From escarpment walks to pub lunches at clifftop pubs, this is your field-tested guide to the best things to do in Wollongong.

Things to do in Wollongong extend way beyond its beautiful beaches – although they are an excellent place to start. Wollongong is the perfect coastal getaway between Sydney and Canberra. From Cronulla, in Sydney’s south, the scenic drive to Wollongong is a joy. And what pulls me back time and again is how quickly you can move from ocean swims to rainforest walks to long, pub lunches. This guide brings together the best things to do in Wollongong, whether you’re visiting for the first time or rediscovering the city’s treasures during a quick coastal escape.

Cycle the Sea Cliff Bridge and beyond

Best for: Seeing Wollongong’s scenic surrounds.

The 665-metre-long Sea Cliff Bridge is a highlight along Grand Pacific Drive, clinging to the coastline between Clifton and Coalcliff. It includes a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists that traces the curves of the coast. Cycle south along the path that stretches 14 kilometres from Thirroul to North Wollongong. Highlights include Bellambi Lagoon for birdwatching and endless beaches and nature reserves for a quick dip. Keep your eyes peeled for @RhythmicPicnic, a family-friendly pop-up in Stuart Park with live music, DJs, art and craft.

Spot wildlife at Symbio Wildlife Park

Best for: Symbio is the only wildlife park around Sydney with a Splash Park, making it popular with families.

The nocturnal animals at Symbio start tuning up, like an orchestra after an interval, at the end of each day. The hum of insects and clatter of birdsong adds to the symphony and is the opening and closing soundtrack here. Set across landscaped grounds in Helensburgh, the zoo is home to the world’s smallest penguins, red pandas, cheetahs, meerkats, monkeys, reptiles and more, with plenty of opportunities for close-up encounters.

Catch a wave in Wollongong

Best for: Beginners and first-time surfers.

Learning to surf is one of the most rewarding things to do in Wollongong, where two local operators lead the way. Pines Surfing Academy and Happy Days Surf School run lessons at some of the best beaches in Wollongong and around the Illawarra. The two surf companies focus on small group sizes, ocean awareness and confidence building. Expect qualified instructors, quality equipment and a supportive environment that makes paddling out and standing up feel achievable.

Be adventurous with Just Cruisin Motorcycle Tours

Best for: Adventure seekers, lovers of the open road and couples looking for romantic experiences.

Skim the curves of the Illawarra coastline on a chauffeured trike, sidecar or solo bike with Just Cruisin’ Motorcycle Tours, taking in the Sea Cliff Bridge and Grand Pacific Drive along the way. Meet at Bald Hill, Stanwell Tops, so you can ease into the ride while winding down to sea level from the escarpment. Relax. No one will care about your helmet hair when you pull up at The Boathouse in North Wollongong glowing from the wind and sun.

Forage and fossick at a local market

Best for: Foodies and lovers of a good local market.

The weekly Crown St Markets embody the spirit of creativity that has become synonymous with Wollongong. Take a gentle stroll through the markets, which bring together local producers on Thursdays (5-9pm) and Fridays (8am -3pm). Rub shoulders with farmers and find yourself surrounded by an array of honey, pastries, potatoes and more. Make plans to return for the Bulli Village Market on the second Sunday of the month.

Swim at one of the Gong’s beautiful beaches

Best for: Ocean-obsessed swimmers and surfers.

Greater Wollongong stretches from Stanwell Park in the north in a continuous sprawl all the way to Shellharbour in the South. The rock pools and ocean baths barnacled onto this stretch of coastline are firm favourites for families and picnickers, as are the stunning beaches. I still default to Thirroul Pool to churn out a few laps while Wombarra’s hidden baths suit a quick dip. Austinmer’s sea pools come with escarpment views, and Bombo Beach remains a reliable surf option.

Stop for a brew with a view

Best for: Pub lovers who enjoy a sundowner at sunset.

Wollongong’s pubs double as lookout points. Stop for a brew with an ocean view at Scarborough Hotel or The Imperial Clifton both of which have been perched like eyries on the coastline since they were established more than a century ago. Headlands Austinmer Beach is an altogether more contemporary venue to get on the beers. The best pubs in Wollongong are emblematic of the position the Greater Gong finds itself in: it looks toward the past, with an eye firmly on its future.

Hike for sublime views

Best for: Nature lovers and photographers.

The next spot on your Illawarra itinerary should be Sublime Point Lookout. While the walking track is temporarily closed for major upgrades, you can also drive to the lookout at the top of the escarpment for magnificent birds’-eye views. Look out for yellow-tailed black cockatoos or giant falcons and kestrels. And bring your binoculars to spot whales during the migration season. Download the NSW National Parks app before you go.

Browse antiques, art and homewares

Best for: Design lovers and rainy-day wanderers.

Fossick for antiques, art and homewares in Thirroul, which is lined with boutiques, galleries and cafes. Try Egg & Dart for art and Wombat in Thirroul for upcycled furniture and oddities. Follow @retrospectrum to see where the former Fairymeadow shop might pop up with its treasure trove of vintage clothes and collectables. Visit elevated oppy The Wandering Merchants and you might see the lads from Pacific Avenue, who live locally and are known to model the merch.

Enjoy fish and chips by the sea

Best for: Eating fish and chips by the sea in Wollongong.

Waterfront Tavern looks out over bobbing boats and wheeling seagulls suspended in the sky above Shellharbour Marina. It’s the ideal foreground, setting the scene for a feast of oysters, crumbed calamari and fish and chips. Join the barefoot crowds at Diggies’ North Beach Kiosk and The Boathouse North Wollongong led by chef Mark La Brooy (co-founder of Three Blue Ducks). These are the top spots for fish and chips in Wollongong.

Don your bowls whites

Best for: Lovers of live music and travellers who like to meet locals.

Wombarra Bowling Club is one of a handful of excellent bowlos in Greater Wollongong. It offers tantalising ocean views that may well distract you from getting your boule as close as you can to the jack.  Give your bowling arm a rest during your game of barefoot bowls by sinking a few schooies and then tucking into the signature ‘Bowlo Duck’ at the Black Duck Bistro. Check out the bowlo’s website to see who’s next on the line-up which includes everyone from Caravana Sun to DJ Little J.

Go para gliding at Bald Hill Lookout at Stanwell Tops

Best for: Adrenaline-seekers and experience collectors.

Bald Hill Lookout is one of the best spots in Australia for taking a running jump off a 300-metre-high cliff while attached to a harness. Those who are not trained paragliders can pair up with a tandem flight instructor from Sky Surf Paragliding so they can relax and enjoy the ride. Stanwell Tops is often the first place Sydneysiders stop on their way down south as it provides eagle-eyed views over the Illawarra coastline. Watch your step if you’re snapping a selfie.

Fly through the trees

Best for: Families, nature lovers, forest bathers who prefer gentle adventure.

Listen to the wind whispering through the trees and the constant chorus of birdsong at Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk, which travels along a bony ridge of the Illawarra Escarpment. There are many points of interest dotted around the park, where you can also take a zipline tour over Fern Gully. Those who aren’t afraid of heights should spiral their way up the 45-metre-high Knights Tower Lookout for breathtaking views over the Illawarra.

Visit Nan Tien Temple

Best for: Culture seekers, slow travellers and tea enthusiasts.

Discover an air of calm when you visit Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. The temple is a place of worship, but it also serves as a community centre and worth a stop on the road from Sydney to Wollongong. Make time to wander silently, sit beside the lotus pond and enjoy a pot of tea at the Dew Drop Inn Tea House. You can also immerse yourself in the austere environment with a stay onsite at the Pilgrim Lodge.

Tour the galleries, museums and gardens

Best for: Culture vultures and art-loving travellers.

Time your visit with Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong at Wollongong Botanic Garden, held every two years. In the city, Wollongong Art Gallery is one of Australia’s largest regional galleries, housed in a former civic building designed in 1956. Nearby, the Illawarra Museum occupies the old Post and Telegraph Office built between 1865 and 1882. Add Project Contemporary Artspace for emerging voices and then seek out public art and sculptural works like The Six Daughters of the West Wind Dreamtime story in Mt Keira.

Feel sky high at HARS Aviation Museum

Best for: Plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts.

HARS Aviation Museum at Shellharbour Airport features an impressive fleet of lovingly restored aircraft. The HARS hangar houses a fully restored Tiger Moth, Grumman Tracker, and F-111C Supersonic Fighter Bomber. But the museum’s undisputed showpiece is the Qantas Boeing 707 donated by Hollywood star John Travolta. The museum, run by aviation professionals and enthusiasts, is one of the most unexpected things to do in Wollongong

Jump out of a perfectly good plane

Best for: Bucket listers, adrenaline lovers, travellers chasing bragging rights.

Seeing people plummet out of perfectly good planes is a common sight in Wollongong, one of the most stunning places to skydive in Australia. Feel the thrill of dropping like a stone from 15,000 feet with Skydive Sydney Wollongong, or Skydive the Beach, which is one of the best beach skydives in Australia. You don’t have to plunge from a plane by yourself. Sign up for a tandem to let an instructor guide you to Earth; it’s one of the most adventurous things to do in Wollongong.

Go whale watching

Best for: Wildlife lovers.

Wollongong is one of the best places on NSW’s east coast to spot migrating whales. Boat tours with Jervis Bay Wild and Shellharbour Wild head offshore during the season, but land-based viewing is just as rewarding. Locals gather at Bald Hill, Sea Cliff Bridge and Sandon Pointto scan the horizon. Even if the whales don’t show, the cliffs and escarpment make the trip worthwhile.

Feel good at Green Connect Farm

Best for: Conscious travellers.

Wondering what to do in Wollongong with children? Green Connect farm offers a thoughtful alternative to surfing, swimming and adrenaline-fuelled activities. The organic farm runs tours that showcase how social enterprise can support both people and the planet, creating jobs for young people and refugees along the way. Expect hands-on learning. Purchase some produce grown on the farm to help solve two of the region’s biggest problems: unemployment and waste.

Ride or walk Cawleys Road Trail

Best for: Cyclists, walkers, active travellers who like quieter routes.

Cawleys Road Trail was created to cater to the ever-growing squadron of Wollongong locals who love getting out and about in the great outdoors. Snap on your Lycra bike shorts and head to the start of the Cawleys Road Trail off the old highway near Helensburgh to get your thrills. The Cawleys Road Trail is suitable for walking, mountain biking, cycling or horse riding. For those who like earning their views, it’s one of the most satisfying things to do near Wollongong.