Wellington Kapiti Coast

From New Zealand’s wonderful capital city Wellington you can easily explore the Kapiti Coast with local train services. The Queen Elizabeth Park for example, is a great destination with large areas of natural dunes along the coast. Perfect also for family picnics and if you fancy a tram ride, go and visit the Wellington Tramway Museum.

• City: Wellington, New Zealand
• How to get there: Take a Kapiti Line train service from Wellington Station to Paekakariki Station.  From the station it’s about a 15 minute walk until you reach the entrance to the Queen Elizabeth Park.
• Tip: Continue walking through the park towards Paraparaumu Station and take the Kapiti Line train back to Wellington Station. This walk will take around 2 hours.
• Ticket: A Day Rover Ticket will give you unlimited travel on the Kapiti, Upper Hutt, and Johnsonville Metlink train services.
• Transport information: Metlink
• Location: Queen Elizabeth Park

Glasgow Botanic Gardens

The Glasgow Botanic Gardens are, compared to other botanical gardens in the world, not the biggest but include a rose garden and a well designed glasshouse, the Kibble Palace. Once you are in the garden, there is a tea room with some lovely food and of course a good selection of tea.

• City: Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
• How to get there: The Glasgow Subway, opened in 1896, is the only underground metro system in Scotland and consists of just one circular line. Take the Subway from Buchanan Street Station to Kelvinbridge Street Station. Then it’s about a 30 minute walk along the River Kelvin towards the Botanic Gardens via Ha’Penny Footbridge.
• Tip: Walk along Byres Road towards Hillhead Station and take the Subway back to the city centre. There are some good local shops along Byres Road.
• Ticket: Best is to use an all day subway ticket.
• Transport information: Strathclyde Partnership for Transport

Adelaide Seaside

The, at time of writing this post, only tram line in Adelaide brings you directly from the central business district to the white sandy beach of Glenelg. The benefit of this relocation from the urban centre is the fresh air combined with a laid back atmosphere.

• City: Adelaide
• How to get there: Take the tram from outside Adelaide Railway Station to Moseley Square Station the terminus in Glenelg. Then it’s a short walk to the beach and its pier.
• Tip: Glenelg is more of a seaside resort, with many restaurants, shops, cafes and various types of accommodation. So, it’s well worth to spend some time there.
• Ticket: Use a 3-day Metrocard for unlimited travel on busses, tram and rail services.
• Transport information: Adelaide Metro

Adelaide Torrens Linear Park

A quite unique way of getting from the central business district to suburban Adelaide is to use the O-Bahn, a rapid bus service, running along the Torrens Linear Park.

• City: Adelaide
• How to get there: There are numerous bus routes running along the O-Bahn, all marked with O-Bahn logo. For example use the C1 bus services from opposite West Terrace Tram Station to get to Tea Tree Plaza Interchange.
• Tip: At Tea Tree Plaza Interchange a massive shopping mall awaits you or a nice but longish walk back to the city through Torrens Linear Park.
• Ticket: Use a 3-day Metrocard for unlimited travel on busses, tram and rail services.
• Transport information: Adelaide Metro

Melbourne Skeleton Creek

A quiet walk along the Skeleton Creek towards the sea with a nice view of the Central Business District Melbourne in the far distance.

• City: Melbourne
• How to get there: Take the Metro Werribee Line service from Southern Cross Station to Williams Landing Station, from there some 500m walk to the trail.
• Tip: Once you reach the coast and the Cheetham wetlands, continue along the Hobson Bay Coastal Trail until you reach Altona Beach with some shops and good cafes. Total walking time around 3 hours. From Altona Station take the Metro Werribee Line service back to central Melbourne.
• Ticket: Best is to use a myki card in and around Melbourne.
• Transport information: Public Transport Victoria
• Location: Skeleton Creek Trail, Point Cook VIC 3030, Australia

Melbourne Community Environment Park CERES

A good way to start your day could be by having a coffee at the ˋCentre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies (CERES)´. Of course there is more to discover about for example reusing water, urban farming and other sustainable ways of living.

• City: Melbourne
• How to get there: Take the Tram Line 96 from Parliament Station to Blyth Street/Nicholson Street Station. CERES is just a short walk from the tram stop.
• Tip: You could step directly from CERES onto the Merri Creek Trail and follow it for just under two hours until you reach the Dights Falls and nearby Victoria Park Railway Station. Off road cycling is also possible along the trail.
• Ticket: Best is to use a myki card in and around Melbourne.
• Transport information: Public Transport Victoria
• Location: CERES Community Environment Park Stewart St & Roberts St, Brunswick East VIC 3057, Australia

Merri Creek Trail

Melbourne Restaurant with a view

Quite an unique place for enjoying a cheeseburger in Melbourne is certainly Easeyˋs restaurant situated in three old train carriages on top of a building on the 4th floor.

• City: Melbourne
• How to get there: Take the Tram Line 86 from Parliament Station to Johnston Street/Smith Street Station. Easey‘s Restaurant is just a couple of steps from there directly on Easey Street.
• Tip: There are some outlet shops along Smith Street if you need to spend your money.
• Ticket: Best is to use a myki card in and around Melbourne.
• Transport information: Public Transport Victoria
• Location: Easey’s, 3/48 Easey St

Hannover Expo 2000

Hannover was the host city for the world’s fair Expo in the year 2000. Various transport and infrastructure projects were developed in and around the city as part of this major event. Visit the original exhibition site including some of the original country pavilions that have been more or less surviving all these years.

• City: Hannover, Germany
• How to get there: Take the Tram Line 6 from Kröpke Station to Messe/Ost (Expo Plaza) Station. You’ll find the (derelict) Expo Pavilions of the Netherlands and Latvia to the left of the station exit.
• Tip: After exploring what is left of the Expo, you could also visit the nearby low-energy housing quarter Kronsberg to the north. These architecturally diverse buildings for more than 7.000 inhabitants have been entirely built to sustainable standards including innovative surface water draining and green roofing. For your return trip to Hannover city centre use Kronsberg Station. Walking time is around 30 minutes.
• Ticket: You’ll need a ticket that is valid for the Ticketzone Hannover.
• Transport information: Großraum Verkehr Hannover (also in English)

Sydney Blue Mountains

Although over 2 hours by suburban train out of Sydney city centre, a visit to the Blue Mountains and its attractions is probably included in many travel guides. However with the combined hiking and rail option described below this is a trip well worth doing.

• City: Sydney
• How to get there: Take the Blue Mountains Line from Central Station to Katoomba Station. Then it’s about a 30 min. walk to the (maybe a bit touristy) Three Sisters view point.
• Tip: If you aren’t afraid of a strenuous hike, there is route option down the Giant Stairway towards Leura Forest and Cascades with a finish at the Elysian Rock Lookout. From there less than 30 min. later you’ll reach Leura Station (Blue Mountains Line) for your return trip to central Sydney. This is a hard walk with lots of steps but also rewarding views and some waterfalls. Total walking time around four hours.
• Ticket: You can use the Opal Card (top up) on the Blue Mountains Line.
• Transport information: Transport for NSW

Chicago Beaches

Enjoy some local sandy beaches together with green parks in the north of Chicago along the shores of lake Michigan.

• City: Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
• How to get there: Take the Red Line from Jackson Station to Thorndale Station. Then it’s a short walk to the Kathy Osterman Beach.
• Tip: If you got some time, there is an enjoyable walk along the Lakefront Trail, including beaches, marinas and through parks to get to Fullerton Station (Brown-, Purple- and Red Line) for your return trip to downtown Chicago. Walking time is less than two hours.
• Ticket: Best is to get a Ventra Card with 1, 3 or 7 day passes.
• Transport information: Chicago Transit Authority