Just a 90 minute drive from Sydney Lake Macquarie is the perfect place to take the family, keep the kids entertained while the adults unwind and enjoy a little downtime over the summer break.
As the dusk settled driving into Lake Macquarie, we first stopped and grabbed dinner at the Bavarian and ordered oversized schnitzels and chips for the kids and a giant pork knuckle roast for us. Well priced and tasty, the meal was the perfect antidote after a drive through Sydney’s Friday night traffic.
Later, we arrived at our accomodation airbnb Beached @Caves. I booked somewhere really special with lush decor, huge bedrooms, giant bunkbeds for the kids and a suped up games room where we could play table tennis and foosball late into the night.
When we arrived, our kids ran around wide eyed and frothy mouthed like Tom Hanks in the movie Big. “This is really special mum, thank you!” they yelled.
The house was located right by the famous Caves Beach, so we got up at sunrise the next day and played hide and seek in the cavernous sculptures for hours.
By mid-morning we were starving so headed to the local cafeteria for breakfast at Cargo Expresso for exquisite avocado on toast and some of the best coffee in NSW. The manager ran a coffee shop in New York and is a barista extraordinaire. The cafe is situated right on the beach so you can watch the ocean and sip on a delightful brew or two.
After breakfast we moved onto the local playground Lake Speers point, where kids can while away hours on the flying fox and giant helter skleter, while the adults enjoy the nearby farmer’s markets, full of sumptuous local produce.
As lunch time neared closer, we moved onto the nearby art gallery where we could stop and have a bite to eat at the Three Bears Cafe then have another hide and seek with the kids among the giant sculptures. Again, a great place where you can enjoy a long lunch, while the kids amuse themselves on the grounds.
Next we decided to go bowling at Dullboys Social which also has mini golf out the back and a great restaurant where you can tuck into good quality freshly made hot pizza, burgers, steak and milkshake.
The kids went off and bowled and played mini golf for hours while the adults enjoyed a long and lavish dinner. What more could you ask for?
The next day we enjoyed lunch at Caves Coastal, another beachside cafe popular with the locals who want quality grub with stunning views, this is a good choice for family lunches.
After lunch we ended our weekend on a thrill ride jet boating with Jet Buzz before we headed home from our relaxing, yet action-packed weekend.
