About 185 kms from Sydney, and not too far north of Newcastle, Port Stephens is a near-perfect resort town. Close enough from both major cities that you can sneak away for the weekend, this coastal region is home to a few distinct towns and dozens of idyllic beaches.
The water lapping up on harbour beaches in town is crystal-clear and impossibly turquoise for a non-tropical area. And over on the ocean beaches, the surf is almost always up.
A little bit about Port Stephens
Nelson Bay and Shoal Bay are the two main tourist hubs, and where the majority of accommodation will be found (unless you’re after a holiday park). Here, there’s dining options that will keep you satisfied all weekend long. There are some other suburbs, including Soliders Point, Salamander Bay and Anna Bay, but the heart of it is in Nelson and Shoal.
It’s definitely the kind of place that’s best visited during the warmer summer months, as most things to do are water based. But, if you’re not big on swimming, there are a few walking tracks, scenic cruises and food experiences to occupy your time, too.
What to do in Port Stephens
The perfect summer escape, Port Stephens is best known for its beaches. And there’s plenty of them. About two dozen, to be exact. (So you may need a few weekends here to actually view them all.) When the sun gets too strong and the sands too hot, there’s also a few shady bush walks to do here, too. But, maybe keep the steep summit walk for a cooler day.
If you’re happy to spend the majority of your time outdoors, Port Stephens is the place for you. This isn’t exactly the kind of place you come to visit museums and galleries or go shopping (although, there are a few cute shops in town).
Here’s some of our favourite things to do in the area.
Nelson Bay Beach
Where is it? In town in Nelson Bay
Entry fee: None, but parking in town and along the beach is paid.
Facilities: Toilets and showers, with food and other shops nearby.
A harbour beach with soft-white sand that’s within easy walking distance of many Nelson Bay hotels, this beach is perfect for families with young kids as there’s no waves and not much of a current.
Fly Point
Where is it? In town in Nelson Bay
Entry fee: None, but parking in town and along the beach is paid.
Facilities: Toilets and showers, with food and other shops nearby.
At the eastern end of Nelson Bay Beach and around the point is some of Port Stephens’ best snorkelling and diving. Being regular Sydney snorkellers, we were keen to see how Fly Point compared and it was well worth visiting. Wobbegongs, octopus and thousands more fish than we could count, this spot was teeming with aqualife. We already can’t wait to go back!
Birubi Beach
Where is it? Anna Bay, 10 kms from Nelson Bay
Entry fee: None, but parking in the upper lot is paid. Parking in the lower lot, which is on the sand, is free. (You don’t need a 4WD! Our 2WD hatchback was just fine down here.)
Facilities: Toilets, showers, a cafe and even camel rides.
Seeming to stretch on for days, Birubi Beach feels like it extends on to the end of the world. The salty air meets blowing sands on the southern horizon making it hard to see where the beach actually ends. If you’re wondering where that is, it’s more than 30km away near Newcastle.
The beach backs onto the otherworldly Stockton Sand Dunes, where camel rides are available for those interested. We’re not big fans of animal rides, so haven’t done it ourselves, appreciate it could be a cool experience.
Fingal Beach
Where is it? 3 kms from Shoal Bay
Entry fee: None, but parking is paid during the day.
Facilities: Toilets, showers and a cafe
Stretching out to Fingal Spit, which connects Final Island with the mainland, Fingal Beach is a picture-perfect crescent of a beach. We recommend walking out to the spit to check out the view looking north toward Tomaree Head. The beaches along that stretch are pretty deserted and it looks like you’ve stumbled upon a lost paradise.
Keep in mind though, depending on the tide, crossing the spit can be quite dangerous. It’s recommended not to cross the spit when there’s still water over it, even if it is very shallow. If you do head to the island, you’ll find more beaches, walking tracks and Point Stephens Lighthouse.
Tilligerry Habitat
Where is it? Tanilba Bay, about 30 kms from Nelson bay
Entry fee: Free
Facilities: Toilets and a basic cafe
If you’re looking for a shady walk, or a change of scenery from the beach, Tilligerry Habitat is the spot. The 9-hectare reserve is home to boardwalks weaving around the trunks of soaring eucalyptus trees. If you’re lucky, in those trees you’ll spot koalas. We… weren’t lucky. But they are known to call this area home.
Koalas or not, it’s a lovely walk that takes about 30 minutes to complete and includes a scenic section that runs along the water.
Tomaree Head Summit Walk
Where is it? Shoal Bay
Entry fee: None, but parking is paid.
Facilities: Toilets at the bottom, no facilities at the top
Short, steep and very sweet, the Tomaree Head Summit Walk is a 2-km walk to the top of Tomaree Mountain. From here, you’ll get unrivalled, 360-degree views. Look north toward Mount Yacaaba, east toward the islands of Port Stephens – Great Lakes Marine Park, south Stephens Peak and Quarry Hill and west over Shoal Bay.
While there are, admittedly, a lot of stairs involved, because it’s short, the walk should be pretty manageable for most. Just take your time, if need. We promise the view is well worth it!
One Mile Beach
Where is it? 7.5 kms from Nelson Bay
Entry fee: None.
Facilities: Toilets, showers and a cafe.
Surrounded by green hills and sand dunes, One Mile Beach feels like a world away. During our January visit, the water here was just right. Refreshing, but not cold. Wavy but not dangerous. We spent our final afternoon in Port Stephens here, and it was a great way to finish off our long weekend in town.
Where to eat in Port Stephens
Over the years, the food scene in Port Stephens has really improved. On earlier visits, we struggled finding things open in the evening and, to be honest, found much of the food uninspiring. But, that’s al changed.
Celebrity-endorsed restaurants, seaside bistros, oyster farms and more that we didn’t make it to have all moved into town and are quickly making it a great place for beach-bum foodies. And, if seafood is your thing, you’re in for a treat. We promise!
Holberts Oyster Supplies
Where is it? 52 Diemars Rd, Salamander Bay
We’re oyster fiends, and when we’re not oyster farm hopping down on the south coast, we’re looking for other places to slurp down these briny mollusks. Hoblerts is the only oyster farm on the south side of Port Stephens, but that’s not a bad thing. We actually came twice during out visit, once on the way into town and once on the way out. The oysters were freshly shucked, affordable and the ideal balance of briny and creamy.
Rick Stein’s at Bannisters
Where is it? At Bannisters Hotel, 147 Soldiers Point Rd, Soldiers Point
Rick Stein’s second Australian restaurant (the first being in Mollymook) features a seafood-heavy menu, all sourced locally. The UK chef and his team has crafted a menu packed with oysters, tuna, pipis and more. And we tried plenty of it! The stand-out for us was the pipis, which were garlicky, buttery and packed with chopped macadamia nuts. The Tuna steak and fish pie were also delicious.
Nice Cafe
Where is it? Nelson Towers, 71A Victoria Parade, Nelson Bay
Up a pedestrian ramp and in a setting that doesn’t make you feel too confident about the food, this place took us by surprise. The food was delicious, the iced coffees and matchas were delicious, and the staff were all friendly. If you’re looking for somewhere to grab classic cafe eats in town, this is it. We kept it simple and had some scrambled eggs on toast with grilled halloumi and eggs Benedict.
Little Beach Boathouse
Where is it? 4 Victoria Parade, Nelson Bay
Perched on a pier at the Western end of Little Beach, this restaurant has beautiful views over the water. While it’s open for lunch and dinner, we opted to go for dinner and booked it for around sunset — and highly recommend you do, too. We dined with a backdrop of pinks, purples and blues through the windows, which was well matched to our seafood-heavy meal.
Aussie Fish and Chips
Where is it? 30 Donald St, Nelson Bay
We can’t take a beach holiday without getting fish and chips, so went on a hunt for the best in the area. Reviews for this place were favourable, so we popped into the small shop in town for a shared fisherman’s basket that was amply chicken salted. Couldn’t have asked for a better meal to finish off our time in Port Stephens.
Where to stay in Port Stephens
We’ve visited Port Stephens a few times over the years, and have stayed in a bunch of mid-range accommodations
Central Motel
A simple motel that’s just a short walk to the centre of Nelson Bay was still affordable for our last-minute long-weekend stay. There’s a pool (but we didn’t use it).
We stayed here in January 2026.
Book with: Agoda | Booking.com
Peninsula Nelson Bay Hotel
Similar to Central Motel, the Peninsula also offers affordable motel rooms. These ones come complete with balconies, and are half-way between Nelson Bay and Shoal Bay.
We stayed here in November 2017
Book with: Agoda | Booking.com
Hotel Nelson
Right in the heart of Nelson Bay, next to the town’s main pub and across the street from the marina, Hotel Nelson is in a perfect location. Admittedly, when we stayed it was called The Nelson Resort and Conference Centre, so we can’t speak on the current hotel. But, when it comes to the location, it gets five stars from us.
We stayed here in February 2017
Book with: Agoda | Booking.com
Oaks Lure
A large pool, modern rooms and a central location made Oaks Lure the pick for our first visit to Port Stephens. Overall, it’s an ideal resort, but a touch far from the beach. If you don’t mind a walk, though, it’s a great places to consider.
We stayed here in January 2015.
Book with: Agoda | Booking.com
