There’s nothing quite like a road trip to the Snowy Mountains. Cramming the family or a bunch of your best pals into your car, overpacking your luggage, and preparing the road trip playlist are all essential in going up the scenic route to one of Australia’s most gorgeous landscapes.

The hardest part of any road trip – and perhaps the most tedious if you have picky friends – is putting together a decent enough itinerary for the journey to your destination. If you’re a master procrastinator, or simply require a helping hand in putting together a list of things to bolster your journey from A to B, then we have the itinerary you need for the upcoming Easter long weekend.

Wollongong Wonders

Image source: Sydney.com

A breezy drive down the M1 from the heart of Sydney will soon take you to the gorgeous Grand Pacific Drive. It is here where your road trip journey really begins to take the “scenic route”. With the gorgeous coast on one side, as you drive along at your own pace, the Grand Pacific Drive is a breathtaking stretch of road that will stop you off into Wollongong. When you’ve comfortably made your way to Wollongong, we recommend checking out the Wollongong Botanic Garden to stretch your legs and get back in touch with nature after a couple of hours on the road. If the weather is a treat you wouldn’t go amiss heading to Wattamolla Beach and dipping your toes in the ocean. This beach is a gorgeous hidden gem with plenty of tracks and surrounding lookouts to make for a peaceful oceanside stop.

Jumping to Jervis Bay

Image source: Booking.com

As the last stop along the coast before heading inland, it would be rude not to spend some time at Jervis Bay. Jervis Bay and the entire Shoalhaven region have over 100 beaches and small nooks and crannies to make for a worthy road trip in its own right. We would recommend stopping at the Jervis Bay Marine point and quickly ducking into one of the local town cafes for a tasty bite – Jervis Bay has a beautiful local town atmosphere with plenty of heart and gorgeous scenic landscapes. If time permits, the White Sands walk is another coastal trail that makes for a beautiful stroll with a coffee or croissant in hand. 

Canberra and the Three Blue Ducks

Image source: Three Blue Ducks, Nimbo

After a few hours of cruising along the eastern NSW coastline, it is time to head inland and toward Canberra. Canberra is the perfect place to rest while on your way to the small town of Nimbo. 2 hours into your trek inland to Nimbo from Jervis Bay, we’d highlight stopping off at the capital of Australia, taking in the views of Parliament House for a quick breather and then hopping back in the car for the second half of your trip to Nimbo.

At Nimbo it is a MUST that you visit the Three Blue Ducks for a late dinner feed. Located at Nimbo Fork Lodge, Three Blue Ducks is in the heart of the Snowy Mountains and prides itself on the farm-to-table fresh produce that makes for a unique and hearty feed. The lodge also has accommodation options so that you and your pals can get some much-needed shut-eye if you’re planning on making this an overnight stay post-feed.

Jindabyne Delight

Image source: Snowy Mountains Magazine

If you’ve made it this far, you are stacking up quite the itinerary for a road trip across NSW. From Nimbo it is best to get up bright and early to make your way through to Jindabyne and take in all that this serene landscape has to offer. Catching Jindabyne in the Autumn months can also mean finding the Jindabyne Lake Light sculptures around Lake Jindabyne and taking pristine photos near these gorgeous sculptures on display. If you’re willing to stay for when it gets dark, these sculptures will be in full force all Easter Long weekend for a gorgeous and shining display of light and art. Jindabyne has a host of trails, cafes and lookouts to make for a worthwhile experience in the Snowy Mountains region of NSW.

The Apex at Perisher

It wouldn’t be a great finale to your trip without heading from Jindabyne to Perisher, and if you get there on 8 April 2023 you will be lucky enough to get involved with the NSW Fire and Rescue Open Day at the Perisher Valley Fire station which includes a Duck Race for the kids on Easter Saturday. You can also check out the local fire trucks, meet some of the heroes of Perisher Valley Fire Station and enjoy some of the stalls they will have on display.

While touring Perisher we would recommend checking out the local trails, and chair lifts, and if you’re feeling active, maybe even hiring a mountain bike and going for a ride along the valley. If you have the time, why not stay for the sunset atop one of the many peaks at Perisher and drive by our Eiger Chalet to see it when it’s not completely snow bound.

We’re not open for Easter 2023, but if you’re planning on heading from Sydney to the Snowy Mountains from June to October, why not book your on snow stay in Perisher at Eiger Chalet?