Sydney to Jervis Bay
The short journey from Sydney to Jervis Bay is a picture-perfect mini road trip. Begin by picking up your rental car from Hertz in Sydney, the hit the road south towards beautiful Jervis Bay. In theory, you could complete this trip in under three hours, but with lots to see and do along the way, it’s worthwhile making a day of it.Wesuggest taking the scenic route and travelling via the coastal road. This will make your trip more relaxing, and you’ll be able to see more along the way at your own pace, instead of speeding down the Hume Highway. Plan to leave Sydney before the crazy rush hour morning traffic or leave after 10 am when everything has died down again.Stop one: Kamay Botany Bay National Park
Whether you’ve hit the road at the crack of dawn, or after the morning traffic, make time to stop atthehistoricKamay Botany Bay National Park, Australia’s first national park. Here, you can see the place where Captain Cook first landed in Australia, or grab a coffee and take a morning stroll to stretch your legs. Discover the rich Aboriginal cultureandspotnative plants on a bush walk, or keep youreyespeeled for whalesatCapeSolander. Kamay Botany Bay National Park is filled with significant sites, remarkable landscapes and heritage-listed attractions, and only 45 minutes from Sydney – making it the perfect first stop.Stop two: Stanwell Park
Just under anhourfromKamay Botany Bay National Park, Stanwell Park is a pretty, picturesque coastal town, nestled in a narrow valley where the Illawarra escarpment drops down to the sea. It’s a quiet, bushland village with a sense of privacy, isolation and peacefulness. In recent times, it has become abeaconforparagliders who launchthemselvesoffStanwell Tops and gracefully glide through the air. Head up to Bald Hill Lookout where you’ll find some of the best views in New South Wales andseetheparagliders in action.Stop three: Nan Tien Temple
Situated in the Wollongong suburb of Berkeley, Nan Tien Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. The Chinese-styled palace structure is built on a hillside in a semi-rural areaandsetamidstelegant landscaped gardens. The temple complex includes meeting rooms, a museum, accommodation facilities, a restaurant, as well as two gigantic prayer halls. The architecture of the complex is notable as it contains features from several different styles of Buddhism. The pagoda is distinctly Chinese in style, while the main temples incorporate elements of Tibetan monastic architecture. Throughout the grounds of the complex, courtyards feature Japanese style gardens, with statues and shrines borrowing from the bright colour schemes of Southeast Asian style temples.Stop four: Jervis Bay
The final stop on this mini road trip is the magnificent Jervis Bay, famous for its white sandy beaches and crystalline turquoise waters. The beaches around Jervis Bay are among the safest and most beautiful in Australia. It’s a veritable paradise, with an enviable array of water-based activities to keep you entertained for days. Jervis Bay is dotted with quaint coastal villages that ooze seaside charm.We recommend checking out Hyams Beach, one of the most popular beaches around the Jervis Bay area. With milk-white sand and tropical, turquoise waters, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were somewhere else entirely. The beach at Hyams rarely receives any swell, which is part of what gives it the feeling of calm and serenity. Because of this, it’s also perfectly safe for families with young children. However, like all beaches in the bay, it is unpatrolled – so do exercise caution at all times.
For such a short road trip, you’ll be amazed how much you can pack in. Jump in your Hertz rental car and begin exploring today.
