There are a heap of things to see and do around "The Bay" on your holiday. Here are a few tips.

Spend a day lying on the beach!

Pretty obvious this one! Lets face it, you are coming away on holiday to relax and theres nothing more relaxing than simply lying around on the beach, soaking up the suns rays. All of our suburbs with accommodation have at least one beach perfect for just this!

Eating out

Whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack and coffee there are a multitude of restaurants and cafes that provide excellent food throughout the area. Some of our favourites include the award winning "Zest" (two doors up from our office, be sure to book), "Aqua Blu" (Nelson Bay marina) and "Malai Thawng Thai" (top end of Stockton Street, Nelson Bay).

Dolphin & Whale watching

Dolphin watch cruises depart Nelson Bay marina every day and we haven't heard of anyone coming back disappointed! June through October are the peak times to see the whales just off the coast. There are a number of cruise operators. All of our staff have been out on "Imagine" and can highly recommend this vessel. Bookings can be made at the Cruise Inn booking centre (about 100 Metres east of Nelson Bay marina).

Fishing

Don't have a boat? No problem! There are many beaches throughout the area that are reasonably productive but the real fun is outside! The many reefs, gravel patches and islands off the coast of Port Stephens are incredible fishing grounds. There are many local operators that do part and full day fishing trips as well as the premier game boats that inhabit the Port through the early months of the year (Port Stephens is after all the true home of marlin fishing!). Check with any of the local tackle shops about trips and local advice.

Scuba diving and snorkeling

Fly Point at Nelson Bay is a great place to take the kids snorkeling for an hour or so. As a protected marine sanctuary there are always tonnes of fish to keep the kiddies (and adults) amazed. Local dive shops also do almost daily trips to incredible diving and snorkeling spots around the Bay and offshore.

Sand Dune tours

Want to see some amazing sights? Try a tour of the incredible sand dune system along Stockton Beach with an experienced driver (Yes, you can take your own 4WD with a permit but for the inexperienced 4WD driver, a tour would be much more enjoyable). All of the local tour operators will pick you up from your accommodation and many also have added activities like sand boarding that the kids will love.

Enjoy a round of golf

Port Stephens has some truly fantastic golf courses. "Nelson Bay golf course" is challenging, reasonably priced and an enjoyable backdrop for the golf maniac in the family. For a touch of class, "Horizons" at Salamander Bay is a championship quality course aimed at more experienced players and "Pacific Dunes" at Medowie has recently opened and is receiving rave reviews.

Visit the Hunter Valley wineries

Just an hours drive from Nelson Bay the Hunter Valley is Australia's premier wine region. Why not spend some time visiting the wineries, restaurants and shops? Most of the wineries have a cellar door offering their best wines at great prices including wines not available anywhere else. We can also recommend a visit to the shops at Hunter Valley Gardens; check out "Bliss Coffee" and the "Hunter Valley Chocolate Company".

Walking trails

There are many trails throughout the area to suit all fitness levels. The best known is the walk up "Tomaree Headland" which is probably best for the reasonably fit but what about One Mile Beach, Wreck Beach, Zenith Beach? All fantastic beaches to enjoy a dip after a bit of a walk.