Have you ever considered taking a foodie vacation? We’re all guilty of overeating just a tad while we’re on vacation, but using food as the primary motivator for your trip makes indulging a little more acceptable. There are plenty of places around the globe to enjoy good company and great eats, but Australia ranks close to the top of the list. The country is home to dozens of popular food festivals that draw in thousands of visitors. If you play your cards right and work up an appetite, one of them can be you.
1. Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
This festival has been active and thriving for well over two decades, and if you’ve ever attended, it’s not difficult to understand why. Every Spring, the streets of Victoria become rich with the sights and smells of gourmet local cuisines, as Melbourne’s finest chefs prepare their offerings for visitors. Enjoy artisan crafted street food sourced from local ingredients while you sip a glass of Australian wine under the moonlight.
2. Taste of Tasmania
Most people prefer to visit mainland Australia rather than the island of Tasmania, and that’s a real shame – especially during Tasmania’s annual food festival. The city of Hobart holds this festival after Christmas, and it extends a few days past the New Year. Taste of Tasmania features locally caught seafood dishes, berries, and artisanal cheeses. You’ll also have the opportunity to sample a wide variety of craft beers and wines unique to the region.
3. Good Food Month Sydney
Yes, you read that right. Sydney holds a food festival that lasts an entire month. Throughout the entirety of the month of October, nearly every food and beverage vendor in Sydney makes a contribution to the festival. Since the event runs so long, you’ll have to catch the schedule for a list of the events. In order to attend as many as possible, you may want to consider finding a place on Gumtree so you’ll be able to stick around for all of the food festivities.
4. High Country Harvest
The High Country festival features a variety of events. You can come for the food, but stay for the arts, culture, nature appreciation, and cycling events. There’s so much to do, and there’s plenty to eat while you’re doing it. You can indulge without guilt during some of the popular festival activities. Hiking trails are lined with stalls of local street food offerings, allowing you to burn your calories off as you ingest them. With plenty of places to walk as you feast, you’ll be able to eat to your heart’s content.
5. Gold Coast Food & Wine Expo
People love Gold Coast for its theme parks and exhilarating thrill rides, and all the great food serves as the perfect bonus. What makes this festival so spectacular is the amount of educational opportunities that are incorporated into the events. The expo features live celebrity cooking shows, where renowned TV chefs take the stage to instruct the audience. You’ll also be able to take classes, allowing you to bring your culinary knowledge home with you. Eat as you learn, and learn as you eat.
Overall, Australia offers you some of the best opportunities to put your diet on pause for a few days. Indulging reminds us of the finer things in life, and you deserve to reward yourself with something extra delicious.
