With some great road trip options in the surrounding area, having your own car makes good sense. Without one, it’d be much more difficult to explore all that Port Macquarie, 16 miles away, has to offer. Among your first few stops here should be Koala Hospital, Lighthouse Beach and Roto House. The locals are also likely to point you toward South West Rocks, 25 miles away. If you only see one attraction here, make sure it’s Smoky Cape Lighthouse. (But we’re also huge fans of Trial Bay Gaol and Arakoon National Park.)