Newcastle is spoilt for choice when it comes to things to when needing to escape the city. Here's our list of 30 things to do, places to shop and places to eat and drink at when a day is all you have.

Food + Drink

1. Haven’t indulged enough over the festive season? Well, you might just need to visit the Icky Sticky patisserie in Lorn and try some of their delicious treats!
Where: 2/27 Belmore Rd, Lorn

2. Go a little Jamaican at Mumbo Jumbo’s in Terrigal and treat yourself to one (or two or three) of their signature cocktail jugs!
Where: 92 Terrigal Esplanade, Terrigal

3. Make a day of it in Broke’s wine region and check out some of our favs; 1813, Running Horse Vineyard and Greenway Wines.
Where: Broke

4. Hang out at Ettalong for the day starting with brekky at Coast 175, stop in at Lords of Pour for a second coffee hit before making your way to The Box for lunch.
Where: Ettalong

5. Heading to the bay? Stop in at Valhalla Restaurant for a wood-fired pizza and take in the Nordic themes.
Where: 3834 Nelson Bay Rd, Bob’s Farm

6. Craft beer lover? Head down the coast to Bay Road Brewing in Gosford to sample some of their quality craft beer flavours!
Where: 89 Donnison St, Gosford

7. Head to The Boathouse Hotel in Patonga for one feed you won’t forget. Whether you’re passing by at breakfast, lunc or dinner time there will be something happening on the menu.
Where: 6/8 Patonga Drive, Patonga

8. Get aquainted with the multi-million dollar Brokenwood cellar door in Pokolbin, Hunter Valley.
Where: 401-427 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

9. For a long lunch venue and a custom-made firepit, book in Yellow Billy Restaurant and enjoy something from the grill.
Where: 697 Hermitage Rd, Pokolbin

10. Explore the Central Coast coffee scene with this hit list.

11. For a refined riverside dining experience head to COQUUN in Maitland.
Where: 396 High St, Maitland

12. If you’re wanting to spend an afternoon High Tea’ing you have to try Ducks in the Field at Morpeth.
Where: 550 Duckenfield Rd, Duckenfield

13. For some gin tasting take a drive to Allworth and park yourself at the bar of The Farmer’s Wife Distillery.
Where: 166 Allworth Rd, Allworth

Activities

14. See the bay in a different way and give Nude Kayaking a try at Port Stephens.
Where: Bagnalls Beach, Corlette

15. Get up close with the fish when you go snorkelling at Fly Point.
Where: Victoria Pde, Nelson Bay

16. Jump aboard the ferry at Port Stephens to head over to Hawks Nest to enjoy the French fare at Tillermans.
Where: 77 Marine Dr, Tea Gardens

17. Keep the kids (big and small) cool this Summer at SPLASH Water Park, Nelson Bay.
Where: 40 Victoria Pde, Nelson Bay

18. Escape the crowds and spend the day at Kingsley Beach, whilst you’re there take a dip in the rock pools and have a crack Jump Rock; just watch those tides!
Where: Port Stephens

19. Convince your mates to go camping at Ladies Well and chill out in the cool waters of the Allyn River.
Where: 71 Allyn River Rd, Upper Allyn

20. If we’ve been lucky enough to have some rain, check out the Somersby Falls in Somersby.
Where: Somersby Falls Rd, Somersby

21. Go dune sliding or quad-bike riding at Stockton sand dunes.
Where: Salt Ash

22. Shake your Bouddi around the Central Coast’s best bushwalks and camping sites.
Where: Maitland Bay Track, Bouddi

23. Set up at The Pines Campground and go mountain biking, horse riding or hiking among the beautiful tall pines in the only State Forest.
Where: Martinsville

24. Take the ferry from Patonga over to Palm Beach.

25. Grab your SUP and paddle out to Snake Island on the Hawkesbury.

26. Go exploring and check out this list of all the exciting things around town that you can only do at either high or low tide. 

27. Take in the Hunter Valley by helicopter with Aerologistics Helicopters. See our iconic wine region from a different perspective with their range of different scenic flights.
Where: 455 Wine Country Dr, Pokolbin

Shopping

 28. Looking for a new plant? Then this is THE place on the Central Coast for plant lovers to check out. Noraville Green at Norah Head is stocked with mostly indoor and outdoor tropical plants.
Where: 193 Main Rd, Toukley

29. Spend the day at Long Jetty, shopping, coffee hopping or even catch a movie at the old school cinema; The Savoy.

30. Pick up a piece or two at one of Australia’s most successful fashion brands; Bohemian Traders in Erina.
Where: 490 Central Coast Hwy, Erina