Happy new year friends! I hope the start of January has been pleasant so far. I’ve just come back from a girl’s trip to the Hunter Valley for 3 days and it was relaxing and well-needed just before work starts up again. I live in Sydney and I do appreciate that there are so many nice places to visit that are only hours away by car making it really accessible to have a mini holiday.
With Covid-19 restrictions still in place, it’s still really important to remain safe and monitor for any symptoms. States have all shut their borders to NSW again (but are we surprised?) so here are just 5 short holiday getaways from Sydney (that you can still go to during current Covid-19 restrictions) that are perfect for a quick weekend trip away.
1. Hunter Valley
Needs no explanation. I’ll be documenting my holiday including places to visit, food recommendations and recommendations of what to pack and a two and three day itinerary. If you’re interested, I would love if you subscribed so you can be notified of any future new posts because I most likely will scatter these in the coming weeks.
The Hunter Valley is about 2 hours north from Sydney and is known for its wineries so it’s perfect for a girl’s trip where you can explore the wineries, get ‘drunk’ and just escape the chaotic city for a bit. Hunter Valley is blessed with so much green landscape everywhere you go. It is very calming and the perfect place for a quiet retreat.
2. Byron Bay
Byron Bay is about an 8 hour drive north from Sydney which is totally doable if you want the road trip experience. I flew into Ballina to get to Byron Bay. You can also fly into the Gold Coast as well and drive about 1.5 hour south to Byron Bay since it’s in northern NSW and basically at the QLD-NSW border.
If you’re considering going to the Gold Coast for a while and have extra time, I would highly recommend renting a car to Byron Bay.
Byron Bay is known for its relaxing beaches and has really seen a spike in tourists mainly because it’s a great destination for us Sydney folk since we can’t leave the state. More famously, Byron Bay is known for the Hemsworths (Chris and Liam Hemsworth) who do frequent from time to time. Our Uber driver from the airport said he’s seen them. Zac Efron is also living there so there is some serious eye candy on offer.
There are some really nice beaches and hikes to explore. There is also the Cape Byron Lighthouse which is a great walk with a really nice lookout. There is great food and bars and if you’re feeling outdoorsy there are a lot of activities available. I did stand up paddleboarding (hungover which was not fun) but you can also go surfing, kayaking and scuba diving.
3. Blue Mountains
Whilst technically in Greater Sydney, it’s west enough for me to classify as a getaway from Sydney. It is most famous for the Three Sisters which is a historic rock formation. There are also amazing lookouts, trails and waterfalls to explore. Try the cablecar as well.
I think this would be great as a girl’s trip or a romantic getaway because there are some amazing airbnb accomodation options. You can get a really romantic little cottage, cabin or even a little treehouse with some amazing views.
4. Jervis Bay and the South Coast
I haven’t been to Jervis Bay in years but their beaches are known to have the most pristine white sand. It is absolutely gorgeous. You can also go whale watching and scuba diving as well. Jervis Bay is about a 2.5-3 hour drive south of Sydney but I would definitely recommend doing stopovers on the way and back.
Sea Cliff Bridge is a very iconic location near Stanwell Park along the Grand Pacific Drive and it is one of the most scenic coastal roads. If I see one more person post a picture of them here on Instagram I will scream. There are also places like Wollongong, Nowra and Kiama to check out along the way. The vibe is very laidback and it will be a very relaxing getaway.
5. Central Coast
The Central Coast is also a great location due to its close proximity with Sydney only being about a 1 hour drive away. I went here so many times when I was younger because it was so close to Sydney that my family would often do day trips there.
There are some fantastic coastal walks and beaches. We made a stopover at Lake Macquarie on the way back from the Hunter Valley and the lakes are gorgeous. People were on kayaks, boats and jetskis and the weather was perfectly sunny and it was just a beautiful day out.
Caves Beach is absolutely stunning with amazing caves. There is also Avoca Beach, Terrigal Beach and Soldiers Beach (pictured) among many others. I have very fond memories of The Entrance which also has beaches and is famous for the pelicans.
Also the Central Coast is all on coast so don’t forget to eat your heart out in seafood. Oysters, fish and chips, mussels, prawns and salt and pepper squid. Yum!
Have you been to any of these places before?
I’m planning (hopefully) to come to Australia at the end of next year, and these places are definitely going on my list! They sound and look exquisite.
Yay that sounds so good! I would highly recommend Byron Bay. It’s definitely full of travellers and it’s beautiful + it’s so close to the Gold Coast so it would be great if visiting Queensland x
I’m not in Australia but reading this makes me really wish I was. These places look absolutely beautiful and perfect for little retreats during this pandemic which are still safe to go to!
Thanks for reading Jenny! I definitely didn’t expect to go on a trip this January and we ensured we were all covid-safe. I can’t wait for international travel to reopen but it’s definitely made me appreciate little gems in my own country.
Oh my gosh they are such dream locations!
https://www.emilyclareskinner.com
Yes – they are super relaxing places and only a short car trip away!
It would be my dream to go to Australia and visit these amazing places !
xo, Shannen
http://shannenadeline.com/
Thanks for reading Shannen! Hope you get to visit Australia one day x
From breathtaking skies to is-that-really-water beaches, I love the beautiful photos of these destinations you share! Australia is a lovely country; I visited it in 2019 and, while I was not able to see everything, I did have the opportunity to visit a small beach. It is an experience I treasure in memory. 🙂
I’m so glad you really enjoyed your stay. Australia is such a big country – even I haven’t visited some major tourist attractions myself haha. One day 🙂
Such amazing places! I can’t wait to travel!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
I think all of us can’t wait to travel haha. Thanks for reading Lovely x
Lovely post and beautiful places! I was in Sydney and Byron in 2019 and had such an amazing time! My friend I was with popped to Woolworth’s in Byron and saw Chris Hemsworth! Can’t believe it was the one time I decided to stay in the hostel room ahah.
Next time I’m in Australia I defo want to head to the Blue Mountains. Stay safe x
http://www.lexiealexandra.com
Damn it I’m so jealous and Woolworths of all places – a freaking grocery store haha. I think it’s really cool that the Hemsworths do visit home a lot and they do seem very down to earth. Hopefully you see Zac Efron on your next trip haha x
So I was due to move to Australia last June, so this post really gave me life and when I do eventually move over I’m definitely going to visit all of these places, bucket list additions!!! thank you so much for sharing this post, it gave me life I didn’t know I needed (not moving made me awfully sad).
You’ll have a blast here!! Hopefully we’ll be able to travel internationally soon. There are so many places to visit that even I haven’t been to. I really want to visit more of Queensland and go to the Whitsundays.
Everything looks incredible, especially as I sit here in my sitting room with my feet freezing because it’s so cold, haha! Thanks for sharing!
I kind of forget that we are in a completely different season to most of the world haha. It’s ok when it’s winter here, it will be nice and sunny over there 🙂
All these places look soooo amazing! It’s my plan to visit Australia one day!! (from uk) x
There are so many places I want to visit in the UK! Hope you make the trip one day x
Oh WOW these all look spectacular. I would love to travel to any one of these destinations! I barely leave my house now. Thanks for posting! : )
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
Thank you for reading Allie 🙂
Oh wow so many beautiful places! I’ve been to Byron Bay when I visited Aussie in 201, I loved it! I hope to be back one day!
Life is a Shoe
Byron Bay is amazing! I hope you’re able to come back to Australia one day!