Family weekend getaways NSW
Sometimes you need a holiday booster and the easiest way to do that is with a family weekend getaway in NSW.
You don’t have to go far, and it doesn’t have to cost much to get a real sense of adventure.
Here are five of the best family weekend getaways that are affordable, accessible and fun.
Bilpin: Bilpin is one of my favourite places to sneak off to, even if it’s only for the day. We go apple picking every February at Pine Crest Orchard, but we invariably end up popping into Bilpin Fruit Bowl to buy one of the best apple pies on offer, and go to the cafe at Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens for a coffee. Madison’s Mountain Retreat is an ideal place to stay with kids as there are tame alpacas roaming around the place, there’s a pool and you can sleep in a converted railway carriage. This is all set to the sound of bellbirds chiming in the forest. It’s a little piece of heaven.
Umina Beach: We’ve stayed at the Big 4 Ocean Beach Holiday Park and it is fantastic. The cabins have air conditioning and kitchenettes, there are birds galore (very friendly white cockatoos, kookaburras and ducks) and the park organises a tonne of free kids’ activities like treasure hunts, movie nights and craft activities. Patonga (with its amazing fish and chip shop and pub) and Pearl Beach (with its lovely cafe) are very close by.
Gerringong: Home to Jamberoo water park, Gerringong is a top place to go with kids. There is a lovely little village with cafes and Scoops, an icecream and gelato shop that uses local milk and cream. Kiama and Gerroa are just up the road and there is a new coastal walk along the headlands that starts at Werri Beach – an ideal half day outing with older kids who don’t mind a bit of a walk. All of the South Coast is gorgeous so you can’t go wrong.
Leura: I am a sucker for the Blue Mountains because my late Nanna lived in Katoomba. I spent a lot of school holidays hanging out at the Senior Citizen’s Club! Leura is one of the most tourist-friendly villages in the mountains (think candle shops, quilting supplies, art galleries and hippie gift shops – your husband will hate it) and nearby, there is a perfect place for families called Federation Gardens. We stayed there for my Mum’s 70th and it was brilliant. There’s a games room, a heated pool, a communal fireplace (a favourite) and a range of accommodation options ranging from a two person yurt to a 10 person cottage to a two person hotel room.
Wollondilly: Wollon-where-T-F? Wollondilly is a shire wedged between Camden and the Southern Highlands. Why would you go there? Mowbray Farm, one of the coolest farm stays in NSW. With horse riding, hay rides, opportunities to feed cows and sheep, and a general ye olde farm vibe, this place is really fun. Go to the Camden Growers Markets on the way there, visit the playground at The Australian Botanic Gardens at Mount Annan (or be really organised and book in for one of their many kids’ activities) and go for a walk in one of the many national parks nearby. The Minerva Pool walk in Dharawal National Park is an easy 30 minute walk or you could head down to Thirlmere Lakes for an easy one hour circuit of the lakes (heads up – it’s really flat so it’s fine to chuck your kid in one of those backpack things). Another fun thing in the area is the NSW Train Museum. Thomas the Tank Engine fans will love it.
What’s the best family weekend getaway in NSW you have been on? Care to share in the comments?