Best Budget-Friendly Things to do in Gosford

Travel blogger Maddi (@she.who.explores) knows all about creating awesome adventures, so we’ve enlisted her help to curate a Central Coast adventure on a budget.

Looking for a budget-friendly accommodation option to make a homebase for your Central Coast exploration? Check out ibis budget Gosford.

Now, let's get into Maddi’s list of the best budget-friendly things to do in Gosford and the Central Coast.

Cost: walking trails and lookouts are open, access is free. 

If you rise early and want to start the day in the best possible way, sunrise at Mount Ettalong lookout is unmissable.

You’ll get to look out across Pearl Beach from a sandstone outcrop looking south from Mount Ettalong. Look out across to Lion Island (aptly named due to it’s shape) sitting in the middle of the water.

Scenic lookouts at both the southern and northern ends means this place is perfect for sunrise all year round.

Cost: fire trails and biking tracks are free to access.

A short drive from ibis budget Gosford to Woy Woy, you’ll find a handful of fire trails perfect for trail running, bike riding. 

If you explore the tracks along the Tunnel fire trail (10.9 kilometre back trail), you will find secluded waterfalls, along with some historic Aboriginal engravings – an extra special find on your adventure.

Be sure to pack sturdy walking shoes, sunscreen and plenty of water for hydration along route.

Cost: $8 per vehicle per day to visit Brisbane Waters National Park.

If it’s a warm day and you’ve worked up a sweat from all that walking, biking or hiking, more waterfalls can be found 10-minutes North West of ibis budget Gosford in the Brisbane Waters National Park.

Here you will find Somersby Falls, Piles Creek Falls as well as the Phil Houghton Suspension Bridge and endless bushwalks both short and multi-day.  

Be sure to pack a few of your favourite things to eat if you’re stopping by Somersby Falls. This popular nature reserve offers barbecues and picnic tables so you can reward yourself with some downtime following your rainforest adventure.

Cost: free.

If you’re more motivated to hit the waves and itching for a saltwater swim, Avoca Beach is worth a visit.

Stretching 1.7km, this sandy beach offers bags of space and is flanked by rugged headlands on either side.

A natural rock pool at the southern end makes for a sheltered area for families to swim.

The Central Coast Surf Academy also run surf lessons here or you can dive beneath the surface with a diving tour to experience the artificial reef created from ex-HMAS Adelaide.

Cost: $6-$30 for breakfast, lunch, drink menu items.

To sustain high energy levels for the never-ending list of outdoor adventures on offer in the Central Coast you’ll need a hearty breakfast and lunch. Maddi recommends Avoca Sands Café.

Serving up café favourites including all day breakfast, you’ll leave feeling more than satisfied and ready to seize the day head-on.

The beachfront location also makes for the perfect ambience with grand views of the sand, surf and sky only steps away – the essentials for the perfect Aussie holiday getaway. 

Cost: free.

A popular town on the Central Coast, the main street in Long Jetty is bustling with bakeries, vintage fashion, bars and cafés. Discover the long jetty the town was named after at the end of Archbold Road and take a stroll that’s a 700m round trip!

End the day in the best possible way and watch the sky put on a show of dusky colour with the emerald mountains as the backdrop.

If it’s a little too busy, take your pick from one of the others which may not be quite as long but will still give you a great vantage point to watch the sunset. 

Pack a selection of your favourite cheese and crackers to accompany the perfect drop and pick a grassy spot on the foreshore of Tuggerah Lake for a lazy evening during the warmer months.

Also a perfect meeting point if travelling as a group or with families with plenty of space to run about and playground access.

Cost: menu items available for $12-$40 per dish.

For dinner, there are plenty of options in Gosford. If you want to explore on foot, Pinocchios is a local favourite, a 20 minute walk from ibis budget Gosford.

Bringing Italian soul directly to the Central Coast, this venue promises honest food and noteworthy wines from Australia, New Zealand, Italy and France.

Take your pick from share-plates, rich pasta dishes or rustic pizzas that are packed with flavour.