Planning your next Sydney weekender trip? Skip the crowd-frequented locations such as the Jervis Bay, Terrigal, Port Stephens, and others. It’s time to add Wollongong to your travel destinations. Also called The Gong, the fantastic Wollongong was transformed from a quaint location to a place where families, friends, and travellers would love to spend their precious days in whether for a short trip or a permanent residence to others.
The seaside city was enjoyed by both tourists and locals. It’s definitely not somewhere you just drive through. Here are a couple of must visit destinations around the city.
- Grand Pacific Drive and the Sea Cliff Bridge. Enjoy a scenic and spectacular drive between Sydney and Wollongong – and reach beyond if you please! You can start your ride 45 minutes south of Sydney at the Royal National Park, which is the second oldest National Park in the world. The Grand Pacific Drive stretches around 140km. You and your travel buddies can enjoy coastal rainforests and villages before you traverse the awe-inspiring Sea Cliff Bridge.
- Breakfast at Diggies. You probably can’t find many places like Diggies Café especially if you want to start the day right with a good, hearty meal. Located at a heritage listed site on North Wollongong’s Beach, the updates to the place made it a stylish and modern beachside café, where majestic di Lorenzo coffee and sumptuous award-winning meals are served.
- Nan Tien Temple. Famously known as the Southern Paradise, Nan Tien Temple is also the largest Buddhist Temple in the Southern Hemisphere. Here multiple regular events like excursions, meditation retreats, and arts & craft classes are held.
- Southern Biplane Adventures. Southern Biplane Adventures offer a range of scenic and aerobatic adventure flights. You’ll be rewarded with an experience in the flagship of its fleet, the fantastic Lilly Warra.
- Illawarra Brewery. Established in 2001 and was then named the Five Islands Brewing Company from the five islands situated off Wollongong’s coast. Perfectly located right on the beach at Wollongong, the fantastic microbrewery offers 10 custom brews. Get yourself a beer and cheese degustation plus the perfect accompaniment – sea-side ‘pub grub’.
- Illawarra Fly. Situated 45m above the forest floor, the Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk provides picturesque views from Bass Point in the south to Bundeena in the north. A sunrise walk lets you experience the beginning of a new day from on high.
- Symbio Wildlife Park. Symbio Wildlife Park offers both native animals and exotic Sumatran Tigers, Red Pandas, Meerkats and Cotton-Top Tamarin monkeys. You’re treated to a range of awesome animal encounters. Indeed, a visit to Symbio is a great experience for animal lovers of all ages.
Bonus: Beach skydiving. Found in the aptly named Skydive the Beach, and as the name suggests, it’s the only location in NSW where you can skydive on to the beach. Skydivers jump from Australia’s highest altitude (around 14,000ft). This ensures that guests have a lot of time to admire the picturesque sights of Wollongong from above.
More than a fantastic destination with plenty of activities to do, Wollongong is also a prime real estate investment location with multiple developments currently available for purchase both for families and investors. The house and land in Wollongong, particularly in Calderwood Valley, which is nestled between the escarpment and the sea in the Illawarra. It’s where you can experience the beauty of nature complimented with the convenience of urban living. Check it out!
It’s time to experience Wollongong! Start planning with your travel friends and/or loved ones!
