13 Day Trips from Sydney for a Weekend Getaway

This submit could include affiliate hyperlinks. We could obtain a small fee, for gratis to you, for those who make a purchase order. Learn Disclosure.

Sydney is essentially the most visited and bustling metropolis in Australia and plenty of travellers use it as a gateway to discover the remainder of Oz, so it’s no shock you’d be in search of concepts for day journeys from Sydney.

Luckily for you, there are a great deal of journeys you possibly can take inside a few hours exterior town.

Whether or not you’re in search of historic landmarks, spectacular seashores, or unimaginable pure landscapes, there’s a lot to discover on a day journey in Sydney.

On this information, we’ll be sharing our favorite spots for a Sydney day journey, in addition to just a few locations a bit additional away that might be extra fitted to a Sydney weekend getaway.

Go have a look!

Day Journeys from Sydney, NSW

When you’ve seen all of the sights in Sydney equivalent to Sydney Opera Home and Sydney Harbour Bridge, you shouldn’t simply transfer on to the following cease. Make sure to spend just a few days exploring the encircling cities and areas in NSW. Listed here are a few of our favorite spots…

1. Blue Mountains

Lower than two hours west of Sydney, the Blue Mountains Nationwide Park is essentially the most visited nationwide park in Australia.

With over a million hectares of World Heritage-listed bushland and greater than 140 kilometres of strolling trails, the Blue Mountains is likely one of the hottest day journeys from Sydney for nature lovers.

While the Blue Mountains is most well-known for the Three Sisters rock formations at Echo Level Lookout and doesn’t want a lot of your time, it is best to go mountaineering down amongst the rainforest-covered valleys beneath and also you’ll really feel such as you’re 1,000,000 miles away.

Different issues to do embody using the Scenic Railway (the steepest passenger railway on the planet) and the Skyway, Govetts Leap Lookout and Wentworth Falls – take the strolling monitor from Wentworth Falls Reserve to the Princes Lookout for an ideal view of the Wentworth Falls and the Jamison Valley.

You probably have extra time to spend and also you wish to make your Sydney day journey a weekend go to, embody a river cruise down Hawkesbury River on the foothills of the blue mountains. Hawkesbury is a superb place to see genuine Aussie traditions equivalent to boomerang throwing and sheep sheering.

There may be rest, journey and rejuvenation within the Blue Mountains. Moreover getting amongst nature, I used to be impressed by the great native produce, cafes, cosy pubs, and eating places. It’s a foodie’s paradise.

A neighborhood pal informed us in regards to the ‘Blue Mountains Chocolate Cafe’ on Lurline St, the place to search out the perfect beer (Carrington Lodge).

And the close by city of Leura has a pleasant most important road with cosy cafes.

2. Royal Nationwide Park

Lower than an hour’s drive south of the Sydney CBD is the Royal Nationwide Park, Australia’s oldest and the world’s second-oldest Nationwide Park, behind Yellowstone.

I wouldn’t say it’s an entire hidden gem, nevertheless it doesn’t appear to get the popularity it deserves. The wonder and the park’s range are in its coastal cliffs surrounded by sandy seashores and mountainous sandstone ridges with deep river valleys.

It provides nice coastal and bush walks, picnic spots, tenting, biking, swimming, drives, fishing and whale watching in season. You can too paddle a canoe up the beautiful Hacking River, which provides nice views of the pure panorama.

Park entry charges are $12 per car per day. Seasonal ticket cubicles at Bonnie Vale, Wattamolla and Garie Seashore are money solely, as there isn’t a energy or cellular connection. Please deliver the proper change.

3. The Central Coast

One hour north of Sydney is our house city area of the Central Coast. This beautiful shoreline connects with the Pacific Ocean and is house to a number of the finest seashores in Aus.

Most travellers have a tendency to stay on the primary freeway when heading north and bypass this stunning area. However I consider it’s properly value including in as one of many high 10-day journeys from Sydney.

Fashionable locations embody Terrigal which is a classy and upmarket seashore space with tons of cafes, eating places, fishing, diving, whale watching and top-of-the-line beer gardens in Australia on the Crowne Plaza Lodge.

For the character buffs, don’t miss a stroll in Bouddi Nationwide Park which has dramatic coastal views in addition to secluded seashores and tenting alternatives.

Different locations to take a look at:

• Avoca
• MacMasters Seashore
• Copacabana Seashore
• The Entrance
• Toowoon Bay

Watch Our Video on the Central Coast:

4. The Hunter Valley

It’s exhausting to not loosen up and luxuriate in your self on this notorious wine area, solely a two-hour drive north of Sydney.

The wine and meals path referred to as the Hunter Valley is one in all our favorite wineregions in Australia. With over 140 wineries this is the place you wish to go to pattern a few of Australia’s finest wines.

Nevertheless it’s not simply in regards to the wineries. There may be additionally an abundance of nice eating places and cafes for the foodies, in addition to the beautiful Hunter Valley Gardens. There’s fantastic eating, gourmand chocolate, adventures like sizzling air ballooning, and stress-free spa remedies and massages.

Don’t miss the Lovedale Street Path, it’s quiet and unhurried with many boutique wineries, the chocolate manufacturing unit, and fantastic eating places. I additionally advocate the Mountain View Path, driving as much as Bimbadeen Lookout for spectacular views of the valley and the Brokenback Vary.

And consider it or not, there’s additionally one thing within the Hunter Valley for households – mini golf, playgrounds, and delightful gardens.

5. Kangaroo Valley

Once we requested you guys for options on the place to go in Southern NSW, so lots of you steered Kangaroo Valley so we simply couldn’t ignore it. And we’re glad you talked about it!.

If you happen to haven’t been to Kangaroo Valley but, it is best to. The valley is as inexperienced as Eire with Australian bush escarpments and wildlife (they’ve numerous koalas, wombats and kangaroos).

Throw in an enthralling city centre, historic bridges, waterfalls, nature walks and nation pubs, and Kangaroo Valley makes for an ideal detour from the coast.

And for those who do prefer to be close to the water, make certain to take a river cruise down the Kangaroo River.

Only a quick drive from Kangeroo Valley is the coastal city of Kiama, which might make for an ideal place to remain if you wish to make a weekend journey to Kangaroo Valley. Kiama has numerous sights of its personal, together with the Kiama Blowhole and Kendalls Seashore.

6. Jervis Bay

The Jervis Bay area, three hours south of Sydney, is magical. I wouldn’t classify it as one of many day journeys from Sydney, extra of a weekend getaway, nevertheless it’s been the spotlight of my travels down the south coast of NSW.

The seashores on this area are nearly as good as wherever in NSW, if not Australia. The one draw back is that they don’t provide the browsing alternatives you’ll discover on the north coast of NSW, and the water temperature is just a little cooler.

However the beauty of Jervis Bay is it’s not overdeveloped with excessive rises and vacationer gimmicks, the sand is white and pure, they usually aren’t closely populated like Sydney and the north coast seashores.

Jervis Bay can also be a well-liked spot for whale watching, kayaking, canoeing, and walks.

Watch Our Video of Jervis Bay

7. Newcastle

Newcastle, a two and a half hour’s drive north of Sydney, is Australia’s seventh largest metropolis and has undergone a metamorphosis lately, particularly the CBD.

While it has at all times been an ideal seashore city with full of life pubs and an enormous College, it has moved on from its main business of metal and has carried out just a few inventive applications to deliver again the tradition and humanities to town.

With nice seashores, inside metropolis pubs with dwell music, and a thriving restaurant scene equivalent to Derby Avenue and alongside the waterfront, Newcastle is a occurring place. There’s a richness and a relaxed vibe, and it’s thrilling to see Newcastle providing far more for travellers lately.

At close by Stockton Seashore, there are huge Stockton sand dunes providing 4WD excursions, sand boarding, and quad biking.

And simply north of Newcastle is Port Stephens, a vacation spot with implausible fishing, stunning seashores, alternatives for snorkelling and diving and for whale and dolphin watching. Nelsons Bay is the primary city on this space.

Watch Our Video of Stockton Sand Dunes:

8. Bathurst

Bathurst, three hours west of Sydney, might be most well-known for motor racing and it’s large College, however there’s far more to it than that and generally is a excellent nation getaway from the hustle and bustle of Sydney for a household, and even only for {couples}.

In 2015 Bathurst celebrated its Bicentenary as Australia’s oldest inland settlement. The city itself has sufficient happening to occupy you for a weekend, and the drive in from the encircling area provides beautiful pure landscapes.

I like to recommend Bathurst as a weekend getaway and never one of many day journeys from Sydney, you possibly can even keep a couple of night time and never get bored.

Highlights embody a tour of the 52-room heritage mansion Abercrombie Home, doing a lap of the well-known 6.2 kilometres Mount Panorama racing circuit and a go to to the Nationwide Motor Racing Museum.

You also needs to attempt Annies Ice cream Parlour, which is an establishment in Bathurst. For dinner and drinks, head to the Church Bar + Woodfired Pizza, and brunch and low at The Hub Cafe.

9. Mudgee

I like the city of Mudgee. I nonetheless can’t consider I grew up solely 4 hours from this city and it took me 40 years to go to. It’s now my new favorite nation city in NSW.

If you happen to’re a lover of wine, Mudgee is a superb different to the well-known Hunter Valley. I like how one can cycle between the wineries, and it doesn’t have the vacationer buses just like the Hunter, but.

And also you’ll fall in love with its heritage buildings, vast streets, parks and nation attraction. I do know it’s a cliche, however Mudgee is a hidden gem, solely 3.5 hour drive north-west from Sydney and one other place suited to a weekend getaway.

10. Wollongong

I’m not the largest fan of Wollongong as a vacation spot, however the 1.5-hour drive south from Sydney is value it as top-of-the-line day journeys from Sydney.

Heading south from Sydney, drive by the Royal Nationwide Park and make your method down the Grand Pacific Drive, stopping at Bald Head Lookout, the Scarborough Lodge for lunch, after which over the well-known Sea Cliff Bridge to Wollongong.

As soon as in Wollongong, cycle alongside the Wollongong foreshore, try North Wollongong Seashore, and go to the Nan Tien Temple and Science Centre & Planetarium.

Seize a chunk to eat and drink on the Illawarra Brewery and Diggies Seashore Cafe.

11. Canberra

Though most individuals assume Sydney is the capital of Australia, it’s in reality Canberra. This metropolis is positioned 3.5 hours South of Sydney and is properly value a go to for a Sydney weekend getaway.

Canberra is house to many unimaginable museums and historic landmarks, such because the Nationwide Museum of Australia, the Australian Battle Memorial, the Nationwide Gallery of Australia, the Australian Parliament Home and the Mount Ainslie Lookout.

If you happen to’re fascinated about studying extra about Aussie historical past and tradition, make sure to spend a day exploring all of the museums right here.

12. Ku-Ring-Gai Chase Nationwide Park

Ku-ring-gai Chase Nationwide Park is legendary for its Aboriginal heritage. Head out on a bush stroll by the Aboriginal Heritage Stroll to search out historical purple ochre rock work and rock engravings left on the indigenous websites.

The park can also be an space of excellent pure magnificence, spanning throughout the shoreline, rainforest, bushland and the Pittwater estuary.

Make sure to try the hand prints on the Pink Palms Cave monitor. One other common attraction within the park is the West Head lookout which provides unimaginable views. You can too see some nice open bay views throughout Pittwater and the Nineteenth-century Barrenjoey Lighthouse.

The Pittwater space is one more reason to go to the nationwide park. It’s the realm that separates Sydney from the Central Coast and is understood for being an ideal place to go boating, fishing, and crusing.

Head over to Palm Seashore for a calming day on the seashore, or lease a kayak and paddle across the northern seashores.

13. Morton Nationwide Park

One other beautiful nationwide park exterior of Sydney is Morton, which is a superb place to go mountaineering, mountain biking or simply having fun with time within the woodlands.

It’s most well-known for its waterfalls, together with Fitzroy Falls which plunges for 80 meters over a dramatic sandstone cliff. The waterfall could be seen from a boardwalk which is accessible for these with mobility points or households with strollers.

One other waterfall to take a look at Belmore Falls, which is accessible by way of a reasonable to troublesome mountaineering path. The hike takes you alongside a path with magnificent views of Kangaroo Valley from a number of lookouts, the final is of the waterfall.

The nationwide park is a superb place to go to if you wish to stretch your legs, do a spot of chicken watching and simply take pleasure in being in nature.

Earlier than You Go

So there you might have it, these are the perfect day journeys from Sydney for a weekend getaway. As you possibly can see, there are a whole lot of locations to discover and issues to see.

Earlier than you go, bear in mind to e-book your automotive rental prematurely for cheaper costs. That is the easiest way to get round Aus and essentially the most handy technique to get to those day journeys.

Joyful exploring!

Extra Sydney Journey Ideas

Are you in search of extra journey suggestions for Sydney? Check out the next guides:

If you happen to preferred this submit, please think about sharing it. And if you’re on Pinterest, you possibly can pin the beneath picture to save lots of for later!