Vacationing with kids in Port Macquarie can be a blast, but only if you plan on doing things your kids will love. Most small towns are packed with things to do that adults love, but Port Macquarie has plenty of options for the younger generations too. That means you won’t be seeing any eye rolling or hearing any moans and groans during your next Port Macquarie family holiday.
Top 11 holiday activities for kids
1. Find Your Way Out of the Maze at Bago Vineyard
This massive hedge maze can be found near Wauchope and it is quite easy to get lost in it. While you may go to this vineyard originally as an adult treat of wine and chocolate, the maze will draw your entire family in. It is best to make sure you have a little extra time when you enter this maze, because it may take you longer than you think to get out!
2. Take a Walk Along the Rainforest Loop
The Rainforest Loop can be found inside the Dooragan National Park. The trail goes around the top of the North Brother Mountain and is fairly easy to conquer. As you are walking along, you will see panoramic views of the surrounding area.
3. Go Panning for Gold
You may or may not find gold as you are panning for it in Timbertown, but you will get an experience you won’t get in many other places. This massive theme park shares the history of the golden era. Your kids can also learn how to take care of farm animals during your visit.
4. Take an Indigenous Culture Tour
Indigenous culture tours are available at the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre. This center can be found at Shelley Beach. You will be led through the rainforest as you learn about the culture of the indigenous people of the area. There is also a boardwalk that is slightly more than a kilometer long. The boardwalk also goes through the rainforest, so you can spend more time in there.
5. Take a Walk Along the Hello Koala Sculpture Trail
The Hello Koala Sculpture Trail is home to fifty-seven colorful koala sculptures. Each one is approximately a meter tall. The trail goes through the entire town, so you will get quite the workout on your adventure.
6. See the Animals at Billabong Zoo
Billabong Zoo is privately owned, so you will get the chance to do more with the animals there. It is best to start by attending as many keeper talks as you can. Afterwards, you can visit the animals and even feed some of them. The favorite animals of past guests include the kangaroos, monkeys, and of course, the koalas.
7. Visit the Koalas at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital was the very first hospital in the world to care for sick and injured koalas. There are tours given daily, so your kids can always see how the koalas are cared for and learn more about them.
8. Venture Over to Lighthouse Beach and Ride on a Camel
All kids will love riding on the back of a camel when you are on holiday in Port Macquarie. The camels will take you all down the nine kilometers of sand and back, so you can see the entire length of this beach.
9. Spend a Day at One of the Family Friendly Beaches
There are quite a few swimming beaches in Port Macquarie, but not all of them are family friendly. Therefore, you will want to choose the beach you spend an entire day at carefully. Three of the best family friendly beaches are Town Beach, Shelly Beach, and Flynn Beach.
10. Learn How to Surf
Kids love water, so why not allow them to learn how to surf when you are all on holiday in Port Macquarie. Each one of the beaches in this town are perfect for surfing, but you may want to begin at one of the family friendly beaches for this little adventure.
11. Take a Stroll Along the Port Macquarie Coastal Walk
The Port Macquarie Coastal Walk is approximately nine kilometers in length. It goes from the Town Green all the way to Lighthouse Beach. You will pass by many spectacular areas during your walk, so plan on it taking longer than you think. If you plan your visit right, you can even see the migrating whales out in the water from this walkway.
These are the eleven best things to do when holidaying with kids in Port Macquarie. There are a few other things kids will love to do in this town, so you may want to leave room on your itinerary. This way you can add those other things you discover after you arrive in for the perfect holiday in Port Macquarie.