Sydney’s best short trips are all within two hours in different directions. West are the Blue Mountains, north the Hunter Valley and the Central Coast beaches, south the farmland of Kangaroo Valley. Here are the four we keep going back to, with the stays that are cheaper than normal right now.
Where to go
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Blue Mountains
1 hr 30 min from Sydney · 100 km
Cabins, lookouts, log fires
Katoomba, Leura and Blackheath are the towns to stay in, with the Three Sisters, Wentworth Falls and the Grand Canyon walk all close by. Cabins with a wood fire book out in winter, the best time to go. The train works if you would rather not drive.
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Hunter Valley
2 hr from Sydney · 165 km
Wineries around Pokolbin
Australia’s oldest wine region, with more than 150 cellar doors around Pokolbin and Lovedale. Book a driver, do four or five wineries, and stay in a cottage on a vineyard so nobody drives after dinner. Weekends fill with hens parties; midweek is a different place.
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Kangaroo Valley
2 hr from Sydney · 160 km
River, farmland, the quiet one
A green valley walled in by escarpment, with one main street, a historic sandstone bridge and a slow river to kayak. Farm stays and cabins are spread along the valley floor. Fitzroy Falls is on the way in. Come here when you want nothing in particular to do.
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Central Coast
1 hr 15 min from Sydney · 80 km
Beach houses, Bouddi walks
Avoca, Terrigal, Pearl Beach and Killcare are the beach house towns, with the Bouddi coastal walk between them. Cheaper than the Northern Beaches and quicker than the South Coast. Best from November to April; in winter it is a good place to read.
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Which direction to drive
Winter: Blue Mountains, for a fire and a fog-filled valley. Summer: the Central Coast, for a house near the sand. Hunter Valley works year-round and is best in autumn, when the vines turn. Kangaroo Valley is the one for switching off completely.
If you are not driving, the Blue Mountains train from Central to Katoomba takes two hours and puts you in walking distance of most things. The others need a car.
Keep it cheap
Sydney weekend prices peak in school holidays and long weekends. A Friday to Sunday stay outside those windows is often 30 to 40 per cent cheaper for the same place.
Compare the total including cleaning fees, and check the reviews for whether the advertised views and fires are real. The thumbnails above are stays that are cheaper this weekend than usual.
Common questions
What is the closest weekend getaway to Sydney?
The Central Coast, about 80 kilometres and an hour and a quarter up the M1. The Blue Mountains are around an hour and a half. Hunter Valley and Kangaroo Valley are both about two hours.
Is the Blue Mountains worth an overnight stay?
Yes. The day-trip crowds leave by late afternoon, and the lookouts at sunrise and the towns in the evening are the best part. One night is enough; two lets you do a longer walk.
Where are the cabins with a fireplace near Sydney?
Mostly in the upper Blue Mountains around Blackheath and Katoomba, and in Kangaroo Valley. The Hunter has some vineyard cottages with fires. Book early for June and July.
Do you need a car for the Hunter Valley?
Yes, or a tour. The wineries are spread over a wide area with no public transport between them. Most people drive up and book a local driver for the tasting day.