Still haven't booked Easter? These 3 Aussie cities have bargain beds for $200 a night

This is where to spend the long weekend on a budget as petrol prices soar.

Launceston, Tasmania. Picture supplied

March 20, 2026

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As the price of petrol continues to rise, one thing is on everyone's mind: how can we enjoy an Easter getaway on the cheap?

New data from Expedia shows 79 per cent of Australian travellers are planning to stay local this Easter, instead of travelling overseas.

This means road trips and domestic flights are high on the agenda, both of which come with rising price tags of their own.

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But according to Expedia, there is still affordable accommodation out there for Easter, in some cases going for as cheap as $200 a night.

Sarah King, Expedia travel expert, says it's not too late to book a local escape.

"Keeping your options open on timing and destination is key," Ms King says.

"The Expedia app is showing Launceston, Brisbane and Canberra are destinations with good availability and value with average accommodation rates ranging from $200 to $350 per night, making it easier to snap up a lastminute deal if you haven't booked yet."

Where are people heading this Easter?

Nine out of 10 of the most popular destinations around Australia for Easter this year are nearby the beach, according to Expedia.

And Queensland and NSW are the trending states.

The Whitsundays, Queensland. Picture supplied

Queensland's Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, The Whitsundays, Cairns and Port Douglas take the top-five most popular destination spots, followed by NSW's Port Stephens, Central Coast and Byron Bay, then Busselton in WA and Launceston in Tasmania.

The biggest spikes in interest compared to last year are for travellers searching Toowoomba in Queensland, and Byron Bay and Port Stephens in NSW.

Port Stephens, NSW. Picture supplied

Other trending regional destinations include Wollongong, Newcastle and Port Macquarie in NSW, and Canberra.

If you travel the week after Easter, your favoured spot could be 15 per cent less busy than the Easter long weekend and you could save 10 per cent on accommodation, Expedia says.

Fuel costs keeping us close to home

With the price of fuel rising by the day, more Australians will holiday closer to home.

A new Reflections Holidays survey of 9000 people shows if fuel reaches $3 per litre, more than 60 per cent of respondents would consider changing their plans to a destination closer to their home or, if road tripping, reduce their number of destinations.

Reflections Moonee Beach, NSW. Picture supplied

Reflections CEO Nick Baker says camping was still an affordable holiday for many.

"Camping remains one of the most affordable holiday options - you can pitch a tent along the eastern seaboard or in one of our beautiful inland parks, book a range of cabins, from budget to premium, or indulge in our glamping precinct Wilderluxe at Lake Keepit," Mr Baker says.

Words bySarah Falson

Sarah is ACM’s travel producer. She believes regional travel is just as fun (if not better) than staying in the big cities and loves any travel experience to do with nature, animals and food!.

My all-time favourite destination is ... Cornwall. From the giant seagulls to the blustery beaches, Cornish pasties and fishing villages, it stirs something romantic and seafaring in me.

Next on my bucket list is … Mongolia. I want to go somewhere really unique that feels totally foreign and challenges my way of life.

My top travel tip is … Don’t plan too much. Walk the streets and let it happen. And make sure you check out what’s within a few blocks of your hotel - sometimes the best local food is found that way.