The Weekender: Central Coast

Feat. three girls, a Mini and a dog.

Last October, I took a day off work (my first annual leave ever!) and escaped with a couple of friends for a four-day long weekend up the Central Coast. In true movie road trip style, we jumped into a red Mini Cooper and brought along Finn, my friend's adorable Maltese Poodle. Coincidentally, it has been one year since we had started travelling together after meeting each other on our university semester abroad. Whilst Umina Beach was a little closer to home than Copenhagen (around one and a half hour drive as we were lucky enough to miss the long weekend traffic), it was the perfect getaway after six months of intense work and study.

The three of us (and one dog) stayed in this beautiful cottage. We were a bit apprehensive at first as the preview on Google Maps showed a rundown property and it was a pretty affordable option. When we arrived on Friday afternoon however, we were pleasantly surprised - what you see in the photos is exactly what the little cottage looked like. It is owned by a very friendly lady who lives in the front house (with one welcoming shaggy dog) - her welcome and chats made our stay even better. The property is managed by Accom Holidays Ettalong, who were great communicators and responded to my emails immediately. I wouldn't hesitate to stay at this cottage again if I ever need a place to stay at Umina Beach. Word of warning though, the property doesn't come with wifi. I was completely fine with this as I was keen for a digital detox regardless.

On Friday night, we booked a table at Pearls on the Beach, a contemporary Australian fine dining restaurant next to Pearl Beach, to celebrate my friend's 21st birthday. The portions were generous and we thoroughly enjoyed the entree, mains and dessert. We also watched the pink sunset beforehand - I have waited so long to walk along the soft sand whilst listening to the waves and staring into the pink clouds in the distance!

Of course, a weekend away wouldn't be complete without a coastal hike. We deliberately chose our location for the long weekend based on its proximity to a beach and a national park. We ended up doing a couple of easy hikes through the bush and along the coastline at Bouddi National Park, then taking a swim when we came across secluded beaches. It was definitely the perfect way to recharge!

Feat. three girls, a Mini and a dog.

Last October, I took a day off work (my first annual leave ever!) and escaped with a couple of friends for a four-day long weekend up the Central Coast. In true movie road trip style, we jumped into a red Mini Cooper and brought along Finn, my friend's adorable Maltese Poodle. Coincidentally, it has been one year since we had started travelling together after meeting each other on our university semester abroad. Whilst Umina Beach was a little closer to home than Copenhagen (around one and a half hour drive as we were lucky enough to miss the long weekend traffic), it was the perfect getaway after six months of intense work and study.

The three of us (and one dog) stayed in this beautiful cottage. We were a bit apprehensive at first as the preview on Google Maps showed a rundown property and it was a pretty affordable option. When we arrived on Friday afternoon however, we were pleasantly surprised - what you see in the photos is exactly what the little cottage looked like. It is owned by a very friendly lady who lives in the front house (with one welcoming shaggy dog) - her welcome and chats made our stay even better. The property is managed by Accom Holidays Ettalong, who were great communicators and responded to my emails immediately. I wouldn't hesitate to stay at this cottage again if I ever need a place to stay at Umina Beach. Word of warning though, the property doesn't come with wifi. I was completely fine with this as I was keen for a digital detox regardless.

On Friday night, we booked a table at Pearls on the Beach, a contemporary Australian fine dining restaurant next to Pearl Beach, to celebrate my friend's 21st birthday. The portions were generous and we thoroughly enjoyed the entree, mains and dessert. We also watched the pink sunset beforehand - I have waited so long to walk along the soft sand whilst listening to the waves and staring into the pink clouds in the distance!

Of course, a weekend away wouldn't be complete without a coastal hike. We deliberately chose our location for the long weekend based on its proximity to a beach and a national park. We ended up doing a couple of easy hikes through the bush and along the coastline at Bouddi National Park, then taking a swim when we came across secluded beaches. It was definitely the perfect way to recharge!