Who do you become when you travel? Find your travel personality this April

Travel has a way of introducing you to a version of yourself you didn’t know existed. Maybe you’ve always skipped breakfast, but now find yourself queuing for a three-course degustation in a brand new city. Or you’re the one person in your friendship group who never watched sport, now painted head to toe in team colours at an Australian Rules football match.

Whether you’re a secret thrill-seeker, nature lover or class clown, April is one of the best times to find out who that alter ego is. Australia is packed with incredible events as the weather starts to cool, from live music to comedy, along with food festivals, nature adventures and major sporting moments. Wherever your inner travel compass is pointing, follow your curiosity to experience something new. You might be pleasantly surprised.

To help spark that inspiration, here's some of the best events coming up, matched to how you like to travel, with YHA stays and insider travel tips to make every single moment count.

The Flavour Seeker: Newcastle Food Month

Image Credit: Newcastle Food Month

If your perfect April involves eating, head to Newcastle Food Month, which returns for its seventh year, and runs across more than 80 venues. True flavour seekers will want to pace themselves, with winemaker dinners, interactive cocktail pairings and long lunches, and the famous International Eat Street on Darby every Wednesday evening. The Plate Dates are particularly affordable, with a main meal and a drink at over 50 of Newcastle's best spots for just $30 each. For a guided taste of the iconic Hunter Valley wine region, Dave's Tours runs the Taste of the Hunter from Newcastle, which includes a visit to boutique wineries, a distillery, a cheese stop and group lunch included.

Stay: A former gentleman’s club and war-time hospital, the historic YHA Newcastle Beach makes for a charming getaway, and is minutes from both Newcastle Beach and Nobbys Beach, and walking distance from the heart of the city's dining precinct, meaning you have an excuse to eat a little more, before a post-dinner walk.

Tip: Book Plate Dates venues online before you arrive. These spots fill up fast, and locking in a few dinners ahead of time means you can spend the rest of the month eating spontaneously.

The Art Lover: MONA and the Tasmanian Autumn Festival

MONA (Image Credit: Tourism Tasmania and MONA)

Tasmania in autumn is a full sensory experience. The cooler climate sees the trees turn copper and gold, and mist hangs off the top of Mount Wellington overlooking Hobart. MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, is an obvious choice if you're visiting. There's underground galleries with everything from ancient Egyptian mummies to contemporary installations that will leave you thinking for days. Entry is $39 for adults, and the ferry from Brooke Street Pier is $30 return, a 25-minute ride worth taking for its own sake. Beyond the museum, the Tasmanian Autumn Festival runs in April across the Derwent Valley and Central Highlands, with guided food trails, cellar door tastings, artist workshops, and spectacular foliage walks.

Stay: YHA Hobart Central is an affordable option in the centre of Hobart. Salamanca Place and the weekend Farmers Market is right on your doorstep, and you’re a five-minute walk from Brooke Street Pier, where you catch both the MONA Ferry and most day tour departures.

Tip: Book your MONA entry time online before you go. Wildcard tickets with no set arrival time are available, but pre-booking your entry time lets you plan out your whole day. Speak to the team at YHA Hobart Central if you need help with this.

The Funny One: Melbourne International Comedy Festival

The (Very) Big Laugh Out (Image Credit: Melbourne International Comedy Festival)

If you were the class clown, you may have just found your happy place. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival (running until April 19) has almost 800 shows across more than 130 venues, making it the largest dedicated comedy festival on the planet. This year's lineup includes Australian comic legends Hannah Gadsby, Kitty Flanagan, Wil Anderson, and Lano and Woodley, plus international artists like Daniel Sloss from Scotland, Sam Jay from the US, and Joanne McNally from Ireland. Tickets start from $29, and you can often buy tickets on the night for many shows in the schedule. For those who want to spot the next big thing, the RAW Comedy National Grand Final (April 12) showcases Australia's best emerging stand-up talent.

Stay: YHA Melbourne Central is within walking distance of Melbourne Town Hall, the Regent Theatre, and most festival venues. You’re also close to the Festival Club's late-night shows, plus you're metres from a stop in the free tram zone, and minutes from both Southern Cross Station and Flinders Street Station.

Tip: The FREE (Very) Big Laugh Out at Federation Square costs nothing and is worth your time. Build your budget around one or two headline shows and make the most of the free outdoor program. Multi-show passes also offer better value if you plan to see five or more.

The Country Kid: Sydney Royal Easter Show

Image Credit: Sydney Royal Easter Show

Whether you grew up going or you're visiting for the first time, the Sydney Royal Easter Show brings out the country kid in everyone. Running from April 2 to 13 at Sydney Olympic Park, there's 12 days of woodchopping championships, livestock exhibitions, carnival rides, show bags, and nightly fireworks all making up an enormous celebration of Australian agriculture. The after-dark experience is worth staying for, with the glowing animal lantern parade Ignite the Magic transforming the grounds each night.

Stay: YHA Sydney Harbour or YHA Sydney Central are close to train stations that will get you out to Olympic Park. Public transport is included in your Show ticket, so the trip there costs nothing extra. Speak to the team on reception if you need help navigating the train lines and timetables.

Tip: After 4pm tickets offer the best value for entry into the Easter Show. Adults are $39, children are $18, and a family pass for two adults and two kids is $95. These tickets include free return public transport but the stadium seating is non-reserved, so arrive early to grab a spot for the evening entertainment.

The Adrenaline Junkie: Gold Coast Theme Parks at Easter

For the adrenaline junkie, the Gold Coast has theme parks on hand to deliver the thrills. The weather is usually around 20 to 26 degrees, with every theme park running at full speed for the school holidays. Dreamworld's brand-new King Claw ride, a 27-metre swing reaching 98 km/h, is the newest drawcard for thrill-seekers, while Warner Bros. Movie World and Sea World round out a lineup that can easily fill three or four days.

Stay: YHA Coolangatta sits right on the beach at one of the coast's best surf breaks. The theme parks are all between 30 and 45 minutes away driving north, so you’ll need to organise a shuttle or rent a car. Experience Oz shuttle picks up locally from the property, but if you need more help organising transfers, speak to the team at the front desk, or send a message via the YHA Explorer app.

Tip: The 5 Day Theme Park Pass through Experience Oz (from $159) covers Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld, Wet'n'Wild and Paradise Country, and is cheaper than buying single-day tickets at the gate. Buy it online before you arrive and you will not have to think about it again.

The Underwater Explorer: Great Barrier Reef, Cairns

For the underwater explorer, April (low season) is a great time to snorkel or dive before the crowds come in June and July is a great time to visit the Great Barrier Reef. The wet season has wound down, water temperatures are still warm, with clear visibility. From Cairns, the gateway to the reef, you’re perfectly positioned to explore some of the most biodiverse marine habitats on the planet. Great Barrier Reef Sailing is a local reef tour operator, running daily sailing catamaran trips to two outer reef locations with small groups with prices from $269 per person. For something with an extra layer of meaning.

Stay: YHA Cairns Central is a short walk from the Reef Fleet Terminal, where Great Barrier Reef Sailing tours depart daily. Staying central makes early morning departures straightforward, when the best reef conditions are in the first half of the day.

Tip: Book your reef tour for your first or second morning in Cairns, not your last. Poor weather  conditions can occasionally affect daily tours (which might see them cancelled or rescheduled), so keeping a flexible day at the end of your trip means you can reschedule without missing out.

The Sports Pilgrim: AFL Gather Round Adelaide

For the sports pilgrim, set your sights on the AFL Gather Round. From April 9 to 12, South Australia hosts every Australian rules football team for nine matches at Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval, and Barossa Park, with tickets starting from $20. Nearly 270,000 fans made a weekend of it in 2025, with a third travelling from interstate, and the 2026 edition looks set to go even bigger. The entire city celebrates football for four days, and you’ll get to experience pubs and bars filled with supporters from every club.

Stay: YHA Adelaide Central is walking distance from Adelaide Oval and close to Rundle Street, where most of the Gather Round crowd ends up between matches. It also books out fast during Gather Round weekend, so locking in your bed early is just as important as locking in your tickets.

Tip: Book match tickets online as early as possible so you don’t miss out. There’s a mixture of single match tickets, and multo-day passes available. The Sunday match between Port Adelaide and St Kilda at Adelaide Oval typically sells first, and has the best atmosphere.

Words: Troy Nankervis

All prices current at time of publish: March 2026.