10+ Alternative Holiday Ideas for Schoolies Week

Schoolies Week is an amazing time for every student finally graduating high school after 12 long years.

The kids deserve to kick their feet up and have a brilliant time. And dammit Covid has cancelled all formal schoolie activities for 2021. So it’s time to think outside the square for alternatives!

10+ Alternative Holiday Ideas for Schoolies Week | Stay At Home Mum

That doesn’t include this!

What I mean is a memorable fun time to end the 12 long years of studying and enjoying those last days with your mates before you go off into the big bad world.

Gold Coast has been by far the most popular place to celebrate Schoolies Week among other places that school graduates go and enjoy their well deserved week of fun. But this year with COVID still out there and travel restrictions are put in place to prevent the virus from spreading further, our options are limited. It’s going to be hard to go on cruises and we can’t even travel across Australia. But don’t fret. Remember that what’s important is not where you go but the people you spend it with. And so we came up with a list of alternatives that’ll surely be meaningful and fun, too!

For me personally, I experienced the best of both worlds as I spent half of my schoolies week camping with mates, and the other half partying on the beach at the Gold Coast, it was amazing! I didn’t have to go that far.

So, with that as my inspiration, I made this list of brilliant alternative ideas to consider for your Schoolies Week.

These are activities you can do without having to travel out of the country!

1. Go Camping for Schoolies

Head to the bush or beach or maybe both! Camping can be such a great option to really spend time with friends before you have to head into the real world. There are so many options when it comes to camping with as many friends as you want and for a cheaper expense for an entire schoolies week.

4×4 Tracks
Hiking
Beach trips
Fishing
Campfires

A great place to find camping spots are:

Some other handy apps to have for a road trip include:

Waze (good for navigation)
Google Maps
Google Trips
Parkopedia will help you find appropriate parking

But before we forgot! Covid’s threat to our health is still around so make to check the State’s restrictions first before going out and enjoy the outdoors! But, if you’re planning to head out on Gold Coast, I got great news for you folks!— there are no gathering restrictions anymore! Enjoy!

2. Take an Old-Fashioned Road Trip

Go on a road trip! There are so many great destinations that are just out of town. Take a couple of cars, switch drivers and travel with your best friends, I personally think it sounds great and all the while seeing so many different places throughout the entire week!

Pack a sleeping bag in the back – or a small tent. 2021 is the year of the return of the road trip!

Plan your schoolies week with multiple places you can stop and explore on your way. If your car can do the trip – great – but alternatively you could hire a mini-van or similar that you and your friends can sleep in as well.

A few hints:

Get a RAC Membership in case you break down!
Get your vehicle services and tyres checked before you go.
Allow enough money for fuel and food.
Plan your trip on a map – and look at exciting locations on the way.

For example – if you are leaving from Brisbane – you could stop via:

Sunshine Coast (Aussie World, great beaches, incredible shopping)
Gympie (The Mary Valley Rattler Steam Train is a great experience)
Maryborough (Do the Mary Poppins Walk – is is epic)
Hervey Bay (Best beaches in the world)

3. Go to a Farm Stay

If you are located in a Capital City and aren’t a huge fan of camping, why not grab all your mates and book a farm stay. They are usually cheap, quiet and open (so you can party without bothering anyone) and enjoy what the country has to offer.

Here is where to find Farmstays in your area –>

4. Don’t Like Camping? Go Glamping!

I really don’t like camping – I don’t get the idea of lugging all your crap into the bush, then having to lug it all back. If you are a bit the same – maybe consider going glamping for schoolies instead! Costs a bit more than camping (but hey – camping is usually free) – but you don’t have all the hassle – all the hard work is done for you and you can just enjoy yourself with your friends under the stars!

Some of the best Glamping Spots in Australia include:

New South Wales:

Queensland:

Rivershore Resort (Sunshine Coast)
Nightfall Wilderness Camp (Lamington National Park)
Ketchup’s Bank Glamping

South Australia:

Ikara Safari Camp
Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris

Victoria:

Pepple Point
St Jerome’s

Western Australia:

Koolijaman (Broome)
Mile End Glamping (Margaret River)
Karijini Eco Retreat

Tasmania:

The Truffle Lodge

Northern Territory:

Longtitude 131
Wildman Wilderness Lodge (Arnhem)

5. Volunteer at Local Area Projects

How about volunteering with your friends in local area projects or community service work? There are so many ways to do this and you’ll definitely find something to do in your town.

6. Book a Beach House

Oh yes! Booking a beach house will be amazing! Waking up in a beautiful villa with all of your best mates and tracking along the coast and relaxing by the beach.

Check out Beach Stone House at Noosa!

7. Do some part-time work

Well, nothing beats money and the fastest way is to make is to do some part-time work. Perhaps, you can find a part-time job that allows you to work just for a few weeks. That’s gonna be worth your schoolies week.

8. Redecorate your bedroom

Endings are also beginnings and the best way to mark a fresh start is to change something up such as your bedroom.

9. Declutter and organize a garage sale

If you redecorated your room, you definitely found the stuff you don’t use anymore. Sell it on a garage sale OR.. you can post your preloved stuff online!

10. Go Trekking

Trekking with your friends should definitely be on your list for schoolies. It’s great to just be in nature and to get those legs working!

This 2021, some State outdoor restrictions have loosened up. So, make sure to check your target location’s Covid public policies before heading out!

11. Adopt or foster a pet

Fostering or adopting a pet requires commitment and if you want a meaningful experience for this schoolies week, committing your time to care for a pet is just perfect.

12. Learn a skill or learn to play an instrument

Wanted to learn something but never had the time? Take advantage of the situation and in these quiet times, learning a skill just might help you in the future.

13. Be a Tourist in your own city or country

Really want to travel? Well, there are restrictions but you can become a tourist in your own city or country. There are so many things you take for granted just because they’re nearby but there are definitely hidden gems that are yet to be discovered.

14. Set up your own Youtube Channel

Probably the most coveted job out there is to be a Youtube vlogger. This schoolies week, start your journey to adulthood with a bang! Set up a youtube channel. Just do it!

Here are step by step instructions on How to Become a Professional Youtuber

15. Set up a Small Business

Since we’re on the topic of ‘just do it; for schoolies week, another goal you should aim for this Schoolies week is to set up a small business. If there’s one thing that successful entrepreneurs would give as valuable advice, is to start young in whatever way you can. However small it is, you can showcase your talent and your skills and teach yourself a few lessons about hard work and patience that you can only earn from experience.

There you go! Hopefully, we were able to give you an idea or two – or three – on what to do for schoolies week!

I know everything still feels so unsure at the moment, but there’s always a way to work around a situation and this year just might be the perfect timing.

10+ Alternative Holiday Ideas for Schoolies Week