January is the new December. Here are some local beach, mountain and city break ideas

December may be the traditional time that many take a holiday, but if you've sent out any emails this year, you likely have received a slew of out-of-office replies – with return dates much later in January.

Working the quieter December shift and taking time off in January is a smart move: International tourists have started to head back home, the beaches are quieter, restaurants no longer laugh at your request for a last-minute table booking and accommodation prices are a little more tolerable. Plus, the good weather isn't going anywhere just yet.

Sharing some of our local attractions with the last of international travellers is also incredibly rewarding, if only to reflect on how some are ticking off bucket list items in places many of us consider our backyards.