Sydney’s location between mountains, coast and wine country means you are spoilt for choice when it comes to day trips. Within 90 minutes of the city you can find yourself swimming at amazing beaches, walking through country towns or looking out over vineyards and rural countryside.

This guide covers our favourite day trips from Sydney: close enough to do in a day, but far enough that you feel like you have left the hectic Sydney pace behind.

Next Escape is your guide to real places and real experiences, with honest, practical, independent travel advice based on first-hand visits: the beaches we’ve swum at, the restaurants we’ve eaten at, the walks we’ve actually done. This page may contain affiliate links; if you book or buy through them, Next Escape may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Destination	Drive from Sydney	Best for
Kiama	1 hr 30 min	Coastal walks, families
Terrigal	1 hr 30 min	Couples, foodies, beaches
Avoca Beach	1 hr 30 min	Families, surfers
Ettalong Beach	1 hr 30 min	Families, budget travellers
Killcare	1 hr 30 min	Romantic, couples, food lovers
Bowral	1 hr 30 min	Food, gardens, couples
Berrima	1 hr 30 min	History, beers at the pub
Blue Mountains	1 hr 30 min	Nature, walks
Hunter Valley	2 hrs	Wine lovers, groups, couples

Coastal Day Trips

Kiama

Just 90 minutes south of Sydney on the NSW South Coast, Kiama is one of the easiest and most scenic coastal escapes from the city. The town is large enough to offer excellent dining and accommodation, yet small enough for a relaxed coastal vibe.

The Kiama Blowhole is the drawcard for many visitors to Kiama. It is one of the largest blowholes in the world and is most active when strong south-easterly swells combine with high tide. It’s an easy visit with a cafe and car park nearby, and entry is free.

The 20 km Kiama Coastal Walk offers rugged cliff-top scenery, with options to walk north towards Minnamurra River (seeing Cathedral Rocks and Bombo Headland) or south towards Gerringong. If you are just there for a day, then you can do as much or as little of the walk as you like and turn around when you hit a good halfway point.

Kiama Surf Beach is patrolled from October long weekend through to Easter, with picnic areas, BBQs and showers. There are also two ocean pools, one right near the blowhole and one next to Black Beach Reserve.

Food highlights: Silica for ocean-view dining with fantastic seafood, Flower Water Salt for takeaway pies and sourdough and Miss Arda for cocktails and share plates.

• Drive time: 1 hour 30 minutes (131 km)
• Best for: Coastal walks, family beach days, food lovers
• For a full guide: Kiama Next Escape Guide

Terrigal

Terrigal has a relaxed beachy feel with sophisticated dining options plus an iconic headland walk, all just 90 minutes from Sydney.

The Skillion headland walk is the standout experience. At the southern end of Terrigal Beach, the walk is short but uphill, with beautiful views of the ocean and town at the top. The lookout is perfect for whale watching from May to October. Allow around an hour to take in the views at the different platforms.

Terrigal Beach is patrolled during summer months (check the beachsafe website for exact dates as these vary each year). For calmer water, Terrigal Lagoon (a 5-minute walk from town) offers paddleboard and kayak hire.

Food highlights: Amarilla for Spanish tapas with sunset views, Bellyfish Cafe for breakfast by the beach and Meribella Bar at the Crowne Plaza for cocktails overlooking the ocean.

• Drive time: 1 hour 30 minutes (90 km)
• Best for: Couples, foodies, beach lovers
• For a full guide: Terrigal Next Escape Guide

Avoca Beach

Avoca Beach sits about 100 km north of Sydney, roughly 90 minutes by car. It’s quieter than nearby Terrigal and a great choice if you want a more local, less crowded beach experience.

The beach is long and open, rarely feeling crowded even on summer weekends. The southern end is patrolled from September school holidays through to April, with a natural rock pool suitable for young children. At the northern end, Avoca Lake has the surf of Avoca Beach on one side and calm, flat water on the other, perfect for paddleboarding and kayaking.

For food, there are several restaurants near the Surf Life Saving Club, including Avoca Beach Seafood for classic fish and chips, Avoca Beach House for seafood platters with views and Avoca Sands for cafe meals and coffee.

• Drive time: 1 hour 30 minutes (100 km)
• Best for: Families, surfers, relaxed beach days
• For a full guide: Avoca Beach Next Escape Guide

Ettalong Beach

Ettalong Beach is calm, shallow and family-friendly, ideal for paddling, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. A playground sits right on the beachfront with picnic tables, BBQ facilities and public toilets.

For an active day out, the flat 3.4 km walk along the Esplanade from Ettalong Beach to Umina Beach is a great option. Umina Beach has a patrolled beach and cafe so you can finish your walk with a swim and coffee. The BOX on the Water is an excellent lunch destination. It’s right on the beach with share plates and matching wine recommendations. For something casual, the Ettalong pub has a friendly easy-going atmosphere with Aussie pub classics like wings, steaks, schnitzels, tacos and burgers.

• Drive time: 1 hour 30 minutes (95 km), also reachable by ferry from Palm Beach
• Best for: Families with young children, foodies wanting a nice lunch on the water, budget-conscious travellers
• For a full guide: Ettalong Beach Next Escape Guide

Killcare

Just 90 minutes from Sydney, this tiny coastal village offers quiet beaches combined with some of the best food on the Central Coast.

Killcare Beach and Putty Beach are two ends of the same 1.6 km stretch of sand. Killcare Beach, at the southern end, is patrolled seven days a week during summer months (exact dates vary each year, so it’s good to check the beachsafe website before visiting). Putty Beach, at the northern end, is quieter and unpatrolled and is the finish point for the 8.5 km Bouddi Coastal Walk. For an active day, you could do some of the Bouddi Coastal Walk, starting from Putty Beach. This is a well-maintained, easy-to-follow walk through rainforest, past gorgeous coastal views and to secluded beaches.

Wildflower Bar and Dining is the standout restaurant. It sits within Bells at Killcare, a boutique hotel in Killcare Heights, and offers fresh, seasonal produce-inspired menus and an extensive wine list. On the other side of the peninsula, Hardys Bay offers calm waterfront dining at Anchor and The Fat Goose.

• Drive time: 1 hour 30 minutes (95 km)
• Best for: Romantic getaways, couples, food lovers
• For a full guide: Killcare Next Escape Guide

Country Day Trips

Bowral

Bowral is the Southern Highlands’ culinary and cultural hub, a sophisticated country town where Don Bradman’s legacy meets cool-climate gardens, regional dining and classic village character. Just 90 minutes from Sydney, it makes an easy day trip, though an overnight stay lets you experience the evening dining scene properly.

Along Bong Bong Street, you’ll find heritage buildings with antique stores, clothing boutiques and cafes like Italo and Gumnut Patisserie. For a day trip, combine a walk down Bong Bong Street with a visit to Corbett Gardens. This small, manicured garden in the centre of Bowral is quiet for most of the year, but draws big crowds at Tulip Time in late September/early October when 75,000 tulips bloom.

The food scene is the real draw for Bowral. Harry’s on Green Lane is a go-to for modern Australian food with gorgeous decor, Lucette offers perfectly cooked French classics like beef bourguignon and steak frites, and Franquette Crêperie serves galettes and crêpes all day from 7:30 am. Bowral gets busy on weekends, so be sure to book your restaurants in advance.

The nearby wineries are worth factoring in if you have a designated driver for the afternoon. Centennial Vineyards has a large terrace perfect for a long lunch, Artemis offers wine tastings and wood-fired pizzas on weekends and Bendooley Estate, near Berrima, combines a wine tasting and a restaurant with the famous Berkelouw Book Barn.

• Drive time: 1 hour 30 minutes (118 km)
• Best for: Food lovers, couples, garden enthusiasts
• For a full guide: Bowral Next Escape Guide
• For inspiration to fill your day: Things to do in Bowral – Weekend Escape Guide

Berrima

Berrima is one of Australia’s best-preserved Georgian villages, a quiet, historic pocket of the Southern Highlands where the main street looks much as it did in the 1830s. Just 15 minutes from Bowral and 90 minutes from Sydney, it’s an easy addition to any Southern Highlands trip and works beautifully as a day trip paired with Bowral.

Harper’s Mansion, at the northern end of the main street, was built in the 1830s and offers a glimpse into early colonial life with its cool-climate garden and hedge maze (opening hours are limited, be sure to check the National Trust website before visiting). The Berrima Courthouse, built in 1838, is one of the finest examples of Georgian colonial architecture in Australia.

The Surveyor General Inn has been continuously licensed since 1834, making it one of the oldest hotels in Australia. It’s a great spot for a beer even if you’re not staying for a meal. Nearby Bendooley Estate, with its wine tasting, restaurant and huge bookstore, is also worth a visit.

• Drive time: 1 hour 30 minutes (131 km)
• Best for: History lovers, couples, a half-day paired with Bowral
• For a full guide: Berrima Next Escape Guide

Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains is one of the closest Sydney day trips, around 100 km from Sydney and an hour and 30 minutes by car (depending on Sydney traffic). There’s a lot to do in the Blue Mountains and, if you only have a day, you could pick 2 or 3 of the following activities:

• Scenic World: One of the best-known attractions in the Blue Mountains with four different experience options: the Scenic Railway (the world’s steepest passenger railway), Scenic Skyway (a glass-floored cable car), Scenic Cableway (a gondola descent) and the Scenic Walkway (a rainforest boardwalk at the valley floor). Allow 2-3 hours and book online to skip the queue (this gets busy on weekends). You do need to be comfortable with heights to enjoy Scenic World.
• Echo Point Lookout and the Three Sisters: The Three Sisters (Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo) are three sandstone peaks rising around 900 metres above sea level. This is free to visit and you can walk around from Scenic World to combine the two activities.
• Wentworth Falls: A 45-minute return walk to the lookout for Wentworth Falls. This is quite steep in parts with lots of steps (around 200) but worthwhile once you see the views.
• Leura village: The main street has cafes, antique shops and bookstores, making it a good spot to stop for lunch in between your day trip activities.
• The Grand Canyon Track: A 6 km loop track through the canyon with lush scenery and views. This is steep in parts as you are getting down to the canyon and can get busy, especially on weekends (good to go in the morning if you can).

The Blue Mountains is a great option if you want a full day out from Sydney. Combining Echo Point, Scenic World and lunch or brunch in Leura will easily keep you busy. Scenic World gets very busy, especially on weekends, so book ahead or have a backup plan in case the queues are too long.

• Drive time: 1 hour 30 minutes (100 km)
• Train: 2 hours from Central Station
• Best for: Nature lovers, couples, hikers, families

Wine Country Day Trip

Hunter Valley

The Hunter Valley sits around 2 hours north of Sydney, and while this is pushing the day trip limit, we have included it here as it’s a popular escape from the city.

With over 150 wineries to choose from, the Hunter offers a huge range of cellar door experiences. Brokenwood has an impressive redeveloped cellar door with circular tasting pods and an outdoor terrace. Audrey Wilkinson has the best views in the valley, with tastings from $15 and cheese boards available. Peppertree Wines has a beautiful cellar door (and excellent restaurant), often with kangaroos hopping among the vines.

One practical note: if you’re planning to visit multiple cellar doors, you’ll need a designated driver. There are also several winery tour options from Sydney, so the whole group can relax and enjoy a wine tasting.

Beyond wine, there’s fabulous food, cheese tastings and the Hunter Valley Gardens for a non-wine activity. For more inspiration, check out our guide “Hunter Valley Without Wine” for activities for the non-drinkers.

• Drive time: 2 hours (175 km)
• Best for: Wine lovers, groups, couples
• For a full guide: Hunter Valley Next Escape Guide