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16 Great Weekend Getaways from Sydney

Looking for great weekend escape ideas?
We have shortlisted 16 beautiful weekend getaway destinations in New South Wales, all within driving distance from Sydney.

While Sydney has a lot to offer to both tourists and residents, it doesn’t hurt to sometimes escape the city and have a relaxing weekend away.

Luckily, Sydney and New South Wales have lots of options for awesome weekend getaway destinations, and some of them don’t even require a lot of driving.

No matter how beautiful Sydney is, sometimes we just want to escape the city for a nice day trip, discovering beautiful destinations we haven’t been to before.

With a beautiful and long coastline, and so many different national parks surrounding the city, there really isn’t any shortage of great day trips from Sydney.

Mount Kosciuszko summit walk (hiking guide)

Mount Kosciuszko in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales is Australia’s highest point, peaking at 2,228 metres above sea level.

While Mt Kosciuszko is primarily known as a busy ski destination during winter, the area is a very popular spot for hiking as well as for mountain biking during the warmer summer months.

Crystal Shower Falls in Dorrigo National Park

Crystal Shower Falls is a scenic rainforest waterfall, located in Dorrigo National Park, an hour away from Coffs Harbour and 580 kilometres north of Sydney.

The fun and exciting Wonga Walk, starting at the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre, will get you to this very pretty waterfall.

Tucked away in a scenic agricultural setting, Dangar Falls is a 30m high cascade waterfall on the Bielsdown River in Dorrigo.

A short but steep walking track leads to the base, where visitors can go for a swim in the beautiful water hole right underneath the waterfall.

Wollomombi Falls is an enormous plunge waterfall located 40km east of Armidale in the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park in the New England region of New South Wales. Its neighbour Chandler Falls may be a bit smaller but is still very impressive.

With a height of well over 200 metres, the Wollomombi Falls were once considered the highest waterfall in Australia. Several lookout points give visitors spectacular views of the two waterfalls and the massive gorge they drop into.

Ebor Falls is a spectacular cascade waterfall that consists of two major drops on the Guy Fawkes River in Northern New South Wales.

It is one of the various popular sightseeing attractions on the Waterfall Way, a scenic drive passing through New England and Dorrigo national parks.

Waterfall Way (highlights and itineraries)

The Waterfall Way is a 185km scenic drive between Coffs harbour and Armidale, passing through New England and Dorrigo national parks, with numerous impressive waterfalls as the key attraction.

With so many impressive sights to visit, the Waterfall Way is a popular weekend destination in northern New South Wales.

Located just moments away from Byron Bay in Nightcap National Park, Minyon Falls is a stunning plunge waterfall that drops more than 100 metres into a deep gorge.

A beautiful 7.5 km walking track through subtropical rainforest brings visitors to a natural swimming hole at the base of the waterfall.

Byron Bay is a popular beach-side town, tucked away in the northeastern corner of New South Wales, not too far from the Queensland border.

The town attracts a large amount of travelers each year, but despite its growing popularity and influx of tourists, Byron Bay has never lost its small town laid-back atmosphere.

16 Great Weekend Getaways from Sydney

20 Great Day Trips from Sydney

Mount Kosciuszko Hiking Guide (Walking Tracks to the Summit)

Discover Crystal Shower Falls and the Wonga Walk in Dorrigo National Park

Visit Dangar Falls on the Bielsdown River in Dorrigo

Visit Wollomombi Falls and Chandler Falls in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park

Visit Ebor Falls on the Guy Fawkes River

Guide to the Waterfall Way (Highlights and Itineraries)

Visit Minyon Falls in Nightcap National Park

Top 10 Things to Do in Byron Bay and Surrounds