Winter escape secret

As the temperature drops and the school holidays approach, I start to think of places to enjoy the chilly outdoors, and get some use out of our big coats and hats. Today, because I am feeling magnanimous, I am going to share a few secrets escapes (unfortunately, primarily for Sydneysiders).

Nothing is better in winter than escaping to the country, exploring the chilly outdoor and snuggling by a fire at night, and of course, toasting marshmallows.

Every winter we have a night at the Fairmont, which is perfect for families, and if an Accor Advantage Plus member, super cheap! The added bonus is the heated indoor pool, so the kids can swim in the middle of winter. I posted about the delights of one such trip here, so you get the idea of how much fun and beauty you can squash into one 24 hour day.

Jenolan Caves is another brilliant winter escape, with hostel type accommodation as well as the more pricey but picturesque Caves House.

But this year, we've just booked a return visit to the little known Jungle Lodge. This is a lovely house with amazing views in the back of the Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens - it sleeps 10, so split the super cheap cost with a few friends.

The Southern Highlands offers chilly beauty and quaint villages, like Bundanoon. Time outdoors can include the stunning Morton National Park - a world away but less than 2 hours from Sydney.

Canberra is the other obvious choice for us - you can cover galleries as well as the great outdoors. In certain months you can even go ice skating in the middle of Civic! You might even get a chance of snow!

So there's no reason not to sneak off for a night. These little school holiday escapes are the highlight of my winters (when skiing is out of the budget, of course!) But you never know, it does snow in the mountains from time to time - keep your fingers crossed for us!

Do you have any winter escape tips? Where do you head to at this time of year?