It’s the perfect place for a summer holiday, so we’ve done the work and planned the itinerary for you.

Stretching for 80 kilometres between the Hawkesbury and Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast is epitomised by its beaches and chilled-out seaside towns, making it the perfect summer getaway. Choose a base and balance out beach days with countryside drives, coastal bushwalks and delicious dining.

Day 1: Arrive via the Hinterland

If you’re driving from Sydney, detour for breakfast or lunch at Saddles at Mount White (around 50 minutes north of Sydney). Set on an 11-hectare bushland property, Saddles has been recognised as one of the most beautiful restaurants in the world. The paddock-to-plate menu is cooked with local ingredients and plated in style. It’s a great place to dine if you have kids, with plenty of space for them to stretch their legs in the pretty gardens and around the dam.

From here you can follow Tourist Drive 33 if you’ve got time. Highlights along this route include Australian Reptile Park, Somersby Falls, and Glenworth Valley. Within this 1214-hectare wilderness, you can get thrills from a range of adventure activities such as horse riding, quad biking, abseiling, kayaking and laser skirmish. Girrakool Walking Track at Kariong is somewhat of a hidden gem, with wildflowers and waterfalls along an easy two-kilometre loop.

Hot tip: Terrigal or Avoca are ideal places to base yourself for a summer break – both are beachside towns that are centrally located to most attractions on the Coast. They can be very busy during summer though; check out the list of other accommodation options at the end.

Days 2 and 3: Avoca and Terrigal

Life in Avoca revolves around its beach: it’s got a great rock pool for kids, a surf club with popular cafe, and Central Coast Surf Academy (which also runs lessons at Copacabana and MacMasters). Avoca Beach House has front-row beach views, so you can dine as you watch the waves roll into shore.

If you’re in Avoca on the fourth Sunday of the month, browse the stalls at Avoca Beachside Markets. Pick up some local produce, quality arts and handmade products, or just enjoy the live music and food trucks.

In neighbouring Terrigal, take a walk around The Haven, which has a small kid-friendly beach and dog park, as well as The Skillion, an imposing headland that you can climb. This is one of our favourite places to come with the kids to relax outdoors.

Terrigal Ocean Tours leaves from the boat ramp here and, during summer, offers a scenic cruise with dolphin watching, led by a marine biologist.

The Haven is also home to the Central Coast’s newest dining and drinking hotspot, Terrigal Pavilion. Walk between Terrigal’s main esplanade, lined with shops and cafes, and The Haven via its pretty boardwalk, which is suitable for prams, scooters and wheelchairs. It’s a lovely evening walk along here too, after dinner in town.

Beer aficionados should take the five-minute drive to Six Strings Brewing at Erina, which was the Coast’s first craft brewery and has 16 taps, a dog-friendly outdoor area, and a restaurant.

Hot tip: Neighbouring Wamberal Beach is often less crowded than Terrigal Beach and North Avoca Beach less crowded than Avoca Beach (with a fun rock pool for the kids). On warm summer days, get down and set up your cabana early!

Day 4: Patonga, Umina, Ettalong

In the southernmost region of the Central Coast, also known as ‘The Peninsula’, the town of Umina Beach is a popular summer getaway for families. The beach itself is our go-to for surfing – it’s gentle and not overly crowded, which makes it ideal with our small children. Umina Beach is also home to an epic skate park with BMX track and play space.

The neighbouring seaside town of Ettalong is another great spot for families to swim, stand-up paddle board or go for a walk or scooter ride along the esplanade. Here, The Box on the Water has sophisticated dining with panoramic water views (incredible for a sunset cocktail), as well as a casual kiosk for takeaway and a playground next door.

Be sure to check out Chillis Deli at the Galleria Ettalong, which has a casual but flavourful menu including paninis, pasta and gelato – combine with coffee or Campari spritz, depending on your mood. The Galleria is home to multiple dining venues, as well as a weekend undercover market and quaint cinema.

Drive a little further south of Umina, around the winding headland, to the quiet beachside village of Patonga. Its beach is great for kayaking, fishing and beachcombing. The Boathouse Hotel is the place to go for a long, lazy summer lunch, with the classic coastal style synonymous with The Boathouse Group and set right across from the beach.

Hot tip: The spectacular Warrah Lookout just 10 minutes down the road from The Boathouse is worth a post-lunch walk, with views of Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River.

Day 5: Killcare, MacMasters and Copacabana

The Bouddi Coastal Walk stretches for eight kilometres from Putty Beach to MacMasters Beach and is a must-do on your summer itinerary. It is a beautiful way to spend a sunny morning or late afternoon, tracing the rugged coast with breathtaking views of the ocean, past quiet beaches and through rainforest. It’s relatively easy – we have walked from Putty Beach to Gerrin Point Lookout many times with our small children – but the entire track is spectacular and can take up to four hours one way. Pack your swimmers!

If you’re a keen surfer, MacMasters Beach, or ‘Macs’ as the locals call it, has a variety of waves and a great rockpool for kids. Just north of Macs, ‘Copa’ has a world-class point break for advanced surfers and is also home to bright and cheery Cabana Café.

Hot tip: See Bouddi National Park – which has more than 100 significant Aboriginal sites including rock engravings, middens and shelters – with Girri Girra Aboriginal Experiences, led by proud Aboriginal man Tim Selwyn.

Day 6: Long Jetty and The Entrance

Take a drive to the Newtown of the Central Coast. The hip hood of Long Jetty has an urban aesthetic blended with a laid-back coastal vibe. Browse stores such as Shadow Bang and Plain Janes for casual but cool fashion, and Three Donkeys for chic and quality furniture and homewares. Be sure to take a walk along the town’s namesake, a 351-metre jetty that juts out into Tuggerah Lake.

Just north of here, The Entrance is a popular spot during summer. Visitors and locals alike come to spend time at the splash park on the waterfront or fish and boat around the waterways. The Entrance Social Club is a great spot for a pub-style lunch and a cold glass of wine or beer with live music on the weekends.

Hot tip: Long Jetty has an excellent, flat bike track along the foreshore that leads to The Entrance. Begin at Saltwater Creek Park and ride along the lakeside into town for a coffee break or lunch (approximately five kilometres).

Day 7: Norah Head

If you are driving north, don’t just head for the freeway: Norah Head is a beautiful detour. Take a walk around its heritage-listed lighthouse down to the rockpool. Or spend time at Soldiers Beach, which has white sand, cerulean water and good surf, to top off your summer week on the Central Coast.

Best places to stay

Terrigal is centrally located, beachside and has sophisticated dining, lots of hip small bars and trendy shopping. It’s the perfect locale for a summer getaway on the Central Coast. Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific is right in town, with elegant dining, a pool and day spa, and views over the beach.

The Hinterland offers a unique Central Coast experience of tranquil bushland, farm gates and rainforest. Glenworth Valley has camping, bell tents and eco cabins nestled in the bush. If you plan on spending time exploring the hinterland, this is a great spot to stay.

Umina and Ettalong are neighbouring beachside towns, with gentle beaches, great family activities and lots of dining options. Mantra Ettalong has views of Brisbane Water and Broken Bay, while NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort is a family favourite packed with fun facilities from a waterpark to a jumping pillow.

Killcare is a secluded town where national park meets the ocean and is close to the Bouddi Coastal Walk. Stay overnight at the luxurious Hamptons-style retreat Bells at Killcare, which also has four-people, tri-level lodges with views towards Palm Beach.

Gosford is an emerging hub with the recently opened luxury hotel voco Gosford, which has a sexy rooftop bar that looks over Brisbane Water.

Toukley is a five-minute drive from Norah Head and 15 minutes north of The Entrance. The Beachcomber is a chic Hamptons-style hotel perched lakeside with restaurants and a pool club.