How To Spend 48 Hours In Berry
Live music, chic stays, coastal walks and country-town charm. Here’s how to make the most of 48 hours in Berry
A Day Well Spent, Berry NSW
Berry has long been one of our favourite places for a weekend escape. It’s close enough for an easy drive from the Shire, but far enough away to make switching on the out-of-office feel completely justified.
This August, there’s another reason to head south. A Day Well Spent: Reggae and Roots is taking over Berry on Saturday, August 22nd and Sunday, August 23rd, with live performances popping up across the charming country town.
Part of the new Extend the Weekend series, the event will bring gigs to some of your favourite Berry venues, alongside good food and plenty of reasons to settle in for a few days. So, to inspire you to make a weekend of it, here’s how we’d spend a full 48 hours in Berry.
Here’s how to spend 48 hours in Berry.
48 hours in Berry: Day One
Friday Afternoon: Check In
In Berry, where you stay can be just as memorable as what you do.
For Families And Groups Of Friends
A beautifully restored weatherboard cottage with quintessential Berry charm, this heart-of-town stay sleeps eight and offers plenty of space for families and groups, all within an easy stroll of Berry’s cafés, boutiques and local attractions.
A curated collection of premium private homes, villas and estates across Berry and the surrounding South Coast, each beautifully presented and thoughtfully selected for effortless group getaways, milestone celebrations and quiet escapes.
A sprawling, dog-friendly 100-acre farm stay just five minutes from Berry. Sleeping up to 16 guests, the beautifully styled, light-filled farmhouse features rustic touches, a 10-metre pool, cosy fireplace and plenty of space for all.
For A Romantic Weekend
A playful, eclectic country-luxe loft in the heart of Berry, filled with colour, vintage touches and plenty of personality. Made for couples, it puts the town’s cafés, boutiques and restaurants right on your doorstep.
A retro boutique hotel on Queen Street, pairing Palm Springs-inspired interiors with lush green surrounds. Stylish, colourful and a little unexpected, it puts Berry’s cafés, boutiques and restaurants within easy reach.
An adults-only boutique retreat set across five acres, with private rooms and The Dairy overlooking Berry’s rolling countryside. Peaceful and secluded, yet still within a short walk of the centre of town.
For A Luxe Escape
A collection of architecturally designed luxury farmhouses, cottages and residences, each blends bold interiors, thoughtful detailing and resort-style amenities.
A secluded adults-only luxury retreat perched above Berry’s rolling countryside, with private suites, free-standing baths and sweeping views. A heated 33-metre indoor pool and spa complete the stay.
A peaceful 15-acre country retreat tucked beneath Wedding Cake Mountain, with four private, self-contained lodges surrounded by rolling green hills, native wildlife and sweeping escarpment views, all less than 10 minutes from Berry.
Friday Evening: Ease Into Berry Time
Once you’ve checked in, keep the first night relaxed.
Head back into the village for dinner or collect some local produce and make the most of your accommodation’s kitchen, firepit or entertaining area. You have a full weekend ahead, so there’s no need to overbook it.
48 hours in Berry: Day Two
Saturday Morning: Pick Your Berry Personality
Your Saturday morning can go a few different ways, whether you’re chasing an outdoor adventure, a food-filled experience or fun for the whole family.
For The Outdoorsy Ones
Start the day with the Drawing Room Rocks Hike, where a steep climb is rewarded with impressive views across the countryside and towards the coast.
Prefer something guided? Valley Outdoors runs private adventures throughout the South Coast and Southern Highlands, with experiences including hiking, canoeing and abseiling.
For The Food-Led Travellers
Eat your way around Berry with Foodscape Tours, visiting local producers and specialty stores along the way.
For something hands-on, join former Hollywood private chef Justine at Carramar Kitchen and Cottage for an intimate garden-to-table cooking class. Scout Tip: Come hungry.
For Families
Head to Boongaree Nature Park, where the expansive play space includes slides, tunnels, climbing equipment, a flying fox, sand and water play, a skate park and a pump track. It’s one of those playgrounds that might make the adults slightly jealous.
For The Creative Crew
Book a class with David Collins Pottery and learn the basics from his studio overlooking the countryside. The final creation may be questionable, but the experience and the view are both worth it.
Saturday Afternoon: Browse, Breathe Or Book A Facial
After a full morning, slow things down before the evening begins.
Browse Berry’s boutiques, head back to your accommodation or book something restorative. The Berry iKOU boutique offers facials, massages and body treatments, while Breathwork with RM, led by Rachelle Munro, combines breathwork, movement and relaxation through private and group experiences.
Wine lovers can also slip out of town for a cellar-door tasting, with Silos Estate, Mountain Ridge Wines, Coolangatta Estate and Two Figs Winery all located around the Berry region.
Saturday Night: Live Music, Food And Dancing
At 6:00pm, head to the Berry School of Arts for Blissed Out, a special ticketed Saturday night event presented by Holy Pavlova. Running until 10:00pm, the event brings together reggae, roots and dub for an energetic night of live music, food and dancing.
Expect a busy dance floor and immediate gratitude that your accommodation is nearby rather than two hours back up the highway. Tickets are limited, so booking ahead is recommended. Get yours here.
48 hours in Berry: Day Three
Sunday Morning: Pick Your Recovery
How Sunday begins will depend entirely on how enthusiastically you approached Saturday night. Ease into the day with breakfast in town - grab a coffee and something delicious from Berry General Store, Milkwood Bakery or Easys Cafe. Or, if some fresh air is calling, take your coffee to go and head to Seven Mile Beach for an unhurried walk along the shoreline.
There’s also nothing wrong with sleeping in and enjoying your accommodation. This is called extending the weekend, after all.
Sunday Afternoon: Follow The Music Through Town
The live music continues throughout Berry on Sunday, with free performances popping up across local venues from 1:00pm into the evening.
Follow the full program, stop into a few performances as you explore town or choose one final session before starting the drive home.
By then, adding another night may feel very tempting.
More A Day Well Spent Weekends Are Coming
Can’t make the August Reggae and Roots edition? A Day Well Spent will return with Folk in September, followed by Around the World across the final weekend of October and the beginning of November.
Each edition will bring its own performances and local experiences, but the idea remains the same: stay a little longer, slow things down and discover more of Berry while you’re there.
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