Central Coast NSW offers a beautiful option for a day trip from Sydney. The beautiful coastline is marked by a number of small coastal towns with a very relaxed feel and a different vibe from hustle and bustle of Sydney. Many Sydneysiders escape to the Central Coast for holidays or weekend breaks. Most of the popular locations are located within 3 hour's drive from Sydney which makes it very manageable if you are travelling with kids.
Driving from Sydney to Central Coast NSW
The landscape will change drastically from Mount Kurangai on the outskirts of Sydney to more developed waterfront properties along Gosford leading up to Shelly Beach. This area is great for fishing and watersports and the inlets provide plenty of boat docking stations. If you are planning to explore the coastal towns between Sydney and Newcastle, the best route is to exit Pacific Coast Highway (A49) leading to Kariong and Gosford.
What are some of the popular central coast beaches?
Copacabana Beach and Avoca Beach
Central Coast makes an ideal location for a day tour from Sydney or a Weekend Getaway. The most popular locations at a distance of fewer than 2 hours include Avoca Beach, Terrigal, Forrester Beach and Shelley Beach. These locations are halfway between Sydney and Newcastle.
Forresters and Shelly beach have plenty of accommodation and caravan parks and get quite crowded over the weekend.
Avoca Beach has plenty of holiday and very trendy water homes along the beach. The beaches are managed by surf clubs and are safe to swim in. Avoca beach has a small rockpool serving as a splash area for the children. This area has seen a spate of the latest development in the last decade because of easy access to Sydney.
Avoca Palms Resort
Avoca Palms Resorts Holiday rental homes are located along the beach area.
To reach Copacabana Beach, you will exit towards the right after crossing the main commercial area in Gosford. The landscapes change drastically as you drive past the rolling hills overlooking the marine blue ocean. Captain Cook's lookout located near the Copacabana beach offers amazing views of the coastal shoreline and must be on your stop if you plan to explore this area.
A 15-minute drive from Copacabana through the two-way road leads to the amazing city of Terrigal. Personally, I like Terrignal because of its beautiful waterfront and beach. There are plenty of places to stay in Terrigal as it is a popular holiday spot for Sydneysiders. I enjoyed an amazing lunch at the Reef Restaurant overlooking Terrigal Beach.
Terrigal has a vibrant and colourful presence that attracts large crowds all throughout the year. Beautiful coastline, a rockpool and plenty of places to eat at the waterfront make Terrigal a "must-visit" location on your way to exploring Central Coast NSW.
Some recommended places to stay at Terrigal include:
A brief boardwalk along Terrigal Beach ta walk along the beach takes you over to Terrigal Haven Coast Walk. A steep step of stairs leading to a lookout at the top of the hill commands amazing views of the rocky coastline. Occasional divers can be seen preparing for their dives along coastlines, as Terrigal is quite popular for deep-sea diving. The base of the hill has plenty of parking and an open picnic area with BBQ spots which attracts large crowds on public holidays and long weekends.
Forrester and Shelley Beaches are two popular beach localities on the road connecting Terrigal with The Entrance area. Several caravan parks and hotels at Shelley beach make it a very popular beach with surfers and family holidaymakers.
Toukley and The Entrance, NSW ( Driving distance of 2 hours from Sydney)
Central Coast Things to Do
Toukley and The Entrance NSW
The Entrance and Toukley are the most popular towns for weekend trips. Their waterfront is quite beautiful with plenty of restaurants, kids' activities, bars, seafood joints and a joyride and splash area for the kids. Pelican feeding is a popular activity managed by the city council. You can observe plenty of Pelicans resting on sand bars near the Entrance waterfront. The beautiful bridge connects
Motorhomes and Campervans are a great way to explore the central coast, as you can find a number of Caravan Parks at very scenic locations, close to the popular beach locations.
Exploring Lake Tuggerah NSW
Lake Tuggerah is another interesting location with plenty of lakefront rental properties. Lake Tuggerah covers an area of 714 sq. km offering great recreational fishing opportunities. Lake Tuggerah is popular for bream, flathead and whiting. If you have more time for yourself, visit Terrigal and Ettalong beach. Must-do things include
Pelican feeding at the Entrance
Entrance Ocean Baths
Fishing
Port Stephens & Nelson Bay, NSW
Two amazing destinations of Port Phillip and Port Stephens are one of my all-time favourite locations in the region. Popular for "Australia's longest Stretch of Sand Dunes", water inlets, deep-sea fishing charters, and Dolphin and Whale Watching tours make this area very popular for family holidays and day trips.
Mantra Serviced Apartment is a great place to stay if you are travelling with family. Most of the two-bedroom apartments are equipped with a kitchen and you can enjoy excess to the gym, outdoor pool, jacuzzi, bbq etc.
Book your tours in advance as most of the tours including Quad Bikes, Dessert Safari Tours and Dophins Tours are booked in advance by tour operators from Sydney and other parts of NSW.
Nelson Bay Marina area is a central point for holiday bookings, fishing charters, whale-watching tours and water sports. The shallow splash area near the Nelson Bay Marina is a great location for beach activities, kayaking and paddle boating.
Sliding down the sand dunes using sliding boards and camel safaris are not to be missed in Port Stephens NSW. Port Stephens attracts large crowds over the weekends and
Port Stephens things to do
A number of activities such as camel safaris are quite popular in the area.
Activities in Port Stephens NSW
Camel rides are fun activity in Port Stephens.
Port Stephens Activities
Sand dunes safaris are popular on one of the longest Sand dunes in Australia.
Port Stephens Nelson Bay NSW
Ozasiatraveller in Port Stephens NSW
Enjoying popular activities in Port Stephens Nelson Bay
Desert Safari is amongst popular activities in Port Stephens
Desert Safari in Port Stephens
A very interesting thing to do in Port Stephens NSW
Things to do in Nelson Bay New South wales
Slide down the sand dunes on a sliding board is great fun. Definitely not for light hearted ones!
Port Stephens Attractions
Enjoy desert safari as well as quad bikes in Port Nelson
Activities in Port Stephens
Stingray and Shark encounters at the Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters
Acitivities in Port Stephens
Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters
Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters
One of the most enjoyable activities is getting close with stingrays and sharks in captivity.
Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters
Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters
the best way to enjoy this amazing location is to arrive by 10 am or earlier.
Forster & Tuncurry NSW
Forter is an amazing seaside location at a distance of 300 km from Sydney. It takes approximately 4 hours to reach Forster using Pacific Coast Highway. Popular for its relaxed atmosphere and sandy beaches, Forster has become popular with family holidaymakers. You can find a number of serviced apartments and motels suited to families and large groups.
The waterfront near the Forster Tuncurry bridge is ideal for kayaking, swimming and paddle boats. Forster is one of my all-time favourite locations for a weekend break from Sydney. One Mile Beach and Burgess Beach are popular locations with Bicentennial Walk along the waterfront offering great views of the ocean.
There are a couple of nice service apartments are located in this section of the town if you keen to explore local lookouts, beach locations and other places of interest.
Serviced Apartments at the Forster Waterfront Area
Planning a trip to Forster & Tuncurry? I suggest staying at Discovery Park which is ideal for large groups. The property has a number of fully furnished units with TV, heating, kitchen and bunks.
Central Coast Accommodation
Planning a stay on Central Coast. Here are some suggestions:
