Small trip recommendations

Long story short I booked a short trip to the Hunter valley Xmas lights show in 2 weeks time but I'm going with a person whose lungs is very sensitive and worried about the smoke so I'm probably going to cancel that trip.

Can anyone recommend up to a 3 to 4 hour drive from Sydney and nice little place to go for a day or two? Would be a big bonus if there's something for the little one to see. Most importantly it needs to be away from any major fires or smoke.

Thanks

 

Mystery flight and overnight stay.

 

Goulburn Goal

I hear the overnight accommodation is very cheap; not sure about the quality of the food.

I haven’t stay there myself (yet).

 

Stay in Sydney, even if the fires are out, the smell and danger of falling trees will make the trip unpleasant. Take the little one to the zoo on the ferry ...

 

Nelson Bay or maybe Gorokan on the Central coast.

This smoke haze in Sydney is so bad that cigarette smokers at work have made a request to management to be allowed to smoke indoors for fear of their health.

 

Gave me a good idea. Overnight at zoo...

 

I'll Google them and check it out.

 

My daughter lives on the Central Coast and tells me the smoke is just as bad there ...

 

Don't think it's a tourist place now..

 

Apparently it's all dependent on the wind? Someone up at Hunter said they were there and didn't smell anything but the wind was blowing away from it.

 

Funniest thing I've heard today

 

ah, no. The air is filthy out there. You are looking at the Pokolbin area and they are covered in smoke from the Broke fire.

 

Oh no.

 

Definitely cancelled trip.

 

The smoke seem's to be everywhere now, right across NSW
The new Sydney Zoo opens to the public tomorrow
I'd likely stick to the existing plans, the weather is due to ease with even the possibility of showers by then (hoping)
Don't panic, our good friends and farmers (wine and others) deserve our tourist dollars into the local communities

 

Was it a non driving escape (insert champagne drinking imogi)
Bugger you have decided not to go
Please post the trip/booking details
As I'd like to beat @datto to a #lastminute.com DISCOUNT
*to escape the kids (& drown our sorrows)

 

F that...plane trip to sunshine coast for the weekend and love life.

 

This looks interesting. The little one should like all the lights and rides

https://www.christmaswonderlandsydney.com.au/

 

A quick search suggests no December offerings but for January you can get 3-night cruise for $669 twin-share - and remember that for a cruise this is effectively hotel, all food (drinks extra) and entertainment. 4 Day Cruises | Carnival Cruise Line Australia - no personal experience of Carnival

 

Just wondering if a cruise may be just as problematic - don't they often hug the coast? Sam Neill's tweet referring to the view flying into Australia as being like "the end of days" also mentioned that he could smell Australia before he could see it. As much as 300 miles away? Anyone been on a local cruise recently?