From the best snorkelling beaches to scenic mountain trails, stargazing to whale watching, we’re here to help you find your next adventure with New South Wales weekend getaways.

Inspiration for things to do and weekend getaways

If you’re looking for things to do in destinations we happily weekend in, you’re in the right spot.

2-day New South Wales weekend getaways

Weekends are made for adventures and we spend plenty of them exploring this beautiful backyard of ours. With 48 hours (or more if you leave on a Friday afternoon), there’s plenty you can do and some great places to stay. The hardest choice will just be whether go go coastal or head inland.

3-day New South Wales weekend getaways

We love a long weekend. They’re practically an invitation to go on a mini-break. With an extra day, we can get a bit further out there or even hop on a plane to reach all corners of the state. From Byron Bay to Merimbula or inland to the Warrumbungles and, one day, Broken Hill, our guides are here to help you make the most of your extra day off.

New South Wales getaway ideas: Where to go for a weekend away

As much as we love the city, we also love getting out of it. With New South Wales being our home state, we do plenty of short trips here. Whether it’s a long weekend or we’re after just a quick, 48-hour getaway, here are our some of our favourite regions to escape to.

Mid-North Coast

• Coffs Harbour: So much more than the Big Banana, explore beautiful beaches, kangaroo-filled peninsulas and even swim with turtles if you’re lucky.
• Port Stephens: Just north of Newcastle, this region is home to a few towns with perfect holiday vibes with palm-lined beaches and plenty of dolphins swimming in the bay.

Blue Mountains

• Katoomba: The first port-of-call for many tourists, Katoomba is home to the iconic Three Sisters and Scenic World
• Wentworth Falls: Our go-to for scenic hikes, Wentworth Falls has dozens of tracks that all connect that let you choose you own adventure, all with a stunning waterfall as a backdrop.
• Western Blue Mountains: Beyond the popular tourist spots of Katoomba and Leura, there’s quiet towns with epic scenery and plenty of hiking trails to explore.

Central West and North West Slopes

• Coonabarabran and Warrumbungle National Park: Home to some of the country’s best stargazing, this national park is packed with scenic bushwalking tracks through the rugged bushland.
• Mudgee: Our favourite wine region in New South Wales (sorry, Hunter Valley), here there’s laid back vineyards, rolling green hills and delicious regional cuisine.
• Orange: Beyond the Blue Mountains lies this a wine region that’s home to more than 80 vineyards growing grapes in the volcanic soil of the long-dormant Mount Canobolas.

Know you want to go away, but not sure where to start? We break down dozens of destinations by type to help you find your perfect escape. Some places do fit into a few categories, so if you’re looking for a combo holiday, be sure to check out each section.

Cheap weekend getaways in New South Wales

“Cheap” and destinations within Australia don’t often go hand-in-hand, but there are affordable breaks to have without leaving New South Wales if you know where to look.

• South Coast: Travelling from Sydney, once you get south of Jervis Bay, accommodation prices drop significantly but the beauty certainly doesn’t. Sure, it’s a bit of a longer drive, but the beaches are beautiful and much less crowded down here.
• Mudgee and Orange: Like the South Coast, the further away from Sydney, the more affordable things get. While prices in the Hunter Valley can soar, Mudgee and Orange are also stunning wine regions that don’t come with the same high room rates.
• Country towns: Skip Sydney and ditch the beach; New South Wales is home to some incredibly charming small towns that offer the perfect amount to fill a weekend at a nice slow pace. (They’re also home to some of the best bakeries around!)
• Camping: The ultimate cheap weekend away, there are plenty of affordable (and even free!) campsites within New South Wales National Parks. Some of our top picks are Camp Blackman in Warrumbungle National Park and Yagon and Mungo Brush in Myall Lakes National Park.

And it’s not just about the destination, but where you stay when you get there. Consider a cabin at a caravan park instead of a hotel room (they can be surprisingly nice!) or stay a block or two away from the beach instead of right on it.

Where to go for a romantic New South Wales weekend getaway

Whether it’s a honeymoon or a couples’ getaway, New South Wales has some lovely destinations and accommodations that will suit just about any couple’s ideal weekend away. Here are some of our top picks:

• Mudgee: If wining and dining is your idea of romance, head to Mudgee. Here, you’re less likely to encounter big bus tours like in the Hunter Valley and may find that you have the entire cellar door to yourself.
• Blue Mountains: In autumn or spring, the nighttime temperatures drop just enough that you’ll want to cosy up by a fireplace with a glass of red. During the day, though, the temperatures are just perfect for a secluded nature walk or a dip at the Japanese bathhouse.
• Lord Howe Island: Technically, this is part of New South Wales! And if seclusion is your idea of romance then this is it. The island paradise actually limits the number of tourists that can visit at any given time so a quiet holiday is just about guaranteed.
• Hunter Valley: Lush vineyards, a rural setting and great restaurants are the name of the game here with plenty of options when it comes to cosy accommodations or luxe resorts.

Iconic places in Sydney to visit

Residents of Sydney’s Inner West for more than a decade, we love the area. But we’re also keen explorers and spend plenty of time discovering other parts of the Sydney. Here’s some of our top picks with some guides to match.

Inner West

• Newtown: A funky 2 kilometre stretch of mouth-watering restaurants, iconic pubs and plenty of unique shops.
• Marrickville: Newtown’s quieter cousin that’s well worth a visit on its own is home to some of the city’s best breweries and Vietnamese restaurants.

Eastern Suburbs

• Bondi: Sydney’s, if not Australia’s, most famous beach suburb is home to more than just a stunning stretch of sand. Some great restaurants and coastal walks can be found in the area.
• Coogee: Less touristed than Bondi, Coogee is well worth the visit for those who make it to the end of the Bondi-Coogee coastal walk… Or those who opt to just take the bus. The surf is more gentle than Bondi and the prices in restaurants are probably more affordable.
• La Perouse: The southern-most point of this stretch of coast before hitting Botany Bay, La Perouse has a completely different vibe to most other Eastern Suburbs beaches and has that away-from-it-all feeling you may be after for a beach day and is home to some of the city’s best snorkelling.

Northern Beaches

• Manly: It may have been the first part of the Northern Beaches we ever explored, but it still remains as our favourite. Multiple stunning beaches, an iconic ferry ride and a headland for bushwalks all within reach of great restaurants, cafes and shops. There’s not much more you can ask for here.
• Palm Beach: At the furthest-north tip of the peninsula, Palm Beach is simply stunning; stunning enough that it’s long been the set of Australian soap opera Home & Away.

South Coast

• Kiama: The cute town just a few hours south of Sydney is perfect for a coastal day trip.
• Narooma: Swim with local seals in this quiet seaside town.
• Merimbula: Just about as far down the coast you can get, explore pristine beaches and bushwalking tracks.
• Woolongong: All the perks of a city with the feel of a beach holiday.