With its beautiful coastline and numerous national parks surrounding the city, Sydney offers a wide range of fun and exciting day trips.
Head north, south, or inland, and you’ll come across beaches, bushland, small villages, and scenic drives. Each of these places offers something different, whether it’s a quiet swimming spot or a walk with a view.
Below, you’ll find ten of the best day trip ideas, all within driving distance from Sydney.
1. Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains region is Sydney’s most popular weekend destination, located approximately 60 km west of the Sydney central business district.
First-time visitors will focus on the big tourist attractions, such as the Three Sisters and Echo Point, the incredible waterfall in the town of Wentworth Falls, and the historic Grand Canyon Walk. For those who’ve been to the mountains more than once, there are plenty of more remote hikes to enjoy, such as the Fortress Ridge Trail and the Porters Pass.
Another great spot to visit is Kanangra Walls in Kanangra-Boyd National Park, a remote area with several walking tracks and scenic lookouts.
How to get there
If you’re travelling by car, follow the M4 from the city to the Blue Mountains. Once there, the Great Western Highway runs from Glenbrook (Lower Blue Mountains) to Mount Victoria (Upper Blue Mountains), past the popular towns of Wentworth Falls, Leura, Katoomba, and Blackheath.
If you’re travelling by public transport, catch a train from Sydney Central and get off at one of the popular towns. If it’s your first visit, we recommend getting off at Katoomba and then catching a bus to the Echo Point area, where you can choose from many walking trails, lookouts, and waterfalls.
Resources:
- Best walks in the Blue Mountains
- Most beautiful lookouts in the Blue Mountains
- Best waterfalls in the Blue Mountains
2. Bells Line of Road
Technically part of the Blue Mountains, the Bells Line of Road area is a destination in its own right, with many walks and lookouts to explore, in addition to other fun activities for young and old.
The Bells Line of Road area in the Blue Mountains is much quieter than the Leura, Katoomba, and Wentworth Falls regions and makes for an enjoyable full-day trip.
Bells Line of Road is a 60 km tourist drive between North Richmond and Bell and provides access to fantastic walking tracks and attractions, such as Walls Lookout, Mount Banks, and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden.
The town of Bilpin is the most popular village in this area, home to several fruit orchards and beautiful gardens. It is also famous for its cider tasting and authentic apple pies.
How to get there
As there is no train running through this part of the Blue Mountains, you will need a car. The Bells Line of Road starts in North Richmond and is easy to get to from anywhere in Sydney. The road continues all the way to the town of Bell, passing all major attractions.
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3. Royal National Park
Located just south of Sydney, Royal National Park is Australia’s oldest national park. It’s known for its bush and coastal walks, isolated beaches, picnic spots, and scenic lookouts.
Popular coastal walking tracks include the Coast Track between Bundeena to Otford, the walk to Wedding Cake Rock, the Figure Eight Pools, and the track from Wattamolla to Eagle Rock.
If you’re into bushwalking, try the Forest Path, the Palona Cave Walk, the Palm Jungle Loop Track, or the Karloo Pools Walking Track.
How to get there
Driving is by far the easiest way to reach the Royal National Park, with various entry points into the park from the Princes Highway. Park entry fees are $12 per vehicle per day.
Travelling by train is also convenient for certain walks. For example, Heathcote Station provides easy access to the Karloo Pools Walking Track, and Waterfall Station provides access to the Couranga Walking Track and the Forest Path.
Another option, which is a bit more time-consuming, is the private ferry service between Cronulla and Bundeena. Catch a train to Cronulla Station from Sydney Central, and you’ll find the Cronulla ferry wharf just west of the train station.
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4. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Established in 1894, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is Australia’s second-oldest national park. Located only a short drive north of Sydney, this national park is a popular day trip destination for both Sydneysiders and tourists.
One of the most popular attractions here is West Head Lookout, a superb vantage point offering fantastic views across Pittwater, Broken Bay, and the Barrenjoey Headland.
Bobbin Head is another popular location to visit, with picnic areas and various walking tracks nearby to make a day of it.
How to get there
Being so close to the city, Ku-ring-gai Chase is quite easy to drive to. The park has three main access points on Bobbin Head Road, Ku-Ring-Gai Chase Road, and McCarrs Creek Road, each providing access to various walks and other highlights.
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5. Palm Beach
Just an hour’s drive from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Palm Beach feels a bit like a tropical paradise far away from the city.
With beautiful beaches, numerous cafes and restaurants, and many picnic spots for an outdoor feast, it’s not hard to spend a full day in Palm Beach.
One of the must-do highlights in Sydney’s northernmost suburb is the walk to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse, from where you can enjoy panoramic views of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Broken Bay.
How to get there
Driving to Palm Beach, via Spit Road, Pittwater Road, and Barrenjoey Road, is fairly straightforward, although the roads can be quite busy on the weekends, especially when the weather is good. It’s best to go there early for an easier drive.
There is no train to Palm Beach, however, buses travel frequently between Palm Beach and the city. Check the Transport NSW website to help plan your trip.
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6. Central Coast
Sydney’s famous beaches, such as Manly, Bondi, and Coogee, are great, but they also get busy during weekends. Very busy. So, why not escape these crowds and head north to visit some of the quieter beaches on the Central Coast instead?
Ettalong, Umina, Pearl Beach, and Patonga Beach, overlooking Brisbane Water and Broken Bay, are four family-friendly strips of sand that are perfect for swimming and other water-based activities.
Terrigal and Avoca Beach, facing the ocean, are a bit busier but have excellent facilities and plenty of cafes and restaurants. For a quieter experience, head further north past The Entrance and onto Norah Head and Caves Beach.
How to get there
While there is a train travelling through the Central Coast with several stops, to reach the beaches, a car will be necessary.
From Sydney, it’s a fairly easy drive via the M1 Pacific Motorway. Depending on where you’re coming from and where you’re heading to, the Central Coast can typically be reached within 60 minutes from Sydney.
7. Bouddi National Park
Bouddi National Park is technically part of the Central Coast but is a destination in its own right, offering many bush and coastal walking tracks.
If you love hiking, Bouddi National Park, established in 1967, is more than worth a visit. The most popular hike here is the Bouddi Coastal Walk, an iconic 8 km walking track between MacMasters Beach and Putty Beach.
Other highlights in this national park include the Maitland Bay Track, the Box Head Walk, and the Bouddi Spur Walking Track.
How to get there
From Sydney, it’s an easy drive along the M1 Pacific Motorway.
On this motorway, take the Central Coast Highway (A49) exit and follow the scenic drive to Bouddi National Park via Gosford and Kincumber.
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8. Southern Highlands
The Southern Highlands is a rural region southwest of Sydney, known for its villages, waterfalls, and cool-climate gardens. The area is also home to walking tracks, wineries, and scenic lookouts.
Bowral, Mittagong, and Berrima offer cafés, antique stores, and historic buildings, while Fitzroy Falls, Carrington Falls, and Belmore Falls are popular stops for bushwalking and sightseeing.
How to get there
To visit the many highlights in the Southern Highlands, a car will be necessary. You can drive there either via the Hume Motorway past Mittagong and Bowral, or via the M1 Motorway past Royal National Park and Wollongong.
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9. Wollongong
Wollongong is a coastal city just over an hour south of Sydney, known for its beaches, ocean pools, and lookout points.
The drive along the Grand Pacific Drive, including Sea Cliff Bridge, is a highlight in itself. Once there, you can visit the Nan Tien Temple, walk along the foreshore, or relax at beaches like North Wollongong and Austinmer.
How to get there
Wollongong is an easy day trip by car or train. As mentioned, the Grand Pacific Drive is a fairly easy and enjoyable route to travel along.
The train ride from Central via the South Coast Line to Wollongong takes about 90 minutes.
10. Kiama
One of our favourite day trips from Sydney is the road trip down south to Kiama, a scenic coastal town just south of Wollongong.
Kiama is mainly known for the famous Blowhole, but there is so much more to see and do in Kiama than just looking at ocean water being pushed into the air through a hole in the rocks.
With beautiful coastal cliffs, scenic beaches, and panoramic vantage points, Kiama makes for a great day trip destination for young and old.
How to get there
The drive down to Kiama is very easy via The Princes Motorway (M1) and takes less than two hours. Kiama also has a train station in the centre of town, and the ride from Central via the South Coast Line takes just over two hours.
Some really nice places to visit close to Sydney. Thank you.
Thanks so much Billy, glad you found these day trip ideas helpful.
Very informative list of day trips. Choosing one from each group would take quite some time to fulfill.
Thanks so much, Peter. Just pick one at a time, and there will always be new places to explore outside Sydney.