WEEKENDING

Nelson Bay beach at sunset

Australia’s best towns that are perfect for weekending from Sydney

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Australian Traveller has announced its best Aussie towns to visit in 2026, and 14 of them are within driving distance of Sydney. Perfect for weekends, and a few better for those coveted long weekends, these destinations have it all: wineries, quaint village centres, ski fields, beautiful beaches and rich histories. Not in each one of course; each offers a unique blend of the above and more.

Let’s see who made the list, where they ranked out of 100, how to get to them, and how to make the most of your time there.

Shops along Bong Bong Street in Bowral, New South Wales
Image: Alex Keshen

Bowral – #3

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 120km southwest of Sydney.
How to get there from Sydney: Driving, it’s about 90 minutes southwest of Sydney by car via the M5/M31. You can also take a train from Central Station, which takes about 1 hour, 40 minutes on NSW Link (booking required) or 2 hours, 30 minutes on Sydney Trains via Campbelltown.
What to do: Visit local wineries, shop at Dirty Jane’s, dine at a cafe or restaurant on Bong Bong Street, stroll through a local garden

Turn your visit to Bowral into a getaway. Consider these accommodation options:

📚 Read more of our posts about Bowral:

Thredbo, in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains
Image: Alex Keshen

Thredbo – #28

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 500km southwest of Sydney, so this one is better for a long weekend or extended visit.
How to get there from Sydney: Driving is the easiest option and it’ll take about 6 hours. You can also take FlixBus from Central or the airport, which takes about 7.5 hours.
What to do: Ski and snowboard, enjoy the après ski culture, hike on local trails

Need somewhere to stay in Thredbo during your multi-day escape? Consider booking these accommodation options:

📚 Read more of our posts about Thredbo:

Wine tasting at a vineyard in Orange, New South Wales
Image: Alex Keshen

Orange – #33

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 260km west of Sydney
How to get there from Sydney: Driving is simple and scenic, and gets you there in about 3.5 hours via the M4 and Great Western Highway. You can also take a train from Central, but that will take you about 4.5 hours.
What to do: Go wine tasting, dine on local produce, explore the town and local gardens.

Need somewhere to stay in Orange? Check out these options:

Leura cascades in the Blue Mountains
Image: Alex Keshen

Leura – #45

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 100km west of Sydney.
How to get there from Sydney: Driving, it’s about 1.5 hours along the M4 and Great Western Highway. You can take a train direct from Central to Leura Station in about 2 hours.
What to do: Check out the views of the Blue Mountains, to the Leura Cascades walk (one of our favourites in the area!), wander around the cute town centre

Want to make your visit to Leura into a weekend getaway? Consider these accommodation options:

📚 Read more of our posts about Leura and the Blue Mountains:

Logan Wines in Mudgee, NSW
Image: Alex Keshen

Mudgee – #46

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 270km northwest of Sydney.
How to get there from Sydney: It’s easiest to drive, and the trip should take you about 3.5 hours along the Bells Line of Road (B59) via Richmond and Castlereagh Highway. (Getting there by public transport is long and tricky, as you’ll need to take a train and a bus totalling 5.5 hours.)
What to do: Taste your way through the local wineries, explore Mudgee’s town centre, visit the sculpture garden at Rosby Wines.

Treat yourself to a stay in Mudgee to truly enjoy the wineries and surrounding areas:

📚 Read more of our posts about Mudgee:

A beach at Southwest Rocks, New South Wales, Australia

South West Rocks – #68

✅ We’ve been here, but only for a few hours stop on a road trip!

Where is it: At 459km north of Sydney, this one is best for long weekends.
How to get there from Sydney: Drive north along the Pacific Highway/M1 for about 4.5 hours.
What to do: Scuba dive the iconic Fish Rock, go sport fishing, relax on one of the many beaches, explore Trial Bay Gaol.

Spend a night or two in South West Rocks. Consider these accommodation options:

Terrigal Beach, New South Wales
Image: Alex Keshen

Terrigal – #73

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 95km north of Sydney on the Central Coast.
How to get there from Sydney: Driving along the M1 will get you there in about 1 hour, 20 minutes. You can take a combination of train from Central to Gosford, and then a bus, which will take about 2 hours, 10 minutes, each way.
What to do: Swim at the beautiful beach, dine at a restaurant overlooking the water, take a stroll along Terrigal Boardwalk.

Have a beachy weekend in Terrigal. Check out these places to stay:

Waves coming into a bay with sea cliffs in the background along the Loves Bay to Werri Lagoon walk in Kiama.
Image: Alex Keshen

Kiama – #76

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 130km south of Sydney.
How to get there from Sydney: You can drive there by going south on Princes Highway/M1 in about 1 hour, 50 minutes by car. You can also take a train from Central to Kiama Station in about 2 hours, 35 minutes.
What to do: Get sprayed by the blowhole, see the iconic lighthouse, swim at the beaches or do the beautiful coastal walk.

Want to spend a night or two in charming Kiama? Consider these places to stay:

📚 Read more of our posts about Kiama:

Berry – #82

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 155km south of Sydney
How to get there from Sydney: You can drive there in about 1 hour, 50 minutes via Princes Highway/M1. By train, the trip is about 2 hours, 50 minutes from Central Station, and you’ll need to change trains at Kiama.
What to do: Wander along Queen Street, window shop at the many boutiques, visit nearby wineries and have coffee and brunch at the cute cafes before grabbing a donut from the iconic Donut Van.

Make a weekend out of your visit to Berry. Check out these accommodation options:

📚 Read more of our posts about Kiama:

Merimbula – #83

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: It’s about 530km south of Sydney, so one to keep for a long weekend.
How to get there from Sydney: You can drive down Princes Highway/M1 , with various towns to visit along the way, or straight in about 6 hours.
What to do: Bushwalk in nearby national parks, visit local oyster farms for some of NSW’s best, swim at pristine beaches

Settle into the perfect stay in Merimbula. Check out these options:

Nelson Bay beach at sunset
Image: Alex Keshen

Nelson Bay – #84

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 215km north of Sydney.
How to get there from Sydney: Driving is easiest, and it will take about 2 hours, 20 minutes from Sydney via Pacific Highway/M1.
What to do: Visit as many beaches as you can, snorkel or dive at Fly Point, walk up to Tomaree Head, dine on local seafood

Stay

📚 Read more of our posts about Nelson Bay and the Port Stephens area:

Broke – #93

✅ We’ve been here!

Where is it: About 170km northwest of Sydney.
How to get there from Sydney: It’s about 2 hours, 10 minutes to drive to Broke via the M1 and George Downes Drive.
What to do: Visit wineries; there are plenty in the area! There’s also farms, national parks and sculpture gardens.

Find the perfect accommodation for your weekend in Broke. Consider these places to stay:

📚 Read more of our posts about Broke and the Hunter Valley area:

Bathurst – #98

Where is it: About 200km west of Sydney.
How to get there from Sydney: Drive is fastest and will get you there in about 2 hours, 40 minutes via the M4 and Great Western Highway, or take a train from Central in about 4.5 hours.
What to do: Catch a race at Mount Panorama/Wahluu or check out the National Motor Racing Museum, see grand buildings like the Bathurst Courthouse and Abercrombie House.

Turn your Bathurst visit into a weekend stay. Check out these accommodations:

Image: Destination New South Wales

Goulburn – #99

Where is it: It’s about 200 km southwest of Sydney
How to get there from Sydney: You can drive there in about 2 hours from the city, or take a train, but that will take about 3 hours from Central Station.
What to do: After you’ve seen the Big Merino, there’s the Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum, local cool-climate wineries and walks along the Wollondilly River.

If you’d like to spend a night or two in Goulburn, consider these options:

Where to go next…

  • Alex Keshen

    Alex has been working in the travel content space for more than 15 years and has become an expert at stretching every dollar and annual leave day when travelling. She’s worked for and written content on sites including Traveloka, Travelzoo, Finder, the Huffington Post, Travel Daily and Explore Travel. As long as it fits within her budget and paid time off constraints, she spends her weekends anywhere a flight sale will take her or within driving distance of Sydney.

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