15 of the best day trips from Sydney 

When it comes to venturing beyond the city limits, these are the absolute best day trips from Sydney.

Sydney’s captivating coastal beauty and vibrant personality has plenty to keep you occupied, but roam a little farther and you’ll quickly discover incredible, easy-to-reach destinations that easily fill a day’s itinerary (or more). From rambling national parks, to pastoral villages, high country, wine country and coastal hamlets, there are diverse adventures to be uncovered just a short radius from the city. Bookmark these 15 best day trips from Sydney for your next spare weekend. 

1. Blue Mountains

Take in one-of-a-kind views from this steep aerial cable car. (Image: Scenic World)

Hit the highway and you’ll be taking in the crisp Blue Mountains air in under an hour, or for a scenic rail journey, take the two-hour-ish ride to Katoomba. Once here, there are ample activities to keep you enthralled, no matter which season you visit. Begin with the big ones, such as ogling the Three Sisters from Echo Point Katoomba. And don’t miss a visit to Scenic World, where you can absorb those lofty vistas from cableway, railway and skyway. Once your feet are firmly back on the ground, use them to follow tracks through the stunning landscape with a hike to heart-lifting Victoria Falls or any of the other walks that fit into your itinerary. You’ll work up an appetite for lunch, so head to the Wayzgoose Diner to replenish calories or enjoy a farm-to-table lunch at Megalong Restaurant at Lot 101. 

2. Stanwell Park and Helensburg

Kids will surely love the fun-filled amenities of Symbio Willdlife Park.

Set the GPS southwards for this day trip that takes in sweeping ocean vistas and some furry encounters at the tail-end of the Royal National Park (more on that, below). Should your adventurous spirit be in full flight, you may choose to take to the skies with a tandem hang gliding or paragliding experience at Stanwell Tops. But if you’re not so willing to strap into man-made wings and launch off a cliff, enjoy watching others take the plunge from Stanwell Park Beach or Bald Hill Lookout. Day-trippers visiting with kids or animal lovers in tow should spend some hours getting acquainted with native and exotic fauna at the wonderful Symbio Wildlife Park. When it’s time to break for lunch, enjoy a delicious sandwich or salad bowl with a crisp, cold glass of wine at LOAF.   

3. Royal National Park

Some of Sydney’s most beautiful beaches are in this park. (Image: Destination NSW)

The ocean-clinging, heritage-listed Royal National Park sits between Sydney and Wollongong, making it a low-effort excursion out of the city. The 15,000-hectare-plus park was Australia’s first designated national park and thus has been protected since 1879. Criss-crossed with walking tracks and edged by cliffs and sparkling water, it’s a popular outing for Sydneysiders. Come summer, Wattamolla Beach and its adjacent picnic area are densely populated with splashing kids and sun-loving groups stretched out beneath their cabanas. Pack a picnic lunch and settle in for a beach session or hit the trails, or from Bundeena, hire a kayak and explore the calm waterways of the Port Hacking River. 

4. Kiama

Kiama Jazz and Blues Festival is a three-day South Coast signature event packed with music.

A skip and a hop southwards, the seaside town of Kiama is less than a two-hour drive from Sydney. While it’s best known for its performative blowhole, which impressively propels water up to 30 meters into the air, Kiama has a lot more going for it than dramatic displays of the ocean’s might. The beach is beautiful, the 20-kilometre Kiama Coastal Walk is a list-topper for hiking enthusiasts and the town itself is perfect for leisurely pottering thanks to its heritage buildings, charming shops and spots to stop, sit and sip. But if you’re looking for an excuse to head south, time your visit to coincide with the Kiama Jazz and Blues Festival, held every March. Take a seat outside at Diggies for lunch and contemplate your prospects of a sea change or extended daily commute. 

5. Bowral and Mittagong

Bowral is the embodiment of Southern Highlands charm. (Image: Destination NSW)

For country roamings, find your way to the Southern Highlands for a tour of adorably pastoral towns. Set off for Mittagong, just a little over an hour from Sydney, with the intention of arriving in time for a morning cuppa and something sweet at Gumnut Patisserie. Caffeinated and sweetened, you’ll now possess the required stamina to hit Mittagong’s antique shops, before driving 10 minutes onwards to Bowral. More antique shopping ensues a Dirty Janes, as does strolling the beautiful Corbett Gardens, which is festooned with cherry and magnolia trees. If cricket is your bag(gy green), head to the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame. Set course for Bendooley Estate for a cellar door tasting of the winery’s top drops followed by a fireside lunch in The Barn before making your leisurely way home. 

6. Wollongong 

The Nan Tien temple is one of Wollongong’s major tourist attractions. (Image: Destination NSW)

Wollongong’s curvaceous and cliff-hugging Sea Cliff Bridge lands a breath-snatching first impression of Sydney’s closest southern city. At just one-and-a-half hours away, Wollongong is all beachy keen and beautiful with a laidback style that encourages a chilled pace. But although the beaches, such as Austinmer and Bellambi and their adjacent ocean pools are hard to leave, there’s plenty more to do away from the shore. For cultural pursuits, check out the Wollongong Art Gallery or find Zen in the tranquil grounds of the Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere. Swap your four wheels for two and discover the bike-friendly city by pedal power with Wollongong Bike Hub, pausing your tour for a bite at Bull and Bear.

7. Palm Beach to Patonga

Enjoy the turquoise blue waters of Palm Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)

Bookmark this day out for a sun-drenched weekend. You’ll begin by heading to Palm Beach, where you can kick things off with a morning coffee at Barefoot Barista, leaving plenty of time to make your way to Palm Beach Wharf to hop on the 10.30 ferry service to Patonga. On arrival, you might be due a dip by the calm shores of this sweet Hawkesbury inlet. If you’re wearing your Salomon’s, hit the six-kilometre-return Patonga to Palm Beach walking track, which meanders through the stunning Brisbane Waters National Park, snatching clifftop glimpses of the waters below and passing sandstone caves and native fauna. On your return to Patonga, be sure to have left ample time to relish lunch and a few drinks at The Boathouse Patonga Hotel before catching the return ferry at 5.30pm or, on Fridays and Saturdays, tarry longer and wait for the 8pm departure.

8. Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, Port Stephens

Jump on a tour and tackle some of the largest sand dunes in Australia. (Image: Destination NSW)

Now, although Stockton is only 20 minutes or so from Newcastle, it deserves its own dedicated day trip given the adventure that awaits you there. Set in the Worimi Conservation Lands, which sprawl across 42,000 hectares of blackbutt forest and shifting sands, the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes undulate with otherworldly beauty. At 32-kilometres-long and reaching up to 30 metres high, these are the largest moving coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere making them a veritable playground for all manner of sand-based fun. Said fun includes sand-boarding, horse or camel-riding, four-wheel-driving and quad-biking. After a big day on the dunes, revisit the highlights over a pint and replenish energy stores for the drive back to Sydney at the waterside Shoal Bay Country Club.

9. Hunter Valley

Be captivated by the wonders of Australia’s oldest wine region. (Image: Destination NSW)

When the vines are calling, you needn’t roam too far from the city. Sydney’s backyard is home to a cute cluster of wine-making towns all huddled conveniently together in the Hunter Valley, just two or so hours away. This entirely day-tippable destination is home to some of the country’s best and most historic vineyards. Research is key here, so spend time mapping out your cellar door route before you go, as sipping them all in a single day is impossible. From Pokolbin to Broke and Rothbury to Singleton, there are more than 150 wineries to discover. If panic starts to set in, opt in for a tour that will provide you with a concise edit of wineries and a driver. Break up the day with what deserves to be a long lunch at Lucky Duck in Lovedale. 

10. Lake Macquarie

Caves Beach makes for a stunning photography spot. (Image: Destination NSW)

The largest saltwater lake in the southern hemisphere is a nice and lazy, less-than-two-hour drive from Sydney. Huddled around the lake are a cluster of picturesque towns beckoning with their casual coastal allure. Head to Belmont for waterfront dining, a dip in the Belmont Baths and discovery of the region’s wetlands with a guided tour by CoastXP. Poke around the famed sea caves at Swansea’s nearby Caves Beach, while golfers and yachties will be keen on Toronto’s golf course and sailing clubs. Hikers can lace up for the coastal walking track in Wallarah National Park or less-dedicated walkers can take the quick, 1.8-kilometre-loop Wangi Walking Track at Wangi Wangi before kicking back at The Yard brewpub for a bite and a beer in Morisset. Or for something dark and mysterious, paddle out on a night tour in a neon-lit kayak. 

11. Oberon, Lithgow and Jenolan Caves 

Jenolan Caves is the oldest cave system in the world. (Image: Destination NSW)

A cool-climate escape deep in the Blue Mountains, Oberon, Lithgow and their sweet surrounds make an idyllic winter interlude just under three hours from Sydney. The journey may warrant an overnighter, but there’s enough to keep extended day-trippers enthralled up here, from the sprawling Mayfield Gardens with its 15 hectares of themed and meticulously tendered greens and excellent onsite restaurant to the deep-down wonder of Jenolan Caves. Either destination will hold your attention for a full day, but these once-frontier towns also deserve your visitation for their absorbing history and heritage buildings. 

12. Avoca Beach and Bouddi National Park

Avoca Beach is a paradise for lovers of surfing and relaxing. (Image: David Ross/Central Coast Tourism)

Clinging to the Central Coast, just a 90-minute drive from Sydney, the ocean-side gem of Avoca Beach is a good starting point for forays into nearby Bouddi National Park. Head there for an early morning surf or cleansing swim, then load up on breakfast at Like Minds before embarking on the full eight-kilometre (one way) Bouddi Coastal Walk. If that seems a little ambitious for a laidback day trip, you can simply tackle as much as feels achievable. The walk starts at Putty Beach and culminates at Macmasters Beach, with Maitland Bay reached at three kilometres in, making it a reasonable turning point to have you back and tucking into a seafood platter at Avoca Beach House by lunchtime. 

13. Thirroul

Sip cocktails in an outdoor garden that boasts relaxing ocean views. (Image: Destination NSW)

If you need a city exit strategy that neatly side-steps traffic, hop the train down to Thirroul in the Illawarra region just 90 minutes south of Sydney. If you’d asked AI to generate a quintessentially Aussie coastal town, you might get a result a bit like Thirroul and its neighbours Austinmer and Wombarra. A sweeping, one-kilometre stretch of sand with a shimmering ocean pool and the oceanfront Beach Pavilion serving breakfast and lunch from 7am, this is everything you want from a seaside foray. Spend the day flitting from sand to pool to pavilion, or check out Austinmer Beach’s photogenic ocean pool and watch the sun go down from the clifftop beer garden at The Scarborough Hotel. 

14.  Newcastle

The Newcastle Museum is home to some fascinating exhibitions. (Image: Destination NSW)

Head north up the M1 for a little over two hours and you’ll find yourself in the old port city of Newcastle. Rivalling Sydney for its ocean-edged beauty, historical centre, and neighbourhoods with their own distinct identities, Newcastle is a bit like Sydney-lite, except that this northern counterpart definitely has its own thing going on. Get your head around the scope of the city by starting with a wander along The Bathers Way, a six-kilometre waterside stroll from Nobby’s Lighthouse to the Mereweather Baths. Of course, you might want to dip in and out of the waves while you’re at it. If you’ve ended at the latter, duck into the Mereweather Surfhouse for a coffee and a bite as you watch the hypnotic rhythm of the waves. Once you’re oriented, head to Darby Street in Cooks Hill to take in the boutiques and vibe of this creative enclave, then continue your cultural tour with a stop at Newcastle Museum. If it’s time to get back to the water, follow your maps to the Insta-famous Bogey Hole, which was built by convicts way back in 1819.   

15.  Hawkesbury

Hawkesbury River has a small fleet of single and double kayaks for hire. (Image: Destination NSW)

A silvery serpent shouldered by bushland and soaring sandstone escarpments; the Hawkesbury River provides Sydneysiders with a gentle exhale. History huddles along the banks in each riverside town from Windsor to Wiseman’s Ferry with plenty of ways to get out onto the water. Be it river cruising, kayaking, paddleboarding, wading out to pluck an oyster or even floating into the sunset on a houseboat, the softly rippling water beckons. If you’re day-tripping up this way for a special occasion, you couldn’t get much more celebratory than a long lunch at Berowra Waters Inn, which perches elegantly right on the water.   

Discover the best things to do in Sydney