It’s time to plan a family road trip but this round I’m doing it internationally instead of locally. Take a guess where I’m going for my road trip? Together with my family, I’m planning to visit destinations that are within 3 – 4- hours from Sydney & New South Wales. I’ve heard wonderful stories from friends, and they have recommended some of the below destinations for my road trip.
Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains is about 90-minutes’ drive from Sydney. It’s best known for its stunning naturale landscapes, eucalyptus forests, waterfalls and villages dotted with guesthouses, galleries and gardens. Be amazed by the beautiful scenery at tourist attraction such as Scenic World (explore the World Heritage wilderness), Elysian Rock (remarkable sunset view of Blue Mountain), Lincoln Rock (watch the pale rock changes tone with the movement of the sun with brilliant views of Jamison Valley), Mount Tomah (Australia’s only botanic garden within a UNESCO World Heritage site) and Echo Point (amazing view of Three Sisters, Mount Solitary and the rock formation known as the Ruined Castle).
Other activities include fruit picking at Bilpin (Apples, Persimmons, Plums (January – June) and Peaches (November – December), stargazing tours and glow worm cave tours. Stay the night at Leura, a quaint village in the Blue Mountains with lots of café and restaurant options.
Port Stephens
Just an easy 2.5 hours drive from Sydney, in Port Stephens be amazed with the largest moving coastal sand dunes in Southern Hemisphere, beautiful beaches and coastal walks and explore national parks beckon. It’s also known as the dolphin capital of Australia with over 120 bottlenose dolphins that call Port Stephens home!
Experience the call of wildlife with activities such as Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters, Oakvale Wildlife Park; dolphin and whale watching. If my kids are looking for adventure, there’s sandboarding at Stockton Sand Dunes, 4WD tours, camel riding, and quad biking with many more options to explore. Another worthy mention is the fresh seafood and farm to table experience at Cookabarra; where they have their very own barramundi and hydroponic vegetable farm growing fresh produce on-site.
Central Coast
A one-hour north of Sydney, the Central Coast is a favourite weekend destination. It’s well known for its lovely beaches, stunning coastal terrain, and lush national parks surrounded by local villages and boutique hotels. Apart from taking a walk along the unspoiled coastline and beaches, there are other fun activities as well. Head to Iris Lodge Alpacas or Long Jetty. Try horse riding and experience the TreeTop Adventure at Glenworth Valley.
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest wine growing region and is a two and half-hour drive from Sydney. I can’t wait to explore the historic vineyards amongst the sweeping valleys and sprawling fields. There are junior tasting experiences at Tulloch Wines, hot air balloon rides, grape stomping and walking with llamas at vineyards. You can also Ride a Segway through the beautiful vineyards, enjoying the breezy wind.
For foodies (like me), you must make a visit to Hunter Valley Gardens for a gastronomic dining experience. At Hunter Valley Gardens, they have different festivals at different time of the year such as ‘Snow Time in the Garden’ (June – July) and ‘Christmas Lights Spectacular’ (November – January). I’m sure the kids would also love to enjoy some of the amazing rides available like the ferris wheel, tea cup ride, super slides, inflatables and many more.
Let the kids explore and enjoy the wonder of nature and wildlife to create beautiful memories. The family fun activities are great for family bonding too!
As this is my first time planning a road trip, I need advice from experts. My friends recommended me to check out Sedunia Holidays. They have plenty of attractive packages for Australia and if it doesn’t suit me; I can always request for customize packages too! Sedunia Holidays can assist in booking flight, accommodations to ground arrangements which makes it a one stop centre. Simply convenient!
There are many places to explore in Sydney and New South Wales. For more information, visit https://www.visitnsw.com/