The family-owned restaurant provides a hearty mix of pastas, meats, and breads on the menu, all under $29. Start with garlic bread with melted mozzarella cheese or herb bread before moving onto main servings of pesto linguine, scallopini ai funghi or pollo parmigiana. The backdrop here is equal parts cosy and industrial. Think dark wood tables and chairs against exposed overhead beams and steel hanging lights.

Popular with locals, the cafe adds its own inventive spin on modern Australian fare with options like the cauliflower truffle mornay oysters, mushroom and baby spinach risotto cakes, and confit duck with parsnip puree. They’re open for Sunday breakfast too, so pop in for pancakes with grilled bananas after your morning surf or dip.

It specialises in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, with locally sourced seafood served up amidst tranquil views and a relaxing setting. The restaurant’s three-course chef’s selection menu is a hot choice, but you can order a la carte if you’d prefer. Don’t go past the marinated, crumbed squid with mango salsa, chicken cordon chorizo or Morton Bay bugs cooked in a garlic cream sauce.

Rent a bike from South Coast Bike Hire before hitting the Lake Illawarra Art Trail.

Admire mosaic sculptures and hand-carved wood pieces, learn more about the materials used to create the works and walk away with a newfound appreciation for the history and culture of the traditional owners of the region.

The museum houses some of the country’s most historically important aircraft and, because admission includes a guided tour, you can get up close and personal with Australia’s aviation greats. For a special treat, book a tour of the record breaking Qantas Boeing 747, or a Wing Walk that has you climbing outside of the plane onto the aircraft’s wing, 16 metres above the tarmac.

It was voted one of the top 50 Australian courses to play for under $50 – likely owing to a full fleet of electric golf carts, a brilliantly designed championship course, a turf-line driving range to perfect your swing and a licensed hotel and Brasserie conveniently located onsite. Keep an eye out for the purpose-built, short game practice area coming soon.

They make it easy with a fully equipped kitchen, barbecues, toilets, showers and a kiosk, all onsite. Start your day with a stroll around one of the park’s many walking tracks or have a paddle at popular surf spot, The Farm. Don’t own a tent? Rent a bunk in the Bunkhouse.

Each of its 19 cabins comes with a kitchenette and microwave, air-conditioning and a TV to wind down after a busy day of activities. In the morning, walk to nearby Cowries Cafe at Warilla Bowls before driving to Minnamurra Rainforest for a short (1.6-kilometre) boardwalk stroll to the dramatic Minnamurra Falls. Back at Barrack Point in the afternoon, book a court for a spot of tennis.

Set on 20 hectares, this secluded accommodation located underneath the Illawarra Escarpment is, flanked by sheer cliff faces and lush rainforest, was once a private home and is now a quiet escape for a couple or a group of friends. Spend your afternoon soaking in the spa, curled up on the couch with a book, or wandering the grounds trying to spot a wallaby, wombat, or echidna.