Travel to see 50 things in Sydney surrounds self-drive 7-day holiday
|
Why pay thousands of dollars to join a tour of New South Wales when you can save money and choose your own self-drive tour?. You are guaranteed to see more of the area and pay less! If you are ready for a real life choose your own adventure, read on for a self-drive tour which will show you highlights you shouldn't miss around Sydney in a week. 50 things to see on a Sydney surrounds self-drive tour
Day 1 - Experience Sydney Wake up nice and early with holiday excitement and set your navigator to Circular Quay. Find a car park and walk down to EziMart on Wharf 2 or 5 and purchase your Opal Card topped up with a daily fare. The Opal card opens up the Sydney public transport system to give you the experience of seeing Sydney by ferry, train or bus. Make sure you get a window seat on the Darling Harbour Ferry and get your camera out! From the Darling Harbour Ferry you can snap the photographs professionals do with unobstructed views of the Oprah House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Luna Park, Wilson's Point and Darling Harbour. Sightseeing by ferry is by far the most relaxing way. You don't have to fight through the bustle of tourists or wait in line to take a selfie posing in front of Sydney Harbour bridge, all while enjoying the scenery in air conditioned comfort. When you have made your return trip to Circular Quay head back to the car and point your navigator to the most famous beach in Sydney, Bondi Beach! Keep your eyes peeled for celebrities as you make your way down to the ocean waves with the likes of Paris Hilton, Dr. Chris Brown, Liev Schrieber, Hugh Jackman and Gerard Butler, but don't drown! Bondi Beach is notorious for drowning, deaths have occurred, and if you start to struggle, your family might watch you struggle and be saved by a good looking lifeguard on an episode of Bondi Rescue! After an afternoon in the sun, it's time to head back to the car and set your navigator for your caravan park or hotel in Nelson Bay, Port Stephens. Optional additions to the day:
Daily drive total: Approximately 2 hour 34 minutes (214.2km) Day 2 - Experience Port Stephens Bounce out of bed and put your sunscreen on as the sun is calling your name. One day isn't quite enough to see everything Port Stephens has to offer, personally a month wouldn't be enough for me, however two days gives you a chance to see the highlights and make a list of things you want to come back to see! First stop is the Salamander Bay Visitor Centre where you can get the local history, book tours, pick up travel brochures etc. then when you're ready to go for breakfast, The Home Interior on Donald Street Nelson Bay is known as the "Best Coffee in Nelson Bay". The hearty breakfast and coffee aromas will definitely give you energy to wander around the Nelson Bay Shopping Precinct with their unique shops having a coastal feel with embroidered cotton clothing and surf shops being local and tourist favourites. With your relaxing shopping fix complete, it's time to trundle up to Tomaree Head Summit for sensational views of the coast. Make sure you bring your binoculars and look up from time to time as you might spot a wild Koala or two year round or a whale between May and October. Following your trek, cool down at Fly Point, a local spot for snorkelling or a dive before you get back in the car and head back to your place to stay. Daily drive total: Approximately 21 minutes (9.2km) Day 3 - Keep Experiencing Port Stephens A scenic drive around Port Stephens is a must. Sights which make great photos include, the sandbar between Shark Island and Fingal Bay Spit, the pristine and private Wreck Beach, Boat Harbour, Gan Gan Hill Lookout, Stockton's Birubi Beach and One Mile Beach. If you want to catch a wave or two, the local surfing hot spots are Samurai Beach, Zenith Beach and Box Beach, while you can look for one or two of the 150 local dolphins from the beach in Nelson or Shoal Bay. After your scenic drive, it's time to head to West Head Lookout in Kuringai Chase National Park to camp at The Basin Daily drive total: Approximately 3 hours 26 minutes (235km) Optional additions at Port Stephens:
Day 4 - West Head Lookout and Sydney's Northern Beaches West Head Lookout is well regarded as one of Sydney's best lookouts. The sensational view of the heads and beaches gives you a taste for what you will see for the day. Download the map from here and follow the trail of lookouts and Aboriginal Cultural Sites. There is great fishing at Great Mackerel and Currawong beach, stop to dream of having your own boat over lunch at The Marina Cafe in Lovett Bay. Next on the agenda is looking for whales at Barrenjoey Lighthouse and beach hopping down through Sydney's Northern Beaches including Bilgola Beach, Bungan Beach, Warriewood Beach, Narrabean Beach, Collaroy Beach, Dee Why Beach, Freshwater Beach, Manly Beach and finally snorkelling at Shelly Beach. Finish the day at The Ivanhoe Hotel Manly for a cheap bistro meal and some local entertainment. Daily drive total: Approximately 2 hours 14 minutes (76km) Day 5 - Head into the Blue Mountains Regretfully saying goodbye to the coasts, beaches, whales, dolphins and snorkelling for the rest of the holiday, it's time to have some land experiences! Waterfalls, cliff faces and sensational lookouts await you in the iconic Blue Mountains. Set your navigator to Wentworth Falls, then Bridal Veil Falls & Govetts Leap Lookout, Narrow Neck Lookout, Katoomba Falls and the Three Sisters to watch a beautiful sunset. Daily drive total: Approximately 2 hours 34 minutes (156km) Optional additions in the Blue Mountains Day 6 - Jenolan Caves You have seen the coast and mountains, now it's time to see the Jenolan Caves! Known as Australia's Most Spectacular Caves the day will be filled with Stalactites and Stalagmites and local geology. Daily drive total: Approximately 1 hour 14 minutes (74km) Day 7 - Head for home Unfortunately the trip has ended, however your holiday memories will live on! Trip total: Approximately 14 hours 45 minutes travel time. (765km)* *Trip time not inclusive of travelling to Sydney or from Jenolan Caves. If you would like to ask a question, or write for our blog with your own experience, please enter your details below and we will get back to you. |
