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Although Melbourne is a city that is far too dynamic to experience in full in a mere 48 hours, a weekend getaway is still enough to taste test the capital of Victoria. Those who are heading to the bustling metropolis for a weekend holiday can explore most of the city's highlights and recreational attractions if they use their time carefully. From discovering some of the city's cultural hotspots to squeezing in a few leisurely activities, here's how to spend two glorious days in Melbourne.

Those who are visiting Melbourne for a short stay must ensure that their Melbourne city hotels are conveniently located. This is due to the fact that a hotel that is not centrally situated is likely to eat up most of your sightseeing time during a trip where the hours are limited. Whether you select the Avani Melbourne Central Residences or any other hotel or serviced apartment, make sure the venue is conveniently placed so as to offer easy access to the city's main points of interest. If you are unable to secure a strategic rest, the next best option is to find a hotel that is located near the metro stations and other public transport links.

Kick-start your first day in Melbourne with a cup of the best coffee that Melbourne has to offer. Head down to the Seedling Cafe down Elizabeth Street to grab a cuppa and some avocado toast before enjoying a walk along the Yarra River. Offering breathtaking views of the Central Business District, this morning stroll will set you up perfectly to join the Art Deco Walk of the CBD. Apart from taking in the art-deco style architecture of the city centre, one can also window shop the boutiques down Bourke Street.

After grabbing lunch back at your hotel, venture down to the National Gallery of Victoria to spend some time indoors before a shopping tour of the Queen Street Market. Stock up on local treats and souvenirs at this historical thoroughfare before heading to the Southbank area for a dinner at the Spice Temple. A Chinese cuisine hub revered by Aussies, this sleek restaurant is the perfect venue to dig into a scrumptious meal at the end of your first day. Don't forget to walk over to the Old Railroad Bridge for a look at the Melbourne city skyline before you call it a night.

Your last day in Melbourne should begin with a drive to Degraves Street as it is part of the laneways where chic cafes and restaurants are found in narrow pedestrian streets. RMB Cafe is one of the area's best breakfast nooks while Cathedral Arcade is equally well-known for its excellent coffee and snacks. The Melbourne Laneways not only include amazing street art but also Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane and Higson Lane, which are veritable street art hotspots in Australia. Visitors can also shop in the fashionable boutiques lining these lanes and historic arcades before going to Federation Square for lunch.

Wind down your afternoon with a tour of the iconic Melbourne Cricket Grounds or MCG and its impressive museum before walking over to the Royal Botanical Gardens Victoria. Just 10 minutes from the cricket ground, this vast, green space is the perfect venue to soak up the atmosphere and marvel at the flowers and fountains decorating the gardens. Before going back to your hotel to pack, make a pit stop at Pink Lake to bid adieu to this vibrant city and take in the views from this saltwater lake where locals enjoy evening strolls.

Tipped to be one of the Gold Coast's most captivating tourist attractions, Lamington National Park is a one-of-a-kind sanctuary for nature lovers. Named after a former Queensland Governor, this vast expanse located close to Brisbane is one of the main reasons to tour the Gold Coast Hinterland. Whether you are stopping by for a day tour or spending several days experiencing the Gondwana Rainforest that's part of the parkland, here are some tips on how to make your experience a memorable one.

Sarah Kamenarov, Waterfall Lamington National Park, CC BY-SA 4.0

Those who wish to explore Lamington National Park when it is at its finest in terms of weather conditions should time their visit. Although it is possible to enjoy a day out at Lamington National Park during most months of the year, it is best to avoid the rainy and snowy periods in the calendar. August is considered by many to be the perfect time to spend a day in Lamington National Park as the month enjoys the least amount of rain or chance of snowfall. The months of July and September are other alternatives to consider when planning a trip to this area as the dry season offers one the chance to truly immerse oneself in the landscape of the park.

As an expansive national park, it is quite impossible to discover the best highlights of Lamington during a single visit. This is why staying at Avani Broadbeach Residences or any other hotels in Gold Coast, Australia, is necessary. A rest close to the national park not only means that you can spend more than one day exploring its leafy, verdant confines but that you will not be wasting time travelling back and forth from the park, spending hours on the road instead of minutes.

Australia is home to a great many national parks and nature reserves but what sets the Lamington National Park apart is that its geological lineage is over 225 million years old. This means that the flora and fauna found in the park are descendants of an ancient ecosystem. Having earned itself a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage list as one of the finest Gondwana Rainforests Down Under, it's not just the centuries-old trees that will impress visitors. As an area that is remained largely unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs, the thick mountain forests, the gushing waterfalls and the hiking trails all offer a unique look at the past.

Hiking and trekking in the many trails that crisscross Lamington National Park is a must for first-time visitors. There are hiking trails that range from Class 1 to Class 5 in terms of difficulty while the total area covered by the walking trails is well over 160km. Those who are visiting the park for a brief stopover can take on the paved Centenary Track, which takes a mere half an hour to walk and connects the Green Mountains car park with the Morans Falls and Python Rock tracks. Photography enthusiasts will find O'Reilly's Tree Top Walk the perfect trail for amazing nature shots. The 4.6km track also offers stunning views of Morans Falls. Experienced hikers can take on the 10.9km Box Forest Circuit, while the Border Track, which is 21.4km just one way is another exciting trail that cuts across the Green Mountains and Binna Burra.

Don't forget to take note of the ancient hoop pines and other captivating plant life occupying the park. The hike up to the Araucaria Lookout also affords panoramic views of plants while birding fans will also spot a few winged beauties including whip birds and Albert's Lyrebirds during their time in the park.

As one of New Zealand's most dynamic and vibrant tourist hotspots, Auckland attracts visitors from every corner of the globe. Those who are heading to the Kiwi city on a business trip or a holiday will find that there are a plethora of public transport options accessible to travellers. From hopping on local buses to enjoying train and ferry rides, here's how to get around with ease during your next trip to Auckland.

Although Auckland offers tourists an array of public transport services, one cannot overstate the advantage of staying in a conveniently placed hotel. Whether you choose the Avani Auckland Metropolis Residences or any similar rest, it is crucial to consider the venue's proximity to the key attractions and main points of interest in the city. Tourists who stay in the CBD will be able to walk to most of the highlights in the city including its best shopping hubs and restaurants. Those who are unable to secure a strategically situated hotel must find a base close to the bus and train station so that the top things to do in Auckland City are easy to access.

Tourists who arrive in Auckland must first purchase a HOP Card at a local HOP retailer or online as this card can be used to pay for every train, ferry and bus ride in the city. This travel pass, which is easy to top-up in value can serve as your main travel currency when using ferries, buses and trains on holiday. One can load money or cash into the card manually or sign up for a top-up system that adds cash to the card when the value dips after use. Travellers must tap the card at SkyBus stations and other transport hubs to pay for each ride after disembarkation. Students who are vacationing in Auckland can get discounts on bus, train and ferry fares by visiting the official website for Auckland Transport services.

Available between 6 am and 12 midnight, bus services serve the inner city suburbs and the Central Business District in Auckland. City centre travel is delegated to red buses while yellow and green buses are for navigating the inner suburbs. Blue buses; on the other hand, connect the CBD to the beach towns to the east of the city while there is a special Northern Busway service for transfers to the North Shore. Tourists can download the Auckland Transport app to their smartphones to check bus numbers and routes or visit the official website for up-to-date timetables.

With 41 train stations dotting the city, train travel is alive and well in Auckland where train services are divided into 4 lines. Ideal for those who are travelling longer distances, train stations are often located near bus stops in most locations. The Auckland Transport app also includes an online journey planner for those who wish to rely on train travel during their time in the city.

Ferries are a scenic mode of transport that's far less useful than most other means of travel in Auckland. Those who wish to experience travelling around Auckland via its waterways and marvelling at Harbour Bridge and Rangitoto, however, will find that it is the most romantic way to get around on a clear sunny day. Weekends are the busiest time of the week for ferry travel as locals and tourists all take ferry rides for the stunning views. SeaLink and Fullers are the two main ferry operators in Auckland although there are some smaller tour operators offering transfers to lesser-known areas of the city.