Blue Mountains (about 2 hours)
The most popular day trip: cliffs, waterfalls and the Three Sisters, reachable by train. See our full Blue Mountains guide.
Blue Mountains tour with Three Sisters and Scenic World
A day trip from Sydney to Echo Point, Scenic World's rides and the mountain villages.
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Small-group Blue Mountains tour
Cable cars, lookouts and wildlife with a maximum of about ten guests.
Check availability Book via GetYourGuideTour listings are on GetYourGuide. Prices, times and cancellation terms are shown live on each listing and can change; SydneyTravel.com may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hunter Valley (about 2–2.5 hours)
Australia's oldest wine region lies north of Sydney around Pokolbin, with well over a hundred cellar doors, known especially for Semillon and Shiraz, plus cheese, chocolate and gin. Public transport to the vineyards is limited, so most visitors drive (with a designated driver) or join a tour.
To choose wineries and plan a weekend, see our sister site HunterValleyWineries.com and the Hunter Valley guide on NSWTravel.com.
Hunter Valley wine-tasting day tour
A guided day of cellar-door tastings in Australia's oldest wine region, with pick-up in Sydney.
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Port Stephens (about 2.5 hours)
North of Newcastle, Port Stephens combines a sheltered bay with resident dolphins and the huge Stockton Bight sand dunes, on Worimi country, where tours offer sandboarding and 4WD rides. Whale watching is excellent in season. It is a long day from Sydney; staying a night is more relaxed. See Port Stephens on NSWTravel.com.
Port Stephens and Nelson Bay adventure tour
Sand dunes, dolphin-watching waters and beaches north of Newcastle; check pick-up points and inclusions.
Check availability Book via GetYourGuideTour listings are on GetYourGuide. Prices, times and cancellation terms are shown live on each listing and can change; SydneyTravel.com may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Royal National Park and the South Coast
Just south of the city, Royal National Park has clifftop walks and beaches. Continue south along the Grand Pacific Drive across the Sea Cliff Bridge to Wollongong and Kiama, where the Kiama Blowhole sends sea spray high into the air when the swell is right. South Coast line trains reach Kiama in a little over two hours.
Further south, Jervis Bay (about three hours) is famous for very white sand and dolphin cruises — a very long day trip, better with an overnight stay.
Sea Cliff Bridge and Kiama Blowhole tour
Royal National Park, the Grand Pacific Drive's Sea Cliff Bridge and the Kiama Blowhole in one small-group day.
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Royal National Park private day tour
A private day with walks to clifftop lookouts and beaches in the world's second-oldest national park.
Check availability Book via GetYourGuideJervis Bay day tour with dolphin cruise
A long day south to Jervis Bay's white beaches with a dolphin-watching cruise.
Check availability Book via GetYourGuideTour listings are on GetYourGuide. Prices, times and cancellation terms are shown live on each listing and can change; SydneyTravel.com may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Palm Beach and the Hawkesbury
The northern tip of the city's beaches, Palm Beach, feels like a day trip even though it is still in Sydney. Combine it with a ferry across Pittwater or a drive through Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, which has Aboriginal rock engravings and river views. The Hawkesbury River, an hour north by train, offers river cruises and oysters.
Further afield: Byron Bay and the Gold Coast
Byron Bay is not a day trip — it is about 750 km north — but it is a short flight to Ballina or to the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta. Our sister sites cover both: Byron Bay on NSWTravel.com and Coolangatta.com for the southern Gold Coast beaches just over the Queensland border.
Further afield: Tasmania
Tasmania is an easy add-on to a Sydney trip: direct flights to Hobart take about two hours. The city sits beneath kunanyi / Mount Wellington, roughly half an hour's drive from the centre to a summit lookout over Hobart and the Derwent, and our sister site's guide to kunanyi / Mount Wellington explains the drive, the summit shuttle and the best walks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day trip from Sydney?
The Blue Mountains for scenery, the Hunter Valley for food and wine, and Royal National Park with the Sea Cliff Bridge for coastal drama.
Can I do day trips from Sydney without a car?
Yes for the Blue Mountains, Kiama, Cronulla and Royal National Park by train and ferry. For the Hunter Valley and Port Stephens, a tour is much easier.
Is the Hunter Valley worth a day trip?
Yes, but it is a long day. If you can, stay one night to enjoy more tastings without rushing.
Sources and official information
Facts were checked against these official sources in November 2026. Opening hours, prices and timetables change, so confirm before you go.
SydneyTravel.com is independent and is not the official tourism board. Some links are affiliate links: tours go to GetYourGuide and hotels go to Booking.com, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
