'Everyone thinks we're in Bali, but this hidden spot is just a short drive from Sydney.'

For years, I've been chasing that perfect family holiday experience, with visions of Phuket's turquoise waters and Bali's beachfront resorts dancing in my head.

But after three kids (all under eight), a global pandemic, and the memory of my two-year-old's in-flight meltdown on the way to Bali still haunting my dreams, I've discovered something rather unexpected: the perfect family holiday destination might be just a 2.5-hour drive from Sydney.

When I posted photos from our recent weekend in Port Stephens, my Instagram DMs lit up with the usual questions:

"Is this Thailand?"

"Bali?"

"Are you overseas right now?"

Nope, just pure NSW coastline magic, minus the jetlag, currency exchange, and toddler-vs-airplane drama.

It turns out Port Stephens — recently crowned as Wotif's 2025 Aussie Town of the Year — has everything I loved about my pre-kid Southeast Asian holidays, with all the convenience parents of three young children desperately need.

Here's why you should consider swapping your passport for car keys and staying local instead of going overseas for your next family getaway.

Watch: Not sure what to pack for your next trip? This trick has you sorted. Post continues below.

The beaches rival Southeast Asia's finest

If you've been to Thailand's beaches, you know that feeling of stepping onto pure white sand and staring into crystal-clear water.

That "I can't believe this is real" moment justifies the nine-hour flight and makes the perfect Instagram backdrop.

Well, Shoal Bay in Port Stephens delivers exactly that — without passport control or jetlag.

Stunning Shoal Bay. Image: supplied.

When we visited Shoal Bay, I had an instant flashback to Kata Beach in Phuket — the same powdery sand, the same gentle water that's perfect for kids, but with far fewer crowds, no cigarette butts on the sand, and the bonus of being able to park right on the coast.

The girls were obsessed with spotting fish in the clear water — not something we get often in Sydney. 

Equally beautiful but in a completely different way: Birubi Beach, with its epic sand dunes.

While Thailand has its limestone karsts and Bali has its volcanic black sand beaches, Port Stephens counters with these dramatic dunes that feel otherworldly.

We skipped the quad biking and sand dune surfing… because… kids, but I'd 100 per cent do it if they were older.

The girls were happy enough climbing over them and rolling down the hill, though truthfully, they were most excited about spotting "Kangaroo Beach" lifeguards with their equipment. (You don't get that in Thailand!)

Birubi Beach and Birubi Brunch date. Image: supplied.

Resort-style comfort without the 24-hour flight

We stayed at the Hotel Nelson in Nelson Bay. For fellow accommodation detectives, I recommend booking through the Wotif app so you can meticulously study room configurations before your trip.

Hotel Nelson. Image: supplied.

With five of us, we needed at least two separate sleeping areas, so we opted for the Deluxe Apartment. It ticked all my boxes: ground-floor access (essential with a pram and tired little legs), blackout blinds (absolute non-negotiable for naps and early risers), and a portacot provided.

It also had a kitchenette for storing the mountain of snacks that travel with us and my morning peppermint tea.

Unlike Bali, where we often found ourselves a good 30-minute taxi ride from most attractions, Hotel Nelson's location next to the marina and main street meant we could actually walk to shops and restaurants — so simple but so helpful when travelling with children.

Family activities without the theme-park price tag.

Remember when travelling was about experiences rather than surviving until nap time? Port Stephens delivered that perfect balance of kid-friendly activities that adults actually enjoy too.

The Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary in Anna Bay was a standout. Forget your typical overseas wildlife encounter where you're handed a sedated animal for a photo. Instead, the girls were delighted by the 225-metre skywalk through the koala enclosure, giving us treetop views of koalas in their natural habitat.

Major bonus points because it was also pram-friendly.

The Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary in Anna Bay. If I was a sick koala, I'd demand to be taken there immediately. Image: Supplied.

A decent distance from the animals, there are giant koala sculptures the kids can climb over and generally be loud and excited about without being constantly shushed. Pre-purchasing tickets through the Wotif app meant we skipped the queue completely.

On Sunday we went to Toboggan Hill Park, a bushland adventure park featuring a 1km toboggan run, indoor rock climbing, and a giant maze.

The toboggans come with brakes so you can control your own speed — which led to a perfect demonstration of the difference between mum-brain and dad-brain. My speed setting: "precious cargo on board." My husband's speed setting: "YOLO", as he hurtled down the hill with our daughter in the way that only someone who didn't carry said child in their body for nine whole months could possibly do.

Fun for the kids and the big kids. Image: supplied.

We purchased the "nippers pack", which gave us four rides per child plus two adult passes. This was more than enough for our energy levels, though they offer a family pack with 16 tickets if you're planning a full day.

Beyond the toboggan, our girls loved the crazy car dodgems, jumping castle, and trapeze trampoline. The giant maze was fun for the whole family, in particular our four-year-old, who really found her leadership stride, marshalling us along and proudly yelling "dead end!" whenever we hit a wall.

The park is shaded but still hot, so bring water, snacks and a bunch of bugspray.

A food scene that would make Bangkok jealous.

If there's one thing I miss about pre-kid travel, it's taking my time with amazing meals, without constantly wiping up spills or negotiating "just three more bites" before the iPad comes out.

But Port Stephens' dining scene is the miracle I didn't know existed — genuinely great food that's also genuinely child-friendly.

At Atmos, the Greek restaurant within Shoal Bay Country Club, we showed up for the family-friendly 5pm sitting, surrounded by other families with prams and highchairs.

Unlike those awkward experiences in "family-friendly" resorts where you're still getting side-eye from honeymooners, here we actually relaxed.

The share-style menu meant no boring kids' options — the girls happily munched on pita, tzatziki, BBQ chicken and olives while Drew and I had wood-fired octopus and cauliflower salad.

And margaritas. Several margaritas. For quality control purposes.

Atmos is highly Instagrammable. Image: Supplied.

The real standout was our final lunch at Murray's Beer Garden at B Farm.

Forget your standard pub garden, this was The Farm at Byron Bay meets Grounds of Alexandria vibes, with a sunny deck surrounded by orchards, vines and rolling hills.

The kids danced to the live music, ran around and burnt off all their remaining energy. The kimchi fritters were so good that I'm already planning our return trip for their Cantonese feast menu, which is launching soon.

Woodfire pizzas, live music, a massive amount of space for the kids to run wild, B Farm has it all. Image: supplied.

Best of all? Every meal in Port Stephens cost substantially less than city alternatives. We paid around $75 for lunch for our family of five, compared to $100+ in Sydney.

Pro tip: Make sure you book ahead at restaurants, even if you're not going in peak season. I found it super relaxing doing the admin ahead of time and so I could (appear to) go with the flow on the trip.

And yes, I Googled the menu and knew what was having for most meals before we even left Sydney. That's my idea of relaxation.

The practical perks no overseas destination can match.

Here's where Port Stephens truly trumps any overseas destination for families with young kids: practicality.

No flight meant no disruption to our all-important nap schedule. The two- and four-year olds both sleep during the day, so we just went back to the hotel and tag teamed childcare.

Everything was close. We packed what felt like a week's worth of activities into 48 hours without ever feeling rushed or spending half the day in transit.

And the drive home — flawless, no notes. All three girls were so exhausted that they fell asleep within minutes of leaving B Farm. 

TWO full hours of blissful silence - something no international flight has ever delivered. Image: supplied.

The verdict.

What struck me most about Port Stephens wasn't just that it was beautiful. I expected that.

It was that it managed to be genuinely child-inclusive without being mind-numbing for parents.

Normally, a holiday destination is for kids OR for adults. The first means that, as an adult, you spend your trip passing time, watching the kids do kid things. The other version is where you spend your trip self-consciously apologising for the fact that your children are wreaking havoc on someone else's carefully curated grown-up holiday.

Port Stephens has somehow nailed the perfect middle ground. Perhaps because it's a real town where people actually live, rather than a purpose-built tourist zone, everything feels designed for repeat customers rather than one-off visitors.

Do I still dream of taking my girls to Thailand someday? Absolutely. But with limited annual leave, school schedules to work around, and the reality of travelling with three young children, Port Stephens delivered everything I loved about those overseas beach holidays — stunning coastlines, exceptional food, and new experiences — without any of the drawbacks.

Port Stephens guide: Where to eat, shop and play.

More places to eat in Port Stephens.

Little Beach Boathouse We kicked off our trip with dinner here, and it was the perfect welcome to Port Stephens. The restaurant literally hangs over the water, creating that magical dining-above-the-ocean experience you'd usually pay a fortune for in Bali.

There's a play area right next door with stunning views of the bay, so the kids can burn off energy before sitting down. If you're after something more casual, try the 'Below Deck' bar underneath the main restaurant. But whatever you do, order the chips. Crispy perfection. No chip will ever compare.

Crest @ Birubi Beach After our early morning beach adventure, this enclosed restaurant was our saviour, offering shelter from the beach winds while still delivering epic views of Birubi Beach.

The nourish bowl was much-needed after a morning of chasing kids around sand dunes, while the girls demolished their pancakes. Note that it doesn't open until 8am, so pack snacks if your kids are early risers like mine.

The Little Nel I NEVER double dip on holidays, unless a cafe/restaurant is very special. This one was. Located right at Hotel Nelson, we went for lunch and immediately booked in for breakfast the next day. My dish of the trip was their twice-cooked gochujang honey pork salad — the perfect balance of crispy pork, slaw and creamy coconut sauce.

The kids' meals were really reasonably priced, which matters when you have three of them.

Parent hack: If you're staying at the Hotel Nelson, send one adult ahead to order while the other wakes up the napping toddler — then you don't waste precious post-nap happiness waiting for food.

Gianni's Scoop and Roll @ Shoal Bay After dinner at Atmos, we couldn't resist stopping here for dessert. Their ice creams with mix-ins were delicious and eating them on the pier while watching local kids fishing created one of those core memory moments — a nine-year-old boy caught and released an enormous stingray, leaving my city girls absolutely transfixed.

Murray's Beer Garden at B Farm I've already raved about this place, but it deserves another mention and a visit as you leave the Port Stephens area. The setting alone (surrounded by orchards and vines) makes you feel like you've discovered a secret locals' spot.

The food was phenomenal, and the kids loved eating the woodfired pizza and watching as it was made in the outdoor oven. 

More things to do in Port Stephens.

Nelson Bay Lighthouse Walking Track I'm new to running, so the 5K return run from Port Stephens Marina to the Nelson Bay lighthouse was perfect and very photogenic.

The walking track is great for walkers, runners and scooters. And I got to say hello to approximately 78 dogs along the way. Everyone in Port Stephens has at least two dogs, which was an unexpected bonus for my animal-loving kids.

Tomaree Head Summit Walk Full disclaimer, I didn't have time for this one with the kids in tow, but will do next time. Two separate sets of locals raved about the walk for its panoramic views of Port Stephens. It's apparently manageable with older kids, though probably leave the toddlers behind.

Nelson Bay Shopping While my husband enjoyed a massage, I explored the shops with the girls. Nelson Bay surprised me by being a holiday town with actual useful stores — including a giant Woolworths and chemist, which came in handy when Lily's inevitable holiday cold appeared.

I also did some fun shopping for me at Lu&Co and Macala Collections. Something about the warm weather and holiday vibes had me wanting to break free from my usual uniform of camel, mocha, and various other shades of brown. These gorgeous boutiques delivered, with bright, colorful pieces that perfectly captured that beachy, relaxed feeling.

And yes, I wore my purchases immediately for dinner that night and again the next day.

So while everyone else is rushing to book their overseas flights, I'm already planning our return trip to Australia's best-kept (not so) secret. Sometimes the perfect escape is closer than you think.

What's your favourite family-friendly destination in Australia? Tell us in the comments section below!

Feature: Supplied.