Sponsored Post: A spontaneous drive to Palm Beach and a chance to win a $2,000 travel voucher!

We're very spoilt living in Sydney's North as there are just so many stunning drives to go on, and all literally right on our door step.  Actually the whole of Australia is like one undiscovered gem full of amazing drives just waiting for us to jump in the car and explore them.  We just need a few more weeks of holidays thrown into the year and we'll be sorted.

When Shell Australia and Digital Parents approached to me write about my most favourite drive, the first one that popped into my head was the drive from our home, along the coast to Palm Beach.  It's only about a 20 minute drive from where I live or just over an hour if you're coming from centre of Sydney.  The road pretty much hugs the coastline the whole way there and the views are just spectacular.  There are quite a few look out points to stop at along the way, where you can just sit and soak up the view.  I think you can see as far as Manly from one them.  When we have visitors over from the UK who are just with us for a short time, this is always the drive I take them on. Also if you're a bit of sticky-beak like me there are also some AMAZING house to look at along the way too.  Some of them are so high up in the cliffs that you have to get a lift to the front door!!  The kids are totally fascinated by them and I can only just imagine the view they must have.

We often do this drive on the weekend and spent a lazy day wondering around beautiful Palm Beach.  The Sunday markets are so much fun and almost right on the water's edge too.  There are also some of the BEST cafe's I've ever been too, with my all time favourite being the Boat House. You can sit on the deck, surrounded by the water and watch the sea planes fly in and out, while enjoying a coffee or lunch.  The best part is that the kids just want to swim and play on the beach and you can actually watch them do it without moving from your table!!  No wonder I LOVE it there.

Last weekend I planned for us all to drive up there for the afternoon, so I could take some photos for this post and enjoy some detox friendly coconut water (served in a real coconut! - and yep I'm still detoxing) but guess what???????  IT RAINED!!!! And rained and rained and rained and rained!!!  So there went that idea and I was left to watch Frozen for the millionth time!

On Wednesday afternoon, completely unplanned and on a whim, I grabbed the kids from school and we headed up to Palm Beach.  It's not something I would normally do on a school day but it was SO much fun!!  I told them we were taking a little road-trip so mummy could take some photos and there would be a big, fat ice-cream in it for them when we got there.  No even a single whinge!!

We had so much fun, cranking up the radio and singing at the top of our voices and playing "blueberry and Spoto!"  Not a stitch of homework was done (oops!) but there were smiles all round!  And the views...........they just never get old. Ever!

I don't often do spontaneity like I did that afternoon but I really really should!!

Here's the sponsored bit and I promise it's worth it so don't stop reading yet!  Shell Australia have launched this fabulous new website called LoVe Drives where you can upload a story, pictures or information about your favourite drive in Australia.  Once it's uploaded anyone can have a read of it, and hopefully you will inspire them to drive somewhere new with some great tips for exploring a place they haven't yet visited.  The other part (which I think is particularly awesome) is that you can use LoVe Drives to plot your route if you are planning a road trip.  That way you can get all the information that other people have already uploaded about your exact road trip, meaning that you won't miss anything exciting on your journey.  You will be in the 'know if you know what I mean!'  I am so going to use this for our upcoming camping trip next week. We have a 7 hour drive to get there and as I have never been south of Sydney before I want to see EVERYTHING that's cool!!  You can use this tool for a day trip, a sneaky city escape or even a long road trip across Australia.

So all you have to do is create, explore (or explore, create) and GET DRIVING!  To make it even more exciting Shell Australia are giving away a $100 fuel voucher to the best 3 three drives uploaded each week (with a total of 18 to giveaway).  The promotion will end at 4pm AEST on 28th April 2014.  At the end of the promotion the 4 best drives will each receive a $2,000 travel voucher!! (these 4 drives do not have to been from the weekly fuel voucher winners, they could be anyone!).  How exciting!!!  You can find all the details and terms and conditions HERE.

This is seriously NOT TO BE MISSED and as we're just about to head into the Easter school holidays there is no excuse not to get driving - even if it's just for the weekend.  Oh and if you're heading South of Sydney please upload your drive and pics and let me know so I can check it out.

Good Luck!

*This post was sponsored by Shell Australia and The Digital Parents Group.  I have been paid to write it however the Palm Beach drive story, all the images and opinions are my own.