Best road trip around stunning NSW South Coast guide

The NSW South Coast is the perfect road trip for lovers of all things sand and sea. Home to some of Australia’s best seafood and coastal roads, you’re bound to enjoy some awesome dining experiences and beach camping along the way.

Use our 8-day NSW South Coast road trip guide to plan your travels. It can be modified to suit the number of days you have available and includes all the best sightseeing and camping spots. Plus, we’ve thrown in a heap of extra information like drive times, distances, the best season to travel and much more!

This particular route takes you through towns like Kiama, Ulladulla and Batemans Bay. Along the way, you’ll visit some of the NSW South Coast’s best sights including the Royal National Park, Jervis Bay and the Eden Killer Whale Museum.

8 places you can’t miss on a NSW South Coast road trip

Total Distance: 538km one-way / 1,035 return | Recommended Days: from 6 - 8 days | Best Time to Visit: Between November - March | Route on Google Maps

1. Sydney

Sydney is the perfect place to start your NSW South Coast road trip. If you’re visiting from interstate or overseas, fly into Kingsford Smith airport and hit the M1 Motorway to start making your way south.

Only 45 minutes out of the Sydney CBD you’ll find the Royal National Park, one of the oldest National Parks in the world! Be sure to take on the Wedding Cake Rock Walk (7km / 2-hour return) or trek to the Figure 8 Rock Pools (12km / 8-hour return), two of the Park’s most photographed sites. Entry to the park costs $12 per vehicle and all roads are 2WD friendly.

After leaving the National Park, continue on Grand Pacific Drive, an amazing 140km stretch of coastal highway. As you approach Wollongong, you’ll pass over the famous Sea Cliff Bridge, a 665m coastal bridge with a panoramic platform for whale watching.

Stay at the Windang Beach Tourist Park in Wollongong, a beachfront holiday park with a range of unpowered and powered camping sites starting at about $38 per night.

2. Kiama

Drive Time: 2hr 15min | Distance: 129km

Kiama is a laid back coastal town surrounded by green rolling hills and dairy cows. It serves as a gateway to the NSW South Coast and is the perfect place to spend a relaxed afternoon.

Kiama is named after its famous Blowhole Point - the local Aboriginal word “Kiaram-a” means “where the sea makes a noise”. From here you can get 360-degree views over the town and ocean. Every few seconds, tonnes of water whooshes through the 2.5m wide opening and blasts 30m up into the air.

Also at Blowhole Point is Kiama Lighthouse, a historic structure built in 1887. Grab a pic and visit the Assistant Keeper’s House, an old residence for harbour pilots which now serves as the Pilot’s Cottage Museum.

If you want a beachside campsite, try Kendalls On The Beach Holiday Park. Camp metres away from the waves at a grass or slab unpowered/powered campsite. All the amenities you need can be found on site.

3. Jervis Bay

Drive Time: 1hr 15min | Distance: 79km

Jervis Bay is one of the most popular holiday regions on the NSW South Coast. People flock here to snorkel and dive off the famous sugar-white sand beaches like Hyams Beach. Take some time to explore charming seaside towns like Huskisson and Vincentia or swim with dolphins in the crystal clear waters.

Spend the afternoon making your way around Booderee National Park, which features the impressive Booderee Botanic Gardens - the only Aboriginal-owned botanic gardens in Australia. From the visitor centre, you can take a bush tucker tour with a local Aboriginal guide and learn about bush food, plant medicine and the cultural significance of the land. Plus, you get to enjoy a tasty afternoon tea and damper whilst having a go at traditional weaving.

If you want somewhere to stay, there’s a couple of awesome free campgrounds in Booderee National Park including Bristol Point Camping Ground or Green Patch Camping Ground. All sites are unpowered but you do get access to public toilets, hot showers, freshwater, fireplaces and more. Bookings can be made online.

Extra Tip: If you’d prefer a shorter 5-day journey, try this Sydney to Jervis Bay road trip.

4. Ulladulla

Drive Time: 1hr 15min | Distance: 87km

Ulladulla is famous for being one of the largest seafood ports on the NSW South Coast. Visit the harbour and you might see the monthly Ulladulla Wharf Markets. Alternatively, you can sit by the water and enjoy all sorts of award-winning seafood that’s fresh from the trawler.

At lunchtime visit Cupitt’sEstate, an award-winning boutique winery, craft brewery and restaurant set amongst rolling green hills and vineyards. This family-owned institution embodies the farm to table philosophy and dishes up amazing homegrown recipes from locally sourced ingredients.

Whilst at Cupitt’s, try the wine and chocolate experience where you can pair boutique wines with local artisan chocolates. Alternatively, you can take a 30-minute cellar door tasting for only $10per person.

Camp overnight at Kings Point Retreat Ulladulla, set upon 12 acres of native bushland and only minutes from the town centre. Choose from a range of grassy powered sites starting at about $35 per night.

5. Batemans Bay

Drive Time: 45min | Distance: 55km

At the head of the shimmering Clyde River sits Batemans Bay, a beautiful seaside region famed for its water sports. Hire a houseboat for the day and cruise along the river or try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking in the local estuaries.

Batemans Bay is also known as the heart of the Oyster Coast, so you’d be foolish to pass up the Clyde River oysters on offer at Pearly Oyster Bar and Farm or the Oyster Shed. However, if you prefer a bit of batter, you’ll find some of Australia’s best fish and chips at the famous family-owned Boatshed.

Only 10-minutes out of Batemans Bay you’ll find the iconic Mogo Wildlife Park. This private-owned zoo has Australia’s largest collection of exotic animals including gorillas, rhinos, monkeys, giraffes, leopards, tigers and lions. There’s also a range of awesome interactive experiences on offer like feeding a tiger, playing with a meerkat or meeting a rhino.

Camp at the BIG4 Batemans Bay Beach Resort, a beachfront holiday park with a range of grassy unpowered and powered sites with modern amenities and facilities including a swimming pool and mini-golf. If you like, you can also upgrade to an ensuite site with a private self-contained bathroom.

6. Eden

Drive Time: 2hr 45min | Distance: 196km

The farthest stop on this NSW South Coast road trip is Eden, a historic coastal town that was once a hub for whaling. Today, however, it is regarded as one of the best whale-watching spots in Australia. Take a tour out to the deep blue water of Twofold Bay for your chance to spot humpback whales on their annual migration (the best time to visit is between May and early November).

To learn more about the giants of the ocean, visit the Eden Killer Whale Museum, a tourist favourite for over 85 years. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, one of the displays includes the full skeleton of ‘Tom the Killer Whale’, a legendary orca that used to lead a pack of killer whales in the waters off of Eden. You can also learn about the whaling industry in the 19th and 20th century as well as the shore-based whaling practices traditionally used by local indigenous Australians.

Stay at the Garden of Eden Caravan Park, a quiet holiday park with spacious and shady campsites only 1km out of the town centre. Facilities include a large swimming pool, sports courts and modern amenities but you can also choose to have a private ensuite bathroom if you like.

7. Bega

Drive Time: 42min | Distance: 59km

If you’re in a rush, you can blast back up the Princess Highway and be back in Sydney as few as six hours. Alternatively, if you’ve got some time to spare, we highly recommend taking the return scenic route via Bega!

Bega is surrounded by lush pastures and famed for its dairy goods. Visit the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre to learn about the cheesemaking process and try some delicious cheeses. It's also home to several art galleries that showcase all sorts of contemporary exhibitions, such as Bega Valley Regional Gallery and Spiral Gallery.

Prefer to explore in the great outdoors? Not far from this quaint little town are Bournda National Park and Mimosa National Park, both of which serve up a heap of swimming, hiking and wildlife watching opportunities!

8. Bowral

Drive Time: 4hr 20m | Distance: 324km

Then continue to Bowral, the largest town in the Southern Highlands and home to numerous historic sites like the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame. Discover the many charming cafes, visit a winery or take a bush walk through the beautiful Mt Gibraltar Reserve just outside of town.

And when night falls, set up camp for an evening of amazing stargazing! The next morning, it's a cruisy hour and a half drive back to Sydney.

Organise your road trip with Camplify

Now that you’ve got your NSW South Coast road trip itinerary sorted, it’s time to start organising the finer details that’ll guarantee a great vacation!

Need to arrange campervan hire in Sydney? Camplify is a platform that allows travellers to quickly search through privately-owned rentals. Simply enter your pickup location and budget and within seconds, you can find the perfect motorhome, caravan or campervan for your road trip!

Why Camplify?

Camplify is the fastest-growing camper vehicle sharing community in Australia. We proudly include the following advantages with all Camplify rentals:

• Comprehensive hire insurance

• NRMA roadside assistance

• 24/7 customer support

• Member verification

Plus, by hiring a vehicle through Camplify, you are directly supporting local families and companies who share their vehicle through our platform!

Subscribe to our newsletter below to receive more helpful articles, tips, tricks and road trip itineraries directly to your email.