10 Sydney Day Trips That You’ll Love in 2024

If you’re looking for the best Sydney day trips, here are 10 that you’ll love. For a taste of suburban life, head to Sydney’s most famous surf beach at Bondi. It’s easy to escape from the busy city centre to the laidback beachside suburbs. Just catch a ferry on Sydney Harbour to Manly or Watson’s Bay to relax on the beach or at the outdoor cafés.

Further away from the city, there are beautiful National Parks with coastal walks and lonely stretches of sand to explore. And to the west of the city, the Blue Mountains offer stunning scenery and some great bush walks. The Blue Mountains are one of many great Sydney day trips and are easily accessible by car and train.

Visitors from Australia and around the globe come to Sydney to see the famous Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. But there’s so much more to see beyond the main attractions. So take the time to explore a fit further afield.

I’ve lived in Sydney most of my life and these are some of my favourite Sydney Day Trips.

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The 10 Best Sydney Day Trips

Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs

About 5 kilometres to the east of the city is the iconic Bondi Beach and it’s one of the most popular day trips from Sydney. Next to Bondi are some of Sydney’s most exclusive suburbs. Rose Bay, Double Bay, Watson’s Bay and Vaucluse have some of the best harbour views in Sydney and a relaxed, upmarket vibe. The Eastern Suburbs are easily accessible by public transport and are a great place to visit.

For an easy ride take the Hop on Hop Off Bus Bondi and Bays tour to the Eastern suburbs.

Choose a sunny day and jump on a ferry at Circular Quay. It’s a scenic half-hour trip across Sydney Harbour to Watson’s Bay and one of the best Sydney day trips.

1. Watsons Bay

From the ferry wharf at Watsons Bay, stroll along the South Head Heritage Trail. You’ll pass Camp Cove beach as you walk to the colourful Hornby Lighthouse at the mouth of Sydney Harbour. On the way, you’ll see the sandstone lighthouse keeper’s cottage and enjoy sweeping ocean and city views.

Make sure you stop off at “The Gap” opposite Robinson’s Park and watch the waves crashing against the rocky cliffs. The Gap was the site of a shipwreck in 1857 and is now a famous suicide spot. The scenery here is wild, beautiful and quite mesmerising.

You can swim at Camp Cove Beach, grab a coffee at the kiosk, or enjoy fish & chips by the ferry wharf. Or, if you prefer you can dine in style at Doyles, one of Sydney’s oldest seafood restaurants. You could happily spend a day relaxing in Watsons Bay. But if you’re keen to keep moving, hop on a local bus to Bondi Beach. Across the road from the Gap, the 380 bus stops on Military Road, opposite Robinson’s Park. It takes about 40 minutes from Watsons Bay to the famous Bondi Beach.

Watsons Bay is a lovely place to base yourself for a more relaxed stay in Sydney. There’s easy access to the city by ferry.

2. Bondi Beach

If the weather is hot join the locals and head to the beach. Visitors flock to Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach for surf, sun and leisure. Bondi is loved for its golden sand and reliable surf and it’s one of the most popular Sydney day trips. There’s a young, vibrant atmosphere at Bondi Beach with bikini-clad sun worshipers, surfers and backpackers relaxing on the sand.

You can swim in the surf at Bondi Beach but make sure you swim between the flags. This is the patrolled area of the beach so it’s safer. The Bondi Icebergs Club is another great place to swim at Bondi. The seawater rock pools here fill up regularly at high tide and there’s a lovely view of Bondi Beach from the entrance to the Icebergs Club.

Behind the beach is a selection of cafés, ice cream shops and pubs with a young, traveller and surf scene. But locals prefer the relaxed cafes around Hall Street and love to exercise on the cliff tops on the walking track.

Watch a beautiful Sydney sunrise at Bondi Beach and then head off on the walking trail around the point. The Bondi to Coogee coastal track is one of the most loved walks and is a perfect Sydney day trip. There are stunning ocean views and the track winds its way along the coastline for 6 kilometres. It takes about 2 hours to complete on foot and you can catch a bus on the return journey. Along the way, there are lots of parks, seats and places to rest and enjoy the beautiful view.

From Bondi, the fastest way back to the CBD is to catch the 380 bus to Bondi Junction and a train to the city. Alternatively, you can take the scenic route via Watsons Bay and the ferry back to Circular Quay.

Is Bondi or Manly Beach better? Compare Sydney’s two most famous beaches.

While the famous Bondi Beach is very popular, there are lots of other beaches around Sydney that are even more beautiful and less crowded than Bondi.  For a taste of life in the outer suburbs of Sydney make your way to the gorgeous Northern Beaches.

Sydney’s Northern Beaches

On the north side of Sydney Harbour from Manly to Palm Beach, there are more enticing beaches along the Pacific coastline. On this day trip from Sydney, it’s easiest to explore by car. But if you don’t have transport, the Northern Beaches are well served by buses from the city centre and from Manly.

If you have only a day to spend in the Northern Beaches consider booking a Northern Beaches and Ku-Ring-Gai Chase tour as you’ll see a lot more than you’ll be able to by public transport. To get to gorgeous Palm Beach takes about an hour and a half by bus from the city, and about an hour from Manly.

#3 Manly

Manly attracts visitors from around the world and is one of the most popular day trips from Sydney. The famous Manly beach has a lovely stretch of sand and reliable waves. There’s a laidback surf scene and an upmarket, relaxed vibe with lots of cafes and restaurants to choose from. Visit for the day or stay awhile and enjoy the beach and the local attractions with easy access to the city by ferry.

The coastline here is beautiful! Enjoy the surf at Manly Beach, Snorkel the clear, calm waters of nearby Shelly Beach or paddle around Manly Cov in a kayak.

There’s a selection of beachside cafes and a lookout with superb city and ocean views at North Head, the entrance to Sydney Harbour. From Manly Wharf to North Head lookout is a steep, 45-minute walk. There’s an 8km track that starts above Shelly Beach and loops up and around North Head.

If you have a car you can drive into North Head and take the short Fairfax track to the lookout.

TIP: Take a walking tour of The Rocks and discover Australia’s fascinating colonial history. The Rocks is located right next door to the Manly ferry wharf at Circular Quay and it’s the perfect addition to a 4 day Sydney Itinerary.

#4 Palm Beach & Barrenjoey Head

For another of Sydney’s great day trips, travel further north to delightful Palm Beach. Around Pittwater, you’ll find leafy green landscapes with serene water views and more gorgeous surf beaches.

Sydney’s Northern Beaches are simply stunning and have been made famous by the long-running TV drama “Home and Away”. If you watch “Home and Away” you may recognise the lighthouse, the beach and the Summer Bay surf club. Book the Home and Away location tour for full immersion.

Relax on beautiful Palm Beach or climb to the top of Barrenjoey Headland for sweeping views of Pittwater, Broken Bay, and Palm Beach. Look out for colourful rainbow lorikeets in the bush and, if you’re lucky you might also catch sight of a sea eagle or a black cockatoo. From May to September, you can spot migrating whales from the headland as they swim by close to the coast.

Consider staying for a few days to relax in beautiful Palm Beach and take your time in this stunning area. More fabulous beaches are nearby at Avalon, Whale Beach and Narrabeen. And there are some great Sydney day trips from Barrenjoey to West Head Lookout and Ettalong.

#5  West Head Lookout & Ettalong

Take the ferry from Barrenjoey wharf across Pittwater and hike through Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park to the West Head lookout. You’ll get a different perspective of the Headland from there. The views are absolutely breathtaking! If you don’t feel like walking, West Head lookout is also accessible by car.

If you have time, catch a ferry from Barrenjoey wharf for a picturesque journey past Barrenjoey headland and around the coast to Ettalong.

#6 The Blue Mountains

West of the city, the Beautiful Blue Mountains are one of the most popular Sydney day trips. Here you’ll find stunning cliff views, deep green valleys and waterfalls. The scenery is truly breathtaking!

Visit the Three Sisters at Echo Point in Katoomba, and ride the cable car across the valley. Take the Scenic Railway to the bottom of the cliff and explore the walking tracks in the Jamieson Valley and along the rugged cliff tops.    

The Blue Mountains can easily be accessed by train. From Central Station in Sydney, it takes about 2 hours to travel to Katoomba, high in the mountains. At Katoomba station, you can catch a local bus to Echo Point or take the Hop-on-hop-off bus and visit the many amazing lookout points on Cliff Drive.

There’s so much to see in the Blue Mountains on a day trip from Sydney To make the most of your time, book an all-inclusive tour for easy access to the best sights and activities.

But consider staying a couple of days as you’re sure to fall in love with the stunning escarpment views, the fresh mountain air and the quaint cafes and antique shops.

Sydney’s Southern Suburbs

#7 La Perouse – Botany Bay 

Discover Sydney’s historical past on a day trip to La Perouse on the northern headland of Botany Bay. It’s the site of the first landing in Australia by the French navigator La Perouse, in 1788. La Perouse landed a few days after Captain Arthur Philip and the first fleet arrived in Australia.

There’s an old military post at Bare Island and a museum to visit. You can swim at the beach, explore the scenic walking trails and grab a bite to eat at the “Boatshed”. La Perouse has sweeping views over Botany Bay and the sunsets there are pretty amazing!

La Perouse is 14km southeast of the city. The easiest way to get there is to drive. But you can catch a bus from Circular Quay(route 394) and from Railway Square (route 393).

Further South

Further south of the city is Cronulla Beach, another of my favourite Sydney day trips but less explored by tourists. Cronulla has a laid-back surf scene, breathtaking coastal scenery and stunning beaches. It’s also just a ferry ride away from the beautiful Royal National Park.

Join the Sydney wildlife waterfalls and Wine small group tour to see the best of Sydney’s southern coastline in a day and experience some of Australia’s unique wildlife up close.

#8 Cronulla Beach

An hour by train from the city, Cronulla has a relaxed suburban surf vibe and boasts several of Sydney’s best surf beaches. You can swim in the saltwater rock pools that fill up at high tide, and enjoy a stroll on the esplanade and around the point. There are swimming baths, sailing & kayaking on the calm waters of Gunnamatta Bay on the other side of the shops near the ferry pier.

To Get there catch a train from Central Station in the city. From Cronulla station, it’s just a short walk to the beach. Follow the signs to Gunnamatta Bay and the wharf where the ferries leave for Bundeena.

Visit Cronulla Beach on a day trip from Sydney or base yourself here for a couple of days. Get a taste of life in Sydney’s southern beachside suburbs and explore The Royal National Park.

#9 Bundeena & the Royal National Park

This is one of my favourite Sydney day trips! Catch a ferry from Cronulla across the water to Bundeena in Sydney’s Royal National Park. Enjoy the magnificent coastal scenery and relax on an uncrowded beach. If you feel more energetic there are bushwalking tracks to explore inside the National Park.

• Walk to Jibbon Beach to see ancient Aboriginal rock carvings and a 3000-year-old shell midden (5km return – 2 hours)
• or hike to Wedding Cake Rock an unusual rock formation on the coast (7 km return – 3 hours)

At Bundeena there are a couple of cafes where you can buy lunch and an ice cream and enjoy the view while you wait for the ferry.

A more flexible way to see the Royal National Park is to book a private tour. You’ll see more and be able to arrange your itinerary to suit your interests.

The wildlife, waterfalls and wine tour will take you to Royal National Park and you’ll also hand-feed kangaroos and koalas at the Symbio wildlife park. This tour includes wine tasting at a boutique winery and a scenic bushwalk.

#10 Kiama

Quaint Kiama is one of the best Sydney day trips for surfers. Kiama is a seaside town on the Illawarra coast famous for its blowhole and its beautiful sandy beaches.

There are excellent surf breaks near Kiama and Mystics at Minnamurra Beach is one of the best surfing spots in Australia. There are more good breaks at Bombo Beach, Jones Beach and Boneyard Beach. Kiama makes a great day trip from Sydney and is an easy drive that takes around 2 hours from Sydney and a bit longer by train.

Don’t Miss the phenomenal coastal views from the lookouts at Sublime Point and Mount Pleasant if you’re driving. These picnic areas make a great pit stop on the trip south to Kiama on the Grand Pacific Drive.

Alternatively, you can catch an express train from Central Station but you’ll need to leave early as the train takes around two and a half hours each way.

Tip: Seat yourself on the left side of the train for the best views.

A great way to see the beautiful Kiama coast is to book a South Coast small group tour. You’ll see more than if you catch the train and stop off at panoramic viewpoints and clifftop lookouts. You’ll spot wildlife, walk across secluded beaches and discover aboriginal rock paintings. There are some lovely coastal walks to explore and some great places to swim.

Where to Stay in Kiama

Lower Mid Range: Motel 617 Kiama

Upper Mid Range: Nova Kiama

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Travel Essentials

#1. A Travel Guide for Sydney or Australia. I rarely travel without a trusted Lonely Planet Guide.

#2. Travel Insurance is another travel essential. I always use Travel Insurance for my overseas trips so I can concentrate on enjoying my trip without worrying about something going wrong.

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