If you are planning your next holiday and will be including Central Coast in your list of places to visit, this article was written with you in mind. Assuming you are driving your own car, or will be renting one, the city of Central Coast is the ideal base to tour around NSW, particularly to explore the pristine coastline, and on that topic, here are a few places to put on your ‘must visit’ list.

• The Australian Reptile Park – If you have kids, or are interested in marine life, the Australian Reptile Park must be seen. As you drive along the Pacific Highway, you can’t miss the huge concrete yellow dinosaur that sits by the main entrance, and there are two famous guests staying in the park. The first is ‘Elvis the Bone Crusher’, a bad tempered 5-metre salt crocodile that one consumed a lawnmower, and the other is Hugo, the giant Galapagos turtle.

• The Skillion – Located in Terrigal, this strange shaped piece of ground slopes up to offer a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, and with a large expanse of grass, you can spread the blanket and relax. If you’re looking for a great resturant & bar in Terrigal, Central Coast, there are quite a few long this stretch of coastline. Terrigal, the town, is well worth spending the day walking around the quiet streets and there’s an excellent selection of bars, restaurants and coffee shops where you can relax in the sunshine.

• Bouddi Coastal Walk – An eight kilometre boardwalk along the coastline is a great place for a morning or evening stroll, and this platform is the ideal place for some whale watching, as the Humpbacks pass this point going to and from their warm breeding grounds. To break up the walk, it gives you access to several nice beaches, where you can have a dip in the ocean to cool down.

• Nora Head Lighthouse – Built in 1903, this lighthouse sends out its powerful beam over the Pacific Ocean and if you fancy a guided Tour of the building, you can. Nearby Soldier Beach is also well worth a visit, where you can watch the surfers riding the swells.

• Gosford Classic Car Museum – A Central Coast property developer by the name of Tony Denny purchased his first classic car in 1955, which was the beginning of an obsession that led to him opening the Gosford Classic Car Museum in 2015. The museum houses 450 superb vehicles, with more than 30 Ferraris and every model of Holden ever produced, and the collection is valued at $70m.

• Terrigal Espanade – This is a great place to explore, and with premier bars and restaurants everywhere, you can sample the best of the local cuisine and chill out with your favourite cocktail. The best beaches in NSW are a big attraction, and with patrols offering safe swimming all year round, and the Espanade is the perfect area for some rest and relaxation.

Central Coast is the ideal base for your NSW holiday, and with quality accommodation and the best restaurants, you will have a holiday to remember.