Sydney is a great city to live in. It is also a great city to leave for a few days. Within two to four hours, you can be parked up beside a river, a coastline or a bush clearing with very little between you and a proper break.
If picking a destination has been the only thing standing between you and the open road, here is where to start. We teamed up with Harbour Caravans, the people behind some of Australia’s best-equipped caravans, to put together a few spots worth the drive from out west.
Jervis Bay, South Coast, NSW
Roughly two and a half hours south of Penrith, Jervis Bay consistently earns its reputation. The water is an almost unsettling shade of blue, the beaches are breathtakingly wide and white, and Huskisson gives you a main street with cafes, a bottle shop and a general store without making the whole thing feel overdeveloped.
Caravan parks in the area range from beachfront sites at Huskisson Beach Tourist Resort to bush-backed spots closer to Booderee National Park. Book early for long weekends, especially over Easter and the June long weekend, because these sites fill fast and the quieter spots go first.
Worth noting if you plan to head into Booderee: you will need a park pass to get in. Some internal roads are also unsealed, but even a standard touring van handles the main access routes without any trouble. The trade-off is waking up to beaches that most people only see in photos.
Best months: April to June, September to November.
Hunter Valley
About two hours north of Penrith, the Hunter Valley works well for a long weekend that is more relaxed than remote. The wineries are the obvious drawcard, but the region also has good food producers, open farmland and a slower pace that is hard to find closer to the city.
Caravan parks around Cessnock and Pokolbin tend to be well set up, with powered sites, clean amenities and easy access to the cellar door trail. Some parks sit close enough to walk to a couple of wineries without needing to move the van at all, which is a bonus if you plan on making use of the cellar door stops.
It is a good option for couples, but it works for families too. There are wildlife parks, cheese tastings and enough open space to keep kids interested between the adult-focused parts of the trip.
Best months: March to May, August to October.
Myall Lakes National Park
Around two and a half to three hours north of Penrith, Myall Lakes is the kind of place that does not get talked about as loudly as it deserves. The national park covers lakes, beaches, rainforests and wetlands in a stretch of coastline that still feels largely untouched.
Camps at Mungo Brush are the most popular, with sites sitting right on the water and a mix of powered and unpowered options. The lake system is calm enough for kayaking, and the ocean beach at Seal Rocks is a short drive away and hard to beat for a swim or a surf.
The roads into the park are mostly sealed, though some internal access tracks are unsealed and worth checking before you head in. A well-set-up van handles it without issue, and the reward is a campsite that feels remote without being far from civilisation.
Best months: May to September.
Kangaroo Valley
Less than two hours from Penrith via the Southern Highlands, Kangaroo Valley is a short drive that delivers a lot. The valley itself is lush and green through most of the year; the Hampden Bridge is worth a look, and the Fitzroy Falls in Morton National Park are a reasonable walk from the main road.
Camping and caravan options around the valley include riverside sites that are excellent for families with younger kids. The Kangaroo River is shallow enough to paddle in during warmer months, and there is something about setting up camp in that kind of scenery that makes even a single night feel worthwhile.
It is also a solid choice if you want to stop somewhere on the way down to the South Coast or the Southern Highlands without committing to a longer drive.
Best months: October to April.
Getting the most out of any of these trips
A long weekend in a caravan is not complicated, but a few things make it easier. Book your sites as early as possible for peak periods, particularly Easter, the Queen’s Birthday and the June long weekend. Carry enough water for at least two nights regardless of what the site promises. Check road conditions before you leave, especially if you are heading into national park territory.
Once the long weekend bug bites, it tends to turn into something bigger. A week down the South Coast becomes a fortnight through Victoria. A run-up to the Hunter becomes a proper lap of Queensland. If that is the direction you are heading, Harbour Caravans has put together a season-by-season guide to Australia’s best road trips for the year.
