10 Best Day Trips from Sydney

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is where Australia’s future meets its past. Just 30 minutes’ drive from Sydney’s vibrant city life and skyscraper skyline, the country’s second oldest national park boasts calming bush scenery and sites of important indigenous heritage.

Named after the Kuringgai Indigenous peoples who lived in the area before European settlement, Ku-ring-gai features rock engravings, cave paintings and evidence of historical settlements. It’s the perfect place to get back to nature, with unspoilt walking tracks, fishing spots and family-friendly picnic sites making this one of Sydney’s favourite day trip destinations and one of its cheapest.

In a city boasting some of the finest urban beaches in the world, Palm Beach is still worth a day trip. Situated at the far tip of the city’s Northern Beaches suburbs, the narrow peninsular is surrounded by water on three sides. Surfers can enjoy the world-class waves of the Pacific and for swimmers, there are several protected areas in the rockpools on the east.

Hikers heading to the headland will be treated to views from the heritage-listed sandstone Barrenjoey Lighthouse. Soap fans will recognise the lighthouse from its starring role in Australia’s famous TV show – ‘Home and Away’. For selfies with surfers, the Summer Bay Surf Club is also nearby.

The Royal National Park in southern Sydney’s Sutherland Shire is the world’s second-oldest national park. The good news is you don’t need an expensive excursion to enjoy it – in Sydney, everyday public transport can be as good as a tourist trip. To get to the park, just hop on the historic Bundeena ferry which operates hourly crossings and watch the stunning scenery unfold before you.

Once in Bundeena, you’re at the gateway to the park – nearly 60 square miles of stunning, unspoilt bush and coastal scenery. Enjoy the 62 miles of walking trails, or take your bike and explore the marked routes. The park has beaches to match the famous city strips of Bondi or Manley but without the crowds.

Kiama is the gateway to the beautiful southern New South Wales coastal area, famous for its stunning white sand beaches and laidback Aussie lifestyle. The beachside town, a 90-minute drive south of Sydney, is consistently named one of the best small town places to live in Australia.

Its main claim to fame is the world’s biggest ocean blowhole, where tourists have been gathering for over 100 years to see seawater blast up to 30m into the air, but visitors can also enjoy glorious oceanside walks with lookout spots at Kiama Lighthouse, Cathedral Rocks or Saddleback Mountain. Visit Kiama in its own right, or use it as a stop-off point before heading further south to the beautiful Jervis Bay, a beloved weekend getaway spot for Sydneysiders.

The Hawkesbury River region, just 90 minutes’ drive from central Sydney is the perfect base to explore some of the highlights of inland New South Wales. The river itself is a hive of water-based activities, from boat tours and houseboat accommodation to kayaking and fishing. The Riverboat Postman is a working vessel, delivering the mail to some of the isolated communities along the river – booking is essential to join the cruise.

Stay in the colonial towns of Richmond, Windsor or Pitt Town, where you can enjoy heritage Aussie pubs built from the local sandstone, or visit Australia’s oldest church in Ebeneezer. The Hawkesbury is surrounded by national parks to explore Indigenous Australia’s history, with the Blue Mountains, Yengo, Dharug and Wollemi all within easy reach. And, for fruit lovers, who could resist Bilpin’s Apple Pie Trail?

The Blue Mountains stand guard at the western side of Sydney and can be an oasis of cool when the city heat gets too much. An easy train ride from Central Station will take you to the artsy town of Katoomba and within reach of a multitude of hiking trails including a trek to the famous Three Sisters on the northern ridge of the Jamison Valley.

The hazy hue over the distant hills when viewed from the city is what gives the Blue Mountains their name and it’s a fitting title for an area where you can enjoy cool and verdant eucalypt forests, lakes and waterfalls. The Blue Mountains region is a haven for hikers, bikers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts, or remain in Katoomba and explore the food scene after you’ve feasted on the views.

Historic Berrima offers a lush and tranquil escape 90 minutes’ drive from the hustle and bustle of Sydney and, crucially, gives locals and tourists a break from the Australian summer heat, with its elevated position offering a cooler and fresher climate. It’s these lower temperatures that give Berrima the opportunity to grow one of the main attractions for incoming visitors. The pinot noir grape loves a cooler climate which means the area is able to produce some elegant vintages to tempt the wine connoisseur.

Berrima’s Georgian architecture is an example of colonial style, with a wander along the high street offering an insight into Australia’s past. A visit to the town also offers the opportunity to check out one of Australia’s oldest pubs, the Surveyor General Inn, built in 1834.

Port Stephens is the Aussie idyll in miniature – its 26 beaches, perfect surf breaks and foodie scene encapsulate why people want to head Down Under. On the water, you’ll find activity sports, whale watching and the only wild dolphin swimming opportunity in New South Wales, while on the land you can take to the dunes with a sandboard.

To get to Port Stephens, it’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive up the M1, or add half an hour – and even more scenic views – to your journey by taking the coastal road detour between Gosford and Newcastle.

The Hunter Valley is the epicentre of food and drink in a country with an increasingly famous culinary scene. Once known for its meat pies topped with ketchup, Aussie cuisine is now a cutting-edge mix of local ingredients, merged with Asian and European influences.

The Hunter, as the locals know it, is a famous weekend getaway for Sydneysiders, who take the two-hour drive up the M1, or jump on a train to Newcastle and either hire a car or grab a cab. Famous for its shiraz and semillon wines, there are more than 150 cellar doors to tempt you – sign up for one of the many guided tourist trips on offer if you don’t have a designated driver!

Half way between Sydney and Canberra, Kangaroo Valley gives an insight into the country’s colonial past. A two-hour drive south of the city, Victorian heritage houses and Hampden Bridge, the nation’s last surviving wooden suspension bridge, are some of the historical draws.

As ever in an Australian tourist town, sporting activities feature high on the list of attractions, with horse riding excursions and kayaking trips down the scenic Kangaroo River offering the perfect vantage spot to admire the rolling countryside set against the cliffs of Australia’s Southern Highlands. Kangaroo Valley also has a thriving arts scene, with the annual folk festival and the biannual arts festival two of the enduring favourites.