Port Stephens is around 2.5 hours drive from Sydney. Once you get out of the city, catch the Motorway M1 and enjoy the lovely drive till NewCastle. Further take the Nelson Road to reach the Nelson Bay.
We left early morning at around 6.30 AM and picked one of my husbands colleague on the way and reached Nelson Bay at around 9.30 AM. We took a halt for breakfast on the way at McDonalds.
At first we went to the information centre, to pick some maps and decide on the plan.
Port Stephens has 26 golden beaches to choose from. They also have ample of lovely restaurants and accommodation. Its a wonderful place for camping too with lots of camping sites and facilities. But we had to stick to our one day plan and make the best out of it.
At first we just lazied around some beaches. They have wonderful foot paths and cycle tracks along the beaches. In my opinion, this city can be best explored on bycycles. Since we did not have any, we tried exploring a part of it by walking. It was indeed a wonderful experience. Below are some few clicks taken during our walk.
We next headed to Tomaree Lookout. It is a lovely trek and should take around 45 minutes one way. Once you reach the summit, you can enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views of the lovely islands and amazing beaches. You can also spot the Lighthouse located on one island. The trek has some steep areas and most of it is paved areas. In my opinion, this is a must visit place.
From the Tomaree Lookout, we could watch the Zenith Beach. We could see the blue water splashing on the black rocks and the golden sands. Also saw some people fishing on the beach and getting a good catch.
We headed to the Zenith Beach. It was just as awesome as we had seen from top. We just played around on the waters and in the sands. The people who had come fishing, were still there and they had a very good catch. Looked like they were quite experienced in fishing. Some people had also come for surfing. Surprisingly this beach was not cold or windy. It was kind of sunny and that was a huge relief.
We then sat on the rocks and took some pictures. Just then I spotted some fins moving in the waters. Maybe the dolphins or the whales...not sure. We kept watching and they kept showing their fins now and then. Finally we decided to leave. Just then we saw four dolphins dancing along the waves and all in sync. It was a breathtaking sight and just made our day more fruitful. Just sitting on the beach, we had spotted four dolphins dancing along with the waves. What else could anyone ask for :)
We were waiting there to take a picture of them...But then they never appeared again and then we left for lunch. We went back to the city and toured the whole place. It had past lunch time. So many restaurants were closed. Finally found one and enjoyed our delicious lunch along with some live music.
Next we went to the beach side again. There was an open market. Charvi spotted a play area and started playing there. Play area is the most important thing for her. I guess it made her day. As Sumit went with his friend to explore the market and Charvi was busy playing, I enjoyed the beach and the waves and the sands.
After a strong caffeccino, finally we left around 6 PM. Reached home at 8 PM.
Sydney is full of beaches, But Port Stephens has something different to offer you, there is something different about its beaches. Maybe its the relaxing environment or could be the wonderful landscapes, but it is definitely a must visit place.
We have decided to visit it once again in the summers and this time, we will definitely take a halt there to explore it more and enjoy the sunrise too :)...Waiting to see you again Port Stephens ....
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