Sydney to Nelson Bay road trip: Distance, driving time & stops
The Sydney to Nelson Bay drive covers a 216km distance in around 2h29m. Top road trip stops along the way include Glenworth Valley, Watagans National Park and Fighter World.
The drive from Sydney to Nelson Bay takes you from the New South Wales capital to the main hub of the Port Stephens region.
Sydney’s enormous collection of experiences includes all-inclusive sunset dinner cruises, behind-the-scenes tours of the Opera House, jet boat thrill rides and historic walking tours. To get the best deals on Sydney accommodation, book here. To find Sydney tours and experiences that suit your tastes, step this way.
Nelson Bay is where the Port Stephens dolphin-watching cruises depart from.
Book in advance for the best deals on Port Stephens accommodation.
Sydney to Nelson Bay distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Sydney to Nelson Bay is 216km. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 29 minutes. But there are a few road trip stops along the way worth considering.
6 fantastic Port Stephens experiences worth going for.
- 4WD dunes tour with sandboarding – whizz down the Sahara-style dunes
- Dolphin-watching cruise with fun boom nets 🐬.
- Quad-biking over the Worimi sand dunes – learning about local Aboriginal culture along the way.
- Snorkelling with wild dolphins – the ultimate dolphin experience
- Port Stephens koala sanctuary admission tickets 🐨.
- Shallow water shark and ray encounter 🦈.
Close to the quickest route leaving Sydney through the northern suburbs are the Lane Cove National Park and Cumberland State Forest in West Pennant Hills. There’s also modernist architecture at Rose Siedler House in Wahroonga.
You can also make a small diversion to the scenic Bobbin Head picnic ground in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park or Galston Gorge in Berowra Waters National Park.
Just before crossing the Hawkesbury River Bridge, there’s Brooklyn, where the Riverboat Postman cruises deliver mail to river communities such as Dangar Island, inviting invites tourists to join them.
Next section: Central Coast.