Pelican Beach sits on the Central Coast's Lake Munmorah/Tuggerah Lakes foreshore near The Entrance, facing the lagoon rather than the open ocean. It rates 4.7 from 43 reviews on BeachCheck. It's not a surf beach. It's a calm, sheltered spot suited to young children, kayakers, and anyone after flat water on a weekend morning.
This post covers what Pelican Beach is, what makes it distinct, and five nearby Central Coast beaches that cover the full range of options from calm estuary swimming to patrolled surf beaches.
Pelican Beach
Pelican Beach is positioned along the foreshore of Tuggerah Lake, the large coastal lagoon that runs through the heart of the Central Coast. The water here is lake water, not ocean. There are no waves, no rips, and no surf. That's the whole point.
The beach is grassed right to the waterline in sections, with a flat sandy entry that sits ankle-deep for a long stretch before deepening. It's a spot families use specifically because the conditions are predictable. Visitors bring kayaks and paddleboards. The lake water warms quickly in summer compared to the ocean, which makes it popular with young children who find ocean swimming cold.
The surrounding reserve has picnic tables and parking, but facilities are basic. There is no patrolled swimming area. If you're after lifeguards, The Entrance or Toowoon Bay are both within a few kilometres.
The area takes its name from the pelicans that gather along the Tuggerah Lakes foreshore. The daily pelican feeding at The Entrance, just east of Pelican Beach, draws crowds every afternoon at 3:30pm. It's one of the most-visited free activities on the Central Coast and is worth building your afternoon around if you're in the area.
Rating: 4.7 from 43 reviews Water type: Estuary/lake, calm, no surf Facilities: Parking, picnic tables Patrolled: No Dog-friendly: On-leash permitted in most foreshore sections
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The Entrance Beach
The Entrance Beach is the ocean beach directly adjacent to the channel where Tuggerah Lake meets the sea. It rates 4.6 from 38 reviews and has lifeguard patrols during summer and school holidays.
The beach is compact, with a headland on one side and the lake channel on the other. It's a popular spot for families who want patrolled swimming while staying close to The Entrance town centre. The town has cafes, takeaway, and a main strip within easy walking distance of the beach. Parking fills quickly on summer weekends, so arriving before 9am makes a difference.
The Entrance sits 4km east of Pelican Beach and is a natural next stop if you want to combine lake-side picnicking with an ocean swim in the same outing.
Rating: 4.6 from 38 reviews Water type: Ocean surf Patrolled: Yes (summer and school holidays) Facilities: Toilets, parking, town centre nearby
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Toowoon Bay Beach
Toowoon Bay Beach is one of the most reviewed beaches on the Central Coast outside of the major hubs, rating 4.7 from 594 reviews. It's a patrolled ocean beach in a sheltered bay north of The Entrance, with a surf club, toilets, showers, and parking all on-site.
The bay's natural geometry gives it cleaner surf than many Central Coast beaches, with a consistent break that draws intermediate surfers. It's also sheltered enough that families use it comfortably on most summer days. The beach has a relaxed neighbourhood character: smaller crowds than Terrigal, good facilities, and a surf club that runs nippers during the season.
For visitors doing a day trip along the Pelican Beach to Toowoon Bay corridor, this is the strongest ocean beach in that stretch for all-round usability.
Rating: 4.7 from 594 reviews Patrolled: Yes Facilities: Toilets, showers, parking, surf club Water type: Ocean surf, sheltered bay
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Bateau Bay Beach
Bateau Bay Beach is a patrolled bay beach sitting between Toowoon Bay and Forresters Beach, rating 4.6 from 275 reviews. It's a calmer stretch of coastline that's particularly suited to families with children who are working on their swimming. The surf here tends to be gentler than the adjacent beaches.
The beach runs along a residential street, with parking, toilets, and showers close to the sand. It has a different atmosphere to the busier Central Coast spots: fewer visitors on most days, a longer open stretch of sand, and enough space to spread out without feeling crowded. Surf lifesaving patrols operate during the season.
Rating: 4.6 from 275 reviews Patrolled: Yes Facilities: Toilets, showers, parking Water type: Ocean surf, typically gentle
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Forresters Beach
Forresters Beach is a patrolled surf beach backed by coastal heathland, sitting between Bateau Bay and Wamberal on the Central Coast's northern stretch. It rates 4.6 from 124 reviews. The beach is longer than most in the area, with a consistent shore break that's workable for beginners on calmer days.
The main draw beyond the surf is the rock platform at the southern end. It's a reliable spot for snorkelling when conditions are calm, with rock pools and marine life accessible from the shoreline. BeachCheck users consistently note the platform as a point of difference from nearby beaches. The beach has BBQ facilities, a playground, toilets, and parking on-site, making it the best-equipped beach in this section of the Central Coast for a full-day family outing.
Rating: 4.6 from 124 reviews Patrolled: Yes Facilities: Toilets, BBQ, playground, parking Water type: Ocean surf, rock platform for snorkelling
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Soldiers Beach
Soldiers Beach is the highest-rated beach in this guide, scoring 4.8 from 206 reviews. It sits on the Norah Head peninsula near Hargraves Beach, facing northeast into the Tasman Sea.
The beach is unpatrolled, which is worth stating clearly. What makes it worth the trip is the setting: a long arc of sand backed by low dunes, with rock platforms at each end, a relatively uncrowded atmosphere, and consistent swell from the northeast. Experienced swimmers and surfers rate it highly. If you're unfamiliar with unpatrolled surf beaches and ocean conditions, Toowoon Bay or Bateau Bay are safer starting points.
Soldiers Beach is a 20-minute drive north of Pelican Beach, making it a reasonable addition to a day running along the northern Central Coast corridor. The road down to the beach is narrow, so parking is limited.
Rating: 4.8 from 206 reviews Patrolled: No Facilities: Limited parking, basic access Water type: Open ocean surf
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The beaches from Pelican Beach north through Toowoon Bay, Bateau Bay, Forresters, and Soldiers cover a range of conditions and crowd levels that suit different visitors. If you're starting at Pelican Beach for a morning on the lake, the logical afternoon move is south to The Entrance for a short patrolled ocean swim before heading back. If you want more beach time, the Toowoon Bay to Forresters stretch gives you options at every level of surf experience.