The Top Things to do in Port Stephens
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Looking for things to do in Port Stephens, NSW? You've come to the right place! This beautiful seaside destination located just 2.5 hours to the north of Sydney or 1 hour to the north of Newcastle is known for its array of wonderful beaches, pristine waters and plenty of marine-focused things to see and do. Whale watching and dolphin swims are a key focus at Port Stephens, with a great chance to get out and see the whales during their migratory season just a short boat trip out from the harbour. Plenty of surrounding islands dot the waterways, each adding their own dash of colour and character to the region.
Select one from the following:
Select one or more from the following:
Port Stephens Dolphin Watch Cruise
Port Stephens Quad Bike Tours
Port Stephens Whale Watch Cruise
Tomaree Head Summit Walk
Fingal Bay Beach
Port Stephens 4WD and Sandboarding Tour
The Gan Gan Lookout
Top 10 Things to do in - Port Stephens and surrounds
Gan Gan Lookout
#1
Sand Boarding
#2
Dolphin Cruises
#3
Snorkelling
#4
Surf Lessons
#5
Quad Biking
#6
Fighter World
#7
Camel Riding
#8
Toboggan Hill Park
#9
Cycling Tour
#101. Visit Gan Gan Lookout
Location:Lily Hill Rd, Nelson Bay
Gan Gan Lookout is a 160m-high viewing area on the outskirts of Nelson's Bay offering a commanding panorama of Port Stephens all the way through to Newcastle. Gan Gan Lookout makes for an ideal first port of call for first-time visitors to Port Stephens as it provides a wonderful overview of the region's overall layout, which can help visitors to get their bearings on where each significant surrounding point is located.
2. Go sand boarding
Location:Anna Bay
If there's any single activity that sums up typical Port Stephens family fun, sandboarding would likely be it. Port Stephens' Stockton Sand Dunes are the site where this activity is conducted, having featured prominently on this list, and with good cause, as they're the largest moving dunes in the Southern Hemisphere and are a paradise for sand boarders and fun seekers from all over.
3. Dolphin Cruises and Swims
Location:Various locations
Port Stephens is renowned Australia-wide for its dolphins, boasting one of Australia's highest populations of resident Bottlenose dolphins numbering roughly 140. Visitors to Port Stephens wanting to get up close with these intelligent and beautiful creatures have a variety of choices for getting an encounter, both on top of, and in, the water.
4. Snorkelling at Fly Point with Let's Go Adventures
Location:8 Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay
Renowned for its great degree of visibility and clear blue/aqua coloured water that's generally protected from winds, Fly Point offers calm waters even on blustery days that snorkellers and divers even of younger ages can enjoy, and Let's Go Adventures provide a solid guided overview of the area ideal for newcomers.
5. Try your hand at Surfing with Port Stephens Surf School
Location:Hannah Parade, One Mile
Home to over 30 kilometres worth of beachfront that offers the potential for some surf adventures and this number of spots to choose from comes with a range of difficulty levels to appease surfers of all kinds. Regardless of if you're looking to take your first steps to acquiring this enjoyable life-long skill or are a more seasoned surfer looking to refine your abilities further, Port Stephens Surf School offers a high standard of lessons across the board that all ages are welcome to participate in.
6. Go quad biking with Sand Dune Adventures
Location:2163 Nelson Bay Rd, Williamtown
Local operator Sand Dune Adventures run quad bike tours that allow for a far less strenuous way to reach the top of the dunes, with the vehicles great at navigating soft sand at high speeds while still being renowned for their level of stability. These tours provide access to the largest and most open part of Port Stephens' dunes at Nelson's Bay and have become one of the region's most easily-identifiable adventures and a true must-do due to their blend of sightseeing, thrills, group-oriented nature and local insight.
7. Visit Fighter World
Location:49 Medowie Rd, Williamtown RAAF
Fighter World attraction has been set up to serve as an entertaining and educational facility for those with a passion for aviation or who just want to see some truly impressive aircraft up close. Fighter World is an attraction centred around two large hangers that are spacious and contain plenty of history within, boasting an extensive collection of fighter aircraft from various periods of history.
8. Go on a camel ride
Location:James Paterson St, Anna Bay
Operated by Oakfield Ranch these tours provide a unique spin on the standard look-and-see tour and can be done as either a brief sightseeing trip or an extended 1-hour ride to soak in the area's characteristically beautiful sunsets on the water. With two people per camel, first-time riders don't have to be overly concerned about safety as helmets provided for an extra dose of reassurance.
9. Visit Toboggan Hill Park
Location:16 Aquatic Cl, Nelson Bay
A kind of miniature amusement park, Toboggan Hill provides visitors with the chance to take part in a range of additional activities in addition to its signature toboggans themselves, although these remain the undoubted highlight of the attraction. A kind of miniature amusement park, Toboggan Hill provides visitors with the chance to take part in a range of additional activities in addition to its signature toboggans themselves, although these remain the undoubted highlight of the attraction.
10. Cycling Tour
Location:Various locations
Port Stephens is very much a travel destination where getting out and enjoying the fresh air and scenery is a key focus, and there are few better and more natural ways to do so than by bike. The town is one of NSW's top spots for cyclists and is home to a range of varied cycling tracks that provide a number of outstanding viewpoints in return for relatively little effort.