The ‘best’ hotel in town might not always be where you think
Updated . First published
I’ve got a tank full of E10, a charged up iPod, a Kodak Instamatic, Converse high tops and a pair of jorts. I’m going old school, I’m going nostalgic, I’m going analogue.
I’m going somewhere to test out one of the biggest travel trends in 2026 – real travel aka nostalgia travel, slow travel, digital detox, “deadzone” travel, or retro travel, to name a few of its iterations. It’s a yearning for simpler times, paper maps, screen-free activities, walking and staying in places you went when you were a kid.
I tried a slow travel holiday in Forster, NSW. Supplied/John Walsh
John Walsh was Executive Producer of the TV travel series Getaway from 1999-2024. You can follow John on Instagram @thegetawayexpert.
First I need a destination. I’ve landed on Forster on the mid-north coast of NSW about 3.5 hours north of Sydney.
Forster has been a classic family destination for generations guaranteeing solid, affordable mid-range accommodation with vast displays of nature on show for cost-free activities that will tire out the kids without breaking the bank.
I’ve got a particular love for caravan and holiday parks from my time growing up so I’ve settled on Discovery Parks Forster on the Wallamba River.
Where to stay in Forster
I’ve chosen a Deluxe Two-Bedroom Riverfront Cabin. That’s not exactly what I stayed in as a kid but no need to go too crazy with this experiment.
My first old school treat is being handed an actual key, not a key-card or a digital wristband like the last place I stayed.
Secondly, there was no modern spin on what is riverfront. The cabin was mere feet from the water with a spectacular view.
One thing about holiday parks, they often have the best real estate in town whether it’s the beach, river, or forest. This place was no exception.
My Deluxe Two-Bedroom Riverfront Cabin at Discovery Parks Forster. Supplied/John Walsh
This might be the best view I’ve ever had at a holiday park. Supplied/John Walsh
There were two TVs, a full kitchen, air conditioning and indoor plumbing so it wasn’t fully nostalgic but in my concession to digital detox I only brought my iPhone 16 and left my 17 Pro at home.
There’s a big range of accommodation here from the one I’m in which sleeps six down to studio cabins for two, powered slabs and powered grass sites for caravans, motorhomes or tents.
There’s a heated pool (huge bonus in winter), a café that does a decent bacon ‘n’ egg roll and non-mechanised, non-digital pedal boats, kayaks and scooters.
But if you’re able to snag a riverfront cabin that is all the entertainment you need.
The clouds and colours change over the course of the day, the bird life is constantly putting on a show and the river just does its thing.
In fact, I’ll go as far to say that this might be the best view I’ve ever had at a holiday park.
One thing about holiday parks, they often have the best real estate in town. Supplied/John Walsh
There’s a heated pool, a café, pedal boats, kayaks and scooters. Supplied/John Walsh
Things to do
One of the conditions I placed on the trip was only doing activities created by nature.
So no mini-golf, 10-pin bowling, or jet skiing. Walking felt about as old school as you can get, so I jumped in the car and drove to somewhere great to walk.
I got some tips from my sister who loves a bit of slow travel and from the Park managers Georgina and Dave who actually marked up a paper map for me with their suggestions.
The consensus seemed to be Bicentennial Walk that started at the Forster Ocean Baths and hugged the coastline for 2 ½ miles to Burgess Beach. I walked just under two miles as far as One Mile Beach and nature has packed in plenty of diverse scenery along the way.
Views for days. Supplied/John Walsh
From the ocean baths it’s a steep-ish walk up through bushland through Second Head Reserve to Second Head Lookout which had drawn a large crowd to watch the surfers battle the big waves and heavy conditions.
(At this point I have to make mention of the unoriginal naming conventions around here. In three days I visited One Mile Beach, Seven Mile Beach, Nine Mile Beach, Second Head and believe it or not, near Seal Rocks, Number One Beach).
The trail from the lookout takes you down and along Pebbly Beach which might more accurately be called rocky beach then around to a natural ocean swimming hole called The Tanks which is apparently a local favourite. My sister raved about this but when I got to where it should be I had to ask a local for directions, “You’re standing right in front of it.”
The seas were so rough that the natural rock pool was completely obliterated. I guess you can’t get more old school than Mother Nature.
From there the walk gets steeper and more dramatic along the cliff top with two more look-outs with sweeping coastal views and a pretty section of the trail under a bush canopy.
Huge sand dunes on One Mile Beach. Supplied/John Walsh
One Mile Beach is characterised by a massive sand dune which a bunch of kids were sand boarding down. Very retro.
You can often see whales from the lookouts on the Bicentennial Walk, but I found a sneaky spot at Black Head near popular Hallidays Point about 20 minutes north of Forster.
Access is via a barely visible short walking track through a patch of rainforest. The four-metre wooden structure has been purpose built to have minimal impact on the environment, but the views are spectacular. No whales today, but this is a good tip.
One last little gem to fossick out is NSW tallest tree with the excellent name The Grandis (Forster name makers take note) near Bulahdelah on the road up or back from Sydney.
A 400-year-old, 70-metre high flooded gum. Worth the turn off from the highway and only a 75-metre walk from the car park.
Standing next to a 400-year-old flooded gum tree. Supplied/John Walsh
Where to eat
If I wanted to keep this story seriously old school I probably should have foraged for nuts and berries.
However, I’ve decided to leave the hunting and gathering to others because of time constraints.
Nothing says retro holiday like eating at the local bowlo or “rissole”. Both exist in the Forster-Tuncurry area, but I chose Club Forster which is celebrating 50 years this year.
Nothing says retro holiday like eating at the local club. Supplied/John Walsh
There are four different dining options: Asian fusion, Thai, Café and the classic bistro where I ate. It’s got the Big Three at reasonable prices: Pizza, Pasta, and Parmi. Enough said. Didn’t disappoint.
So, I think anyone would enjoy a holiday like this. If you’re older, the nostalgic appeal is obvious. If you’re younger, you’ll finally understand what your dad was banging on about all those years.
John Walsh stayed as a guest of Discovery Parks Forster. All opinions are his own.
