Welcome to The Wanderbug, a travel blog written for humans, by a human. I'm Genevieve, and every guide is personally written by me and based on my firsthand travel experiences.

From Sydney’s spectacular harbour to Australia’s most famous beach town in Byron Bay, to the white sands of Jervis Bay beaches to fresh oysters along the Sapphire Coast, there is so much to discover in New South Wales!

But there’s more to New South Wales (NSW) beyond Sydney and Byron Bay! With more than 1500 km of coastline and 900+ beaches, New South Wales rewards travellers who venture beyond the main hotspots – although, they are of course popular for a reason, and worth a visit!

New South Wales is ideal for road trips, especially along the spectacular coastline. I’ve visited New South Wales dozens of times, and recently spent two weeks road-tripping along the New South Wales coast, all the way from Eden in the south to Byron Bay in the north. I’ve listed the destinations still on my NSW wishlist at the end of this post, because there’s always more to see!

1. Sydney

Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and the top tourist destination for most first-time visitors to Australia. With world-famous city beaches, Sydneysiders and visitors alike enjoy the best of city life and life spent by the beach. It’s a must-visit on your first trip to Australia, and is a great place to spend 2-3 days on your first visit.

Don’t miss Bondi Beach, Manly, Darling Harbour, Surry Hills & The Rocks. The recently re-developed $800m Sydney Fish Market also looks like an absolute must for seafood lovers – it will be my first stop on my next trip to Sydney!

Surry Hills Guide: Sydney’s Coolest Neighbourhood

2. Byron Bay

Byron Bay is one of the most beloved beach towns in Australia, and a must-visit as part of any trip around New South Wales. While it’s not the sleepy surf town it was a few decades ago, Byron Bay has managed to hold onto its alternative spirit and laidback ethos, even when the crowds swell in summer months.

Located in North Coast NSW, in the Northern Rivers region, Byron Bay is just an hour’s drive south from the Gold Coast, which is the nearest major airport.

I’ve visited Byron Bay dozens of times over the years, as it’s a great day trip or weekend away from Brisbane & the Gold Coast. Even after visiting so many amazing beach towns in New South Wales on my latest road trip, I can see why Byron Bay holds a special place in so many hearts.

The best places to stay in Byron Bay are within walking distance to Belongil Beach.

3. Narooma

Narooma is an absolutely stunning coastal town in New South Wales, and one of the state’s best kept secrets! It was my favourite town that we visited on our most recent coastal road trip.

Located in South Coast NSW, Narooma sits where the pristine Wagonga Inlet meets the Pacific Ocean. It’s streaked with aquamarine estuaries and is renowned for its premium oysters, which you’ll find in only the best restaurants around Australia.

Narooma is a popular summer destination, but you can visit in early May to catch the annual Narooma Oyster Festival. When I visited in mid-May, just the week after the oyster festival, the off season had already begun and the town was very quiet.

From Narooma, it’s an easy day trip inland to charming country towns like the picturesque Central Tilba and tiny Bodalla, which are in the heart of New South Wales’ dairy country. Both towns have thriving dairy farm shops you can visit (Bodalla Dairy Shed is an absolute must!).

4. Jervis Bay

Jervis Bay is the best place to visit in New South Wales for incredible beaches, with some of the whitest sand beaches in Australia. Hyam’s Beach is the main drawcard beach in Jervis Bay, and has the title of the whitest sand beach in Australia (although I think Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays may be whiter, personally).

Jervis Bay is the star of the Shoalhaven region, in South Coast NSW. Stay in the thriving tiny town of Huskisson (awarded the Best Tiny Tourism Town in NSW 2025), and spend your days beach hopping between Hyams Beach, Greenfield Beach, Chinaman’s Beach, Little Hyam’s Beach and more.

When I visited in mid-May, it was a beautiful clear day for relaxing on the beach, but the water was too cold for me to swim. Apparently it runs a little cold year round, but to be fair, May is well past summer.

5. Merimbula 

Merimbula is a gorgeous beach town on the sparkling Sapphire Coast, which is the southernmost stretch of South Coast NSW. Wedged between the beautiful Lake Merimbula and Merimbula Bay, Merimbula is a great place to visit in New South Wales for a relaxing beach holiday, with plenty of opportunities to indulge in the celebrated, local Merimbula oysters.

It’s also a great base for visiting other Sapphire Coast beach towns like Eden, Tathra and Bermagui.

6. Newcastle

Newcastle is the third-largest city in New South Wales, and was a total surprise to me when we briefly visited on our NSW coastal road trip. It’s a vibrant, beachside city with a historic core and lively bar & restaurant scene. I was surprised at how much the architecture in the backstreets reminded me of Surry Hills in Sydney. 

Newcastle is wedged between the enormous Lake Macquarie and the Hunter River. I was really blown away by how beautiful this scenery is, which reminded me of European lakes without the crowds!

Now I’ve had a taste of Newcastle, I’d definitely be keen to return for a weekend, especially if there was an event to plan a weekend break around!

7. Kiama

Kiama is a gorgeous beach town in South Coast NSW. It’s best known for the Kiama Blowhole, which is the largest natural blowhole in the world! Ancient volcanic rock has created a natural blowhole, which shoots ocean spray 25-30 metres into the air, on a regular basis. When we visited, we were seeing huge ocean sprays every minute or so!

Beyond the blowhole, Kiama is one of the most beautiful beach towns we visited in New South Wales, with some lovely beaches as well as plenty of amenities, cafes & shops, to make for an easy and comfortable weekend break.

8. Waterfall Way

Waterfall Way is a scenic driving route in Country NSW, stretching between Coffs Harbour on the Mid North Coast, to Armidale in New England. Highlights of Waterfall Way include waterfalls such as Ebor Falls, Dangar Falls and Wollomombi Falls, as well as Dorrigo National Park and charming country towns like Bellingen.

I visited Waterfall Way as part of a family road trip, which was so much fun, and recently returned to Bellingen during my NSW coastal road trip. 

9. Terrigal

Terrigal is a beautiful beach town on the Central Coast of New South Wales, just 90 minutes’ north of Sydney. 

Terrigal has a lively town centre, framed by the sweeping Terrigal Beach and a dramatic coastal headland. Book a table for lunch at Terrigal Pavilion or Amarilla, or find a picnic spot on the foreshore to enjoy the beautiful ocean views.

10. Port Stephens & Shoal Bay

Port Stephens is a sleepy coastal community on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, a 2.5 hour drive north of Sydney. 

I’d recommend spending a night or two in Port Stephens for a relaxing weekend getaway. We stayed at Bannisters Port Stephens, which has stylish rooms, an ocean infinity pool and a Rick Stein restaurant, which was a great destination hotel for a relaxing weekend escape.

During the day, we drove to nearby Shoal Bay for the Tomaree Head Summit Walk, which was a steep climb rewarded with spectacular views. 

The nearby Shoal Bay Country Club is a perfect spot for lunch after working up an appetite on the hike. Don’t be intimidated by the name – as far as I could tell, it’s a very pretty pub – no membership required!

More NSW Destinations on my wishlist

• Blue Mountains
• Snowy Mountains (Perisher & Thredbo)
• Bowral
• Hunter Valley
• Orange
• Mudgee
• Tamworth

Explore More:

• 25 Best Places to Visit in Australia
• 15 Most Charming Country Towns in Australia
• 8 Best Cities to Visit in Australia
• 10 Best Places to visit in Queensland, Australia
• 10 Best Wine Regions to Visit in Australia

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