15 best things to see and do in New South Wales
New South Wales has it all! From adventure bike trails, cave tours and water activities to whale watching and festivals galore, the list of things to do in NSW in the spring and summer months is seemingly endless.
Discovery Parks – with features such as water parks, mini golf, waterfront views and a “pets welcome” policy at different parks – offer the ideal family escape this summer,
Here are our Top 15 tips to get you started:
1. Sydney’s pretty obvious at the top of the list, right? For starters, it’s got that bridge and that Opera House. The Harbour City is really an enormous bucket list breath… and here we go: Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, ferry rides, Luna Park, Bondi Beach, Taronga Zoo, Sydney Tower Eye, The Rocks, markets, a buzzing food and arts scene… phew! But if you like park life, where would you stay? Discovery Parks – Lane Cove conveniently located only 10km from Sydney’s CBD. It’s set in the 1,000-acre bushland of Lane Cove National Park. For campers, glampers, caravanners or cabin-goers, it is a relaxing haven away from the bustle of the big city. A real bonus is the iconic Bondi Beach is just 30 minutes away.

Discovery Parks - Lane Cove
Now it’s time to escape the city and discover luxury and adventure in regional NSW, so recommendations 2-5 are several fast favourites to whet your appetite.
2. Blue Mountains. Trails, caves, cable cars, trendy little eateries. It’s got the lot.
3. Do you love motorsport and the roar of engines? Okay, it’s off to Bathurst and the Mount Panorama-Wahluu circuit for you and the family.
4. Parkes has The Dish telescope used in the moon landings and was the focus of the great Aussie movie The Dish. And then you can’t help falling in love with the Parkes Elvis Festival each January. Impersonators everywhere… and maybe the real Elvis, too, if you believe the conspiracy theories.
5. Still on music, the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January each year is a showcase of world class talent and bootskootin’ fun for all ages.
6. Once a hidden haven, Byron Bay now attracts Hollywood stars and is one of Australia’s bucket list summer locations. Described as a “coastal paradise”, it’s world-famous for a reason. Drowsy days on gorgeous beaches, nature walks, Cape Byron Lighthouse, arts, festivals, culture and a great foodie scene. Just 15 minutes north is the Brunswick Nature Sculpture Walk. Annually in October, it hosts nationally recognised sculptors, performers and musicians to create “sculptural installations and sensory experiences”. The event aims to create a lasting sculptural walk, allowing locals and visitors to enjoy art in a natural setting. Byron Bay is a mix of glam and unspoiled nature, and you can have all that when you stay at Discovery Parks - Byron Bay. The Deluxe Lakeside 2 Bedroom Cabins are ideal for families – and the duplex cabins with a shared entrance and balcony are great for groups travelling together. When you’ve had enough of the beach, the Park’s Barrel Waterpark offers hours of fun!

Discovery Parks - Byron Bay
7. Dubbo makes any list, mainly because it has the Taronga Western Plains Zoo, home to hundreds of rare and endangered animals. Learning is a load of fun at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Experience, Old Dubbo Gaol and the Dubbo Observatory, then let loose with a game of Disc Golf at Sandy Beach Park. Discovery Parks – Dubbo is a mere two minutes from the zoo. Location, location, location!

Taronga Zoo. Image Credit: Destination NSW
8. Number eight on the places to visit in NSW is Jindabyne. Winter means skiing or snowboarding on world-class snowfields that are only 30-minutes from Discovery Parks – Jindabyne. Summer is also action packed: there’s mountain biking, white-water rafting, horse-riding and bushwalking. For those seeking a more sedate pace, check out the wonderful wineries, restaurants and galleries. Mount Kosciuszko National Park. 440-million-year-old stalagmites and stalactites of Yarrangobilly Caves. Going up? The Kosciuszko Express Chairlift stretches 1.8km up Mount Kosciuszko. Going down? The Thredbo Bobsled is a downhill adrenaline rush on 1.5km of track.
9. Famous for its Big Prawn and sweeping sandy beaches, beautiful Ballina is one of the great holiday destinations in New South Wales. Two hours from Brisbane, it’s boasts that supersized prawn, a Farmers Market every Sunday at Missingham Park and a cute little waterhole at Killen Falls. Use it as a staging camp for the Byron Bay hinterland, with a day trip to Nimbin. At the end of the day, enjoy a local brew at Ballina’s Seven Mile Brewery or Bangalow’s Common People Brewing Co. Discovery Parks – Ballina is situated right next on Shaws Bay, so you don’t even need to leave the park to enjoy the water activities.
10. Number 10 on our list is Gerroa. It also rates 10 out of 10 for the nearby Jamberoo Action Park – a themed water park - and the Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk. Get your serve of nature at every turn, from the Kiama Blowholes, dolphin cruises and whale watching. The Blue Pool of Bermagui is a South Coast stunner. It’s a natural rock pool you can swim in as it is washed by the ocean, and there’s a wading pool for toddlers. Perfect!
Back at the park, the Superior 2 Bedroom Cabin is ideal for families, with a Queen Bed, 2 Single Bunks, air-conditioned living area and veranda. Feel like more family fun? The park is loaded with things to do. Why not test your putting skills with a game of mini golf, splash in the pool or defy gravity on the bouncing pillow?

Discovery Parks - Gerroa
Here are three more whale-inspired destinations not to be missed. The best months are May to October, depending on the location.
11. Ulladulla. After a 3-hour drive from Sydney, you can set yourself up at Discovery Parks – Burrill Lake, Ulladulla. The park features a resort-style pool, mini golf and giant jumping pillow to keep your family entertained for hours on end. Make sure you leave time to visit the great lookout on Seaside Parade for whale watching (July to November). Batemans Bay Oyster Tasting Kayak Tour is pretty cool, too.
12. Merimbula on the NSW Sapphire Coast is rated as one of the world’s best whale watching destinations. Discovery Parks – Pambula Beach is located in Beowa National Park, which is perfect to get your in mood for nature as you go looking for humpback whales on a local cruise (May to July and August to November). Not that adventurous? How about feeding the fishies at Merimbula Aquarium & Wharf Restaurant, which has 28 tanks brimming with local and tropical marine life.
13. From Eden you can go whale watching – or head to the Eden Killer Whale Museum with its 12m-long orca skeletons. Named as one of the most innovative museums in regional New South Wales, it’s a must-see. From September to November, the humpback and southern right whales visit the Beowa National Park. November is also the date of the Eden Whale Festival. If you stay at Discovery Parks – Eden, you’ll realise that whales are just the tip of the dorsal fin! For example, the new Gravity Eden Mountain Bike Park is a 15-minute drive away. There’s also a historic whaling station, lookouts galore, fishing on Wonboyn Lake or perhaps you’d prefer to see Australian wildlife at Potoroo Palace?

Discovery Parks - Eden
14. Narooma Beach is famous for being family friendly. Go fish spotting on the Mill Bay Boardwalk and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for stingrays, dolphins and seals. To take nature shows to the next level, take a cruise boat out to Montague Island Reserve for amazing seal spotting. But your kids might not want to leave your accommodation at Discovery Parks – Narooma Beach, with its Adventure Playground making it a great NSW holiday destination in itself. There’s also tennis, volleyball, bike hire and a pool, as well as postcard perfect Handkerchief Beach close by.

Narooma Beach
15. Any “best list” for NSW can’t go past a river holiday on the magnificent Murray. Australia’s longest river is perfect for fishing, swimming, bird-watching and long walks where you’re bound to spot local wildlife in their natural habitat. The river’s wetlands are teeming with life and perfect for a canoe adventure. Visit Echuca-Moama, twin towns on the Murray River, and you’ll be spoiled for choice. The National Holden Museum, Great Aussie Beer Shed, Billabong Ranch Adventure Park, Paddle Steamers River Cruises from Echuca, Wharf to Winery Cruise with Lunch Package, Rich River Golf Club, Echuca Farmers Market, Echuca Moama Wine Region … yep, there’s a lot going on! Discovery Parks - Moama Waters has an endless range of facilities for the whole family, while a holiday at Discovery Parks - Maidens Inn, Moama lets you watch the historic paddle steamers go by from the balcony of your riverfront cabin. Further along the river, water sports are king at Discovery Parks – Lake Hume, NSW which is just 15 minutes from Albury and located right on the lake!
Related article: 6 Reasons To Revisit The Murray Region
What now?
NSW's Best Bits await you. Book your stay now with Discovery Parks and make your next escape truly memorable.