Australia in late April 2017 (need idea for 5 days)
 

Good morning - I have done some searching of the forums - but wanted to ask this question:

This is our first trip to Australia (from the US) - we will be attending a wedding in Sydney. We will be able to see Sydney as part of the wedding activities. In advance of the wedding, we have five days available on our own. We are looking at ideas on how to fill these days:

We arrive in Sydney the morning of April 22 (Saturday); We have flexibility from Saturday through Wednesday to tour around. We will then be in Sydney from Thursday on-ward for the wedding. We have activities planned in Sydney for us as part of the wedding.

We are active, will be my wife and I. We fully realize the size of Australia - so we have no expectations that we can see everything - rather we would tend to see 1-2 spots vs trying over-extend ourselves.

April 22 - Arrive Australia (Looking for ideas from April 22 - 26)
April 27 - Need to be in Sydney
May 1 - Depart

Thanks!

You need to tell us what might attract you - countryside drives, coastal scenery, another big and interesting city like Melbourne, or Hobart in Tasmania with the incredibly impressive and historically significant Port Arthur nearby? Or?

Wine country (Hunter Valley north of Sydney or Shoalhaven area south of Sydney)?

Don't drive on the day of arrival, just keep moving, walk a lot (like from the Sydney Opera House through the Botanical Gardens and the Domain), take a ferry ride or two (just for the heck of it, they all start and end at Circular Quay), stay up until bed-time, and your jet lag will be behind you.

Not knowing your preferences at this stage, I'm suggesting a great four-day driving trip that mixes all of the above and goes like this:

Down the coast to Batemans Bay, optionally visit a Shoalhaven winery on the way (http://shoalhavencoastwine.com.au)

inland to Canberra (stay next-door in Queanbeyan if hotel prices in Canberra are too steep),

north on M23 to Golbourn and veer off onto the road to Jenolan Caves (www.jenolancaves.org.au/)

Stay there or nearby in Oberon (we like the Titania motel - see the Shakespeare them?)

Then Katoomba - Mount Tomah - Colo Heights - Putty to Pokiolbin in the Hunter Valley wine region

down the M1 back to Sydney

Google will bring up all these.

A great book that will tell you what Australia was and is all about it Robert Hughes' FATAL SHORE - sure to be in a library near you.

Enjoy.

Oops, should have been Shakespeare theme and POKOLBIN (Fodors doesn't allow re-entering a post to edit...)

We have used https://www.bayswatercarrental.com.au/ for car rentals, many times, in the old and in the current William Street location and can recommend them.

Michel -

Thank you so kindly - this is a great start!

Best Regards
Scott

I think that's a really good loop down to the South Coast, Canberra & back via the Blue Mountains, It gives a variety of city, coastal, includes some good wineries ( there are some around Canberra , too.) and our little gem of a Capital city.

It also has the advantage of being able to be shortened to delete the Blue Mountains & come back to Sydney via the southern highlands, if you wanted to spend extra time elsewhere.

You'll be travelling in the last days of this Easter School holidays & the Anzac Day (25th April). You would be advised to book accommodation ahead in Canberra, as Anzac Day there can be quite busy.

We always recommend a visit to our war memorial in Canberra & it would be a great experience to go to the dawn service there on Anzac Day if it fits your schedule. Otherwise, an afternoon visit to take in the closing ceremony.

I'm another fan of Bayswater for good rental cars at very reaaomankw rates, low CDW.

Another thumbs up for Bayswater - No Birds!

Now we owe it to OP Scott to explain that "birds" in Australia are "girls" ( I know, I know... but it's nicer than Sheilas, isn't it?), and Bayswater made a point, quite a few years ago, of NOT using pretty female models in their advertising and to deliver cars to customers, hence the slogan "No Birds".
Apologies to all those to whom this is old news.