The Wimmera is seeing out 2020, with a big 'thank goodness' and kicking off 2021 with renewed hope and excitement.

After a year swamped with cancellations, many of our favourite summer destinations and events are open, reinvigorated and reinvented, such as the Hall's Gap Zoo, The Stick 'Cathedral' and those iconic silos, painted to perfection and proving to be an enduring drawcard for tourists.

Encouraging you to support local tourism operators and affiliated businesses, Out & About also includes day tripping ideas and weekends away to enjoy elsewhere in regional Victoria.

Make sure you set aside some time this summer to grab your nearest and dearest, jump in the car (or train), and relax on a Victorian vacay. Be sure to call businesses ahead and confirm their arrangements and opening hours.

This issue we also showcase one of the best watering holes anywhere in the world, the beautiful Wimmera River. It flows through the southern end of town where you will find a number of walking tracks and boardwalks that meander through the surrounding wetlands. Take an easy stroll or pedal your way along the river and find points of interest along the way.

Whether you enjoy fishing, swimming, a quiet read at the edges of, or plan to camp all summer, you're spoilt for choice with our waterways.

Click here to read Out & About magazine online. Your hard copy can be found in today's edition of The Wimmera Mail Times. If you're travelling throughout Victoria, keep your eye out for our other Out and About's in the Ballarat, Warrnambool, Bendigo and Albury/Wodonga.

Wherever you end up, don't forget to pack your sunscreen, hand sanitiser, practice social distancing and enjoy this long-awaited summer.