The top 17 ultimate things to do in Port Stephens

From swimming with dolphins and seeing whales up close to hikings to the top of Mt Tomaree through bushland brimming with wildlife, here the top things to do in Port Stephens.

If Byron Bay and Narooma had a love child, it would be Port Stephens. In addition to wildlife encounters, this extraordinary coastal town (just two and a half hours’ north of Sydney) is blessed with natural beauty and a laid-back coastal vibe. At the heart of it is great accommodation – from fairy-tale retreats to chic waterfront hotels – bolstered by all the best elements of nature. Dive into the NSW North Coast’s unparalleled beauty with the best things to do in Port Stephens.

1. Swim with wild dolphins

Dolphins swimming in Shoal Bay, Port Stephens. — Swimming with dolphins in Shoal Bay is dreamy. (Image: Destination NSW)

Tumbling into crystalline waters on a wild dolphin tour is, for city dwellers, a profoundly moving experience. Dolphin Swim Australia runs responsible wildlife adventures dedicated to respecting local marine life and their habitat. The company emphasises eco-friendly practises, with each swim dependent on the dolphins’ decision to be near guests in the water. A magical thing to do in Port Stephens at least once in your life.

2. Go quad biking in the Stockton Sand Dunes

Couple enjoying a quad bike tour on the Stockton Sand Dunes with Sand Dune Adventures, Port Stephens — Stockton Sand Dunes are the highest sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere.

Book a 1.5-hour Aboriginal Culture & Sand Boarding Quad Bike Tour with Sand Dune Adventures to see the highest sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes. As you’re burning around the extraordinary expanse on quadbikes, an Indigenous guide will scout out middens, where some 18 clans of the Worimi Nation once feasted on fish and shellfish. Part of your tour fee is invested back into the local Indigenous community and the ongoing protection of this sacred space.

3. Get pampered at a day spa

Switch out all that natural Zen for man-made relaxation at the many day spas found across the region. The hotels, once again, house some of the finest, including the Instagram-friendly Spa Bannisters , Sirène Spa inside Shoal Bay’s Ramada Resort and Spa Lucca at The Anchorage. But don’t neglect The Wellness Path , a haven for self-care in Nelson Bay that’s worthy of ample time.

4. Experience some of the best shore diving in NSW

Luxury private chartered yacht experience with Blue Water Sailing in — Learn to free drive in Nelson Bay. (Image: Destination NSW)

Whether you’re an experienced scuba diver or have never donned a snorkel, you will find a dive to suit within the Great Lakes Marine Park in Port Stephens. There’s Fly Point in Nelson Bay, famous for its nudibranchs, and the Pipeline, a must for macro divers. The Looking Glass off Broughton Island is another dive deemed noteworthy as it takes divers through an arch in the rock shared with a grey nurse shark. Grey Nurse Charters can show you the ropes and you can also learn to free dive, one of the best things to do in Port Stephens, with Salty Pilgrims in Nelson Bay.

5. Ride a camel around Anna Bay

Sunset camel riding experience within Anna Bay, Port Stephens. — Morning is the best time for a camel ride at Anna Bay. (Image: Destination NSW)

Riding camels along Anna Bay is one of the most popular things to do in Port Stephens as visitors can enjoy the hypnotic blue of the Pacific while plodding along a huge slab of empty sand. The best time to visit Anna Bay is at the first pink glimmering of daylight when you can climb onboard a camel to enjoy the landscape in a relaxed and meditative way. Oakfield Ranch runs tours six days a week, while Sahara Trails Horse Riding switches out camels for equestrian adventures to delight in a same-same-but-different fashion.

6. Hike to the top of Mt Tomaree

The view from the top of the Mount Tomaree Summit Walk in Port Stephens — The steep walk is worth it for the views. (Image: Destination NSW)

You will find another world on the outskirts of Port Stephens when you turn your back to the beach and fixate on getting to the summit of Mt Tomaree. The Tomaree Head Summit Walk is only 2.2-kilometres return, but clambering up the steep sections on this Grade 5 walk requires a modicum of fitness. The best time to tackle it is between May and October, when you may be able to spot the plume of a whale spout from the summit.

7. Indulge in waterfront cocktails

It just isn’t a visit to Port Stephens without a round of your favourite liquid gold. In this picture-perfect stretch of the coast, bars pop up right off the shores, seizing idyllic backdrops to elevate cocktail o’clock. Moby’s Bar , located at The Anchorage, is all-class while Cheeky Dog at Bannisters Port Stephens is reliably cheerful and Little Beach Boathouse’s Below Deck is easy and breezy. To keep the good times rolling, line your belly lavishly with our pick of the region’s best restaurants.

8. Enjoy a whale-watching cruise

A humpback whale's tail in Port Stephens. — Port Stephens is one of the best places to go whale watching. (Image: Destination NSW)

Speaking of those majestic beasts, Port Stephens is known for its excellent whale watching conditions and Moonshadow – TQC Cruises and Imagine Cruises both offer eco-friendly expeditions. The tours, which run for about three hours, allow guests to spot humpback whales performing pectoral slaps and body rolls. The 360-degree viewing decks also offer glorious vantage points to catch the jumbo beauties breaching, sending them out of the ocean for your ultimate money shot.

9. Learn to surf or SUP

Couple stand-up paddleboarding at Shaol Bay Port Stephens. — If you’ve never been stand-up paddleboarding before, now is your chance.

This corner of the coast is blessed with some of the best surf breaks in the country, making board riding one of the best things to do in Port Stephens. But if it’s your first time surfing or SUPing (stand-up paddleboarding) around the area you should sign up for sessions with Port Stephen Surf School . Their expert instructors will take you to places a little more off the radar as that’s just how they roll. Whether you want to hone your technique or learn to stand up for the first time, these guys will find discreet, uncrowded breaks to help you hang ten to your heart’s content.

10. Savour impeccable hotel dining

Ricks Stein restaurant at Bannisters Port Stephens. — Rick Stein at Bannisters is a must-try.

What a weekend in Port Stephens will tell you is that the best type of restaurants come with overnight stays. Home to two of the best Port Stephens restaurants you’ll find, Bannisters Port Stephens flourishes thanks to Rick Stein at Bannisters , while The Anchorage shines with The Galley Kitchen . Snapping a selfie with a seafood platter is the best kind of holiday souvenir, while your tastebuds will dance to the abundance of fresh-caught catches and masterful flavour profiles. Additionally, Hotel Nelson, yet another outstanding Port Stephens accommodation choice, sits right above the popular Little Nel and its breakfast and lunch services please locals and visitors alike.

11. Tour Tin City on a 4WD safari

Tin City Port Stephens — Visit the Mad Max location by 4WD. (Image: Destination NSW)

Adventure beyond those famous sand dunes with 4WD Tours R Us . In addition to offering sandboarding adventures across Stockton Bight, the team take in Tin City, one of the filming locations for Mad Max. The history of its cobbled-together corrugated iron shacks is fascinating: the shanty town, originally built to accommodate shipwreck survivors, expanded during the Great Depression to include more than 36 huts.

12. Discover the best beaches

Scenic views over Shoal Bay Beach, Zenith Beach, Wreck Beach and Box Beach in Port Stephens from Tomaree Head Summit. — Shoal Bay, Zenith Beach and Wreck Beach are some of Port Stephens’s best beaches. (Image: Destination NSW)

There are many stunning stretches of sand in and around Port Stephens, which is why it’s one of Australia’s most-loved aquatic playgrounds. While adventurous types have the option of diving, those looking for something more sedate can take their time along Wreck Beach Walk or drop a line in the water at Great Lakes Marine Park. Competent surfers, meanwhile, should follow the swell to Wreck, Box, Samurai and Zenith beaches and families can find safe dips at Salamander Bay, Shoal Bay and Nelson Bay.

13. Get your adrenaline pumping at Toboggan Hill Park

Family on the toboggans at the Toboggan Hill Park. — The kids will have hours of fun at Toboggan Hill Park.

Good old-fashioned family fun is on the cards at Toboggan Hill Park , an action-packed thing to do in Port Stephens offering activities for all ages. The main attraction is the one-kilometre downhill toboggan run that twists and turns through bushland – you can go as fast or slow as you want, so even the littlest of adventurers can join in the fun. There’s also an outdoor maze to get lost in, mini golf, bungee tramps, an indoor rock-climbing wall, roller skating and more.

14. Swim with sharks and manta rays

Guests feeding the resident rays at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters, Anna Bay — Swimming with a stingray is a bucket list moment. (Image: Destination NSW)

Ever fancied cuddling a manta ray or snorkelling with a zebra shark? Here’s your chance. Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters has several experiences that allow visitors to get close to magnificent marine animals. Choose from wading in a shallow pool to pet and feed them, or swimming in a lagoon with larger varieties. Through its Sea Shelter program, the centre is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of marine animals, as well as research and education surrounding marine conservation.

15. Take a self-guided brewery and winery tour

The interior of B Farm by Murray's Restaurant William. — Dine at Restaurant William at B Farm by Murray’s.

Get a two-for-one tasting experience at B Farm by Murray’s Craft Brewing Co , an independent brewery that shares a property with Port Stephens Winery, the oldest winery in the region. Sample the 100 per cent natural brews, wines from around the region and enjoy a bite to eat at one of the three onsite dining venues. Oenophiles should also check out Sunset + Vine which overlooks Wonganella Estate Vineyard and offers wine tastings on weekends. Tynan Wines , meanwhile, is a boutique winery that produces small-batch drops and also makes chocolate, cookies and similarly sweet spoils.

16. Support wild koalas at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

Koala snuggled in a tree sleeping at the Koala Sanctuary Port Stephens, One Mile — Cosy up with a koala. (Image: Destination NSW)

Port Stephens is home to one of the last remaining koala populations on the east coast and the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary provides a crucial piece of the conservation puzzle. It offers immersive experiences to educate visitors about koalas and their habitat, the opportunity to see veterinary staff looking after sick and injured koalas via a viewing window in its Koala Hospital, and to meander along a 225-metre elevated pathway suspended in treetops to spot koalas in their natural habitat. You can even stay overnight in the sanctuary’s glamping tents, surrounded by eight hectares of bushland.

17. Have your Top Gun moment at Fighter World

Aviation aficionados should make the trip to Fighter World , a hands-on museum adjacent to the RAAF Base Williamtown (about five minutes’ drive from Port Stephens). Learn about the history of the Royal Australian Airforce, wander around famous aircraft including the first jet engine plane built in Australia, see the WWII Spitfire replicas, sit in the cockpit of a Mirage jet fighter and Macchi jet trainer, and see one of the country’s mightiest model aircraft displays, stretched across two hangars.

Originally written by Caral Grossetti with updates by Megan Arkinstall and Kristie Lau-Adams.

Make this dazzling stretch of beaches and natural wonders your home base for a grand adventure

Whether you’re setting out solo, bringing a mate, or packing in the whole family, no road trip along Australia’s East Coast is complete without at least a few days spent exploring the Coffs Coast. A stunning stretch of NSW coastline nestled between ancient high-elevation rainforests and magnificent, undiscovered beaches, Coffs offers amazing biodiversity, stunning natural beauty, and heaps of local charm, without the crowds. Pull up in Coffs Harbour , your perfect home base for these unforgettable day-trips.

1. Southern Beaches

The Coffs region boasts 30 of Australia’s most beautiful, unspoiled beaches, directly abutting a dramatic tableau of mountains and rainforests. Drive South of Coffs Harbour to find up-and-coming surf destinations where it’s still possible to catch an empty wave. First up is the picturesque Sawtell village . Wander the famous fig-tree-lined main street packed with laid-back places to eat and drink. Enjoy panoramic views and seasonal whale sightings at Bonville Headland on the Southern end of the beach.

Nearby Bongil Bongil National Park boasts seven kilometres of empty beach, along with hiking and cycling trails through beachfront rainforests – keep an eye out for koalas living in the trees. Boambee Beach and Boambee Creek Reserve are great for families, with shallow waters perfect for kayaking and SUPing, plus an off-leash dog beach.

family eating lunch in sawtell — Experience small-town charm in Sawtell.

2. Orara Valley Tourist Trail

The Orara Valley Tourist Trail has it all: hinterland bushwalks, birdwatching, horse riding, pristine swimming holes and rolling green pastures dotted with dairy farms and historic villages. And it’s only 15 minutes west of Coffs Harbour.

Sample produce at a roadside stall, stop into Coramba Hotel for a quintessential country pub lunch, or try the Idle in Cafe in Nana Glen for coffee and scones. Then spend the afternoon kayaking the Orara River or mountain biking on Mt Coramba. If you’re feeling adventurous, follow the 4WD touring route along the Orara Escarpment in Bindarri National Park , a rugged landscape with dazzling views that winds through untouched eucalypt rainforests and waterfalls.

A family sitting by the Orara Valley Tourist Trail. — Explore the green heart of Coffs.

3. Dorrigo National Park

Enjoy a classic day trip from Coffs to forest bathe in some of the oldest subtropical rainforests in the world at Dorrigo National Park, part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests. These million-year-old ecosystems promise rare bird sightings, towering strangler figs, and epic walking tracks and picnic spots. Try the 6.6 km Wonga Walk to experience dreamy Crystal Shower Falls (where you can walk behind the falls) and the Skywalk Lookout, which offers spectacular views of the valley and coast. Then stop in Dorrigo town for a homey lunch. It’s worth noting that a section of the road between Ulong and Dorrigo – which dates to the 1880s – is unsealed, adding to the area’s end-of-the-earth allure but making travel difficult in adverse weather conditions. Alternatively, head to Dorrigo via the delightful township of Bellingen .

Three people standing at the SkyWalk lookout. — Wander the Skywalk.

4. Northern Beaches

For another tranquil expanse of sun, sand and surf breaks, head north to Woolgoolga (Tourism Australia’s Best Mainland Beach for 2025. Taste the coffee and local-produce breakfast at one of several cafes, then spot whales during their migration season along the Woolgoolga Whale Trail to the headland. Emerald Beach offers clear blue waters and another headland walk, perfect for taking in views of South Solitary Island, a dramatically rocky-cliffed island with a historic lighthouse. Red Rock, some 40km north of Coffs and named for its striking coastal rock formations, boasts a gorgeous estuary reserve that’s perfect for languorous days spent picnicking, swimming, fishing, and connecting with the relaxed local pace.

Freshly caught seafood by the beach, with sparkling ocean views. — Enjoy fresh seafood overlooking Woolgoolga Beach.

5. Jetty precinct

You could easily spend a whole day exploring the Jetty precinct – from its foreshores to the marina to Muttonbird Island. Start with fresh fish and chips from local institution Coffs Harbour Fisherman’s Co-op , before browsing the popular Harbourside Markets held every Sunday on the foreshores.

Take a scenic walk along the breakwall to Muttonbird Island , a cultural and ecological treasure with panoramic views and rich Gumbaynggirr heritage. The Giidany Miirlarl Education Space shares the island’s ancient stories, or join a guided moonlight tour to see the seasonal return of the muttonbirds.

Back at the Jetty Strip, find a buzzing mix of cafes, bars and restaurants with cuisines from around the world, open from morning until late. Don’t miss The Jetty Pavilion , a favourite for its unique menu blending modern Australian cuisine with vibrant world flavours.

walk to muttonbird island from coffs harbour — Walk the path where land meets sea and sky.

6. Grafton

Head inland from mid-October to early November to catch Grafton’s jacaranda season, when the town’s streets and parks are covered in purple. Even better, time your trip between 24 October and 2 November to attend the famous Jacaranda Festival, with special food items, performances and more. At any time of year, follow the self-guided Grafton Heritage Trail to discover the town’s historic buildings, landmarks and stories. Or get the blood pumping with a trip along the longest mapped white-water trail in Australia – the Clarence Canoe and Kayak Trail. Book a tour with Exodus Adventures .

woman walking through jacaranda trees in grafton — Time your Grafton trip to see the jacarandas in full bloom. (Image: @myclarencevalley)

7. Nambucca

Just south of Coffs Harbour sits Nambucca, the ideal town for a relaxed, coastal day trip. Hire a canoe, kayak or boat to explore over 80 kilometres of waterways stretching from the hinterland to the ocean. For those who prefer to stay on dry land (or double up their adventure for the day), stretch your legs along the V-Wall – a scenic coastal walk along the Nambucca River – dotted with boulders painted by the community, sharing messages, art and local stories. Stop along the way to buy Sydney rock oysters direct from local farmers, or try your own hand at fishing. Before heading back to Coffs, refuel on fresh seafood and wood-fired pizzas at Matilda’s in Nambucca .

a boat zooming through Nambucca Heads — Explore Nambucca’s waterways. (Image: Seen Australia)

Visit coffscoast.com and download the Coffs Coast Explorer App for more daytrips and trails.