It's the weekend, you've filled yourself with coffee from your favourite cafe. It's a nice day but you don't fancy the beach. Too hot to go shopping (did I just say that?). What to do? I know (said I - to the boyfriend) - why don't we go and check out Vaucluse House? Of course, he scoffed at the idea of walking around an old house, it sounded boring, but so did doing nothing! So we jumped in the car and within 15 mins we were there.

Surrounded by the envious houses of Vaucluse sits one that truly rules the roost in the stakes of the high and mighty. Vaucluse House is a magnificent stately home built at the start of the 1800's and home to a huge family tree. The house is set amongst some well kept gardens including an area that reminded me of a 'hidden garden' (something you'd love to run around when you were a child), a kitchen garden growing a variety of herbs and vegetables, a large paddock (with it's own resident goat!) and some beautiful rolling green grass hills. The perfect place to laze around on a warm Summer's day.

It costs $8 to wander around the house and it's really well preserved. They give you a guide to read as you walk through the rooms. It's been so well restored with original furnishings that you would be fooled into thinking that the freshly baked rolls and cakes in the large cobblestone kitchen really are real! In fact, we did actually pick them up! From the servant quarters, the dining rooms, breakfast rooms and the kid's playroom, walking around the house gives you such a great sense and feel for what it would have been like to live there so many years ago.

The House is a great part of local history in this area and it's a really nice attraction when you want to get out and do something different. It's perfect for all ages (especially the kids) and they even have a really cute tea room in one of the buildings. Unfortunately it wasn't open when we were there.

To complete the afternoon, we strolled just down the road to Nielsen Beach and grabbed a tasty bite to each at the kiosk, looking out over Sydney Harbour. Perfect!