Best Day Trips from Sydney

If you're visiting Sydney this year and want to explore the surrounds, check out our guide to the best day trips from the city and get exploring!

Including:

• How many days in Sydney is enough?
• Is 7 days in Sydney too long?
• Is it worth visiting Bondi Beach?
• Best Day Trips from Sydney

How many days in Sydney is enough?

At the lower end, we'd recommend you spend at least four days in Sydney, especially if you're also planning on taking a day trip or two out of the city. There is a metric ton of fun to be had in and around Sydney, and with four days, you'll have time to do enough of it.

Is 7 days in Sydney too long?

If you want to include day trips, seven days is more than enough time to explore the city and all the fun places around it. With a ton of recognizable landmarks to visit and snap, and plenty of lesser-known spots to check out, it will be seven days well spent.

Is it worth visiting Bondi Beach?

Bondi Beach is arguably Australia's most famous sandy retreat, with flocks of locals and tourists visiting each year to catch sweet waves, soak up some sun, or just go for a swim. With a medley of clubs, bars, and other nighttime revelry going on in the area, you can even make a day of it. Just know that you will be rubbing shoulders with a lot of people, and if you'd rather have a more secluded beach spot, you'll want to look elsewhere.

Best Day Trips from Sydney: Palm Beach

Travel time: One hour

At the crown of Sydney's Northern Beaches lies Palm Beach, a delightful beach featuring golden sands and crystal-clear water. A far cry from the hustle and bustle of Sydney's busier beaches, it's the perfect place to relax and unwind away from prying eyes.

En route, stop off at The Boathouse for coffee and scones, then head to the colloquially termed "Palmy" and lay your towel. Soak up the rays, take a dip, or go exploring - your choice!

For the latter, adventurers can check out Battenjoey Lighthouse, the Aquatic Reserve, then head up through Smugglers Track and enjoy the magnificent views of the beach and the bay. If there was ever a more 'Grammable location, we've not yet found it.

Best Day Trips from Sydney: Royal National Park

Travel time: One hour

If you're looking for a little forest exploration on your day trip from Sydney, then why not discover nearly 40 acres of lush bushland, clifftop trails, and secluded swimming spots at Sydney's Royal National Park?

If you've got your walking boots on - and plenty of water and snacks - dare to walk to the 16-mile Coast Track. Along here, you'll see ancient art made by the native people, and see caves where they once took shelter.

On the cliffs themselves, you'll find great spots to see humpback whales. They typically surface between May and November, so while it may be away from peak Aussie summer, you'll get some unforgettable snaps to show off back home!

Best Day Trips from Sydney: The South Coast

Travel time: Just over one hour

If you want to see the sights from your car, then take the Grand Pacific Drive along the South Coast, where you'll see a ton of places to hop out and explore, as well as photo-ready scenes straight out of a movie.

Drive over the mesmerizing Sea Cliff Bridge, and you'll be on your way to the charming seaside towns of Wollongong and Kiama. We'll talk about Wollongong in more detail beneath here, but suffice it to say that it's got a ton of beaches, seaside attractions, and things to see.

Kiama, on the other hand, is famous for one thing: the Kiama Blowhole. This blowhole is created thanks to relentless waves passing beneath a hole in the cliff, creating a huge, foamy fountain that will make a social media story to remember. From there, you can try your toes on the Kiama Coast Walk, which will take you to some more secluded seaside spots, or play golf with an audience of kangaroos.

Best Day Trips from Sydney: Wollongong

Travel time: One and a half hours

As we said above, let's talk about Wollongong. It's a beachy suburb around an hour and a half outside of Sydney, and it features a ton of things to do for both thrill-seekers and relaxation-seekers.

If you've never tried surfing, head to the Illawarra Surf Academy and book a lesson. The waters around Wollongong are primed for wave-catching, and the experts at the surf academy will try their hardest to have you on your board in a couple of hours. You could also head just outside of Wollongong and go hang out with some exotic animals at Symbio Wildlife Park.

Then, there's the beaches. Wollongong's population is a fraction of Sydney's, so you'll find a ton of pristine sand to go lay your towel, and plenty of sea to dip in without fear of crowds ruining your relaxation buzz. And hey, if you need to up the adrenaline, why not try your hand at skydiving?

Best Day Trips from Sydney: Blue Mountains

Travel time: Around two hours

If you're looking for serene, verdant spaces and a whole load of nature to explore, you won't find many better places than the Blue Mountains. Featuring ancient forests, one of the best lookout spots in the country, and delicious food, it's easily one of the best day trips from Sydney.

For your views and snaps, head to Echo Point Lookout and soak up the scenery, including the somewhat famous Three Sisters rock formations. Then, grab a few plates at Medlow Bath's opulent Hydro Majestic Hotel, which offers afternoon tea with an Art Deco aesthetic.

And those were our picks of the best day trips from Sydney! If you're looking for fun-filled activities to fill up the rest of your vacation itinerary, check out Go City! With our Explorer Pass, you can see all the city's best bits for one low price!