Spring is in the air, and it’s time to farewell winter with a weekend in the High Country town of Bright. Bright is surrounded by snow peaked mountains, and gives you a taste of an exciting village full of funk and character.
Having spent a brilliant weekend in Bright recently, I have come up with three itineraries for a visit there. Each includes food options, coffee, daytime activity and watering holes…
3 ways to getaway to Bright in style
1. A cosy couples retreat
Start the day with a lazy breakfast in front of the fire at Ginger Baker, where you will find delicious hearty meals and a smooth roasted coffee.
Then head along to the Edelweiss Bakery to pack a picnic of a gourmet sandwich and homemade pie (Blackberry if you are lucky!).
Next hire a bike from Cycle Path and head for a romantic ride along the river and into the forest to secure a secret, cosy spot to lay your picnic blanket down. Enjoy the sounds of the bush, then return to Bright and b-line to the Bright Chocolate Factory where you will pick up some tasty chocolate.
The place for a romantic dinner is the award winning Simones. It is modern Italian, and well worth the drive to Bright! Famous for turning superb local ingredients into dishes that you will remember, and make sure you leave room for dessert!
After dinner, a night cap is deserved at the Grape and Grain Bar, where you will find the best local drops available.
2. A sophisticated girls trip
The best girls’ weekends start with the best coffee (after champagne the night before of course!), so head to Food Wine Friends and settle in for a brunch that will keep you very happy. I can suggest the pancakes with homemade stewed fruit, they are amazing.
Now it is time to explore the town. There are many interesting shops to head to, and you might find that unique piece that you didn’t know you needed.
Next you need to have some fun! So, the locals all ride bikes and you need to get onboard. Hire a bike and head out along the Rail Trail to Boyntons Feathertop Winery for lunch. It is an easy ride on a flat trail, and you will really enjoy the ride home after your long lunch!
If the trip to Boyntons is not your thing, then look into an afternoon cooking class at Simones Restaurant and learn the tricks of the trade from this famous restaurant.
For dinner book a table at Tani Eat & Drink. It is a fun spot with amazing Japanese inspired food, and a great wine list including brilliant local drops.
Settle in here for the night, or head to the Alpine Hotel if you want to chat to the locals and maybe dance the night away to a local band.
3. Play hard, party hard
So you are up early and ready to roll. The go to early morning coffee spot is Cherry Walk, where you can pick up a great coffee and hangover busting gourmet egg and bacon roll.
There is no time to lose heading to the mountain bike tracks, or if wheels are not your thing the walking tracks are amazing too. If you don’t have your own bike, you can hire one from Cycle Path. Bright is famous for the Mystic Mountain Bike Park, there are kilometres of trails for all levels, along creeks and hidden amongst the forest trees… You will definitely work up a sweat!
You will be hungry by lunch time, so I suggest heading straight to Ginger Baker for a hearty lunch amongst the trees.
In the afternoon I can suggest the (quite long at 32kms) ride to Myrtleford to watch the local footy game with a pie in hand, or a walk into the mountains to discovered hidden paths and local animals.
The trip home is helped with a pit stop at Lupo’s Kiln Cafe, where you will find the locals enjoying the famous hot chocolates and homemade meals.
Dinner for the party hards is at the Bright Brewery. If you are still on your bike, head there and settle in for the night. It is the place to be to chat to locals about your adventures of the day, and to learn about their secret spots too!
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