New South Wales Holidays

New South Wales is a holiday makers dream. From the majestic heads that frame the incomparable Sydney Harbour, to the beauty of the Blue Mountains, the playgrounds of the alpine highlands, the string of golden beaches and peaceful coastal inlets, the vineyards of the Hunter Valley, the star filled nights of the Australian outback..... NSW has it all.

Like most of the Australian states, the major holiday destinations in New South Wales lie along the coastal fringe. Australian's love their beaches and the region south from the Queensland border is just one lovely beach town after another, all with ocean front development under way to cater to the ever increasing demand for beach holidays.

The coastal region south of Sydney has some of the most beautiful ocean frontages in Australia. Inland from Sydney the Blue Mountains hold their appeal for each new generation and the southern highlands see an influx of ski enthusiasts during the winter snow falls. For anyone who appreciates world class wines, a Hunter Valley tour is a must. 

New South Wales Holidays - Things To Do

In addition to the highlights detailed above, here are just a few ideas on getting the maximum enjoyment from a New South Wales holiday.

Sydney harbour cruises Sydney nightlife climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge surfing at many coastal towns diving at many locations sailing on Sydney harbour & elsewhere snorkelling in most locations rainforests on the northern tablelands eco tours of the rainforests bushwalking the forests hiking the inland trails sport fishing offshore jet boating

4WD outback camping tours whale watching off the south coast hot air ballooning over the Hunter Valley white water rafting in the New England region canoeing on the rivers and inland lakes cruises on the Hawkesbury River 4WD outback safaris from Broken Hill farm holidays in the central west gem fossicking in the New England region theme/fun parks throughout the state golf in all areas all sports

For a comprehensive list of tours and activities, see the Tours To Go icon on this page

New South Wales Holidays - Places To Stay

The coastline of New South Wales is dotted with popular beaches that attract hordes of holiday makers during the season. Holiday resorts and self contained holiday apartments (condominiums) are the most common form of accommodation at beach locations.

This type of accommodation usually consists of 1 to 4 bedrooms with fully equipped kitchens for self catering and all linen included. Guests only need to consider personal effects and foodstuffs.  There is usually a minimum stay requirements of 2 or 3 nights with longer stay in holiday seasons. 

For single night stays, hotels are recommended. Cities like Sydney and the other major towns offer traditional and boutique hotels, serviced apartments, motels and motor inns. The number of hotels declines in the country regions where motels and motor inns are more prevalent. 

The Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands have several famous guest houses which are very popular with Sydney residents seeking the relaxation of a week-end break. New South Wales has an excellent range of bed and breakfast establishments covering most of the state, but especially in the Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands and South Coast regions.

Guests should always consider their airport transfer needs as distances to some of the accommodation properties can involve a lengthy trip and incur significant costs. Ask about this when making a booking.

For the best accommodation choices, look for the Roamfree icon on this page

New South Wales Holidays - Transport

NSW has a very comprehensive train network that connects all major coastal and inland towns. CityRail provides timetables and transit details for all the transport services covering the Sydney metropolitan and surrounding areas.

Air services operate daily to all major towns throughout New South Wales. The New England Highway is an inland route between Brisbane and Sydney and the the Pacific Highway is a coastal route that links the same two cities and all intermediate coastal towns.

NSW is well served by a comprehensive network of major highways and arterial link roads. The Princes Highway is the coastal route from Sydney south to Melbourne and the more direct inland route through the southern part of NSW is the Hume Highway. The central and north-western regions of New South Wales are served by the Mitchell Highway. The Sturt Highway is the major route through the south west.

All major car rental companies have operations in NSW and some companies offer both new and late model used cars. Several bus transport companies travel throughout the state.  Some remote areas in the far west and outback will need 4 wheel drive vehicles, especially if travelling in the wet season.

Visitors planning a self drive holiday will find an excellent range of campervans and motor homes are available for rental. Pick-up and return is usually at capital cities or major towns and advance bookings are recommended. Driver information and maps are available from the NRMA which has offices throughout the state.  Road travel within New South Wales involves long distances and we recommend a distance calculator so that the time required can be estimated.

New South Wales Holidays - When Is The Best Time

The seasons seldom have a significant effect on Australian holidays. Periods of prolonged inclement weather are uncommon.  Activities such as snow ski-ing must obviously coincide with the late winter snowfalls, but for everything else New South Wales is essentially a year-round destination.

Due allowance needs to be made for travel in the far west and outback regions. The heat levels during summer are extreme and winter is the best time to visit those areas. At the other end of the scale, the high alpine country in the south can be covered in winter snow for long periods.

The June - August winter period may suit travellers who place a lot of importance on personal comfort. Australian summers, especially in the inland regions, can be oppressive to those who have not experienced it before.

New South Wales has many very popular holiday destinations and there is always an increased demand for bookings during the the school holiday seasons. It is strongly recommended that bookings for tours, travel and accommodation be booked far in advance when travel dates coincide with school holidays.

Also see Australian Bureau of Meteorology - official Australian weather web site

Sydney Apartments - Some of the best apartment style accommodation in the central city areas 
Sydney Hotel Accommodation - A collection of the best centrally located hotels in the Sydney area
Australian Hotel Accommodation Guide - A comprehensive listing of holiday accommodation
Cheap Australian Travel Insurance - buy your insurance online and get the best available rates.