Don’t get us wrong, dinner and a movie is great. There’s nothing we love more than torturing ourselves with the latest box office horror movie or booking a table at the hottest new Asian Fusion restaurant… but before you know it, your dessert plates are being cleared, you’ve polished off that bottle of wine and you’re left with the sobering brunt of paying the bill.
Sadly, the fun of date night is often over before its even begun
When it comes to spending quality time with your S.O, there’s nothing quite as exciting as packing up your bags for the weekend and jet setting on a scenic road trip feat. an epic pre-prepared playlist.
So to help get your creative juices well and truly flowing, we’ve teamed up with Visit Grampians to round up 3 quirky weekends away that will put your go-to dinner and a movie date night to shame.
It’s time to whip out the overnight bag, fill up the tank and get on the road.
Discover The Hidden Gems Of A Small Country Town
St Arnaud is just shy of a 3-hour drive from Melbs and is one of Victoria’s most quirky country towns. Pull up a stool, sip on a beer and take in the ambience of the lively and historic Royal Hotel St Arnaud, or settle in for the long haul with one of their famous mouth-watering burgers. If you don't want to end up with food envy, take our advice and go the 3478 Burger, stacked up with grilled chicken, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, American cheddar, smokey BBQ sauce and mustard served in a delectable brioche bun. If a pub classic is what your heart desires no one does it better than these guys, you can't go past either the Royal Parma or Royal Schnitz and better yet you can enjoy it in the beer garden alongside a frosty brew.
If you’re looking to take the weekend getaway with bae from 0 to 100, get some other couples and friends on board and make sure to stay at The Old Convent (literally an old convent). We can guarantee you that this absolute stunner of a building will be the most eccentric place you ever stay in. Complete with a Chapel, Ballroom, Nuns Quarters and hidden passages, you have to see this place to believe it.
The details
Tell me more: Visit Grampians
Where to stay: The Old Convent, St Arnaud
Embark On An Epic Art Trail
If strolling through an art gallery has never really been your thang, we’re glad to let you know that this is nothing like strolling through an art gallery. The Silo Art Trail is Australia’s largest outdoor gallery, stretching over 200km (wowza!). Don’t expect your typical art show here, brace your eye balls (and your necks) for sky-high silos, laden with seriously impressive murals created by artists from across the world.
Conveniently marking as the beginning of the Silo Art Trail, the Old Post Office Apartments are the perfect home base for your weekend getaway. Situated within a 150 year-old Victorian building constructed during the Gold Rush, it’s easy to see why guests say this place is overflowing with old fashioned charm.
The details
Tell me more: Silo Art Trail
Where to stay: St Arnaud Old Post Office Apartments
Pull Up A Chair And Settle In For A Brew Or Two
Nestled amongst a picturesque 20-acre property you’ll find Farmgate Brewery & Distillery. This small-scale craft brewery and distillery is a delightfully charming, family run business that uses only local or home-grown ingredients to make their delicious beers and spirits. With monthly events (mark Halloween and Melbourne Cup in your calendar), this place knows how to show their guests an epic time. Don’t forget to say hello to the fury fam as well, they've got three dogs, a pig named Puddles, cows and a goat, just to name a few of the gang…
For hyper-local accommodation, get ready for the soon to be opening Farmstay glamping tents. Yeah, that’s right, you’ll be able to glamp right on the brewery in what are seriously insta-worthy safari and bell tents. Be a distiller for a day, ride horses around the trails, visit the local wineries or simply moss out in your gorge tent for some R&R.
The details
Tell me more: Farmgate
Where to stay: Onsite Glamping Tents (…coming soon!)
Editors note: This article is sponsored by Visit Grampians and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make The Urban List possible. Click here for more information on our editorial policy.