Sails Port Macquarie by RydgesCredit: Destination NSW
Scenic views of the Hastings River from Sails Port Macquarie, Port Macquarie.
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Take a relaxing, rewarding road trip along the southern sections of the Legendary Pacific Coast Drive, hugging the picturesque coastline north of Sydney to the beachside holiday destination of Port Macquarie, where laidback locals include heart-melting koalas. With a total driving time of less than five hours, you’ll never spend long in the car as you spend memorable days enjoying pretty beaches, great seasonal food in charming seaside towns and expanses of preserved natural beauty.
Activate holiday mode on the Central Coast
Start your epic drive by rejoicing in a string of beautiful beaches on the Central Coast, an hour’s drive north of Sydney. Refresh with an ocean swim or ease into a relaxed frame of mind with a stroll around the seaside villages of Ettalong Beach and Avoca and the larger beachside town of Terrigal.
Grab an energising caffeine hit — and maybe an exotic street food-inspired snack — at Lords of Pour in Ettalong, or linger in Terrigal for a long lunch at the likes of The Cowrie, where you can take in panoramic ocean views as you tuck into dishes spanning ocean trout tartare to sage and parmesan gnocchi with torched broccolini. Or take your taste buds to the Mediterranean via the Middle East and Asia at Yellowtail, a fabulous fine dining restaurant that offers tantalising lunch and dinner menus.
With an infinity pool spilling into a peaceful bush setting, The Outlook Cabana is a great base to relax and recharge before hitting the road again. The luxury cabin sleeps up to four people, and features an outdoor log fire you can cosy up beside on cool nights.
Embrace the new in Newcastle
Follow the curves of the coast northward for another hour to the vibrant port city of Newcastle. Learn about the changing face of Newcastle as you pedal through alleys splashed with street art on a cycling tour with Newy Rides. Then take a side trip back to your childhood at Mayfield Canteen, a novel café that has revived the roast of the day and other nostalgic takeaway classics, before joining fun-loving locals for an aperitivo at light-filled Humbug, a neighbourhood wine bar where the homemade pasta and noodles warm the soul.
Soak up more Newcastle history along with a slice of urban luxury at the slick QT Newcastle, where chic metallic furnishings reference the city’s mining heritage. Head up to the rooftop bar to bask in the golden glow of sunset with a cocktail in hand, then enjoy a hearty meal of local produce at in-house Jana Restaurant and Bar.
Avoca Beach, Central Coast Credit: Destination NSW
Woman heading out for a morning surf at Avoca Beach on the Central Coast.
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Avoca Beach, Central Coast Credit: Destination NSW
Woman heading out for a morning surf at Avoca Beach on the Central Coast.
Jana Restaurant & Bar, QT Newcastle Credit: QT Hotels & Resorts
A selection of dishes from Jana Restaurant & Bar, QT Newcastle
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Jana Restaurant & Bar, QT Newcastle Credit: QT Hotels & Resorts
A selection of dishes from Jana Restaurant & Bar, QT Newcastle
Pair nature with fabulous food in Port Stephens
Get back to nature in a big way in Port Stephens, less than an hour’s drive north of Newcastle. Get a buzz watching wild dolphins frolic in the Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park on a cruise with Moonshadow–TQC Cruises, work up a sweat on the 2.2km-return Tomaree Head Summit Walk in Tomaree National Park, or simply seize the opportunity to laze on picture-perfect Zenith Beach.
Toast to a day well spent with an ice-cold Little Beach Lager at Below Deck marina café and bar. Perched over the azure waters of Nelson Bay and surrounded by bushland, it’s a dreamy location to catch the sunset. Then head upstairs to savour the setting along with contemporary dishes celebrating the region’s bounty at Little Beach Boathouse restaurant.
Retire for the night in luxury at The Anchorage in Corlette, where sweet dreams come easy after an indulgent visit to the hotel’s Spa Lucca.
Breeze along the Barrington Coast
Slow down to fully appreciate the spectacular scenery as you trace the blissful Barrington Coast, north of Port Stephens, perhaps pausing for an invigorating dip at Blueys Beach, one of the region’s prettiest stretches of sand. Or take a longer break to immerse yourself in nature on the 7.3km Booti Hill and Wallis Lake Walking Track in Booti Booti National Park, which pairs inspiring views with sweet swimming spots.
Continue on the coast road to the seaside town of Forster, where the soothing blue waters of Wallis Creek set the tone for a relaxing long lunch at Mediterranean-inspired Isola Riva, housed in a historic boatshed overlooking the water. Or keep it casual with an ultra-fresh fish and chips feast by the water at Wallis Lake Fishermen’s Co-op, just across the Coolongolook River in Tuncurry.
Push on to Port Macquarie for the night, or check into Forster’s Dorsal Hotel, where you can wake up with the sun in its ocean-facing rooms, refreshed and ready for your final leg of the trip.
Peace out in Port Macquarie
Savour the last hour or so of your road trip as you drive past the lush farms, coastal national parks and lazy rivers of the Manning Valley on your way to Port Macquarie. When you arrive, take your cues from resident koalas — which you might be lucky enough to spot along the 1.3km rainforest boardwalk in Sea Acres National Park — and relax.
A leisurely walk along the expansive Lighthouse Beach is a great way to wind down, followed by a moreish seafood meal at Bills Fishhouse and Bar or the iconic Whalebone Wharf, where you can slurp oysters to your heart’s content. Top off your trip with a calming soak in the private outdoor spa pool of your quaint cottage at Telegraph Retreat, just 15 minutes north of town. Or, soak up waterfront views from the sophisticated, Sails Port Macquarie.
Tomaree Head Summit Walk, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the coastal views along Tomaree Head Summit Walk, Port Stephens.
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Tomaree Head Summit Walk, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the coastal views along Tomaree Head Summit Walk, Port Stephens.
Whalebone Wharf, Port Macquarie Credit: Destination NSW
The interior of the Whalebone Wharf seafood restaurant with views across Hastings River, Port Macquarie.
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Whalebone Wharf, Port Macquarie Credit: Destination NSW
The interior of the Whalebone Wharf seafood restaurant with views across Hastings River, Port Macquarie.
More Inspirational Stories
The Eve Hotel, Surry Hills, SydneyCredit: The Eve Hotel, Sydney
Rooftop garden with pool at The Eve Hotel, Sydney
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From bold hotel concepts bringing fresh energy, tempting restaurant openings and an intriguing line-up of new attractions headlined by the dazzling new Sydney Fish Market development, there are plenty of travel experiences to look forward to across Sydney and NSW in 2025.
HOTELS AND RESORTS
A new star rises in Sydney’s east
The Eve Hotel Sydney, on the crossroads of Surry Hills and Redfern in Sydney’s inner east, opens to guests in mid-February 2025. The centrepiece of the new Wunderlich Lane dining and retail precinct, the 102-room hotel features two venues by Sydney’s Liquid & Larder hospitality team. Bar Julius, an art-filled neighbourhood bar, tempts guests on the lobby level, while Lottie, a contemporary Mexican restaurant and mezcaleria, shares The Eve’s rooftop space with a lush garden and a swimming pool.
A Paddington icon is reborn
Accor’s playful 25hours Hotels brand makes its Australian debut in mid-2025 with 25hours Hotel The Olympia in Sydney’s Paddington. Taking its name from the site’s past as the West's Olympia Theatre picture palace, the 109-room hotel will feature three themed concept suites, a chic cocktail bar and a rooftop bar looking out over Paddington’s famed Oxford Street.
Koreatown gets a fun new stay
Sydney’s second Moxy hotel, following Moxy Sydney Airport, is set to open in August 2025 in the city centre’s Koreatown precinct. The new-build Moxy Sydney Pitt Street will rise up from a compact footprint, offering 314 guest rooms as well as a gym, restaurant and retail outlets. Alongside lively communal spaces infused with the brand’s high-energy vibe, Moxy Sydney Pitt Street will boast one of the city’s highest outdoor rooftop bars when it opens on level 34.
The Eve Hotel, Surry Hills, Sydney Credit: The Eve Hotel, Sydney
Rooftop garden with pool at The Eve Hotel, Sydney
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The Eve Hotel, Surry Hills, Sydney Credit: The Eve Hotel, Sydney
Rooftop garden with pool at The Eve Hotel, Sydney
25hours Hotel, Paddington Credit: Central Element
25hours Hotel, Paddington
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25hours Hotel, Paddington Credit: Central Element
25hours Hotel, Paddington
Raising the bar on the Central Coast
Voco Gosford will be the first new-build hotel to open on the NSW Central Coast in more than 15 years when it launches in mid-2025. The 130-room hotel is the centrepiece of the Archibald by ALAND residential and retail development in the Gosford city centre. Guests will enjoy incredible views over the Brisbane Water estuary from the rooftop pool and sky bar on level 28, while on the street level there’ll be a pub and pizzeria. A signature restaurant on level 5 is being curated by Sydney chef Dany Karam, formerly of The Star Sydney’s Black Bar & Grill.
Luxury under the stars
B.Farm in Port Stephens, a 2.5-hour drive north of Sydney, continues to expand its visitor offering. The multi-sensory estate will offer a range of luxury accommodation in early 2025 to complement its beer garden, high-tea pavilion, farm-to-fork restaurant, and brewery, distillery and winery experiences. From February 2025 guests can gaze up at the stars from a sleeping platform that rolls out from the interior of the Sally the Skywatcher tiny house, which includes a wood-fired sauna and two outdoor bathing tubs, or choose from four luxe glamping suites featuring outdoor tubs and dressing rooms. And in April 2025 B.Farm will offer 26 tented cabins, each with ensuite bathrooms and outdoor soaking tubs.
Urban resort living comes to Byron
Byron Bay’s The Bonobo by Raes, a collection of two-, three- and four-bedroom hotel-style residential apartments managed by the team behind the town’s famed boutique hotel Raes at Wategos, is slated to open by the end of 2025. Anchoring the beachside town’s emerging Jonson Street precinct, Bonobo by Raes promises to be the ultimate in barefoot luxury, with well-appointed apartments featuring deep balconies, a lush central courtyard, wellness centre, signature restaurant, lobby bar and rooftop pool.
A luxe take on astrotourism
Reflections Lake Keepit holiday camp, a 30-minute drive from Gunnedah in Country NSW, is set to become an international star-gazing tourist destination with the launch of its Big Sky Dreaming precinct in mid-2025. The astrotourism initiative features eight spacious glamping tents with skylights, so guests can watch the stars from the comfort of their bed. Guests can dine under the stars or at the new Star Lounge chalet, and enjoy star-gazing experiences, Aboriginal storytelling and cultural activities.
voco Gosford, Central Coast Credit: voco Gosford, IHG Hotels & Resorts
voco Gosford, Central Coast
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voco Gosford, Central Coast Credit: voco Gosford, IHG Hotels & Resorts
voco Gosford, Central Coast
RESTAURANTS AND BARS
The dawn of a new Century
A beloved fixture in Chinatown’s dining scene for decades until it closed its doors in 2021, acclaimed Cantonese restaurant Golden Century will reopen at Crown Sydney in Barangaroo in January 2025. The new venue reprises the original Golden Century concept: expect signature live seafood dishes such as XO pippies, as well as classics like Peking duck and yum cha lunches.
A piece of Paris on Martin Place
The team behind the chic Loulou Bistro in Milsons Point brings Gallic panache to the new Sydney Metro Martin Place station in February 2025. Evoking the relaxed atmosphere of a Parisian bistro, Loulou Martin Place flows over two levels of the tower sitting above the Metro line. Enjoy lighter takes on classic bistro fare while indulging in people-watching from Loulou Martin Place’s outdoor seating, or delight in a freshly baked croissant at the adjoining café-patisserie Petit Loulou.
New heights of Greek cuisine
The Greek village-style taverna Olympus Dining opened in December 2024 as one of the anchors of the Wunderlich Lane dining precinct, on the border of Surry Hills and Redfern. Here the team behind Potts Point’s modern Greek diner The Apollo employ ancient cooking methods to create a homely dining experience. Wunderlich Lane continues to take shape in 2025, with The Eve Hotel’s restaurant and bar offering, cocktail bar Baptist St Rec. Club and refined Japanese R by Raita Noda joining Regina La Pizzeria, the Southeast Asian eating house and bar Island Radio.
After-midnight wine bar
Another December 2024 debutante, the late-night wine bar Letra House has opened in the basement beneath the Roman-style trattoria Palazzo Salato on Clarence Street in Sydney’s city centre. The moodily lit underground bar features a bronze-topped bar and a mix of leather banquettes and high-top tables, while the Spanish-leaning menu offers shared small plates as well as a selection of more than 40 wines by the glass.
EXPERIENCES
Sydney’s new culinary destination
The striking new Sydney Fish Market complex is expected to open in November 2025. The instantly iconic waterfront destination on Blackwattle Bay, between Glebe and Pyrmont on the fringe of the city centre, will feature more than 6,000sqm of public space. There will also be an extensive dining precinct featuring a flagship Southeast Asian restaurant by celebrity chef Luke Nguyen, while the retail offering will include current Sydney Fish Market favourites such as Claudio’s Seafood, Getfish and Christie’s Seafood. Visitors will be able to peek in at the bustling wholesale fish market, take seafood cooking classes and enjoy a range of tours and activities.
A new showcase for craft beer
North Coast craft beer pioneer Stone & Wood will open the doors of a Tasting Room at its Murwillumbah brewery, around a 50-minute drive north of Byron Bay, by the end of 2025. The tasting room will be the centrepiece of a $30 million upgrade of the brand’s largest brewery, which was previously not open to visitors. Craft beer aficionados can go behind the scenes on a brewery tour, sample pilot batches and immerse themselves in the brewing process before trying new brews in the designer tasting space.
Connect with First Nations cuisine
Building on a successful launch in late 2024, Karkalla Byron Bay will run a series of curated Indigenous culinary experiences throughout 2025. Bundjalung chef Mindy Woods, the driving force behind the shuttered Karkalla restaurant, will offer Native Food cooking classes as well as Karkalla On Country dining experiences at the Conscious Ground organic farm, a 15-minute drive from Byron Bay. Check Karkalla’s events page for monthly releases of dates inspired by local seasonal and native produce and the Bundjalung seasonal calendar.
Orange’s latest culinary experience
Printhie Wines near Orange, around a four-hour drive from Sydney, will launch tours of its new kitchen garden in late 2025. Visitors to this award-winning cool-climate winery can learn of the estate’s sustainability initiatives while touching, smelling and tasting the garden’s herbs. There will also be a bush tucker section, developed in collaboration with Orange Botanic Gardens. The kitchen garden tour ends with a dining experience where guests can savour freshly picked produce paired, of course, with Printhie’s award-winning wines.