Spending time in Sydney but feel like you would like to get away for a short break? Well, I am already in planning mode, which I am sure many others are too. So let’s start planning those road trips in New South Wales and visit some coastal and rural towns. So here are my choices for four road trips to make for the weekend from Sydney, Australia.

FOUR ROAD TRIPS TO MAKE FOR THE WEEKEND FROM SYDNEY

The Blue Mountains to visit for the weekend from Sydney

The Blue Mountains will be on everyone’s radar because it is only a 1.5-hour drive from Sydney CBD. You can catch a train from Central Station, which is also just as easy. Whether you travel to the Blue Mountains for the day or spend the weekend, there are plenty of things to do there. 

Three Sisters

Everybody goes to this region to see the Three Sisters, so it must be on your list of activities for that reason alone, as this area was on the UNESCO world heritage list.

The Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains get their colour from the mist that falls on the eucalyptus trees, and it’s a natural oil which makes the area look mystic and blue. There are walking and hiking tracks all around this area, and they are for many different fitness levels. 

Scenic World

Visit Scenic World, where you can travel across these beautiful mountains via Scenic Skyway and marvel at the 720-metre journey that provides scenic views along Mount Solitary and Jamison Valley. Not for the faint-hearted is the sky railway, where you will discover what it is like to travel down the steepest scenic railway in the world.

Katoomba

Enjoy Katoomba and the little cafes and boutiques along the way. In addition, this small country town has a few restaurants, and you will find a few galleries along the way. 

Toy and Train Museum

The Toy and Train Museum at Leuralla is an exciting collection of antique toys, trains and train station replicas. The grounds of the impressive house are also worth mentioning, as it has been featured in a few movies and tv programs.

Accommodation in the Blue Mountains

Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa

Nothing is better than staying in a place that allows you nothing but relaxation whether you spend your entire weekend here! Or it is just to lay your head on a comfortable pillow after spending the day hiking the many trails in the area. The Lilianfels Blue mountain resort and spa is the perfect place to stay. The rooms here are beautiful, the staff are friendly, and the views from the room are excellent. This makes it the best location to visit for the weekend from Sydney.

Thredbo is to visit for the weekend from Sydney.

Most people head to Thredbo for the snowfields, but this area is gorgeous any time of the year. Thredbo is a little village that first appeared in the gold-digging days (around 1860). The Snowy Mountains Region came into existence around 1906, when people began to visit this area as tourists. Now Kosciuszko National Park is visited all year round, for it’s skiing in Winter and hiking in summer. It is an approximate 4.5-hour drive from Sydney’s CBD. 

Mount Kosciuszko

Mount Kosciuszko is the highest peak in Australia (and is part of the seven summits); it, of course, is nowhere near the height of the other mountains around the world and can be climbed in a day. You can choose to climb it from the bottom of the mountain or catch a chair lift up and climb to the peak. Remember to wear good climbing shoes and hiking poles for extra support, as it isn’t a stroll in the park, as some may think. Make sure you time it so you can have lunch at the Eagle Nest Restaurant at the end of the chair lift (so you don’t have to walk to the top to visit the restaurant if you don’t want to). 

Kosciuszko National Park 

Kosciuszko National Park has 673,524 hectares of land, so walking trails are plentiful, download the app before you go. It costs $17 per vehicle per day (24hrs); motorbikes $7; passengers on the bus $6.60. During Winter (the start of the June long weekend to the end of the October long weekend), it costs $29 per vehicle per day (24hrs); motorbikes $12; passengers on the bus $11.45 per adult.

Accommodation in Thredbo

Thredbo Alpine Hotel

The location of the Alpine Hotel is perfect for anyone wanting to ski in Winter or climb the peak throughout the year. Right at the bottom of the mountain (across the road from the chair lift), you couldn’t get any closer if you tried. The rooms are basic but comfortable, the staff are friendly, and the restaurant has the good wholesome food you would expect from this part of NSW. This makes it an ideal location to visit for the weekend from Sydney.

Orange to visit for the weekend from Sydney

Orange is approximately 3 hours from Sydney CBD, originally named Blackman’s Swamp and known as a convict settlement. Still, later in 1829, it became Orange, named after William II of Netherlands (or Prince Of Orange). However, now, it is a bustling country town full of vineyards and great places to eat; with the city rich in history (even marked as Banjo Patterson’s birthplace), there is plenty to see and do here.

Heifer Station

Orange has many wineries around this area, but I highly recommend Heifer Wines. You can sit amongst beautiful scenery and taste one of the many delicious wines they offer. Heifer Vinyard offers more than just wine tasting (oh, and delicious cheeseboards); many events occur here. It is worth checking on the Heifer Station website before going! There is something for everyone, with its kid’s farm and tour of the vineyard amongst a few options. 

Nashdale Lane

Another fabulous venue for wine tasting, but it is just a little out of Orange. The food here is delicious, and paired with their wine makes for a great experience. If glamping is more your thing, the Nashdale Lanes luxury glamping cabins might be what you are looking for. Visit for the weekend from Sydney.

Other things to do in Orange

• Orange City Centre has many shops, restaurants and pubs. There is plenty to do here so that you won’t be bored. 
• Blind Freddy’s bushrangers tour is also an option for those who like history.
• Banjo Patterson, more than a poet exhibition, has everything from tours to events.

Accommodation in Orange

Mercure Orange (Templers Mill Motel)

Conveniently located in Orange, The Mecure Orange is a motel-style accommodation. It is nothing fancy, but it is clean, the staff are friendly, and affordable. Parking is plentiful, wifi is free, and there is an outdoor playground for children.

Wagga Wagga to visit for the weekend from Sydney

Wagga Wagga is near the Murrumbidgee River. In other words, Wagga Wagga is approximately a 5-hour drive from Sydney CBD. Wagga Wagga is known as the “City of Good Sports” because many of Australia’s sporting royalty come from Wagga Wagga. This makes it the perfect place to visit for the weekend from Sydney.

The song “along the road to Gundagai”, an Australian folk song written by Jack O’hagan back in 1922, talks about the stretch of the Murrumbidgee River to Gundagai. Every Australian has grown up with the song and studied it in school.

Museum of the Riverina

You can not visit Wagga Wagga without a trip to the Museum of the Riverina (MOR). With so much sporting history in one room, you will come to understand why Wagga Wagga pride’s itself on its sporting abilities. 

Try a Chiko Roll 

While you are there, discover more about our beloved “Chiko roll”, as this is its birthplace. It may not be the healthiest snack alive, but it is very Australian. There isn’t an Aussie who hasn’t tried a Chiko roll or two in their lifetime, and although Francis Gerald McEncroe, was from Bendigo, he first sold it here in Wagga Wagga. 

Baylis Street

You will find all the major stores and boutiques along Baylis street. This major street is full of major chain stores and little one-off boutiques; there are also many great cafes if shopping gets too much for you.

Paper Pear

Wagga Wagga is renowned for beautiful local artwork, so head to Paper Pear, where the friendly staff will warmly welcome you. Pick up a piece or two unique to this area and learn the history behind each piece from knowledgeable staff members.

Crisp Galleries

This fantastic place just under a 1-hour drive from Wagga Wagga is well worth a visit. From its beautiful garden (yes, lunch out in the garden with a gin and tonic in hand is my kind of lunch) to the fantastic concerts and events, this place is beautiful. Peter Crisp is famous for his slumped glass creations worldwide and visiting Crisp Galleries; you can see why this is the perfect place to visit for the weekend from Sydney.

Accommodation in Wagga Wagga

The Wagga Motel and Apartments

The Wagga Motel and apartments are in an ideal spot in the heart of Wagga Wagga, within walking distance to Baylis Street, where you will find great eateries and loads of boutiques and art galleries. The rooms are clean; there are ample parking spaces and, of course, free wifi. The staff are friendly, and the motel and apartments sit right next to the local RSL.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I hope this post has given you the information you need. If you have any recommendations, tips or advice, I would love for you to share them in the comment section below!

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