17 Hidden Adventure Ideas to Get You Outside in Sydney

Sydney is one of the greatest cities in the world to be an outdoor enthusiast. These 17 adventure ideas prove that the harbour still has hidden adventures waiting for you to find.

Hidden Adventures in Your Backyard

Without stumbling too far from your own doorstep, Sydney will present you with an outdoor playground teeming with adventurous possibilities for anyone willing to explore it.

Don’t get me wrong, climbing the bridge and admiring the Opera House are both incredible experiences, but occasionally it pays to scratch at the surface to uncover some of the true gems that our city has to offer. For it’s then that you escape the crowds and delve deep into the realms of nature and discovery.

Read more: How to Live an Outdoorsy Life in The City

Nearly all of these suggestions are completely free, within Sydney or a few hour’s drive, and all are guaranteed to quench your wanderlust and send you back to your desks on a Monday morning with an ear-to-ear grin.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

Hidden Adventures in Sydney

1. Trek to Resolute Beach

Location: Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park

With hundreds of Sydney beaches to choose from, it can be challenging to find a hidden stretch of sand that you can call your own for the day and stick your metaphorical flag into it. Resolute Beach is what you’ve been searching for.

Drive to the picnic ground on West Head Road and follow the walking trail through ancient caves and lush, unspoiled landscape. It’s isolated, it’s wild, it’s paradise. It’s also less than an hour from the CBD.

Read more: How to Stay Safe on the Beach

@thetantrap

2. Hire a Motorboat on Sydney Harbour

Location: Sydney Harbour

You’d assume that to self-drive a motorboat around the harbour you’d have to hold a suitable licence. Not in this case!

Sydney Harbour Escapes are your fun facilitators here, and as their boats travel no faster than 10 knots all you need to bring along with you is a few mates, an esky of BBQ treats, and some good old-fashioned common sense. This is a great way to experience the nooks and crannies of the harbour in a truly unique way.

3. Go Urban Food Foraging

Location: Sydney

Dotted throughout Sydney are bountiful opportunities for the urban forager, through a workshop with Diego Bonetto. From parklands to creeks, beaches to streets – if you’re feeling adventurous you should give this alternative hobby a go.

You may even bag yourself a free meal in the process! Blackberries, limes, wild fennel, seaweeds, asparagus, rosemary… you’ll be surprised by what you find out there.

Read more: How To Identify an Australian Native Plant

4. Go Bouldering at Palm Beach

Location: Palm Beach

Bouldering in summer can be a bit of a task, so maintaining close proximity to water is a must. The boulders at Palm Beach are right on the sand, perfect for an early climb, a dip, and brunch!

Read more: Dawn Bouldering at Palm Beach

Photo by Neil And Gabby Massey

5. Stand Up Paddle Board in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park

Location: Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park

For those willing to discover an untouched adventure playground, there lies a seemingly endless network of winding rivers and hidden waterways just north of Sydney at Ku-Ring-Gai National Park. The coolest way to explore them? Bring a standup paddleboard, drive to where the road ends, walk to the river, pump up, and paddle!

Read more: Multi-Day SUP Touring is the Most Fun You Can Have Standing Up!

6. Snorkel With Sharks in Manly

Location: Manly Beach

Cabbage Tree Bay is a popular diving and swimming spot that’s absolutely teeming with marine life – including sharks!

It’s Sydney’s only Aquatic Reserve, so depending on the season, you might see Dusky Whalers, Wobbegongs, and Port Jackson sharks. But you’re also likely to bump into a host of beautiful marine life such as stingrays, cuttlefish, and Eastern blue gropers.

Read more: 8 Ways to Minimise Your Impact While Snorkelling and Diving

@mattwisemanmedia

7. Spot Wild Koalas Without Leaving Sydney

Location: Sydney

Catching a glimpse of the iconic Aussie native can be tricky, especially in the city. Luckily there are a bunch of places around Sydney where you can go and visit them! Try the many sanctuaries and zoos in the city and out towards the west.

@henry_brydon

8. Go for a Wild Swim

Location: Collins Flat Beach

If following lane dividers at your local swimming pool is getting a little tedious, then it’s probably time you tried wild swimming. A wild swim adventure is about finding a remote river, lagoon, waterfall, or lake; basically anywhere that’s completely entombed by nature to ensure a seriously chlorine-free experience.

Be brave, breathe deep, and take the plunge – you won’t regret it. Collins Beach Waterfall or Winifred Falls are our top recommendations!

Read more: Waterfall & Swimming Hole Safety

Adventure Weekends Outside of Sydney

9. Explore Conjola Beach & Its Coastal Rainforest

Location: Conjola Beach, Shoalhaven

The Narrawallee Creek Nature Reserve takes in the protected coastline between Ulladulla and Lake Conjola. There are dunes, wetlands, and coastal forests to explore, as well as spots to swim, fish, and spot kangaroos. Go mid-week and you’ll probably have it all to yourself!

10. Visit a Cave

Location: Brisbane Waters National Park

Hidden away amongst spectacular scenery, Sydney has numerous cave escapes for anyone looking for an unusual weekend adventure.

It really is surprising how ‘at home’ one feels sleeping in a cave, so make sure to check out Palona Cave in Royal National Park or venture a bit further to Pindar Cave in Brisbane Waters National Park.

Read more: 5 Caves to Crawl Into Near Sydney

@andylewis_photography

11. Surf the Royal National Park

Location: Royal National Park

The congested mayhem of Bondi’s iconic waves can make surfing feel more like a game of dodgems than a fun day out.

For those feeling a little more adventurous, pack up the car and drive an hour south to Garie Beach in the Royal National Park. Leave the car there and walk over the southern headland to North Era Beach, odds are you’ll find a wave to call your own there.

Read more: Surf the Royal National Park

12. Seek Out Historical Cave Paintings at Maiyingu Marragu Aboriginal Reserve

Location: Wolgan Valley

The cave paintings in Blackfellows Hand Cave remain protected from the elements and offer a glimpse into Australia’s history. Walk quietly through the ancient rock pagodas and leave time to really appreciate this special place.

Read more: Top Aboriginal Tours & Cultural Sites to Explore Sydney’s First Nations Heritage

13. Ride a Horse in the Hunter Valley

Location: Hunter Valley

Less ‘wild’ and more ‘wild west’, horse riding in the Hunter Valley is a blast, especially if you throw in a visit to a winery (or three) and a night out under the stars.

Photo by Angharad Rees

14. Explore Abandoned Railway Tunnels

Location: Royal National Park

Between 1884 and 1886 a complex series of railway tunnels were built between Waterfall and Otford within the rugged wilderness of the Royal National Park. Now abandoned, it’s possible to explore these eerie remnants of the city’s past. They’re a photographer’s dream world so don’t forget your camera and a torch!

15. Camp Near the Sea Cliff Bridge

Location: Coledale

Did you know that you can camp down near the Sea Cliff Bridge, right on an epic surf beach, only 1.5 hours (if that!) from Sydney? You can. Do it.

Read more: 10 Best Walks & Hikes Around Wollongong & Illawarra

DNSW

16. Seek Out Glow Worms, Ruins, Rocky Cliffs, and Stunning Valleys at Newnes

Location: Newnes, Wolgan Valley

If driving down mysterious dirt roads to intriguing ruins is your thing (I think it’s everyone’s thing?) then a trip to Newnes should be top of your list. Take the trip over the Blue Mountains to the Glow Worm Tunnel (you can even ride there) or make it a weekender at Newnes Campground.

Read more: Learn to Mountain Bike Without Breaking Yourself

@henry_brydon

17. Take a 5-9 Mid-Week Microadventure

Location: Royal National Park – or anywhere you can reach after work and be back in time for the next morning!

What could be better than leaving work with a great pack on your back, ready to sleep wild in the middle of the week? Shake up your everyday and reclaim your weeknights with a mid-week microadventure. This one’s accessible by train but the possibilities are endless.

Read more: 10 Best Sydney Walks Accessible by Train

Want to Leave the City? Try These Adventures Further Away

• How to Have a Wholesome Country Weekend Around Orange
• We Uncovered a Multi-Day Hiking Holiday Just Hours From Sydney and Canberra
• Adelong Falls Combines Gold Mine Ruins With Endless Personal Swimming Holes
• How to Find Buddong Falls in Kosciuszko National Park
• Murramarang South Coast Walk – A Magical 3 Day Hike Along the NSW South Coast
• Bikepacking From Canberra To Batemans Bay
• Hiking Wog Wog Campground to Cooyoyo Campground and The Castle

Header image by @travelmademedoit_
Table of contents image by @salty.peaks.collective