5 Romantic Weekends
A good couples weekend needs more than a nice room: it needs somewhere to explore, eat well, slow down and relax without having to plan every hour.
Romantic Weekends Away in NSW
Last updated
For a romantic weekend away from Sydney, we’re looking for somewhere close enough for two nights, but different enough to feel like you have properly left the city. We want somewhere perfect for proposals, babymoons or just for a weekend getaway.
These five destinations are chosen from our Next Escape romantic getaways because they work especially well for a weekend. They are all within driving distance of Sydney, with enough accommodation, restaurants and things to do for a relaxed two-night escape. Within each section you’ll find links to the full Next Escape destination guides, with more detail on where to explore, eat and stay. We’ve also included our favourite accommodation in each destination.
Next Escape is your guide to real places and real experiences, with practical, independent travel advice based on first-hand visits: the places we’ve explored, the restaurants we’ve eaten at and the walks we’ve 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.
Killcare
From Sydney: Around 1 hour and 30 minutes (101 km)
Killcare is one of the easiest romantic weekends from Sydney if you want the coast without the crowds. This tiny Central Coast village has a surf beach on one side, calm Hardys Bay on the other and Bouddi National Park wrapped around it, so you can build the weekend around beach walks, long lunches and quiet mornings by the water.
The main reason to choose Killcare is the combination of Bells at Killcare, quiet beaches and the Bouddi Coastal Walk. The village is small, and that is part of its appeal. There are not loads of restaurants or late-night options, but there is enough for a two-night escape if you want good food, boutique accommodation and a slower pace.
READ THE FULL NEXT ESCAPE GUIDE TO KILLCARE →
OUR FAVOURITE ACCOMMODATION
Bells at Killcare
Bells at Killcare is the obvious pick for a romantic weekend here. Accommodation is in Hampton-style cottages and lodges set among landscaped grounds, with The Wild Flower Bar & Dining on site. It works especially well if you want to walk the Bouddi Coastal Walk, settle in for dinner and avoid driving anywhere once you arrive.
Bowral
From Sydney: Around 1 hour and 30 minutes (118 km)
Bowral is the Southern Highlands’ polished country weekend: gardens, boutiques, nearby wineries and great dining within an easy drive of Sydney or Canberra. It suits couples who want a refined but relaxed escape, with enough to do across two nights without feeling rushed.
Spend the weekend browsing Bong Bong Street, visiting Corbett Gardens, driving between nearby wineries and dining somewhere like Bistro Sociale, Lucette or Harry’s on Green Lane. Bowral is not a beach or wilderness destination, but for couples who want food, wine, gardens and country-town character, it is one of NSW’s easiest romantic weekends.
READ THE FULL NEXT ESCAPE GUIDE TO BOWRAL →
OUR FAVOURITE ACCOMMODATION
Berida Hotel
Berida Hotel is a relaxing boutique stay just outside the centre of Bowral, with Bistro Sociale and Aspinalls Bar & Lounge on site. There are several places to curl up with a book or a glass of wine, and the breakfast buffet is a highlight. It is an easy choice if you want your romantic weekend to revolve around good food, a cosy base and short drives to the rest of the Southern Highlands.
Nelson Bay, Port Stephens
From Sydney: Around 2.5 hours (214 km)
Nelson Bay is the pick for couples who want a bay-side weekend with wildlife and beaches in easy reach. The town sits on the Port Stephens peninsula, with dolphin cruises leaving from the marina, the Tomaree Head walk for coastal views and beaches like Shoal Bay and Fingal Bay a few minutes away.
Plan the weekend around the water: a morning walk up Tomaree Head, a dolphin cruise from the marina, then dinner at Rick Stein at Bannisters, The Galley Kitchen at The Anchorage or oysters by the water at Holberts. It is an easy place to do as much or as little as you like, and everything is within about 15 minutes of town.
READ THE FULL NEXT ESCAPE GUIDE TO NELSON BAY, PORT STEPHENS →
OUR FAVOURITE ACCOMMODATION
The Anchorage
The Anchorage sits on a private marina at Corlette, with Hamptons-style rooms overlooking the water, Moby’s Bar, Poolside Bar and The Galley Kitchen on site, and both family and adults-only pools. It suits couples who want a quieter base with dinner and drinks a short stroll from their room.
Kangaroo Valley
From Sydney: Around 2 hours and 15 minutes (157 km)
Kangaroo Valley is the pick for couples who want a quiet, more rural romantic weekend than the coast. It sits between the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven, with the Kangaroo River, Hampden Bridge, wombat spotting at Bendeela and waterfalls like Fitzroy and Belmore Falls all within a short drive.
This is the place to choose if your idea of a romantic weekend is a slower pace: a village wander, a dusk walk to spot wildlife, a pub dinner and misty mornings rather than a big dining scene. Book ahead for dinner, especially Thursday to Sunday, and check the National Parks website before visiting the falls.
READ THE FULL NEXT ESCAPE GUIDE TO KANGAROO VALLEY →
OUR FAVOURITE ACCOMMODATION
Wildes Boutique Hotel
Wildes Boutique Hotel is the best central base if you want an easy, polished stay in the village. It sits on Moss Vale Road across from The Friendly Inn, with rooms arranged around a central courtyard and a small pool. There is also an on-site restaurant, so dinner and a nightcap are both a short walk away.
Hunter Valley
From Sydney: Around 2 hours (175 km)
The Hunter Valley is the obvious food-and-wine weekend for couples. There are more than 150 wineries, from casual cottage tastings to premium experiences with matched food, plus restaurants ranging from hatted dining to toasted cheese sandwiches to fit in between cellar doors.
For a two-night romantic weekend you can keep the plan simple: choose a central place to stay, book one long lunch or dinner, then pick a few cellar doors to fill in the gaps. The Hunter also works year-round, with warm restaurants, cellar doors and boutique accommodation making it just as good in winter.
READ THE FULL NEXT ESCAPE GUIDE TO HUNTER VALLEY →
OUR FAVOURITE ACCOMMODATION
The Convent Hunter Valley
The Convent is a restored 19th-century convent building with lovely rooms, a pool and garden and Pepper Tree Wines cellar door and Circa 1876 on site. It is a good fit for couples who want the Hunter Valley’s food-and-wine weekend feeling without having to drive far between every stop.
Other romantic NSW weekends to consider
If you want more ideas, the full Romantic Getaways guide includes more beach towns, country villages and road trip options across NSW.
Kiama is an easy South Coast choice if you want beaches, restaurants, accommodation and ocean pools close together, while Mollymook is good for a longer weekend built around Bannisters, Rick Stein and relaxed beach mornings.
