There is no on-site restaurant, but the park's camp kitchen and beachside BBQ areas are made for long, easy dinners. We loved firing up the grill as the sun dropped behind the dunes, with prawns from the inlet and a chilled bottle of riesling pulled from the esky. The kids ate ice creams on the grass while we lingered until the first stars appeared, and the salty air did most of the seasoning.

Mornings start at North Haven Bakery 2443, a five minute stroll from reception. We grabbed a still-warm bacon and egg roll and a cream-filled cinnamon scroll on day one, then went straight back the next morning for a second round. Their pies have a cult following with the locals, and the queue at school holidays tells you everything you need to know.

For a long lunch with a view, we crossed the bridge to Riverview on Camden in Laurieton, where you can sit on the deck above the Camden Haven River and watch pelicans glide past while you work through fresh local oysters and a glass of something cold. Open seven days for breakfast and lunch, it is the sort of place where two hours disappears without you noticing.

A short drive to Laurieton's main street brings you to The Blue Buffalo, an authentic Vietnamese street food cafe that has quietly become the area's worst-kept secret. The pho and crispy pancakes are our pick after a long beach day. For a no-fuss dinner closer to home, Club North Haven is walking distance from the park and runs a courtesy bus, with a generous bistro and a balcony that catches the afternoon breeze.

The kids will likely vanish towards the jumping pillow and mini golf course the moment you arrive, leaving you free to wander the 200 metres to Grants Beach for a barefoot swim. The southern end near the breakwall is patrolled and gentle enough for little ones, while further north the surf picks up nicely for a longboard. The dog-friendly stretch is a daily ritual for many regulars.

The North Haven Breakwall walk is the morning ceremony around here. We watched the local fishing fleet thread out through the heads at sunrise, coffee in hand, while pelicans worked the wash. Bring a hand line and you will almost certainly tangle with bream, flathead or whiting straight off the rocks.

For something more cinematic, drive ten minutes inland to Dooragan National Park and climb North Brother Mountain. The lookout takes in three lakes, the inlet and the entire Camden Haven coastline laid out below you, and on a clear morning you can see all the way to Crowdy Head. The Rainforest Loop at the base is gentler, cool and shaded, with hoop pines and king ferns that feel a world away from the beach.

Port Macquarie is a 30 minute drive north and worth a day on its own. We loved a wander through the Koala Hospital during the daily 3pm feed, then a sunset paddle on the Hastings River. Closer to home, time your stay around the monthly Laurieton Riverwalk Markets if you can, and pick up a jar of local honey to take back to the van.

We found that booking a sunset BBQ slot midweek gave us the quietest stretch of beach to ourselves, and the park noticeably calms down between the school holiday peaks if you can plan your stay around them.