2025 Nelson Bay Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in February)

At a height of 160 metres, Gan Gan Lookout is Port Stephens’ highest and most accessible lookout. It is about 30 minutes drive from Port Stephens, NSW Australia. It is a beautiful lookout to view the whole Nelson Bay area and there are two different lookouts which are very short walks to get to. From the lookout, you will experience commanding views from Gan Gan Hill of the whole of Port Stephens right through to Newcastle in the south and the Myall Lakes to the north. It is possible to look south to the opposite side of the peninsula, with close views of the eastern beaches, Anna Bay and Stockton beaches. The Gan Gan Lookout is truly one of the highlights of the Nelson Bay area and the panorama is breathtaking, especially at dusk. The viewing platform is wheelchair accessible and there is limited free parking available.

I took a dolphin cruise in Nelson Bay, Australia. They say that if you go out to sea on a dolphin cruise, you can see dolphins if you're lucky, but if not, you may not. Fortunately, I saw a lot of dolphins when I went! The sea breeze was so cool and the food on the cruise was delicious, so it was a healing time. I hope you try a dolphin cruise as a unique experience later 😊 #SydneyTravel #AustraliaTravel #YearEndTravel #Ocean #UniqueExperience #SoloTravel #HotPlace

Winter sunshine, good times! Here's a 4-day itinerary for Australia, taking you on a tour of the country and experiencing the charm of winter in the Southern Hemisphere! / 🎉 Itinerary: DAY 1: St Mary's Cathedral -> Hyde Park -> Bondi Beach -> Sydney Fish Market -> Sydney Opera House -> Sydney Harbour Bridge Visit Sydney's iconic attractions and experience the solemnity of the cathedral, the tranquility of the park, the vibrancy of the beach, and the hustle and bustle of the city. DAY 2: Blue Mountains National Park -> Leura -> Scenic World Blue Mountains -> Scenic Skyway Explore Blue Mountains National Park, take a cable car tour, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and experience the grandeur and mystery of nature. DAY 3: Port Stephens -> Sandboarding at Port Stephens -> Dolphin Watching Cruise at Port Stephens Enjoy sandboarding at Port Stephens, take a boat trip to see dolphins, and get up close and personal with nature. DAY 4: Free time - Driver transfer to the airport ✈ Plan your own itinerary, enjoy your leisure time, and have a driver take you to the airport after your wonderful trip for a relaxing return journey. / Must-see attractions: 🌟 Sydney Opera House: A white shell-shaped art palace by the harbor, a world-renowned performance center waiting for you to explore! 🌳 Blue Mountains National Park: Walk through the eucalyptus forest, explore the rainforest, and discover the spectacular natural waterfalls! 🌉 Sydney Harbour Bridge: Stand on the world's tallest steel arch bridge and overlook the panoramic view of Sydney, it's sure to be breathtaking! 🏞️ Hyde Park: An oasis in the heart of Sydney, a historic city park where you can find peace in the hustle and bustle. / 🧳 Travel preparation: 📞 Remember to get a local SIM card for easy contact and smooth internet access. 🔌 Don't forget to bring a plug adapter, as Australian sockets are different from ours. 🪪 Be sure to bring your documents, passport, and visa, as you'll need them to enter the country. 👗 If you're going to Australia in December, bring some spring and autumn clothes, as the weather is quite pleasant, but it may be cool at night, so remember to bring a jacket. Oh, and bring sunscreen, as the sun is strong! Also, if you plan to go to the beach, don't forget to bring your swimsuit and beach towel. 🔋 Don't forget your charger and power bank, as you'll need them for taking photos and navigation. That's all, have a great trip to Australia! 😊 / Enjoy the sunshine, beaches, and natural wonders of Australia, and don't miss out on this amazing land! Remember to like and save, and look forward to your next adventure 🌏✨

Location and Features Port Stephens is located between the Tasman Sea and the Karuah River, about 50 km from Newcastle. The area is dotted with picturesque towns, the most famous of which are Nelson Bay and Anna Bay. Nelson Bay is known for its dolphin-watching tours, while Anna Bay is famous for its coastal sand dunes. Tourism Resources Port Stephens is known as the "Blue Water Paradise" and is home to 26 golden beaches of varying sizes. Its unique geography makes it a natural playground. Visitors can enjoy diving, swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, windsurfing, and speed boating. In addition, they can go sandboarding, horseback riding, or camel riding on the beaches, or even take a 4WD or ATV ride across the endless beaches and sand dunes. Marine Life Port Stephens is known as the "Home of the Australian Dolphin," with around 90 Australian dolphins living in the area year-round, making dolphin tours one of the most popular activities. In addition to dolphins, visitors can also see whales in the winter and spring. Adventure Activities Visitors can choose to go on a 4WD adventure in the sand dunes or explore the pristine nature of the world-class national parks. Gan Gan Lookout on Lily Hill Rd is the best place to enjoy a panoramic view of Port Stephens.

｜Port Stephens Port Stephens. I went to Port Stephens some time ago and played several projects, and every project was full of experience! We drove there from downtown Sydney, which took about less than two hours. Feeding sharks: My first experience of touching and feeding sharks was completely different from what I imagined. Their skin is astringent and not smooth! There will be a keeper nearby teaching how to feed the sharks, so it is very safe and the staff are very enthusiastic. Touching eels: It is in a different pavilion than feeding sharks in the same park. Each eel here has its own name and you can interact with them. Their skin is super slippery and feels great, just don't touch their tails. Eight Forest Slides: At Toboggan Hill Park, you can buy tickets on the spot without making reservations in advance. There are also other activities such as rock climbing, golf, etc. But the most exciting thing is the slide. This slide is quite long and you can control the speed by yourself. I was skating as fast as I could and almost flipped over. I did it four times in total and it was super fun! Driving a beach buggy: The location is in Anna Bay, and you need to book the time and number of people online in advance. You can choose a car for one person or a car for two people, or you can choose between exciting routes and ordinary routes. The whole round trip takes about 45 minutes, and there will be time to stop and take photos in the middle, which is also very exciting! However, it is not recommended for girls with weak strength to take one car per person, because the front of the car is heavy and it is difficult to control the direction. There is also a sandboarding project in Anna Bay but we didn’t complete it because we didn’t book it in advance. Internet celebrity restaurant: The name is Shoal Bay Country Club. There are quite a lot of people, so it’s not easy to get a seat by the window, because the scenery by the window is so beautiful for taking pictures! Seafood spaghetti is their signature dish, and almost every table ordered this spaghetti and ribs. There is also a bar on the first floor of the restaurant, and there is a beach downstairs. There is a night market in front of the beach, selling some handicrafts and food, so you can stop by. Accommodation: Location is 265 Sandy Point Rd, Salamander Bay NSW 2317.

1️⃣ Fee details ✅ Included: Sandboarding ticket, 1.5-hour dolphin cruise, wine tasting fee. ✅ Not included: Other personal expenses, AUD 5 per person for tips (payable on the day). 2️⃣ Recommended attractions and food experiences 📍 Anna Bay Sand Dunes: Feel the thrill and excitement of sliding down the high sand dunes, listen to the sound of the wind 🌬️ passing by your ears, and enjoy the unobstructed dive. Even if you accidentally fall over, the soft sand will embrace you. 📍 Dolphin Port: This is a great place to meet dolphins 🐬. Take a cruise and enjoy the spectacular sight of dolphins 🐬 leaping out of the water while enjoying the beautiful sea view. 📍 Wine Tasting: After the cruise docks, you can go to a nearby winery to taste wine and experience Australian wine 🍷 culture. 3️⃣ Tips ⚠️ 🌟 Please plan your time ⏰ according to the itinerary to ensure you can fully enjoy each attraction and activity. 🌟 Please bring your own lunch 🍱 so you can enjoy it at any time during the tour. 🌟 Please pay attention to safety ⚠️ and follow the rules of the scenic area when participating in activities such as sandboarding. 🌟 Please drink in moderation when tasting wine 🍷 and do not drive after drinking 🚗 We wish you a pleasant and unforgettable trip 🧳 to Port Stephens.

Port Stephens is located in New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, about a 2.5-hour drive from Sydney. It is known as "half desert, half sea," with vast blue skies, pure fresh air, and fine sandy beaches. Travel tips: - Dolphin watching: Port Stephens is known as the "Dolphin Capital," with many bottlenose dolphins living here all year round. The chance of seeing wild dolphins is over 90%. You can join a local dolphin-watching cruise from the pier at Nelson Bay. As the cruise sails through the bay, dolphins will swim alongside the boat, and playful dolphins will occasionally jump out of the water to greet visitors. You can lean on the railing and interact with them up close. - Whale watching: From late May to early November is whale watching season in Port Stephens. Thousands of whales pass through here, some weighing over 40 tons. Take a whale-watching cruise to get up close and personal with these giant creatures and experience the spectacular sight of them swimming freely in the ocean. - Sandboarding: Port Stephens is home to rolling sand dunes and is a famous sandboarding paradise in the Southern Hemisphere. Visitors can take a 4WD off-road vehicle across the beach and enjoy the surrounding natural beauty, with the blue sea on one side and the golden desert on the other. Upon arrival at the sandboarding site, pick up a sandboard and experience the thrill of speed and excitement. - Beach leisure: Port Stephens has wide beaches with fine sand, perfect for enjoying the sun and sand. You can swim, dive, surf, or stroll along the beach, enjoy the sea view, or have a beach barbecue and enjoy a relaxing vacation. - Climb high and look far: There are several viewpoints in the port, such as the lighthouse at Nelson Head. The lighthouse is open to the public and has a small museum, restaurant, and shop. Visitors can climb the lighthouse to enjoy the coastal scenery and then take a break and enjoy the food. - Special activities: In Port Stephens, you can also ride a camel and stroll along the beach on a camel for a unique experience. There are also activities such as flying, fishing, kayaking, and water biking to meet the needs of different visitors.

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🌟Highlights: There is a lookout here specifically for viewing the panoramic view of Port Stephens. The viewing platform has signs pointing to the direction and distance of various places. There is only one small road on the mountain, and there are few parking spaces, so don't go on holidays 📝Note tips: This is not a popular scenic spot, it is just that people living nearby like to come up and see how far their place is and in which direction 🚉Travel strategy: Drive up the mountain at the GanGan intersection

Once you come to Shoal Bay, you won't want to leave. Walking along the beach every day, you will discover many interesting things. I don't know how many kilometers this coastline stretches, but from Shoal Bay, you can walk along the beach to Nelson Bay (Dolphin Bay), and the scenery along the way is breathtaking.👍 These days are Easter holidays. Although Easter has passed, there are still many tourists at the beach. Watching them kayaking is also a pleasure. It's a sport that both the elderly and children enjoy. There is no age limit here. As long as you can move, even at the age of 90, you can participate in any activity. I love the life here, slow and stress-free. The sea breeze gently blows, the waves gently sway, and everyone you meet along the way says hello or good morning. Whether the other person responds or not, the mood is always beautiful because the beautiful scenery here is always spreading happy information.