How to spend a weekend in Port Stephens with kids

Do you want to spend a weekend in Port Stephens with your kids and spend quality time together? To create everlasting memories? This guide shows how to spend a weekend in Port Stephens with kids. It includes very cool and awesome experiences for kids with energy to burn and places to fill empty tummies that only the locals know about.

Port Stephens voted as Australia’s Best Town for 2025!

I’ve been living in Port Stephens with 4 kids for 12 years. Let me show you around.

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Friday

Pick the kids up from school and get out of Sydney before peak hour starts. It’s a 2 1/2 hour drive from Sydney to Port Stephens. Get the kids to keep their eyes out for the yellow dinosaur near Somersby on the M1 motorway. (It’s not always yellow. They painted it pink with Easter eggs on it for Easter.)

Where to Stay

For this adventure, I recommend staying in Shoal Bay. Family friendly accommodation options with self catering facilities to keep the cost down include:-

Ramada Resort by Wyndham – Shoal Bay

Ramada Resort by Wyndham is centrally located above the restaurant strip overlooking stunning Shoal Bay. The resort features

• an outdoor pool which is sheltered from the wind,
• an indoor heated 25m lap pool,
• 3 spas,
• gymnasium,
• restaurants and bars

Shoal Bay Holiday Park

Located opposite Shoal Bay, Shoal Bay Holiday Park is a 2 minute walk from restaurants and bars. The park features include:

• BBQ and picnic facilities,
• camp kitchen
• kids club during school holidays
• and is pet friendly

This park is very popular especially during the summer school holidays.

Where to Eat

Shoal Bay has lots of restaurants looking over the stunning crystal clear waters of the bay.

• Atmos – award winning Greek cuisine at the Shoal Bay Country Club
• Gianni’s – scrumptious Italian pastas and pizza
• Port Stephens Game Fishing Club – you’ll go there Saturday
• Mod Thai
• Zenith Cafe, Restaurant and Bar
• Aussie Bob’s Fish and Chips
• The Shoal Bay Diner

There is also an IGA within a 5 minute walk if you want to self cater breakfast. The IGA is open from 8am to 7pm.

Saturday

Zenith Cafe

Wake up when you have finished sleeping and head to Zenith Cafe for breakfast. Enjoy the gentle sea breeze and the stunning views of Shoal Bay.

Tomaree Headland

Hope you have your walking shoes on, water and your camera because we are headed up Tomaree Headland – everyone’s bucket list experience when visiting Port Stephens.

The walk is 2.2km return and generally takes 1 1/2 -2 hours. The track is steep but well constructed and has metal stairs and elevated metal walkways. It is not suitable for prams or wheelchairs.

There are strategically placed seats along the way. Take advantage of them.

The views from the top are incredible!

You can see all of Port Stephens waterway, up the coast to Yaccaba and Broughton Island, Cabbage Tree Island, Little and Big Islands.

Looking down the coast you will see Zenith Beach and Fingal Headland and Port Stephens Lighthouse. Sometimes you can see dolphins surfing the waves at Zenith Beach or hmmm, maybe it was a shark.

Port Stephens is located in the middle of the humpback highway. From May to November you can see humpback and southern right whales from Tomaree. Look for their spouts, tail slaps or if you are lucky, a breaching whale.

On the way down, take a right at the bottom of the last set of metal stairs. This track will take you to the historic World War II gun emplacements.

Swim at Shoal Bay

Once you get to the bottom, it’s time for a swim. The north end of Shoal Bay is perfect for small children and non-swimmers as the beach gently drops away into the crystal clear waters. If you have snorkelling gear, swim along the rock wall. If you have bigger kids, join the locals to jump off the jetty. The water is deep here, almost impossible to reach the bottom so this is for competent swimmers.

Lunch at The Diner

For lunch head to The Diner, located behind the main shops opposite the caravan park. The Diner is straight out of the ’60s. It’s like stepping onto the set of Happy Days. They even have a juke box. I recommend the loaded fries. Amazing!

Unlimited Sandboarding

After lunch, it’s time to go sandboarding. I’ve put this in the afternoon for you as you will get sand everywhere, places where sand shouldn’t be and you will need a shower afterwards. Meet the Sandboarding Safari guys at Birubi Beach. They will drive you out to the sand dunes where you have UNLIMITED sandboarding. That is, as long as you can keep climbing the sand dunes. Talk about value for money!

Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters

When the weather is really hot, or the westerly winds are strong, sandboarding is out. Instead head to Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters. Looking for something memorable, why not have a Little Ray Cuddle where the rays come and sit on your lap! It’s totally safe as their barbs have been removed. Or maybe be more adventurous and snorkel with a Zebra Shark (+6 years).

Dinner at Port Stephens Game Fishing Club

After all that exercise, you will be starving. I recommend dinner at the Port Stephens Game Fishing Club. These guys know how to cook fish and the servings are huge. The calamari is huge – I mean it is a tower of calamari.

Zone Out Arcade and Ice Cream

Still got energy to burn – take the kids to D’Albora Marina to Zone Out Arcade.

Afterwards treat yourself to an ice cream at the ice creamery opposite.

Sunday

Whale Watching

Remember how I mentioned that Port Stephens is in the middle of the humpback highway? It’s time to go for a cruise to see the gentle giants (May to November). Humpback whales are the most playful whale species. Look out for spouts, spyhops, pectoral slaps, body rolls and if you are lucky, breath-taking breaches where the 40 tonne mammals launch themselves skyward in a display of pure power and joy.

Cruise on a whale and dolphin watching adventure on Imagine, a 30m catamaran through the stunning scenery of Port Stephens and the outer islands. Along with whales, you also have the chance to see huge pods (100 to a pod) of oceanic dolphins, offshore sea birds and other species of whales including pilot, minke and brydes.

Look up above Cabbage Tree Island to see awesome white bellied sea eagles souring in the breeze. They are easily identified by their wings forming a U shape. With a wing-span of 2.2m and standing height of 90cm, these are impressive creatures are the second biggest bird of prey in Australia behind the wedge tailed eagle.

Tips to avoid sea sickness.

• Eat a good breakfast – not too fatty
• Stay hydrated – nothing worse than heading out to sea with a hangover!
• Take seasickness tablets before you leave. They take 15 minutes to start working. There are 2 types of Travacalm available from the chemist. (They are not sold in supermarkets. Grrrrr.) The original blue one, I find works best. There is also a ginger based one, but this doesn’t work so good in my opinion. The cruise operators should also have sea sickness tablets available on board.
• Stand outside with the breeze in your face. Front of the boat is the best spot anyway for spotting wildlife.
• Look out to the horizon and look for whales and dolphins. This will help you brain, eyes and ears to figure out which way is up.

Dolphin Watching

If it’s not whale watching season, a cruise around the harbour to meet some of the local 140 dolphins.

Embark on a 3 1/2 hr Marine Discovery Cruise with Snorkeling sailing on Imagine, a 54ft sailing catarmaran. On this eco-tourism adventure, you will sail around Cabbage Tree and Fingal Islands where you can snorkel in protected cove. Your snorkel guide will introduce you to fish, sea urchins, soft corals and rays. Remember to keep an eye out dolphins at any time and for seals on Cabbage Tree Island. Back on board, you can relax in the dry bow net positioned close to the water or go for a ride in the boom net where you’ll get wet.

Discover dolphins with Moonshadow as you cruise around the eastern harbour for 1 1/2 hours on one of the biggest boats in the bay. Take in the sights of Tomaree and Yaccaba Headlands, Shoal Bay and the eastern harbour and maybe try boom netting. Keep an eye out for our friendly dolphins.

Lunch at the Harbour Bay Cafe

After your cruise, turn right down Teramby Road towards the water. Walk past Bub’s Famous Fish and Chips to the end of the road where you will find the Harbour Bay Cafe. The staff are friendly and the food fantastic even if the service is a little bit slow when busy. But who really cares with a view across the water.

After lunch meander through the shops of Nelson Bay and make sure you drop into the Lollybug.

The Lollybug

It’s like being at the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory!

It is easy to spend an hour here exploring the kaleidoscope of colours and flavours of different American and British lollies, different flavoured drinks, chilli sauces with a hotness rating of 9/10, HOT Doritos with a warning label.

Now you are probably thinking you need to get back on the road to the big smoke. Well trust me, the traffic on the M1 driving into Sydney on a Sunday afternoon is horrendous. It’s so much better to stay a little longer, have an early dinner then drive home. Less traffic, kids sleep in the car and a whole heap less stress. So what to do next?

Toboggan Hill Park

Toboggan Hill Park has a toboggan run that goes from the very top of the hill, through the trees all the way to the bottom with lots of twists and turns. It’s better than the toboggan run at the Big Banana, Coffs Harbour.

Not only do they have the toboggan, there is

• a giant maze,
• putt putt golf,
• indoor rock climbing
• roller skating
• a train to get to the maze and toboggan
• and a pavillion with arcade style games

Salamander Hotel

I’m sure the kids are going to say they want Macca’s for dinner, after all it’s just down the road but so is the Salamander Hotel which has the best burgers in town. They are huge! Try our family favourite, the Juicy Lucy. They also have a kid’s playground that is better than the one at Macca’s.

OK, you can go home now. Drive safe and see you next time.

Struggling with finances but still want to have a break with the kids? Here are 20 free things to do in Port Stephens to help with the budget.

And I know what you are thinking. What happens if it rains? Here are 10 Excellent Things to do in Port Stephens with kids when it rains.

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