Cosy & Chic: Canberra Winter Escapes to Get Out of Town In Style

To quote Bridget Jones, we’re going on a full-blown mini-break! With the cold well and truly setting in here in the ACT, we’re prying ourselves away from our heaters and electric blankets and getting on the road for a winter getaway.

These are the six epic destinations just a few hours from Canberra that should be at the top of your winter wanderlust wishlist.

The Snowy Mountains are a bonafide winter wonderland just 2.5 hours from Canberra. Thrill seekers, snow bunnies and even people who just want to curl up in front of a fire with a mulled wine or hot chocolate will find something to love in the Snowy Mountains.

Snowy Mountains: Explore

Fly downhill on pristine snow in the three stellar snowfields that flank Australia’s highest mountain. An alpine area just 2.5 hours from Canberra, Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte Pass are nestled into the foothills of Kosciusko. Experienced skiers and novices alike can feel confident on the slopes at any of the three.

Snowy Mountains: Stay

One of our favourite mountain getaways in Australia, Cedar & Oak in Eastern Thredbo Village is our go-to for a slope-side getaway. A minimalist Scandinavian-chic hideout, the cabin and apartment are both beautifully appointed with some of the best views over the Thredbo River, Australian silver gums and the foothills of Mount Kosciuszko.

Snowy Mountains: Eat & Drink

With a surprising number of gastronomic goodies in the Snowy Mountains, our favourite is the Wildbrumby Distillery and Café, a boutique schnapps distiller where locally-sourced fruit is made into delicious and warming schnapps. The property features a cellar door with rich schnapps, a fully-licenced café and a working raspberry farm. The butterscotch and hot chilli schnapps are the perfect warming elixirs after a long day on the slopes.

Kangaroo Valley is the sort of rustic country town you can only dream about, with a picturesque pastoral landscape and a tight-knit community. Dwarfed by Cambewarra and Barrengarry mountains, Kangaroo Valley has an untamed beauty that has a way of staying with you long after you’ve left town. And, luckily for us, it’s just a three-hour drive northeast of Canberra.

Kangaroo Valley: Explore

Any Kangaroo Valley mini break demands you take advantage of the natural surrounds, with plenty of outdoor activities perfect for kayakers, swimmers and fishing enthusiasts. Hikers and horse riders can take to the trails that wind through the mountains to spectacular views over the valley. As they say in the country, this is living!

Kangaroo Valley: Stay

Barranca is a gorgeous example of luxury accommodation blanketed in breathtaking bushland views in the heart of the Kangaroo Valley. Barranca invites you to swim in a natural swimming pool, enjoy a cheese board by a firepit, book a spa treatment or just explore the property and meet your neighbours (the very kangaroos themselves).

Kangaroo Valley: Eat & Drink

Kangaroo Valley is an awesome destination for foodies, with no shortage of great spots for drinking and dining. We like the Friendly Inn Hotel, Kangaroo Valley Bakehouse, The General Cafe and the Kangaroo Valley Pie Shop.

Just three hours from Canberra, the Sapphire Coast is (quite literally) a gem located on the sparkling NSW South Coast. With a year round temperate climate, crystal turquoise water, breathtaking national parks and an epic two-month whale watching season, the turquoise coast is the perfect spot for a year round getaway.

Sapphire Coast: Explore

The Sapphire Coast is home to truly awe-inspiring natural beauty. Bergamui’s beaches are some of the most stunning between the majestic Horse Head Rock and Blue Pool, which has to be – for our money – the prettiest natural rockpool in the nation.

Make sure you also spend time hiking through Ben Boyd National Park. Jutting into the sea with striking red rock platforms and some of the best secluded beaches and fishing spots in the region, this one is an absolute must-visit.

Sapphire Coast: Stay

The Sapphire Coast offers no end of unique places to stay.

The Tanja Lagoon Camp offers glamping in safari-style tents between the spotted gums of the Mimosa Rocks National Park, putting you right in the heart of nature with walking trails and views down to a private coastal lagoon.

Or, settle into the Green Cape Lighthouse Keepers’ Cottages, a 130-year-old heritage-listed building offering panoramic views at the southern tip of Ben Boyd National Park.

Sapphire Coast: Eat & Drink

Foodies will delight in the artisan goods the Sapphire Coast is famous for, including aphrodisiacs like river estuary-grown oysters. Go on a tour with Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tours to get a crash course on oyster husbandry, sail down the scenic Pambula River, and shuck and dine on the river for a truly authentic experience.

Head down to Stony Creek and visit the North of Eden Cellar Door and Gin School. Classes give you a full distilling experience, complimentary gin, tonics and nibbles, and teach you how to distil a bespoke bottle of gin yourself. The cellar door speaks for itself, with cocktails and snacks in a beautifully bucolic setting.

Just two hours from Canberra, Batemans Bay is a favourite among ACT locals looking to get a little glimpse of the sea and, of course, a taste of the seafood that comes with it. Although it’s typically seen as a summer spot, Batemans Bay works as a year-round getaway, with lots of foodie hotspots, oyster farms and natural beauty.

Batemans Bay: Explore

Seafood lovers visiting the area always make a beeline to the Pearly Oyster Bar and Farm for a veritable feast of fresh seafood including Clyde River oysters, crab meat, mussels and prawns. It doesn’t get fresher than this! Walk off the white wine and oysters along the beaches and winding walking tracks of the Eurobodalla Region.

Batemans Bay: Stay

We have a total crush on The Isla, a charmingly retro motel which reopened in 2022 after benefitting from a charming Palm Springs-inspired refurb. This nostalgic fave has a unique look, with standard rooms and suites in an enviable location just a stone’s throw from the beach.

Batemans Bay: Eat & Drink

The Innes Boatshed is the local go-to for fresh seafood, with three generations of fishermen and women pulling the best produce from the depths and cooking it to perfection. The fish and chips, salads, oyster trays and locally-caught prawns are unmissable.

The serene and utterly gorgeous Southern Highlands are just two hours from Canberra. Across the region, you’ll find a selection of quaint towns and villages (like Bowral, Berrima, Moss Vale and Robertson), along with wineries and cellar doors, food producers, top restaurants, great places to shop and some of the loveliest accommodation in New South Wales. Everything about the Southern Highlands feels super cosy, making it the ideal winter getaway.

Southern Highlands: Explore

Where to begin? You’re spoiled for choice with things to see and do in the Southern Highlands, but many visitors are drawn to the region for its incredible selection of antique and vintage stores. Highlights include Dirty Janes (Bowral), Sticky Beaks Vintage Emporium (Berrima), Mittagong Antiques Centre, Bowerbird on Argyle (Moss Vale) and The Everything Store (Sutton Forest).

Southern Highlands: Stay

If you want to stay in one of the Southern Highlands’ busiest towns, Bowral is your best bet. We love the luxurious Milton Park Country House Hotel & Spa, which has country chic rooms and excellent amenities.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to be a little more off the beaten track, The Bundanoon Guest House is a true delight and feels more like somebody’s (very stylish) home than open-to-the-public accommodation. Or, head here to check out our edit of the best accommodation in the Southern Highlands.

Southern Highlands: Eat & Drink

The Southern Highlands is full of impressive restaurants and cafes that highlight the best of homegrown produce and country classics.

Some of our top picks are Bowral’s Onesta Cucina (for top-notch Italian) and The Press Shop (for delish cafe staples), Paste Australia in Mittagong (Thai food with fine dining flair), Eschalot in Berrima (one of the longest-running and best dining spots in the region) and Highlands Merchant in Moss Vale (inventive cafe fare and fantastic coffee).

The super-cute country town of Braidwood is just one hour from Canberra, making it the perfect destination if you just need to get away for a night or two (although you could certainly stay for longer). Braidwood is brimming with history, which is evident in the beautiful colonial buildings and many antique stores lining its quaint streets. But there’s also a thriving arts scene here, as well as plenty of places to dine.

Braidwood: Explore

Mona Farm is a one-stop-shop of things to explore. Situated only three minutes outside the Braidwood town centre, Mona Farm has beautiful gardens and a wildflower meadow for idyllic strolls, indoor and outdoor contemporary artworks and sculptures, farm tours and historic buildings that tell a rich story about Braidwood’s past.

Braidwood: Stay

You can also stay overnight at one of Mona Farm’s six guest houses, but if the place is booked out, there are plenty more excellent accommodation spots in Braidwood. Cedar Lodge is a mid-century-esque motor lodge with contemporary updates right in the centre of town, so if you’re keen to do everything on foot, this is where to stay. Alternatively, the Doncaster is a very grand and very elegant guest house if you want something really special.

Braidwood: Eat & Drink

Braidwood’s daytime dining scene is absolutely buzzing. There are lots of cute bakeries and cafes to visit here, so you’ll have a hard time picking where to spend your cash. But take our word for it and make sure you try Provisions Deli & Creperie for one of their signature Breton galettes, Casanova’s Sourdough Bakery & Cafe for tasty brekkie classics and baked goods, and concept store Deadwood for sweet treats and a bit of retail therapy.

If you’re planning a getaway (we’re jealous already) make sure to check out our destination pillar for all the travel inspo you’ll need, from romantic getaways to tiny cabins and even retro-chic motels. Or, if you’re staying in town, check out the best things happening in Canberra this month.