Road Trips are fun! Don’t you agree? Whenever I even think of one, I get excited and want to hop into the car! Perhaps it’s the freedom of travelling at your own pace that excites me most. On our road trips on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii, we enjoyed the fact that we were allowed to sleep in the car wherever we wanted. Guess where we stopped most of the times!?! BY THE BEAAACH YO! Waking up to the sound of the ocean and skinny dipping instead of a shower – ah… the definition of perfection 🙂 Okay, before I am drifting away in good ol’ #travelmemories, here is today’s guest post on slow travel routes across Australia’s New South Wales.

Short Itinerary for Your Next Road Trip from Sydney

Fancy a slow travel itinerary around New South Wales? Home to the famous city of Sydney, this eastern Australia state provides travellers with a range of experiences, including a chill, and not to mention picture-perfect road trip! This article covers why taking a slow travel adventure across New South Wales could be the next great thing to do!

1. Sydney

Home to Australia’s largest entertainment events, Sydney is Australia’s most populous city bustling with culture, events, music and much more. If you are into energetic music festivals, shopping, and sightseeing the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney should definitely be on your bucket list.

Top 3 Slow Travel Stops in NSW Australia - Sydney

Since Sydney is a metropolitan city, the best time to visit the city for shopping is late mornings to avoid traffic, from 10 am onwards. For those of us who want to enjoy a night out, this fashionable city host Australia’s best names in the business, and Vivid Sydney in Winter. You could spend a month here if you’re energetic and enjoy the high life, and hustle and bustle on offer. However, if you like fine dining and the great outdoors….

Top 3 things to do in Sydney:

Join a walking tour and stroll around The Rocks to learn about the history of this area!
Make your way from Bondi to Coogee along the infamous Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk!
Give your legs a rest as you continue your explorations to North Sydney and catch the 30-minute ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Wharf. Not only will you get to experience all that Manly has to offer but on your journey across the harbour, you will get outstanding views of the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and Kirribilli House.

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3 Top Stops on Your Road Trip Through NSW, Australia for Pinterest

2. Hunter Valley

Take a slow drive to Hunter Valley, home to the finest vineyards in Australia. The region is located two hours away from Sydney but is a must-do for a fine dining experience. The area boasts great local produce, providing numerous local restaurants with the freshest ingredients in a wide variety of cuisines, with multiple Australian owned establishments.

A view onto Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia — Source: Kevin Rheese via Flickr

Perfect to spend the mornings and early afternoons, the Hunters Region also boasts great hiking trails for those who are into exploring flora and fauna and the natural environment. With the advantage of slow travel being the abundance of time, book a few days at a local Hunter Valley accommodation. The best way to get around various establishments in Hunters Region is by car, as it gives you the freedom to choose how you’d like to spend the time of your day. Just be sure to leave the driving to a designated driver if you plan on wine tasting.

Top 3 things to do in the Hunter Valley:

Forget lunch today because it’s time to taste some of the best gourmet cheese and chocolate the region has to offer. Make your way to the Hunter Valley Cheese Factory tasting rooms and select the best option for you.
Visit one of the 150 wineries and taste some of the most decadent wines in Australia! Book a wine tour to make your way around the area with a group. Some tours have lunch and/or food included so look out for good deals!
Take a hot air balloon ride! The flight lasts for approximately one hour, travelling over Lovedale, Pokolbin, Broke or Rothbury, followed by a champagne breakfast at one of the gorgeous nearby wineries.

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3. Byron Bay

Complete your experience with a visit to the coastal town of Byron Bay, located on the New South Wales North Coast The town is famous for its amazing surf and sunsets, and retreat type vacation. Visitors can enjoy wide-ranging outdoor and water activities, such as surfing, snorkelling and even hot air ballooning. Join a relaxing day at the spa, or an outdoor meditation retreat.

Bird's eye view onto Byron Bay in NSW, Australia

Enjoy the spectacular views that the drive has to offer, along with the eastern coastal route. Located 8 hours’ drive from Sydney, visitors are encouraged to stop by other towns like New Castle and Macquarie for a meal and to check out small town living before finishing their drive.

Top 3 things to do in Byron Bay:

Avoid the tourists and make your way to Wategos Beach. Just around the corner from Main Beach, Wategos is surrounded by a headland making it pretty perfect for swimmers!
Stroll through the weekly local markets to try the local food and produce and pick up a few interesting souvenirs.
Take a surfing lesson!!

New South Wales provides an exciting opportunity for slow travellers. The wide variety of accommodations, activities, and suitability across a wide range of budgets translates to freedom of choice to participate in activities at their own time. Travelling by car across the city of Sydney and country town seems to provide the best balance between freedom and convenience, while not placing any pressure on time constraints.

What are your favourite stops in New South Wales, Australia? Please share your travel tips and stories down below in the comments! Thanks and happy travels 🙂

Want to take along a good camera on your trip? To help you make up your mind, check out this travel camera comparison from Jessica over at Longest Bus Rides.
Or do you fancy another scenic drive? You might be interested in the Great Ocean Road starting from Melbourne.

About the author:

Guest Post by Alex Johnson Aussie Adventurer & Lifestyle Blogger - Inspire A Better Life

This guest post was written by Alex Johnson, a blogger and lover of the little things in life, from delicious brunch spots to interior design. Recently moving to Sydney, he began his blog Inspire A Better Life to positively influence others to get out there and see all life has to offer. Join Alex as he discovers this life one day at a time, documenting his thoughts and others along the way!

Not done reading yet?

When in Australia, a common route for many travellers is to combine it with a trip to Asia. Check out my destinations page for travel tips for Thailand, North Sumatra and the Philippines.

If you are in the mood for a little adventure, check out these mysterious islands!

And make sure to always bring along the right gear!

Here is how to live your dream

A cheeky headline, huh?! I know! But you must admit that this is probably true for almost everything in life. At least, I had that feeling over the past few years before I started my digital nomad life. I found taking action to be key if you want things to happen and live a happy life. So, when I set off in 2011 to discover the world, I eventually found my passion in life: travelling. But moreover, I realised that the freedom to go wherever I wanted WHENEVER I wanted became my big obsession. This led to a chain of actions that I took which made it possible for me to still be on the road today – after more than 6 years! Check out my post on how to earn a little extra as a digital nomad, and now, sit back and get inspired if you need that last push to finally start to live your dream too.

Why should you live your dream too?

When I was in elementary school, my parents were asked to go see my teacher one day. At the age of 9, I refused to copy the specific technique my teacher showed us in art class. According to mini-me, there was a better way of holding the brush in order to get more beautiful sprinkles. He didn’t like that response and complained about our conversation with my mum. I remember her proud face when she came back home from that meeting with my teacher. She told me that he was not amused by her response either when she said that ‘Julia has her own way of doing things, always has and always will’. My mum was right back then…it’s the one characteristic that seems to be consistent throughout my life so far.

Living the dream: Dinner in a park in Australia 2014 — **Who needs a dining room if you can have a picknick by the ocean!?**

After quitting my job in 2011 and when I had sold almost all my belongings that wouldn’t fit into my backpack, I remembered that day back in art class. No one really thought it was a great idea that I took a break from my so well-established career at the age of 28. In fact, I left one month before I turned 29, which meant that I had only one year left before the magic number 30 would bring the big changes to my life that everyone was talking about. Well, I guess it’s true the 30ies have brought big changes to my life. But I can clearly say that they were for the better. For people who stay in one place their whole lives, it’s hard to understand that age doesn’t need to be a bad thing.

Meeting a hedgehog on a highway in Australia... never forget to live your dream! — **I still get excited about the small things in life…**

To be fair, ever since I had crossed that magic border of my 30’s, I must admit that I got more and more excited when I saw little babies…perhaps the only difference for me is that I began to imagine how this little mini-me would be most comfortable on top of my backpack! Check out my post on how my life has changed since I have become a mother.

Anyways, I had mixed feelings when I said goodbye to start my journey in 2011. No, it was actually sheer panic when I set off and didn’t know what to expect. At the same time, I felt that it was the right thing to do. Somehow, I felt that I was starting a completely new chapter in my life. It was the excitement of leaving everything behind and facing a whole new unknown world. My parents (again) were the least surprised when they learned about my new plans. Perhaps they were not amused about the idea of their daughter travelling around the world by herself, but hey, they kind of always have known that they can’t expect me to NOT do it my way ☺

So, I left with the plan to return 6 months later, but I never did…

Pictures say much more than words. So here is a list of reasons why I am utterly happy about my decision to live the way I want to and why you should contemplate doing so too… Take it with a grain of salt though, I had a lot of fun to put this list together! Perhaps too much!

WHY YOU SHOULD BE TRAVELLING AND LIVING YOUR DREAM TOO:

1. You get to meet really interesting people…
  
  Superman on Kao San Road for New Year’s Eve 2012/13
2. You start thinking in other dimensions…
  No, that is not an optical illusion (his name was Walley and he was famous for being as curious as the divers at the Great Barrier Reef…)
3. You get to hang out in pretty nice places…
  On Bali’s East coast for a Visa Run before returning to Australia
4. You’ll leaver your comfort zone to discover new places…
  
  Me, a bit scared to go in there all on my own… but at least I had a fancy helmet on!
5. …then again you find rocks to lean on…
  Western Australia…it was hot!
6. You’ll become a lot stronger from time to time…
  Unfortunately, it was closed that day… but still impressive to see the Twin Towers in KL from below!
7. …probably because you get to eat your favourite food whenever you want to…
  Mmmmm…Padthai for my belly!
8. …or maybe because you get to kiss magic snakes…
  I look a lot more comfortable than I felt in that moment…I have to admit 🙂
9. And finally you realise that you can actually live your dream if you dare to!!!
  I was never sooooooooo pumped with adrenaline like that day! Even days after that jump (2012 in New Zealand over Lake Tapo), I still had a huge smile on my face!

Summary

Am I doing it right? I don’t know, honestly. But I do know that you can live your dream eventually if you stop waiting! With this blog, I not only want to share my experiences with you but I also want to show that there is not only ONE way to live your life. Because when I started to make my plans, I was fighting against conventional thinking patterns, prejudice and other people’s opinions.

Just do it:
Smile. Jump. And start to live your dream.

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Did you like this post? What are your thoughts on this topic? Are you already living your dream? Let me know in the comments below!

NOT DONE READING YET?

Perhaps you want to get into the nitty-gritty stuff and wonder how to finance a lifestyle filled with travels? Make sure to check out both of my posts on Let’s talk money, part 1 and part 2!

Or simply enjoy our latest post about events in 2018 for like-minded people who are already living the digital nomad lifestyle.