The Ultimate 2 Week East Coast Itinerary
East Coast Australia is the TOP destination for travellers. It pretty much has something for everyone. 2 weeks may not seem like a long time, but let us tell you, you can fit in A LOT of experiences and activities in this time frame. It’s gonna be jam packed and it’s gonna be epic.
We are gonna show you exactly how and share our tips on:
- How to fit in those epic bucketlist destinations
- Where to go to visit Fraser Island and the Whitsundays
- How long to spend in each spot between Sydney and Cairns
- And most importantly… how we can save you money $$$
From sky diving, to snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef to spending the night on a remote island, the East Coast has it allllll – it is winning with it’s list of insane trips and tours.
A little spontaneity and going with the flow is sweet, but when it comes to ticking off those bucket list experiences in just 2 weeks, life is made so much easier if you jump on a tour and book some activities – which we can help you with!
The route we’re about to chat about starts in Sydney with your campervan and takes you all the way up to Cairns.
Let’s goooooooo….
Click images to see more.
Getting around
The big ol’ question – to travel by Greyhound coach or camper van?
Now this TOTALLY depends on your style of travel, vibe, budget and if you are travel solo or with a crew…
Greyhound 15 Day Whimit pass
The Whimit pass is ideal if you’re travelling for a shorter period of time as you can cover more ground. You can pop all over the place without being tied down to a certain route. So more time adventuring and less time planning.
Camper van
The benefits of travelling by camper are endless – complete and utter freedom to zoom around the insane ocean roads of Aussie, no late night awakenings from noisy hostel goers, and the ability to do what you want, when you want.
But, if you’ve only got 2 weeks, grabbing a bus pass or a sydney camper would BOTH be epic options depending on your vibe and travel style… Choose the bus pass if you are a solo traveller, as you can just hop on and off as you please and go directly from place to place without having to factor in time for finding lifts or getting to and from the airport. Or choose to travel via camper if you are travelling with a crew or the other half and fancy abit of time to yourself and hitting the open road (just make sure you take into consideration how long the journeys are!)
Where to stay
The best bet, if you’re travelling by Greyhound, is to stay in hostels.
As you know how long you’ll be travelling, we’d recommend pre-booking the whole 2 weeks of travel so that you don’t have to worry about finding a bed on the night.
Check out our fave East Coast hostels here.
if you travel via campervan then you will be spoilt for choice with the amount of paid and free camping spots on the East Coast! If you are travelling over a busy period such as easter or christmas then we recommend to prebook. The app Wikicamps is super handy for finding campsites and seeing where they are on the map..
with RatPack Travel?
The route
Stop 1: Sydney
2 days in Sydney
What to do here: You’ve got to see those iconic sites. Head to Circular Quay to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Stroll around the Rocks and the Botanic Gardens and get a great view of the harbour from Mrs Maquarie’s Chair. Jump on the ferries or buses and check out bondi Beach, Manly Beach, Watsons Bay and Coogee Beach.
What to eat: Head to Surrey Hills to find hipster cafes and lush brunches.
Where to stay: Sydney Harbour YHA hostel
Then, hop on an overnight bus to Byron Bay or hit the road. It’s a long ride via bus (about 13 hours), so be sure to get a night journey. You don’t want to waste a day with travel.
Stop 2: Byron Bay
2 days in Byron Bay
The HOME of RatPack Travel, when you are in the Bay shoot us a WhatsApp and come and have some bants with the crew!
What to do here: Head to the beach, these beaches are like NO other.. Our faves are Main beach, Belongil, The Pass and Wategos. Enjoy the music scene, there are buskers everywhere on everyday, the legend that is Tones and I (Dance Monkey) used to busk regulary in the bay and the cre would watch her! Now is your chance to tick the big sky dive off your bucket list. And what better place to do it then the home of RatPack yewwwwww. You can also give surfing a go, head to the hippie town of Nimbin, Kayak with Dolphins and do the epic hike up to the Lighthouse.
What to eat: The town is full of cute little eateries and healthy cafes but some of our favourites are, Byron Burgers, Byron Fresh, Combi, Dip Cafe, The Treehouse and the unreal sushi!
Where to stay: Backpackers Inn on the Beach, Cape Byron YHA or Nomads
Stop 3: Gold Coast
1 day in Gold Coast
What to do here: Head to the sky scraper lined beach at Surfers Paradise for a bit of chill out time or head over to Burleigh Heads for some epic city views and a dip in the lagoon. Fan of theme parks? Head to Movie World or Dream World to get your rollercoaster fix.
What to eat: Gold coast is known for its nightlife, so grab some goon and head out on the town for some food and drinks. You’ll find lots of good foodie deals here as there are alot chains and join a pub crawl for a true Surfers Paradise night out.
Where to stay: Bunk Hostel
Stop 4: Brisbane
1 day in Brisbane
What to do here: Stroll around the city, do a spot of shopping (or window shopping) and head over to South Bank to take a dip at the man-made beach. Jump on the FREE ferry and cruise up and down the river. Go to Australia Zoo. Check out the sunset from Mount Cootha
What to eat: There are loads of backpacker and happy hour foodie deals in Brisbane, or Brisvegas as it’s known. Pop over to the Eagle Street for some dinner under the city lights at the harbour, Southbank for pubs or head to Eat Street for Food truck central! If you are keen for a night out, head to Fortitude Valley where you will find plenty of clubs and bars…
Where to stay: Summerhouse Backpackers
Stop 5: Noosa
1 day in Noosa
What to do here: Take the National Park walk and if you’re lucky you might spot a wild koala. Get a sick shot at the Fairy Pools or try your hand at surfing. If you’ve got time, head to Noosa Spit which is essentially a natural lazy river.
Where to eat: You’ve gotta try Betty’s Burgers – they’re to die for! There are some awesome restaurants on Hastings Street, a little on the expensive side but worth it..
Where to stay: Flashpackers Noosa (Say hello to the crew for us they are legends!)
Stop 6: Fraser Island
Head to Rainbow Beach before setting off for 3 days on Fraser Island on a tour
What to do here: The question is, what isn’t there to do here!? Fraser is awesome! Lake Mckenzie is beaut, Lake Wabby is super cool. There’s an old ship wreck aka the Maheno, a natural lazy river, dingos and wildlife roaming around, driving on the beach and through the jungle, camp under the stars- the list is endless.
What to eat: You don’t need to worry about that (mainly because there are no restaurants on the island) You’ll get meals included in the tour, expect to pitch in and help with the cooking as part of the experience.
Where to stay: Again, camping accommodation is included on the tour. There is even the option to upgrade to a glamping experience on the epic Drop Bear tour!
Hop on the overnight bus to Airlie Beach. Again, it is a long one.
Stop 7: The Whitsundays
Head to Airlie Beach before setting off for 3 days on the Whitsundays.
What to do here: Feast your eyes (and your feet) on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world AKA Whitehaven Beach. Sail around the Southern Great Barrier Reef and catch an epic view at Hill Inlet look out. Snorkel on the reef during the tour and check out the unreal wildlife!
What to eat: Food will be included in the tour and even better, the crew cook it for you.
Where to stay: Get this… You’ll be staying on the ocean, on the boat, an experience like NO other…
Stop 8: Magnetic Island
Head to Townsville before setting off on the ferry to spend 3 days on Magnetic Island.
What to do here: Spot wild koalas along Forts Walk, get a 360 view of the island from the view points, hire a topless 4wd and cruise around the island, feed wild wallabies at sunset and visit all of the beaut beaches.
What to eat: Head to the hostel bar for happy hour and some epic food, the breakfast here is the ultimate hangover cure!
Where to stay: Base Hostel, we have an epic deal that includes your accomodation, ferry transfer, and some epic extras… read more about this deal here
The Final Stop: Cairns
3 days in Cairns
What to do here: The moment you’ve been waiting for – it’s Great Barrier Reef time, learn how to scuba dive or head on a snorkel tour of the reef. You can also visit the Atherton Tablelands which is full of waterfalls or head up to Cape Tribulation and check out the Daintree rainforest and spot the crocs on the Daintree River. if you’ve always fancied skydiving and landing on the beach then this is the spot, Mission Beach is just a short drive from Cairns. Fancy a bungy jump overlooking the rainforest? You can do that here too!
What to eat: Cairns is TOTAL backpacker central, so if you’re running low on cash at this point there’s a load of backpacker friendly bars and restaurants to pick from, make the most of the food deals in your hostel too!
Where to stay: Mad Monkey
From our RatPackers
Reuben was fantastic..he walked me thru how to do everything on line!! I'm computer illiterate 😔 explained everything re gear, insurance, etc..I was so impressed..recommend this company to anyone Ratpack also does all the searching for you for the best deals, a win win situation ..
I’m really glad to find this service. Reuben, the agent that helped me, was really helpful, communicative and informative about my travel needs and requirements. He found for us the best price for a campervan in the market (we also did our own research, but for sure he got the best option) and he made sure to follow up, answer my questions and call me to give me information about what we were looking for. Thank you very much!
I had Ben talk me through the entire process of booking a campervan, it was very seamless and he was beyond helpful. I strongly recommend this company for any future adventures.
Ben did everything to make sure we got the best deal! He was very kind, friendly and made sure we got everything we needed for our trip. Everything went quick and somooth and we can't wait for our east coast road trip!
Jenna rescued our trip! Her incredible support, coupled with excellent communication and a positive approach, made all the difference. I highly recommend reaching out to Ratpack for an exceptional experience. :)
Jenna was so lovely and so helpful to help me book a campervan for my first time going to WA!! Would 100% recommend this service. Thanks Jenna!
Excellent communication. Fantastic response to all enquiries I made, Joe was great from the beginning would recommend highly 👍
Rat pack (Joe is the man!) was an incredible resource for my friend and I to book a camper van for our upcoming trip next month. We had tried looking ourselves but vans were disappearing FAST and despite our worries, Joe hooked us up with a great option and discount. He was patient, well-informed, professional, and reassuring - just what we needed. Thanks rat pack, keep up the amazing (and free!) services… you’ve started us out on the right foot for an amazing adventure ahead!
I can't thank them enough for how quick and personal my booking was! They really got me the best deal even with a last minute booking and made the booking keeping in mind everything that we wanted! 100% going to us them to book ny next trip!!
Really straightforward system to book our camper, Gregg was really helpful and thorough - looking forward to our trip!
*Incredible service* *they don’t lie about the discount (around £500 for us!!)* *Easy* I just sent them a WhatsApp message, loosely detailing mine and my girlfriends plan. I got a response the same day, we then scheduled a phone call to discuss our plans further. Gregg was the chap who helped us out, and he couldn’t have made it any easier. We explored all options, types of motor, dates, prices, route of the trip. We covered all bases and within 30/40 mins we confirmed our travel. We will 100% be using these guys again for our following trip! Thanks:)
Jenna was amazing and so so helpful at getting us organised so late minute. And even directed me to another colleague to help me organise my activities when travelling up the coast. Super exited for our adventure now 🚐
George made the whole booking experience super easy and smooth for me. Would definitely recommend!!
Fair play to Reuben he made my experience of booking a campervan so easy! Great guy, found the best rates and went out of his way to make sure I had the best option! Highly recommend
Service impeccable avec Ben! On cherchait un van depuis quelques semaines déjà et on commençait à se perdre au travers toutes les compagnies et options possibles. RatPack nous a vraiment permis de trouver un van qui correspondait à ce qu’on voulait. Ben a répondu à toutes mes questions avec patience et gentillesse. Je recommande 100%
