Only a two-hour drive from Sydney, Port Stephens is home to some of the most underrated beaches and wildlife sanctuaries, making it a great weekend getaway destination.
Not only are there plenty of gorgeous sights to take in, but there are also heaps of things to do in Port Stephens. You can take it up a notch and zoom through the sand dunes on a quad bike like a total adventure-junkie, or even make friends with the dolphins and rays at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters!
Plus, did you know that you can get $25 off these activities?! With the Dine & Discover NSW voucher program, you can enjoy all these awesome activities at a great price. Find out how to apply for the Dine & Discover vouchers - we’ve put together a step-by-step guide just for you!
Klook is officially part of the Dine & Discover NSW Program and is a one-stop-shop where you can use your $25 Discover vouchers to book over 100 NSW activities and experiences online!
Here’s the lowdown on the top things to do in Port Stephens:
- Explore the best of Port Stephens with the Beach Tour and Sandboarding Experience
- Get up close and personal with marine life at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters
- Go on a quad biking adventure at the epic Port Stephens sand dunes
- Leap right the into clouds on the Newcastle Tandem Skydive Experience
- Visit the most adorable koalas at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
- Go on a staycation and spa day at The Anchorage Port Stephens Hotel & Spa
- Ride a camel with your mates through the sunset
- Swim with wild dolphins
- Go on a whale-watching cruise
- Go on a walk at Tomaree Mountain
1. Explore the best of Port Stephens with the Beach Tour and Sandboarding Experience
Strolling down the sands of Port Stephens beach, plus a peek of the camels! Image credits: Joeyy Lee on Unsplash
Discover the beauty of the epic sand dunes at Port Stephens! On this beach tour, you’ll enjoy the guided commentary of the area. The guide will show you the local Pipis, and even how to wiggle and find them on the beach! Can you feel the breeze as you slide down the sand dunes already?
2. Get up close and personal with marine life at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters
Up close and personal with Irukandji’s resident shark Gigantor. Image credits: @irukandji_sharknray on Instagram
Are you a brave soul that has always wanted to get up close with sharks and rays - so close you can touch them?! Well, look no further because at the Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounter, you can swim with these spectacular animals and even pet them, too! It’s great fun for the whole family and would definitely be a day to remember for the kids.
Don’t feel like swimming? No worries! You can opt to stay dry and simply feed the animals from the edges of the pool too.
3. Go on a quad biking adventure at the epic Port Stephens sand dunes
Posing with the gang on quad bikes
Indulge your need for speed and race down the sands of Stockton Beach on a 400 cc quad bike! This is an experience you won’t forget as you cruise along the beach like Mad Max.
You’ll also be accompanied by two experienced guides that will keep the group safe at all times during the experience, plus share with you some basic survival skills in the Worimi Conservation Lands bush!
4. Leap right into the clouds on the Newcastle Tandem Skydive Experience
Are you brave enough to take a selfie while free falling? Image credits: @skydiveaustralia on Instagram
Unleash the adrenaline junkie within you and leap from a plane 15,000 feet in the air! You’ll witness one of the most breathtaking views of Newcastle during the most thrilling 60 seconds of your life.
If you’re a little nervous, don’t worry. Upon arriving, you’ll be briefed on all the safety procedures and provided with all the necessary gear. Safety first!
Your tandem diving master will be with you throughout the whole experience. They’ll handle all the technicalities for you, so all you have to do is take that leap of faith! It’s definitely one of the most thrilling things to do in Port Stephens.
5. Visit adorable koalas at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
A family checking out one of the koalas at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. Image credits: @pskoalasanctuary on Instagram
Another popular attraction at Port Stephens is the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, where you can witness koalas in a natural bush environment!
The Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary offers a home to many sick, injured, and orphaned koalas. Here, they can rehabilitate and roam around in a natural setting. If you want to learn more about the koala sanctuary, you can learn more on their official website.
6. Go on a staycation and spa day at The Anchorage Port Stephens Hotel & Spa
Enjoy a cool beverage as you take in the beautiful views at The Anchorage. Image credits: @theanchorageportstephens on Instagram
After all that adrenaline with the quad biking and jumping out of a plane, we reckon you’d want a real nice spot to hang back and relax. You can do just that at The Anchorage Port Stephens Hotel & Spa. This seaside hotel screams luxury - with delectable dining options and various spa treatments available to you - The Anchorage has more views and services aplenty!
7. Ride a camel with your mates through the sunset
Camel riding along the sands and gentle lapping waves of Port Stephens. Image credits: @oakfieldranch on Instagram
If you think you can only ride a camel in the deserts of the Middle East, think again! One of the more unique and interesting things to do in Port Stephens is to ride camels along the sandy beach. The ride lasts around 20 minutes, but that’s plenty of time to enjoy the scenert of Birubi Point, the northernmost point of Stockton Beach.
If you want a longer ride to really befriend your camel, you can opt for the hour-long ride during the sunset. Enjoy the ride while gazing at the colorful sunset over Anna Bay.
8. Swim with wild dolphins
Your view when you’re swimming with the dolphins at Port Stephens. Image credits: @dolphinswimaustralia on Instagram
Become one with the aquatic wildlife and swim amongst the dolphins. Feel like a mermaid—or merman—as you traverse the waters with these gentle creatures. It’s a chance to catch them in their natural habitat. Go snorkeling for a chance to get up close and personal with these magnificent mammals in their natural habitat.
Dolphin Swim Australia offers a snorkeling experience where you can hold on to a line and and just go along with the ride, just like being part of a dolphin pod.
9. Go on a whale-watching cruise
A breaching whale is a magnificent sight to see at Port Stephens! Image credits: @portstephens on Instagram
If you want to take the more relaxing route when discovering the marine life of Port Stephens, then going on a whale-watching cruise is a great option for you! Hop on a ferry and enjoy the ride - you’ll have the best view of the magnificent humpback whales that call these waters home.
For a better chance to see more whales and dolphins, it’s best to catch the cruise in May through July, then September to November.
10. Take a walk at Tomaree Mountain
The view that awaits you on the Tomaree mountain walk! Image credits: @melissahindle1 on Instagram
Take a scenic walk along Tomaree Mountain and capture the perfect view from atop! The summit head is 161m from the Port Stephens entrance, and upon arriving you can park at the lower Zenith Beach carpark or upper Zenith beach carpark. Then you can begin your 1 and a half hour trek - or 2 hours, if you prefer to soak in the stops more - with a fantastic view of Port Stephens.
When you reach the top, you can see as far out as Cabbage Tree and Boondelbah islands too. If you’re hungry after all that trekking, you can also take a picnic at the benches of the lookout.
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