full of surprises and have a unique outlook, so far away from the rest of the world, but with strong customs and definitely a lot of delicious food! Australians know food, and while people think of Asia, America, or other locations as being the home of food and drink, Aussies are staking their claim as a culinary capital, and there is so much else to do in this incredible and vast country.