The Entrance and Long Jetty, located on the NSW Central Coast, are often overlooked as a holiday destination. However if you are looking for a beachside family and pet friendly location that is easy on the budget, not too far to travel from the major cities then the area is a great choice for a weekend getaway or holiday.
Being only a 2 hour drive north of Sydney, a 1 hour drive from Newcastle, and a place where you can bike, walk, surf, boat, fish, visit cafes, shop, kayak and which has dog friendly beaches, it really is the perfect spot to get away from it all and the best thing is, you avoid the weekend crowds.
If you do decide to visit I can highly recommend that book
The Lake Escape - The Entrance House at Long Jetty.
We holidayed in April with our extended family including our toddler Little 77, our 3 year old kelpie terrier cross Tink and the in-laws and we had a great time.
It was a last minute budget friendly booking to get the family together. I had no idea what to expect as I hadn't found too many places that were pet friendly in the area and it was really affordable.
On arrival we were immediately charmed by the cottage. It is a 1960's renovated bungalow, hidden behind natives and frangipani trees. There is a secret outdoor shower and glimpses of the lake from the verandah.
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| The Lake Escape - Exterior |
Upon entering the house I fell in love with its laid back charm. It is the kind of
house I would love to have one day as my own beachside holiday retreat.
The entry/dining area was sunny and decorated with reworked vintage finds. The art and ornaments gave a nod to the coastal location without being to over the top. The gorgeous eight seater dining table had colourful chairs and there was a daybed under the window that begged to be lounged upon.
The house has obviously been decorated by someone who loves the place and has a great eye for upcycled furniture. We spent most of our time in this room during the day as the light filtered in through the large windows and it had a lovely private deck to enjoy the outside.
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| The Lake Escape - Dining area |
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| The Lake Escape - Dining Area |
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| The Lake Escape - Day bed in entry/dining area |
The loungeroom was big enough for six adults and two children to hang out in the evenings and relax, with two lounges and a sofa chair it easily accomodated us all.
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| The Lake Escape - Lounge Room |
The four bedrooms were all decorated in the same style as the entry area. The main bedroom had a very comfortable queen sized bed with a gorgeous antique dresser and sidetables. The artwork paid homage to the ocean and nearby lake and the room was very serene, especially in the afternoon with the sun coming through the window.
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| The Lake Escape - Main bedroom |
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| The Lake Escape - Main Bedroom |
The second bedroom had a double bed, with a single bunk bed above it, perfect for a family of 3 or the kids.
The third
bedroom had two sets of bunk beds and you had to walk through it to get to the final bedroom which had a double bed.
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| The Lake Escape - third bedroom |
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| The Lake Escape - Third Bedroom |
The kitchen was fully equipped with a dishwasher, cooktop and
Elextrolux stainless steel oven. There was a good supply of cooking utensils, pots, pans,
glassware, plates and lots of room for storage. There was a large fridge to store all of our supplies and more beachy decorations. There was a high chair made available to us for our toddler.
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| The Lake Escape - Kitchen |
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| The Lake Escape - Kitchen |
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| The Lake Escape - Kitchen |
The only downside for such a large house was the fact that there was only one bathroom, however there was a second toilet and sink in the laundry which was handy when we were all trying to get ready.
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| The Lake Escape - Main Bathroom |
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| The Lake Escape - Laundry and additional toilet |
The house was a charming, relaxed, character filled holiday escape and is a great place for a couple of families, or a few couples or like us a generational holiday with the grandparents and dog !
Like a lot of places now, you have to bring your own sheets and towels, which we did to save on costs. If you don't want the hassle linen can be provided for an extra charge.
There was a great selection of children's toys and we really enjoyed the board games, such a simple but nice touch. We played either Pictionary or Trivial Pursuit in the evenings and it was wonderful to switch off from the TV and technology and have time together as a family.
We used the gas BBQ on the back patio to cook breakfast and have a BBQ dinner as the nights were still warm, it really added to the holiday feel and made for less washing up.
Tink our dog loved the backyard, it was big enough for us to throw a ball around and our toddler loved running around on the grass. The weather was perfect for the outdoors so we enjoyed breakfast and lunch outside.
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| The Lake Escape - Tink enjoying the backyard |
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| The Lake Escape - backyard |
The back yard was fully fenced, so Tink could not escape and we felt secure in the knowledge she was safe at all times.
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| The Lake Escape - Backyard |
Peter the owner was really easy to deal with when we booked through Stayz and the communication was straightforward, quick and easy.
There is so much to do in the area you could easily fill a week. Please check out my Top 10 Things to do in Long Jetty/The Entrance on weekend notes for ideas.
With so much to do in the adjacent area and the greater central coast you could really spend a lot of time here.
If you are looking for an affordable, coastal long weekend away or holiday with your family and/or dog that is only a short drive from either Sydney or Newcastle, you can't go past the Lake Escape at Long Jetty.
It really is a perfect relaxing spot for the whole family. Be sure to put this on your 'to visit'
list before word gets out and it gets too popular.
We can't wait to return soon.
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