More of an old school summer family holiday destination, if you are after some sun and sand 2.5 drive hours north of Sydney, Port Stephens offers a huge range of protected blue bays and stunning surf beaches. With a huge proportion of `Holiday Parks' (read camping and caravans), school holidays are squirming with families with young kids, so if that's not your thing, best plan around them for a more serene experience. Creatures freshly delivered from the sea feature heavily on all menus with most establishments offering a relaxed family atmosphere. Realising they need to keep up with the rest of Australia, Port Stephens is trying to up the anti - we are sure it will get there. But until then, it's natural beauty is unsurpassable.
