Escape city life take a few days off along the Great Ocean Road

Touring the Great Ocean Road is a great idea for a family. It is located in Victoria, Australia. It is a great road linking many towns that were originally hard to travel between. Along the coast you will discover fishing, golfing, diving and surfing. There are competitions and lessons for them all. Bring a camera, because it is an incredibly scenic route that you will want to remember. There are beach towns, vineyards, lookouts, bays and parks.

The idea for the road was first supported in the 1880's. It was not until after the First World War that the construction began. The returning soldiers were employed to build the road to be sure they had jobs when coming home. It was also to be a monument to them. The road was completed in the year 1932. At Eastern View a memorial was built for those soldiers that did not make it home.

The Twelve Apostles is a landmark that is a must see. They are a set of twelve rock formations that rise out of the ocean off the shore. The formations reach as tall as 45 meters. They can be viewed from the Port Campbell National Park. They are believed to have been formed over two million years from cliffs made of limestone.

At each end of this picturesque road are vineyards. The Geelong wine region and the Henty wine region. The Henty region is named for the family that first settled in Victoria. This is the home of many wineries and vineyards. The Geelong region also has many wineries and vineyards. Here you will discover wine tasting and great food at among the many restaurants or cafes.

There will be many stops to make along the way but be sure to make a stop at one of the many beautiful beaches. Some are sandy, some are more rocky but each has something to offer. If you love surfing, try Ocean Grove, 13th Beach or Bells Beach. Bells Beach is known best for the surfing competition that is held there each year. Participants from all over the world compete to become the Rip Curl Pro Champ. If you love sailing, look to Point Roadknight. There are safety areas marked on each beach to let you know where it is safe to swim, and there are lifeguards during certain time of the year.

You can spot wildlife on one of many stops on this road. You can swim with dolphins at Port Phillips Bay. Watch the penguin parade on Phillip Island Nature Park. See any of 350 species of bird in the Geelong region. You can see glow worms at night in the Melba Gully.

Take a walking trip and see a 300 year old tree that is 88 feet around. Take a tour and see platypus on Lake Elizabeth. View koalas in the gum trees near the Kennett River. Visit a game reserve and see kangaroos, emus and more koalas. There is a whale nursery at Logans Beach. At Fauna Australia you can see nocturnal wildlife and even feed them. There is so much to see.

Touring the Great Ocean Road provides something for the whole family. There are places for fun and entertainment and areas for quiet contemplation. There are different events all year long. No matter what time of year you go you will find something special. It may be a music or arts festival, a swim event, or a fishing, golfing or surfing competition and so much more.