Day Trips With Dogs Sydney – A trip to the south coast of NSW is like a journey. There is so much to see, eat and enjoy.
This isn’t our first rodeo trip or our first petting trip, we’ve also spent time enjoying trips to Port Stephens and the Hunter Valley!
Day Trips With Dogs Sydney
Between writing and writing about the journey from Sydney to Merimbula, a bushfire broke out in another area causing damage and destruction. But we Aussies are made of strong stuff and many of these towns and businesses are thriving and ready to welcome visitors.
Dog Friendly Beaches In Sydney
In fact, there’s never been a better time to jump in the car and hit the road, because these cities and businesses need your tourism dollars more than ever. Visiting these cities and local businesses means your money goes where it’s needed most and remember, even a small donation can make a big difference.
You can easily drive from Sydney to Merimbula in one day, but as I’m not a fan of long car journeys we break up the journey by staying overnight, which means less time in the car and more time to explore. Whether you choose to go for a day or two, there’s plenty to see, eat and do along the way to Sapphire Lake.
Not only do cars need fuel on road trips, so do people. I don’t know about you but road trips make me hungry so I love going to a bakery kitchen that my friend Jana approves of.
This place is great with a delicious menu and friendly and pet friendly staff. We grab a table at the dog bar – it’s also a bed – and try to decide what to eat. I’m getting frustrated!
Dog Boarding Sydney
It is difficult to decide because there is one of the menu where you want. Or maybe it’s just me?
I finally settled on the daily special, Pumpkin Toast ($14) – roasted pumpkin, dill goat cheese, pickled radish, sprouts, chili oil and seeds in sour cream. And in case you’re wondering, it tastes as good as it looks.
We leave with full bellies and want to come back because it’s so good, this place is worth the 90 minute drive from Sydney.
I love a good scenic drive and the Grand Pacific Drive is the best scenic drive in the world (look what I did there!) A drive to the Shoalhaven is not complete without a ride over the Clear Sea Cliff Bridge which is shaped. Snakes on one side, and old stones. It was a sight to behold. Today is a gray day and I don’t shoot but I see how nice it is in the sun. I took it on a trip to Berry last year.
Dog Friendly Road Trip
We drove another 15 minutes to Austinmer. We stop to see our friends, Jane, Shannon and their girls, what a sea change this year has been.
We have big plans to go to the beach but the weather is not on our side to check out their new location. However, sister Teddy Acer and cute brother Marlowe take one of the group and explore Little South Beach aka dog heaven.
The beach is 24 hours away and there are many places to run and play. Towels and poo bags are provided. Sharp and Marlo it’s fun and dad agrees!
We made a pit stop (aka toilet stop) in the lovely town of Milton. It is full of gourmet shops and specialty shops and is home to a famous vegetarian cafe. We promise that we will make a full and complete refund on our trip, should bushfires disrupt our plans. It’s still on our ad-visited list, so Milton is back to business as usual. Don’t delay, go today!
Best Dog Friendly Weekend Getaways From Sydney
Not a fan of long car journeys, we were there for two nights and stayed in this lovely Mollymook studio. Karen, our host made us feel very welcome and the light, airy and beautiful space touches on so many thoughtful touches.
Here are my top tips for choosing the perfect Airbnb. If you’re new to Airbnb, click here for my referral link and you’ll get a $76 credit on your first stay!
We chose this place because it is pet friendly, almost the entire classroom plus room, room, room. Minutes from local shops and dog friendly beaches.
There is a large open plan with kitchen, dining room, dining room, and large bed. There is a separate bathroom with a washing machine.
Day Trip Stunning Shoalhaven On The Nsw South Coast
Although they love the hooman inside, Teddy is a gardener. For an indoor dog, having an entire garden is the best way to survive. Even if it rains! Karen’s place is the perfect place to relax and recharge before hitting the road.
We are a few minutes walk from the best restaurants in Tallwood but we like to relax.
While we’re happy to learn we’re leaving Bannisters Rooftop Barbut, our excitement is short-lived because unlike Bannisters Port Stephens, Mollymook Bannisters is not dog friendly. Bo!
Anyway, it’s a good thing we’re at Burrill Lake’s Fish Shop. We heard great things about it and I’m happy to say everything they said was true!
Best Dog Friendly Beaches In Sydney
It’s always busy here and when you taste the fish and chips, it’s easy to see what it’s all about. There is a container for any type of fish you can think of. It was very quiet when we arrived, there can be a queue out the door at busy times. Teddy waits outside and receives a warm welcome from staff and customers.
We both settle on flake fish ($12) and share a large portion of chips ($8), the biggest portion of chips I’ve ever seen in my life (and believe me, I’ve seen a lot of chips!) The fish is perfectly cooked and fatty. , freshly cooked, very good on the plate!
We all agree that this is the best fish and chips we’ve had outside (and possibly in) the UK. They are truly world class!
Despite Karen’s generous time check we are up bright and early and ready to hit the road by 11am. But first… coffee! We go to Mollymook Beach Cottages in the old days more than anything else. We have fond memories of staying here on the way to Kangaroo House (aka the best kept secret on the south coast) and as always, it was very busy.
Everything You Need To Know For A Pet Friendly Holiday
To Teddy’s dismay, dogs are not allowed on Mollymook Beach but on public walks. However, Bill Andreske has a gym at the Oval but time is limited.
It’s very windy this morning and we’re going to start throwing up so we have to abandon our plans to go to Colliers Beach for 24 hours.
The beach is popular with its water splash and both puppies and parents love the sandy beach. We’ve heard great things about it and are adding it back to the list! Thanks to Karen who hosted us on Airbnb for taking this photo!
Our stomachs are rumbling by the time Mosi Point, a hidden gem of a place, and we head to Mosi Cafe for lunch. Mossy describes himself not as an accident but as a destiny, and we couldn’t agree more.
Guide Dogs Nsw Day Tour
The atmosphere here is very relaxing and the food is delicious and sour. Most of the food is traditional/combination food, there are vegetarian, gluten and gluten free options and the coffee is good, as are the roasters on site.
I can’t miss the Mexican Brunch Ball ($19.5) with tortilla chips, house-made Mexican chorizo, fried egg, salted tomatoes, roasted corn, red onion, house-made queso fresco cheese, house-made beans, smoked jalapeño and sour cream. That was great!
David Brecky loaded up on fries; ($18.5) Bowl of chips with bacon, house baked beans, fried egg, smoky BBQ aioli and shallots. They are not confused!
The house itself is as beautiful as the menu – it’s warm and welcoming with a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces, it feels more like wandering around a friend’s house than an adventure and I love the kids and the care too.
Best Dog Friendly Days Out Around Sydney
There are dog beds in the front and back seats, Teddy is happy in the space that accepts lots of bags.
You won’t have a minute after brunch
