Feel the rush of catching your first wave in the surf at Freshwater. Feel your cheeks ache from smiling all night in delight at a theatre performance. Feel the crisp air fill your lungs as you reach a Snowy Mountains peak. Feel silence surround you as you stare up at the stars in Mungo National Park. Here are seven that will make you feel new.

Abseil the cliffs of the Blue Mountains

Strap yourself in and take a leap of faith. Abseiling and canyoning in the Blue Mountains brings heart-pounding, stomach-fluttering thrills, bringing you face-to-face with the World Heritage-region's sheer cliffs high above an endless carpet of trees. Drop into the cool dark caves of Grand Canyon, or slide down alongside cascading waterfalls at Empress Falls, encountering hidden creeks and fern-covered pathways you can only find if you grab that rope and jump off the edge. 

Kayak through untouched waterways in Bellingen

Watch the glassy water ripple, hear river bugs buzz around the mangroves, spot wallabies jumping along the bank beside you. A paddle along the rainforest-lined creeks and estuaries that thread out of the Bellingen or Kalang Rivers offers a certain kind of peace and quiet, where there's nothing to worry about but leaning back and enjoying the everchanging scenery. Drift to secret beaches, fishing spots and even places to snorkel; you never know what's around the bend. 

Watch a life-changing performance in Sydney

There's something special about being in an audience: stepping into someone else's story, just for one night. Sydney's theatres offer front-row seats to new and emotive experiences year-round, from glittery moments of fearless expression at a drag performance to scenes that make you laugh and cry at must-see award-winning musicals, and important First Nations stories that tell their 65,000-year-old tale through powerful dance. 

Climb to new heights in the Snowy Mountains

It gets wild in the Snowy Mountains, where winter's breath coats the national parks, alpine villages and steep hills in a magic dusting of fluffy white snow. Once you reach the top, feel at one with the mountain as you slice through the powder on ski or by snowboard, weaving your way through perfect runs and rugged eucalyptus glades. Summer days are just as freeing, with lakes, rivers and open plains the launching points for hikes, fishing boats and horseback rides.

Get lost in the Art Gallery of NSW

The hallowed halls of Sydney's Art Gallery of NSW are home to thousands of stories from across the world, from ancient artisans to contemporary creators. These evolving collections live and breathe, and a wander through them connects viewer to artist and opens the mind. Learn about Indigenous culture through its storied crafts; find relics from Asia and the Pacific; and go deep into Australian history through paintings, photography and more.

Hit the open road in the outback

In NSW's outback, you'll feel like you've landed on another planet. Red earth sketches ancient secrets on rock. Stars scatter across outstretched velvet skies. Otherworldly formations rise from the dirt. From artistic bolt-holes in Broken Hill to beautifully twisted landscapes in Mungo National Park, a road trip through this diverse part of Australia will take your breath away.

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