Coast & Vines Road Trip: Terrigal, Port Stephens & the Hunter Valley

Day 1: Sydney to Terrigal

1.5 hours (~85 km) via M1 and Central Coast Highway | Stay in Terrigal

For activities, restaurants and accommodation in Terrigal, see our Terrigal travel guide. Below is a suggested starting point for your afternoon and evening.

Afternoon

Head north from Sydney on the M1, turning off at the Central Coast Highway towards Terrigal. The drive takes around 1.5 hours depending on traffic. Check into your accommodation, drop off your car and head straight out for a walk around The Skillion.

The Skillion headland sits at the southern end of Terrigal Beach and offers views of the ocean, the beach and the town below. The walking track is around 1.4 km and although it is a short walk, it is uphill to the lookout. Allow an hour to take in the views at the different platforms along the way. The lookout is a good whale-watching spot from May to October.

After the walk, Terrigal Beach is right there for a swim if the weather allows. The beach is patrolled from late September through to late April. There are cafés and takeaway options close by if you need a coffee or an afternoon snack.

Other options for your afternoon in Terrigal are:

• Head to Terrigal Lagoon for paddleboarding or kayaking on calm waters.
• Walk to Wamberal Beach from Terrigal Beach to make the most of your beach day.
• Drive up to Crackneck Point to hit the Coast Walking Track, a 3 km one-way track with gorgeous coastal views.
• Head to the new Terrigal Pavilion for beers with views.

Evening

For sunset cocktails before dinner, Meribella Bar at the Crowne Plaza is the go-to spot. The arched windows look out over the beach, there is a good cocktail menu and bar snacks are available if you get hungry. Arrive early to get a window seat.

For dinner, Amarilla is a Spanish restaurant right on the waterfront next to Terrigal Haven. The views at sunset are hard to beat and the food lives up to the setting: gildas, empanadas, Spanish cold cuts and seafood tapas. Alternatively, for a more casual option Four Hands Pizza Bar & Grill offers share plates and pizzas with indoor and outdoor seating. For more dining options, see the Terrigal guide.

Personal note: Our favourites at Amarilla were the cold cuts, scallops (with a cauliflower purée and pancetta), and the pork cutlets. The cold cuts in particular were amazing, including interesting varieties like chilli and fennel, and squid ink salami, all sliced paper thin.

Accommodation options

• For couples: The Crowne Plaza Terrigal is right across the road from the beach, in the heart of Terrigal’s cafés and restaurants. There is a pool, spa, gym and parking, with a mix of rooms and suites, most with ocean views.
• For families: Star of the Sea apartments sit just up the hill from the main street and offer 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments with an outdoor heated pool, a waterslide, indoor pool and billiards room. Depending on when you are travelling, there may be minimum night stays.
• For groups or self-catering: Terrigal Sails Serviced Apartments offer studio to 3 bedroom apartments within walking distance of the beach and restaurants.
• Check Booking.com or Stayz for a wider range.

Day 2: Terrigal to Nelson Bay, Port Stephens

1 hour 45 minutes (~102 km) | Stay in Nelson Bay, Port Stephens

For activities, restaurants and accommodation around Nelson Bay and Port Stephens, see our Nelson Bay and Port Stephens travel guide.

Morning in Terrigal

Start with breakfast at Bellyfish Cafe in Terrigal before packing up and hitting the road. Bellyfish serves breakfast and brunch every day from early morning, with more interesting options than the standard eggs-and-toast lineup.

Head back to the M1 and continue north. The drive to Nelson Bay takes around 1 hour 45 minutes.

Afternoon

Exit before Nelson Bay to stop at Holberts Oyster Farm on your way in for oysters and prawns for lunch. Holberts Oyster Farm is a simple shopfront with outdoor tables in Salamander Bay, but the oysters are excellent – a perfect no-frills first stop in Port Stephens.

After lunch, head to Gan Gan Lookout to get your bearings. Sitting at 160 metres on Gan Gan Hill, the lookout gives views across the entire Port Stephens region: south over the dunes towards Newcastle, north to Hawks Nest and across the bay. A good first stop on arrival to get a sense of the area.

If it’s a sunny day, head to Fingal Bay for a beach swim, or to Birubi Beach to swim and check out the massive sand dunes.

Evening

If you are staying at The Anchorage, have sunset drinks at Moby’s Bar, then dinner at The Galley Kitchen restaurant. If you are staying at Bannisters, opt for drinks and dinner at Rick Stein at Bannisters in Soldiers Point (book ahead). Rick Stein’s seafood focus suits the Port Stephens setting well.

For families or groups, the Shoal Bay Country Club is a great option. It’s a massive venue with three different dining areas, making it easy to find something for everyone.

Accommodation options

• For couples: The Anchorage, Corlette – set around a quiet private marina, this Hampton-style boutique hotel has rooms overlooking the water, an adults-only pool, a family pool, The Galley Kitchen Restaurant and Moby’s Bar. A restful, coastal feel. 5 minutes from Nelson Bay.
• For couples or groups: Bannisters Port Stephens, Soldiers Point – the Bannisters property in Soldiers Point has Rick Stein at Bannisters restaurant, Julio’s, a large pool with a pool bar, and rooms with treetop and ocean views. Less than 15 minutes from Nelson Bay.
• For families or budget: Check Booking.com or Stayz for a wider range of options including holiday houses.

Day 3: Nelson Bay, Port Stephens

No driving – full day in Port Stephens

Morning

Dolphins are regularly seen off the coast and a dolphin or whale watching cruise is one of the most memorable things to do in Port Stephens. Book ahead, particularly in peak whale watching season (May to November). For whale watching or dolphin cruise options, check out Viator or GetYourGuide.

Alternatively, if you prefer to stay on land, the Tomaree Head Summit Walk is one of the best walks in the region. The summit track is steep in places but the views at the top across Port Stephens, the beaches and the Pacific Ocean are worth the effort. Allow around 1.5 to 2 hours return. If you don’t fancy all the stairs, there’s an equally lovely walk around the foreshore at Tomaree Head.

Afternoon

Lunch at the Little Beach Boathouse, a waterfront restaurant on the marina in Nelson Bay with beautiful, peaceful views across Little Beach and excellent food. There’s a restaurant upstairs and a more casual cafe downstairs giving you a couple of options for lunch. Book ahead as it does get busy.

After lunch, spend the afternoon at the beach, either Fingal Bay to look out across the sandbar to Fingal Island, or Anna Bay and Birubi Beach for a surf beach feel with the sand dunes as a backdrop.

Evening

A second night in Port Stephens gives you the chance to try one of the other restaurants in the area:

• Rick Stein (fine seafood-focused dining) or Cheeky Dog (casual, pub-style food) at Bannisters.
• Shoal Bay Country Club has excellent Greek sharing food at Atmos, gorgeous views, pizza and grill at The Patio.
• The Galley Kitchen at The Anchorage for great steaks, a well-chosen wine list and peaceful marina views.
• Restaurant 2317 at Soldiers Point for marina views and amazing seafood bouillabaisse.

Check our Nelson Bay and Port Stephens guide for a full list of options.

Day 4: Nelson Bay to Hunter Valley

1 hour 25 minutes (~105 km) via Pacific Motorway | Stay in Hunter Valley

For wineries, restaurants and accommodation in the Hunter Valley, see our Hunter Valley travel guide. If wine tasting is not for you, check out the Next Escape guide for things to do in the Hunter Valley if you are not drinking.

Morning in Nelson Bay

Have breakfast at the hotel before checking out and heading west towards the Hunter Valley. The drive takes around 1 hour 25 minutes via the Pacific Motorway. Aim to arrive in time for lunch.

Afternoon

Stop at the Hunter Valley Information Centre when you first arrive in Pokolbin. They offer wine tastings and can help you plan out your cellar door visits for the afternoon.

Then head to lunch and a tasting at Brokenwood. The cellar door was redeveloped in 2018 and is now an impressive space with circular tasting pods and an outdoor terrace bar. Tastings start from $25 per person and there’s a range of experiences available, from simple tastings to matching food tastings, tours and lunches. Book ahead on their website as it gets busy, particularly on weekends.

If you have time in the afternoon, follow up with a visit to Lakes Folly. Lakes Folly offers only two wines (seriously good Chardonnay and Cabernet) and the cottage on the lake setting is a lovely, low-key tasting.

Local’s tip: Lakes Folly tends to run out of their wines soon after releasing them, so check their website or socials to be sure they have stock before visiting. If this visit doesn’t work out, check out our Hunter Valley Guide for more winery ideas.

Evening

Dinner at Circa 1876 at The Convent on Halls Road, Pokolbin. Located in a 19th century cottage, Circa 1876 is a 3-course set menu ($120 per person) so arrive hungry. Book well ahead for weekends.

Personal note: If you arrive for an early dinner sitting you can take your glass of wine and wander through the gardens watching the kangaroos before you sit down for your meal. Our favourite dishes last visit were the scallops and the duck – both perfectly cooked – and the colcannon mash as a side dish.

Accommodation options

• For couples: The Convent – set in a restored 19th century convent building with a pool, garden and both Peppertree wines cellar door and Circa 1876 on site. If you stay here, arrive before 5 to ensure you fit in a wine tasting at Peppertree. Another favourite is Hermitage Lodge, laid out around a small vineyard and dam, with the Pescara restaurant on site so you can walk to dinner.
• For families: Rydges Hunter Valley – a large complex with a pool, water feature area for kids, day spa and plenty of accommodation options. Or check Booking.com for other options.
• For groups or self-catering: Check Stayz for holiday houses and cottages across the Hunter Valley.

Day 5: Hunter Valley to Sydney

2 hours (~175 km) via Pacific Motorway

Morning

Start with breakfast at The Deck Cafe, set around a small pond at Gartleman Winery with ducks, free-roaming chickens and a relaxed atmosphere. Good food and excellent coffee. Book ahead even for breakfast as it does book out.

Before hitting the road, stop at the Smelly Cheese Shop or Binnorie Dairy to stock up on cheese and local produce for the drive home. If you have a designated driver, you could also fit in one last cellar door – Peppertree Wines is right next to Circa 1876 and well set up for a quick tasting.

Head south on the Pacific Motorway back to Sydney. The drive takes around 2 hours.

Extending this trip

Add a second night in Terrigal (+1 night):

• Spend the morning at Terrigal Lagoon for paddleboarding or kayaking.
• Go for a coastal walk, either walking from Terrigal Beach to Wamberal Beach or drive up to Crackneck Point and do the Coast Walking Track.  
• Fit in a dinner at Coral, a fairly new seafood restaurant with excellent seafood platters and great service.
• Check the Next Escape Terrigal Guide for more ideas.
• Makes it a 6-day, 5-night loop

Add Newcastle (+1 night):

• Newcastle sits around 1 hour north of Terrigal and 45 minutes south of Nelson Bay – a natural addition between Day 1 and Day 2.
• This is worth a visit for the Newcastle coastal walk, ocean baths and brilliant restaurants.
• Check the Next Escape Newcastle Guide for more ideas.
• Makes it a 6-day, 5-night loop

Add a second night in the Hunter Valley (+1 night):

• Use the extra day for e-bikes through the vines with Grapemobile, a morning at a day spa, or the drive to Wollombi (40 minutes from Pokolbin) for a stop at the historic Wollombi Tavern.
• Makes it a 6-day, 5-night loop

Planning for this road trip

• Book restaurants in advance, particularly Circa 1876 in the Hunter Valley and Rick Stein at Bannisters in Port Stephens. Both fill up quickly on weekends.
• Book accommodation in advance, especially for weekends and school holidays. The Anchorage and Bannisters in Port Stephens book out quickly in peak season.
• Book whale watching or dolphin cruises in advance if visiting between May and November. To book, check out Viator or GetYourGuide.
• Book cellar door tastings in advance. Walk-ins are possible at many smaller cellar doors but the experience is better with a booking.
• You will need a designated driver for cellar door tastings in the Hunter Valley. Alternatively, book a tour through either Viator or GetYourGuide.

FAQs

When is the best time to take this road trip?

The trip works well year-round. Spring (September to November) is a good all-round option: warm enough for Terrigal Beach, you’ll catch the end of whale watching season in Port Stephens, and mild weather in the Hunter Valley before the summer heat. Autumn (March to May) works well for the Hunter Valley harvest season and is also when whale watching begins in Port Stephens. Summer brings the best beach weather at Terrigal and Nelson Bay but also the biggest crowds. Winter is quieter and cheaper across all three destinations, with peak whale watching in July and August.

Can I do this trip in reverse?

Yes. Starting with the Hunter Valley, then Port Stephens, then finishing in Terrigal works just as well. If you are visiting in summer, finishing in Terrigal gives you the beach weather at the end of the trip.

Is this trip suitable for families?

Yes. Terrigal Beach is patrolled and Terrigal Lagoon is great for kids on paddleboards. Port Stephens is an easy family destination with dolphin and whale watching cruises, calm harbour beaches, sand dune activities at Anna Bay and Oakvale Wildlife Park. The Hunter Valley has the Hunter Valley Gardens and Hunter Valley Wildlife Park for a family day out. For accommodation, Rydges Hunter Valley has a pool and water feature area well suited to families, and Star of the Sea in Terrigal has a pool and waterslide.

Can I shorten the trip to 4 days?

Yes, drop one of the two nights in Port Stephens to make it a 4-day, 3-night trip. You can still cover Gan Gan Lookout, a whale watching cruise and the Tomaree Head Summit Walk in a single day. Alternatively, skip Terrigal and drive straight from Sydney to Port Stephens on Day 1 (around 2.5 hours), then spend two nights there before heading to the Hunter Valley for one night and returning to Sydney on Day 4.