Alice Springs

Alice Springs, also known as “The Alice,” is Australia's most famous outback town. Halfway between Adelaide and Darwin, 1500 kilometres/950 miles from the nearest major city, Alice Springs is an ideal stop to Australia vacation staples Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), along with other wonders of the Red Centre.

Established as a simple telegraph station, Alice Springs has evolved its own quirky character, with camel races and a busy festival calendar. Learn about Australia's first people at the Aboriginal Culture Centre. Take a tour of the Royal Flying Doctors and School of Air, both of which serve locals living in remote areas. Known as the Aboriginal art capital, visit Todd Mall and its galleries of aboriginal art. You can try a unique bush tucker feast created by a walkabout chef in one of the many restaurants, or cap the day off with a sunset view over The Alice at Anzac Hill.

For an adventure outside Alice Springs, travel to Palm Valley and by 4WD, see the spectacular rock formations. You can also take in the awe-inspiring outback landscape in a hot air balloon. Don't forget to look up! With little light pollution, the night the view of the Milky Way seldom fails to impress.