The group chat has popped off. Someone’s sent the “we need a girls’ trip” message. One friend wants beach swims. One wants cocktails with a view. One wants a wholesome sunrise walk. One wants to say it’ll be ‘chill’ – but we all know it won’t be.
Enter: Wollongong.
Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, this coastal gem is the ultimate girls’ weekend destination. Think ocean pools and long lunches. Cliffside hikes and late-night dance floors. Boutique shopping, waterfront dining, spontaneous swims and the kind of sunsets that demand a group photo.
It’s close enough for a spontaneous escape, but far enough to feel like you’ve properly left the chaos behind. No airport stress. No complicated logistics. Just pack the playlist, assign snack duty and hit the road.
Whether your crew is here for beach days, boujee dinners, adrenaline highs or ‘one drink that turns into five’, Wollongong delivers. And the best part? You don’t have to choose just one vibe.
Let’s plan your ultimate girls’ weekend.
For the Beach Girls
If your ideal girls weekend starts with “who is up for a swim?” – this one is for you.
Wollongong’s beaches are the kind that turn a quick dip into a three-hour hang. Start early at North Wollongong Beach for a sunrise swim. The ocean is glassy, the sand is cool, and the group chat is suspiciously quiet because no one is fully awake yet. It is calm, refreshing and the perfect way to begin the day.
When the crew rolls in properly, head to Wollongong City Beach. It is spacious, lively and perfect for spreading out the towels without accidentally joining someone else’s picnic. Expect proper summer energy – swimmers on, music low but present, and waves that are genuinely fun to dive into together.
If you are after something more relaxed, Towradgi Beach is your go-to. Fewer crowds, slower pace, very “we have escaped the city” energy. This is where you lie back, snack endlessly and lose track of time between swims.
And for the girls who love a scenic dip, Bulli Rock Pool delivers. Ocean-fed, effortlessly photogenic and ideal for that post-swim lineup photo where everyone pretends they weren’t just squealing about the cold water.
Salt in your hair. Sandy tote bags. SPF reapplications. This is what a girl’s weekend in Wollongong looks like.
For the Long Lunch and Cocktails Girls
This is your moment. Book the table. Order something cold. Cancel the plans that were meant to follow.
Start at The Boathouse North Wollongong. Bright, breezy and right by the water, it sets the tone instantly. Think seafood, crisp wine and long conversations that stretch well past the original booking time. You will say “just one more round” at least once.
For something further north, Headlands Austinmer Beach delivers laid-back coastal charm with sweeping ocean views. It is easy, unfussy and made for afternoons that roll gently into golden hour. Sunglasses on the table. Spritz in hand. Nowhere else to be.
If your group loves a little character with their cocktails, head to The Imperial at Clifton. Perched cliffside, it pairs dramatic scenery with a relaxed pub energy. Settle in, share plates across the table and let the afternoon unfold slowly.
And for something slightly different, book a table at Andies Thirroul. No waterfront views here, just confident flavours and a buzzing atmosphere that makes every lunch feel like an occasion. It is intimate, lively and perfect for a second bottle.
Wollongong does long lunches well. Fresh air. Salty breeze. Tables worth lingering at. Whether you are celebrating something big or simply celebrating the fact you made it out of the group chat, this is how you do it.
For the Wellness and Reset Girls
Not every girl’s weekend needs to be a party. Sometimes it simply starts with deep breaths, slow movement and a proper switch off.
Book a session at Saunaus in Wollongong and move between traditional sauna, infrared heat and an ice bath that will wake you up faster than coffee. Add a remedial massage or sports recovery treatment and you have the perfect reset after beach swims or long lunches. It is calm. It is grounding. It is exactly what your nervous system ordered.
For mindful movement, head north to Limber Co in Thirroul. Yoga and Pilates sessions here feel intentional and welcoming, whether you are seasoned or simply stretching for the first time in months. Roll out your mat. Open the windows. Let the ocean air do the rest.
If indulgence is more your style, ibah spa Austinmer offers a luxurious escape tucked into the lush escarpment. Think quiet treatment rooms, warm oils and the kind of stillness that makes everyone whisper. You will float out feeling lighter.
Then there is nature therapy. The Wodi Wodi Track winds through rainforest and opens to breathtaking coastal views. The Mount Keira Ring Track offers a slower bushwalk beneath towering trees. No notifications. No rush. Just conversation that flows more easily when you are moving side by side.
Finish with a coastal bike ride along the Blue Mile or a walk across the Sea Cliff Bridge. Ocean on one side. Escarpment on the other. It is simple and unforgettable.
Sometimes the ultimate girl’s weekend is less about doing more and more about slowing down together.
For the Adventure Girls
If your group chat includes phrases like “we should absolutely do that” and “how hard can it be?” – welcome.
Start big. Skydive Australia drops you right over Wollongong’s coastline, landing near the beach with escarpment views behind you. It is fast, loud and unforgettable. If you are based further south, BIGWAVE Skydive in Shellharbour delivers the same rush with sweeping coastal scenery. Either way, it is the kind of experience that becomes the story you tell for years.
Prefer your adrenaline closer to the water? Make sure to pack your snorkelling gear for a snorkelling session at Bushrangers Bay. Clear water, thriving marine life and a protected aquatic reserve that feels worlds away from city life. It is adventurous without being chaotic. Calm on the surface, fascinating below it.
For something playful and active, try stand up paddleboarding with Stand Up Paddleboarding Shellharbour. They operate from both Wollongong Harbour and Lake Illawarra, giving you options depending on the conditions. Expect wobbly starts, plenty of laughs and that quiet sense of achievement once everyone finds their balance.
Or keep it classic with a surf lesson through Pines Surfing Academy. Matching rashies. Sandy hair. A lot of cheering from the shoreline. It does not matter who stands up first. What matters is that you tried.
Wollongong makes it easy to mix thrill with fun. One minute you are free-falling from the sky. The next you are floating on calm water, sun on your shoulders. For the girls who like their weekends active, this is where you find your edge.
For the Foodie Girls
Some girl’s weekends revolve around one thing. Dinner.
If good food and good wine sit at the top of your itinerary, Wollongong delivers with confidence.
Book a table at Restaurant Santino and settle in. Italian-inspired, intimate and seriously polished, it has earned a Chef’s Hat in the 2026 edition of the Good Food Guide produced by the Sydney Morning Herald. The pasta is precise. The wine list is considered. The lighting makes everyone look good. This is where you order properly and stay awhile.
For bold flavours and a buzzing atmosphere, Kneading Ruby never misses. Wood-fired pizzas, seasonal plates and a drinks list that makes it easy to say yes to another glass. It is vibrant without being loud. Perfect for a table full of shared dishes and constant “try this” moments.
Seafood lovers should head straight to Harbourfront Seafood Restaurant. Fresh produce, harbour views and a menu that celebrates the ocean sitting right outside. Pair it with crisp white wine and let the evening unfold slowly.
And then there is Bar Lina. Chic, confident and made for lingering. It is the kind of place where the wine flows, the plates keep arriving and no one checks the time. Elegant, but never stiff.
In Wollongong, dinner is not an afterthought. It is an event. Good food. Good wine. Great company. Exactly how a girl’s weekend should taste.
For the “We Said One Drink” Girls
It always starts the same way. “Just one drink.”
Begin at PEPE’s on the Beach. Cocktails land on the table. The ocean is right there. Someone suggests a round of margaritas, and no one argues. It is easy, social and exactly how a girl’s weekend should feel once the sun starts to dip.
When the energy lifts, head to Howlin’ Wolf. Darker lighting. Stronger pours. A little bit of mystery. This is where the conversations get louder and the dance floor starts to fill. No strict schedule. No rush. Just good music and better company.
For something playful and unapologetically fun, step into La La La’s. Colourful, confident and made for dancing with your friends. It is the kind of place where heels come off, and no one notices.
If your timing lines up with a gig, UOW Unibar and Waves at Towradgi Beach Hotel are solid picks for live music and a bigger crowd. Think singalongs, shared drinks and that collective energy you only get when a room is fully in it together.
Wollongong nightlife is not about massive queues or 3am finishes. It is about knowing exactly where to go, staying close to the ocean and turning a simple night out into one of the highlights of the trip.
Because sometimes the best part of a girl’s weekend is realising that one drink was never going to be enough.
So, Why Wollongong?
Because it is easy.
Ninety minutes from Sydney and you are on the sand. Or at a long lunch overlooking the water. Or seated at a dinner table where the wine list is worth discussing properly. No flights. No complicated planning. No one needing to take Monday off just to recover from travel.
Because it gives you options.
Sunrise swims at North Wollongong. Shared plates at Santino. Sauna sessions, escarpment walks and paddleboards at the harbour. A skydive if you are feeling brave. Cocktails once the sun dips. Every group is different, and Wollongong lets you shape the weekend your way.
Because it feels like a proper escape without the effort.
The coastline stretches on. The escarpment rises behind you. The food scene is strong. The ocean is always close. Everything is within easy reach. You can pack the weekend full or slow it right down.
Whatever your version of a girl’s weekend looks like – beachy, boujee, adventurous, indulgent or all of the above – Wollongong makes it work.
All that is left to do is send the message to the group chat.