Best Day Trips from Sydney

Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and Bondi Beach are some of our city’s best attractions. But Sydney is just the centre of what NSW has to offer. We’ve put together a list of 5 of our favourite day trips from Sydney, so you can fit more into your holiday!

Blue Mountains

By Car: 1hr 30min (from the centre of Sydney)

The Blue Mountains is famous for its spectacular views over gorgeous cliffs and valleys. In fact, the Blue Mountains National Park is World-Heritage listed. Enjoy the scenic drive through nature and visit the charming towns like Leura and Katoomba at the Mountains’ edge.

In terms of lookouts, you can’t go past the Three Sisters and Echo Point. If you’re keen for a hike, we recommend the Wentworth Falls track. This short but sweet track is only 1.4km and takes about 45 minutes to an hour to complete. If relaxing is more your speed, you can’t go past the Blue Mountains Sauna— just make sure to book in advance!

Palm Beach

By Car: 1hr 5min (from the centre of Sydney)

On the very north shore of Sydney, lies a narrow peninsula surrounded by water on three sides: Pittwater, the Pacific Ocean and Broken Bay. It’s the perfect place for a day trip— you can play a nine-hole game at Palm Beach Golf Course, enjoy your pick of beaches to cool off, walk the Barrenjoey Lighthouse track, and from July to November you may even spot some whales.

Kiama

By Car: 1hr 45min (from the centre of Sydney)

Kiama is a small coastal town south of Sydney, filled with natural wonders. Kiama is best known for its landmark blowhole which is the largest in the world! When the swell is high, the Kiama blowhole can shoot water up to 30 metres in the air. Just a 5 minute walk north of the blowhole is a calm ocean pool where you can cool off.

Make sure to visit Bombo Headland- a rare geographical site, featuring extraordinary basalt rock formations. Nearby is the Boneyard, a sheltered pebbly beach. This is the perfect spot for a picnic, snorkelling or stand-up paddle boarding.  

For lunch, you can’t go past The Farm Kiosk at Killalea Beach, which serves modern bush tucker, coffee and cakes.

Southern Highlands

By Car: 1hr 30min (Bowral, from the centre of Sydney)

Many Sydneysiders turn to the Southern Highlands to rejuvenate among a country landscape. Explore charming towns like Berrima and Bowral, which offer fine dining experiences, boutiques, antique shops. Take your pick from multiple award-winning wineries in the area which showcase the region’s cool-climate wine at its best.

If you’ve got an eye for nature, visit the Corbett Gardens in late September for the Tulip Festival. Alternatively, an extra 30-minute drive will take you to Belmore Falls, a gorgeous waterfall that looks out upon Kangaroo Valley.

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

By Car: 50 minutes (from the centre of Sydney)

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is the place where creeks and ocean waves meet cliffs and rainforests. The park is filled with native Australian wildlife, so bring your binoculars for birdwatching. There are many walking tracks in the park, we recommend America Bay walking track (1-2 hours), and for a longer hike, Sphinx Memorial to Bobbin Head (3.5-4.5 hours). If you’d prefer something different to bushwalking, mountain biking, fishing and kayaking are all available in this park.