Relaxing Weekends at The Entrance, NSW
Pelican Feeding at The Entrance
The coastal resort of The Entrance makes for a fantastic weekend getaway from the nearby cities of Sydney and Newcastle, offering a more laid back and relaxed destination away from the bustle of the city!
Tourists have been coming to The Entrance since as far back as 1885 when the first guest house was opened. It’s nice to think that in all this time, although there’s been development at The Entrance, it hasn’t been over the top and the coastal town still retains its charm. Having said this, The Entrance has benefited from a recent multi million dollar refurbishment which has really helped to lift the town and has increased visitor numbers again. Both couples and families, young and old, will enjoy the variety of attractions on offer here at The Entrance.
Visitors who are interested in the history of The Entrance will certainly enjoy The Entrance Heritage Walk. This makes for a nice afternoon’s stroll around the town and should take about 2 hours to complete. Along the way you’ll see signs and maps with information telling you about the history of the town and its people.
Since its redevelopment The Entrance is now a more cosmopolitan coastal town. We particularly enjoyed the new cafés where you can sit and enjoy a coffee and a snack, and watch the world go by whilst gazing at the distant calming water views. Once we were refreshed we decided to check out some of the local parks – the Memorial Park, on the shores of Lake Tuggerah, is particularly good for families with children as there’s always something going on to keep the kids amused! The real hit with the children was Vera’s Water Garden where they can cool off from the summer sun and have fun splashing about!
The Entrance is the Pelican Capital of Australia, and probably the most popular attraction is the daily Pelican feeding which takes place once a day at 3.30pm, every day of the year! This is a not to be missed event and you’ll want to get here early to make sure you have a good spot to view the feeding from. The Pelican feeding is not just about feeding the birds though, it’s a chance for visitors to get to know more about them through the commentary, and to see them up much closer than you would usually do. It also helps Pelican experts to keep an eye on the birds and look out for any who might be injured and need help, so it really is a multi-purpose event!
You may like to coincide your visit with The Entrance Mardi Gras (also known as the Tuggerah Lakes Mardi Gras) which takes place every year in the first week of December. The Mardi Gras has been going for nearly 60 years and this event attracts thousands of people to The Entrance with its entertainment suitable for the whole family.
Some of the other great things you can do at The Entrance include enjoying the beaches, surfing, water-skiing, boating, fishing, cycling, shopping and playing chess on the giant chess board. Or you may just want to come to The Entrance and do nothing at all! Whatever you choose to do you’ll find some great accommodation in The Entrance and some excellent restaurants to make the most of here.
‘Relaxing Weekends at The Entrance, NSW’ by Claire Bolgil
