A Ministay in Culburra Beach
Enjoy 4 days of scenic drives, unspoilt beaches and delicious coffee.
Day 1 - Early drive out of Sydney
Get out of Sydney and head South towards the Royal National Park. The first stop will be Stanwell Tops which is usually bustling but if it’s a regular Friday, with no long weekend in sight, you can enjoy the stunning views uninterrupted. The grassy knoll is dog-friendly and there’s a cafe at the ‘top’ if you need to caffeine up.
Sea Cliff Bridge, while better seen from far away, is fun to drive across and leads you towards Thirroul. Coffee from Fiddle Box Cafe is some of the tastiest you can have and opting to sit outside lets you enjoy people watching while your pooch gets to stretch their legs. You can find it right next to Finbox. What will catch your eye is Para, a hidden gem full of share plate European food - @ParaThirroul
Berry would be your next stop, another half an hour of easy, coastal highway driving and you’re in a town famous for Donuts, what you shouldn’t miss are the sweet stores that are stocked with hard to find candy from the US and Europe.
“Getting carried away here would be totally understandable given your inner child will show up and make you walk out with armfuls of candy!”
Roughly 45 minutes away is Silvere Cottage in Culburra Beach that’s set in a quiet neighbourhood, sandwiched between a lake and the ocean.
Day 2 - Saturday Breakfasts and Beaches
Drive down towards Hyams Beach for some sun and the whitest beach sand in the world. Parking tends to be tricky but the side streets tend to come to your rescue. Every visit to Hyams Beach has to include at least getting takeaway coffee from Hyams Beach Store & Cafe - there’s always a queue but it’s worth the wait @HyamsBeachCafe
From here you can opt to hire a kayak - Jervis Bay Kayak Hire is a good bet but we chose to get some R&R on the weekend so we drove back to the cabin and read before napping on the hammock.
When you’re feeling peckish
Chinese restaurant (3 min drive)
The Butter Factory (12 min drive)
Surah Korean BBQ (20 min drive)
I’d recommend making a booking ahead of time and factor in the drive time. If none of these tickle your taste buds, Nowra’s the closest place to find some food or alternatively, a drive up to Berry.
Day 3 - Brunch and Window Shopping
Grab a coffee from Food & More, a short walk from the cabin, which has good coffee, pastries and friendly staff.
We started the day early by driving up to Crookhaven Lighthouse and after a short bush walk, took in the view. Grabbing some coffee and food before hand isn’t a bad idea so you can sit on the beach just before the walk up to the lighthouse and find a moment of serenity.
Your last full day of your Ministay should include you treating yourself. Make a reservation at Queen St Eatery and you won’t regret it. You can opt in for the Prix Fixe menu (highly recommended and available Friday through Sunday) or pick and choose from the menu. The food was delicious and so were the bubbles 😁
Try and stop yourself from buying something from one of the homeware stores
From here you can take the scenic drive back to Culburra Beach and stop at some of the wineries in Coolangatta (Two Figs and Coolangatta Estate).
Day 4 - Slow Drive Back to Sydney
As reality slowly starts to sink back in and you pack up to leave, ease the pain by driving through Kangaroo Valley to enjoy the small town aesthetic and buy something from The World's Best Pies Cafe.
Stock up on coffee, food and plants at Plantation Cafe in Bowral after the home stretch back to Sydney!
Also, if you’re all geared up for your next holiday and loved the area, why not consider Kangaroo Valley for your next Ministay?