Summer Travel Escapes: Australia's Great Ocean Road

There are few things in the world as amazing as the Great Ocean Road in southern Australia. We made this drive in December of 2006, which is summer in Australia and the perfect weather for sight seeing. This tourist road is so named because it does indeed hug the ocean, but 'great' is an understatement. Under no circumstances should you forget to bring your camera on this travel escape.

We took the M1 from Melbourne and entered the Great Ocean Road at Geelong, driving it all the way to the end at Warrnambool. There are a few things further west from there, but the majority of what you want to see is contained between these two points. Aside from making sure your travel plans coincide with Australia's seasons being opposite those in the United States, do remember that you must drive on the left side of the road here. There are fairly frequent road signs to remind you of this, but they are fairly amusing. I mean, if you are in your car and driving along the road in the proper direction to actually see these signs, then you don't need them, do you? And if you cannot see the signs because you are driving the wrong side of the road, well, they aren't going to do you much good at all, and you've probably gotten into a glorious wreck and crashed over one of the cliffs into the ocean. Fun to snap pictures of though, those road signs.

If you happen to have teenagers with you during this Great Ocean escape, do stop there at the beginning. They have the surfer's museum and a really cool skateboard park, as well as some really good waves to play in. Australia is known for its great waves, and your teen will thank you forever for letting them have the Been There, Done That points to brag to all his/her friends about.