A vintage car  🚗

I mean, you could easily navigate the wide sweeping roads of the south coast in your regular old family car. However. If you really want to be cool, hire a vintage car and cruise down the coast taking in the views in a gorgeous old ride. Pick a vehicle that’s convertible as well and your cool rating will rise by at least 1000. Cruise in a Chrysler or journey a jag, check out Dream Rides South Coast for a selection of real cool rides.

Homemade snacks 🥯

Traditional road trip food includes sandwiches and a thermos of tea. Which quite honestly, remains key travelling food. But if you want homemade food but don’t have time to make homemade food, the south coast has you covered. The Treat Factory in Berry will make your trip 1000% yummier. Pop in and buy a bag of chocolate covered fruits – and tell ‘em Sunshine sent ya. Not only will your tastebuds thank you, but it pairs perfectly with Taylor Swifts 1989 (Taylor’s Version OFC) which you can blast out as you travel down the gorgeous coastline.

A paper map 🗺️

Nothing says old fashioned road trip like an argument about where to turn using a paper map. Unfold and choose a spot you haven’t heard of before. Trace the roads that veer off to little treasured villages or picnic spots you might have missed if you kept to the highways. Turn off Google and holiday like your parents used to – exploring without knowing what’s next. PS. The map goes in the glovebox, and no – it will never fold back to the original way it was folded. Just go with it. 

A picnic basket 🧺

There is literally nothing better than sitting in a private, remote spot and opening a picnic basket full of goodies to sit quietly and soak in the quiet. If you’re lucky (or if you head down to Gerringong), you’ll find a magnificent set of headlands where the sound of the  ocean roaring drowns out everything else, even your thoughts about next Tuesday’s meeting with the boss. Trust me – that is epic content. 

A brolly ☂️

I’ll be honest with you. We get our fair share of rain on the south coast. With a mean max temp of 24.3 in Feb and a mean rainfall of 127ml, the south coast of NSW rains more than anywhere else in NSW (except for the far south coast and a small portion of the north west region) That’s why our forests and our grasses are so lush and our home gardeners have the luxury of being able to grow almost anything. So bring a brolly, just in case. But don’t worry – we have a plethora of great pubs to pop into for a lovely lunch while you wait for the rain to ease. Try The Grand in Kiama if you’re looking for a great old fashioned pub with excellent service and a delicious schnitty to boot.

A pair of togs 🩱

Swimming is a must do on the south coast. With a wide stretch of ocean, you can experience excellent surfing as well calm waters within a half hour drive of each other. Bring your swimmers and bring your puppies as dog beaches are popular and extensive on the South Coast. Try Sharkies at Austinmer – your dog will make loads of new friends and have tonnes of fun chasing sticks into the waves and you can join him for a quick dip to cool off as you continue southward.