Sydney to Berry Weekend Road Trip + Free Map

We’ve done more day trips out of Sydney than we can count, but the drive from Sydney to Berry is the one we keep coming back to for a proper weekend away.

Think donut vans, sourdough bakeries, hinterland wineries and a sunset dinner right on the sand at Gerroa.

All packed into two days, with a bonus Monday in Kangaroo Valley if it’s a long weekend.

Road trip snapshot

• Distance: Around 360km return from Sydney
• Drive time: Around 5 hours of driving spread across the weekend
• Areas covered: Sea Cliff Bridge, Berry, Berry Village, Berry Hinterland & Wineries, Gerroa, Optional: Kangaroo Valley
• Best time: Autumn and spring for mild weather and green hinterland views, though the wineries and cafes work year round
• Vehicle: 2WD, every road on this route is sealed
• Pet-friendly: Some, check with individual guesthouses as not all take dogs
• Good for: Couples and food lovers wanting a slow, eating-focused weekend that’s dead easy to plan

Day 1: Sea Cliff Bridge > Berry (Friday)

• Distance: ~170km
• Drive time: ~2 hrs 15 mins

Duck out of Sydney early on Friday and you’ll be sipping wine in Berry before dinner. The route hugs the coast down through the Illawarra before cutting inland to the Shoalhaven, with one unmissable stop along the way.

Afternoon at Sea Cliff Bridge

Sea Cliff Bridge is one of those spots that photos never quite do justice.

Standing on the pedestrian path with the ocean churning below the cantilever deck is a great leg-stretch after the Sydney traffic.

Walk the dedicated pedestrian path along this 665m balanced-cantilever bridge between Coalcliff and Clifton, one of NSW’s most photographed coastal landmarks.

If you love this kind of coastal driving, our roundup of 12 Aussie coastal road trips is worth bookmarking for your next weekend off.

Evening in Berry

Drive: 90km from Sea Cliff Bridge, around 1 hr 15 mins via the Grand Pacific Drive and Princes Highway.

Berry is one of those NSW towns that has the “Historic Town” tag and actually lives up to it.

By the time you roll in on Friday evening, the shopfronts are quiet and the pubs are just filling up, exactly the pace we come here for.

Things to do in Berry (Friday night)

• Settle in for the night at Broughton Mill Farm Guesthouse, a country guesthouse on 3.5 acres of gardens, creek and a solar-heated pool, just a kilometre from the main street.
• The Berry View is a well-reviewed, better-value motel-style stay a short walk from Queen Street. This si
• Grab dinner in the beer garden at The Berry Hotel, an 1863 heritage pub right in the middle of town, no booking needed.
• Or book ahead at Tre Bambini, a warm family-run Italian and seafood spot on Albert Street with alfresco seating.

Berry also makes a solid base if you’re stitching this into a longer road trip. If you want something longer try our Sydney to Batemans Bay road trip that heads further down the coast.

Day 2: Berry Village > Berry Hinterland & Wineries (Saturday)

• Distance: ~15km
• Drive time: ~20 mins

Saturday is the eating day. Spend the morning wandering Queen Street on foot, then head five minutes into the hinterland for a long lunch and plenty of trinkets to buy.

Morning on Queen Street

In town, all walking distance from your accommodation.

Queen Street is the reason Berry has such a good name.

Verandahed shopfronts, a bakery on every corner and a queue for the donut van by 9am, it’s a proper stroll-and-graze kind of morning.

Places to eat in Berry Village

• The Famous Berry Donut Van: Order fresh, made-to-order cinnamon donuts and a coffee from the van that’s been running since the 1960s. 30 min
• Milkwood Bakery: Sit down for renowned sourdough, pastries and a proper breakfast to kick the day off right. 1 hr
• The General Store Berry: All-day brunch inside a reimagined century-old building on Prince Alfred Street, with a sunny courtyard and local wines to take home. 1 hr
• Queen Street heritage stroll: Wander the officially recognised historic streetscape of verandahed shopfronts, homewares stores and antique shops. 1 hr
• Berry Museum: A small local-history museum inside a former bank building, a quick dive into the town’s dairy-and-timber past. 45 min
• Berry Chocolatier: Pick up handmade chocolates and truffles as an edible souvenir. 20 min

Afternoon in the Berry Hinterland & Wineries

Drive: 5 to 10km from town, around 10 minutes.

The hills behind Berry roll out into proper green hinterland scenery within minutes of leaving Queen Street.

This is the part of the weekend we always block out the most time for.

Things to do in the Berry Hinterland

• Silos Estate: A long lunch at the estate restaurant with vineyard views, paired with a tasting of South Coast wines. This is the natural centrepiece of a food-focused weekend. 2 hrs
• Two Figs Winery: A relaxed cellar door with rolling hinterland views for an afternoon tasting, some of the best outlooks near Berry. 45 min
• Cambewarra Mountain Lookout: A short drive up the escarpment to sweeping views over the Shoalhaven coastal plain, with a tea room on site for a break between eating. 45 min

If you’re new to this style of long-lunch weekender, our guide to Aussie road trips for first-timers covers all the basics for keeping things relaxed rather than rushed.

Day 3: Berry > Gerroa (Sunday)

• Distance: ~174km
• Drive time: ~2 hrs 20 mins

Sunday starts slow with a last Berry breakfast or the monthly markets, then heads out to the coast at Gerroa for a golden-hour finish before the drive home.

Things to do in Berry (Sunday morning)

• Berry Markets: The South Coast’s largest monthly market with around 200 stalls of produce, crafts and street food at the showground. Time it for the first Sunday of the month, no market in February. 1.5 hrs
• Berry Sourdough Cafe: A woodfired-oven cafe attached to the bakery, known for interesting brunch dishes and its famous bread. 1 hr
• Drawing Room Rocks: A short but steep 2.8km return climb through rainforest to a clifftop platform with views over Kangaroo Valley, Berry and the coast, one of the best views in NSW and only 15 minutes from the donut van. 1.5 hrs
• South Coast Providores: A gourmet deli in a rear courtyard off Queen Street, perfect for stocking a picnic or edible souvenirs for the drive home. Open Thursday to Sunday. 30 min

Afternoon in Gerroa

Drive: 14km from Berry, around 20 minutes.

Gerroa is a proper reward for anyone who’s spent two days eating their way through Berry.

It’s a tiny beach town with one of the best views on the South Coast and no crowds to fight for it.

Things to do in Gerroa

• Seven Mile Beach: A long, wild stretch of white sand at the northern end where the Crooked River meets the ocean, one of the most beautiful beaches on the South Coast. 45 min
• Black Head Reserve: A grassy headland reserve above Gerroa for golden-hour light over the beach, river mouth and hinterland, the best perch in town for sunset. 45 min
• Gerroa Boat Fishermen’s Club (Seahorse Bistro): A casual bistro dinner with panoramic windows straight out over Seven Mile Beach, no booking needed. 1.5 hrs
• The Blue Swimmer at Seahaven: A beloved small beachside restaurant serving fresh seafood and modern Australian plates with river-and-ocean views. Dinner is Friday and Saturday only, so book ahead. 1.5 hrs

If sunset chasing is your thing, our list of the best sunsets in Australia has a few other spots worth adding to the bucket list.

From Gerroa, it’s about 160km and 2 hours back up the Princes Highway into Sydney, an easy way to close out the weekend before Monday hits.

Bonus: Kangaroo Valley

• Distance: ~175km
• Drive time: ~2 hrs 25 mins

If you can wrangle a Monday off, Kangaroo Valley is a quick, pretty detour on the way home rather than a big diversion inland.

Kangaroo Valley

Drive: About 25km from Berry, around 25 minutes via Kangaroo Valley Road.

Kangaroo Valley feels like a proper valley village, all green paddocks and one small main strip.

It’s an easy last stop before the run home rather than a whole extra region to tackle.

Things to do in Kangaroo Valley

• Hampden Bridge: Walk across Australia’s oldest surviving suspension bridge, a castellated 1898 timber landmark over the Kangaroo River. 30 min
• Kangaroo Valley Pie Shop: Pick up a hearty gourmet pie for a relaxed Monday lunch before the drive home. 30 min
• Kangaroo Valley village stroll: Browse the small strip of galleries, providores and the historic Friendly Inn before heading home. 1 hr
• Kangaroo River kayak hire: An optional paddle on the calm Kangaroo River from the valley floor if you’ve got the extra time. 1.5 hrs

From Kangaroo Valley, it’s around 150km and 2 hours back to Sydney via Moss Vale and the Southern Highlands, a nice change of scenery from the coast road you came down on.

Planning your weekend road trip

Best time to go

Autumn and spring are our pick, the hinterland stays green, the wineries are quiet and the drive down the Grand Pacific Drive is comfortable rather than sweaty.

Summer weekends and long weekends get busy in Berry, so book accommodation and Silos Estate lunch well ahead if you’re going in January or over Easter.

Winter still works fine, it’s just a bit cooler on that Gerroa headland at sunset, so pack a jacket.

What to pack

• A warm layer for the Cambewarra Mountain Lookout and Black Head Reserve at sunset
• Good walking shoes for Drawing Room Rocks, it’s steep in sections
• An esky or cooler bag for wine and deli buys from South Coast Providores
• Cash for the donut van and the Berry Markets stalls
• Swimmers if you’re staying at Broughton Mill Farm Guesthouse for a dip in the solar-heated pool
• A reusable coffee cup, you’ll be using it a lot on Queen Street

Top tips

Book Silos Estate and The Blue Swimmer at Seahaven ahead of time, they’re the two spots most likely to be full on a Saturday or Sunday.

Get to the donut van early on Saturday, the queue builds fast once the town wakes up.

If your weekend lines up with the first Sunday of the month, plan your morning around the Berry Markets rather than trying to squeeze both markets and a hike in.

Leave Sydney by early afternoon on Friday if you can, it means you’ll hit Sea Cliff Bridge in good light rather than after dark.

Pace yourself with the food. Between the donut van, two bakeries, a long lunch and dinner, it’s easy to overdo it on day one alone.

FAQs

Before you go

If two days of eating your way through Berry has you keen for more of the South Coast, our Sydney to Jervis Bay weekend road trip is the natural next stop, just a bit further down the highway.

See you on the road, Chris and Bec