With the beautiful summer days we are experiencing, why not pack the kids in the car and explore some areas you might not have visited, despite them being on our doorstep.

News Of The Area is sharing a few of our favourites with you, and we encourage you to jump online and leave a comment either on our webpage or Facebook, and tell us about your own favourite spots.

If you enjoy a spot of fishing, or even just a yummy lunch of Fish and Chips that someone else caught, then the foreshore at Karuah is the place to stop for you.

Since the bypass was completed, Karuah has thrived and developed its own lovely sense of identity, and is a lovely spot for families taking a simple lunch and swim break, or even a stay in one of the motels or van park to take an extended break.

Grab the family fish and chips from town, head down to the swimming tidal pool next to the bridge where the children can take a safe swim, and go for a walk along the waterfront or jetty, then play in the adjacent park.

Next on our list is the hamlet of North Arm Cove, located twelve kilometres north of Karuah up the Pacific Highway.

The little village does not have shops of its own, but it is worthwhile packing a picnic lunch and exploring the picturesque little settlement.

Follow the signs to Heros Beach in North Arm Cove, and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and safe shallow swimming cove for the children.

Continue on up the highway to our next spot, and experience the beautiful Jimmys Beach and Lagoons and River adjacent.

The sheltered white sands of Jimmys Beach are a popular place for visitors, yet still amazingly undiscovered by the large tourist crowds at nearby Hawks Nest Surf Beach.

With its crystal clear waters, Jimmys beach and the nearby lagoon is the perfect spot for families, with a large play park nearby if the children ever tire of the beautiful beach.

Local resident Mel Curnish told News Of The Area whilst visiting Jimmys Beach, “We have paradise on our doorstep, and we should explore every part of it to truly appreciate how unbelievably lucky we are.”

Pack plenty of water and sunscreen, and get out and explore your own backyard!

By Rachael VAUGHAN