May 2021 - Page 2 of 2 - Adventure, baby!

Month: May 2021

Avoca Beach NSW Australia: Great for kids and dogs!

May 13, 2021 / Australia, Central Coast, Dog-Friendly Sydney, NSW, Pets, Travel / 0 comment

Avoca Beach NSW Australia

Enjoy the sparkling water of Avoca Beach, the perfect spot on the Central Coast for families (and dogs!).

Located about 30 minutes from Gosford, Avoca Beach is a popular spot for locals and Sydney-siders. Avoca Beach stretches 1.7km, with a beautiful shallow rock pool at the southern end.

There are plenty of cafes to enjoy a hearty brunch at the southern end also. The cafes all feature outdoor seating, making this a fab spot for families and dogs to enjoy casual meals right by the water.

We love to grab snacks or smoothies from the Avoca Beach Kiosk next to the life saving club, or a delicious meal at Point Cafe.

Point Cafe offers all-day breakfast, a kids’ menu and a variety of dishes to suit dietary requirements.

There is a large, fenced playground behind the surf life saving club, and a grassy park next to it.

A large bathroom block is located next to the playground.

Keep walking past the rock pool and you’ll find a rock shelf with more little rock pools that are great for exploring.

For more aquatic fun, hire a kayak, pedal boat or stand-up paddleboards from Aquafun Avoca Lake and splash around the lagoon.

The official off-leash dog area is from the surf club parking lot down to the North Avoca end of the beach on the opposite side of the lagoon. This is technically the space between two beaches, Avoca Beach and North Avoca Beach.

Avoca Lake backs on to the beach. Hire kayaks, pedal boats and stand-up paddleboards from Aquafun Avoca Lake and splash about the sparkling waterway or paddle to the large island in the middle of the tranquil lagoon.

If the weather isn’t in your favour, catch a movie at the Avoca Beach Picture Theatre, which opened in 1948 and is a lovely little single screen vintage theatre.

The fourth Sunday of every month you’ll find the Avoca Beachside Markets creating some extra bustle in town, with lots of local food and crafts on offer.

Avoca Beach NSW is an easy 90 minute drive north of Sydney and an 80m drive south from Newcastle. To reach it by public transport is a bit of an effort but do-able – catch the train from Central to Gosford or Newcastle to Gosford, then change to a bus to take you to Avoca Beach. It will take around 2 hours to reach Avoca Beach via public transport.

I’d suggest staying a few days either at Avoca Beach or in the general area to explore all of the Central Coast gems.

Avoca Beach NSW is located at the end of a long no-through road. There is limited parking so allow time to find a spot if you are on a schedule, or arrive early to ensure an easy park.

Get more info on Avoca Beach.

Find more things to do on the Central Coast.

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Hillbilly Cider Shed & Pizza, Bilpin

May 7, 2021 / Australia, Bilpin, Blue Mountains, NSW, Travel / 0 comment

Hillbilly Cider Shed & Pizza, Bilpin

Enjoy crushed cider using Bilpin, Blue Mountains apples and woodfired pizza at Hillybilly Cider Shed.

Hillbilly Cider is the creation of Shane and Tessa McLaughlin, who moved to an orchard in Biulpin in 2007 and were inspired by their surrounds to brew this now local favourite Blue Mountains cider.

Hillbilly Cider is the only cider in the world that uses the Julie™ apple, the first new commercial apple discovered in the Sydney/Blue Mountains area since the Granny Smith apple 100 years ago! The Julie™ was a chance seedling discovered by Bill and Julie Shields at their orchard located next door to the Hillbilly Cider shed.

Drop by the Hillbilly Cider Shed to try their cider and also to enjoy some very fine woodfired pizza.

There is plenty of outdoor seating and a large grassed area for kids to run around. Dogs are welcome!

During winter, there is a log fire burning inside the shed to keep visitors cosy and warm.

Bookings are always advised, but you can also drop by and grab whatever table you can find that’s free.

The pizzas are Neapolitan-style pizzas. All bases and sauce are made at the Hillybilly Cider Shed. Gluten-free bases are available, as it a vegan pizza.

We highly enjoyed Margheritas (Neapolitan tomato sauce, Fior di latte, Grana Padano & fresh basil, $19) and a Pepperoni (Neapolitan tomato sauce, Fior di latte and beef pepperoni, $23).

Hillbilly Cider
2230 Bells Line of Rd, Bilpin
Hours: Mon-Thur 10am-4pm, Fri-Sun 10am-6pm.
Wood fired pizzas available from 11.30am to eat in or take away.
https://hillbillycider.com.au/

Find more things to do on a Bilpin and Blue Mountains day trip.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

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The best things to do in Western Sydney and Parramatta with kids.

Visit the most beautiful Sydney gardens.

Explore Sydney’s best parks.

Find things to do in Wollongong.

Find the best high teas for kids in Sydney.

Breenhold Gardens Mount Wilson Sydney

May 3, 2021 / Australia, Blue Mountains, NSW, Travel / 0 comment

Visiting Breenhold Gardens in Mount Wilson, Sydney

Enjoy spring and autumn colours at the heritage-listed Breenhold Gardens in Mount Wilson, a two-hour drive from the Sydney CBD. The Garden Estate of Breenhold is one of the most extensive privately owned garden properties in Australia.

Breenhold Gardens are only open during autumn and spring to the public, however are also available throughout the year for private hire for weddings, film shoots and special events. The Great Gatsby was filmed here!

The garden estate is comprises of 45 hectares of gardens, parkland and native bushland. It was the creation of the late Thomas Breen (Snr) and his wife Charlotte, who commenced its planting and landscaping in 1965.

Breenhold Garden has grown and developed over the years, and now includes thousands of exotic and indigenous trees and flowering shrubs from every continent.

Set aside a good few hours to leisurely explore the six stone walled gardens, bush trails and forest walks. There are extensive lawns for playing and picnicking.

We visited during autumn, when the deciduous trees of Breenhold Gardens were in full colour. Japanese maple, beech, birch, oak and many varieties of pines and cedars have been planted alongside native tree ferns and eucalypts.

Spring is also a beautiful time to visit Breenhold Garden, when hundreds of flowering azaleas and rhododendrons, as well as Japanese cherry trees, magnolia and dogwood fill the estate with beautiful colour once again.

Breenhold Gardens are dog-friendly! Well behaved dogs are permitted to enter but must stay on a leash at all times.

There are very basic bathroom facilities available at Breenhold Gardens, but no cafe / shop to purchase food or drinks. I highly suggest bringing your own picnic from home and a blanket to spread out on, or stopping by the Grumpy Baker in Bilpin on the way past to pick up some of the most delicious pastries you’ll find in Sydney.