Tacking Point Tavern

Tacking Point Tavern is the local in the Lighthouse Beach pocket of Port Macquarie, a modern suburban pub at 102A Ocean Drive with an outdoor area that takes dogs. It is the handy stop for a meal and a drink after a Lighthouse Beach walk without driving back into town.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the spacious, partly covered outdoor beer garden and patio, not inside the bistro or main bar, with the usual exception for assistance dogs. The outdoor tables sit at ground level off the car park, so access is easy even with a larger dog.

Water bowls are provided in the outdoor area, though it is a busy venue so a backup bowl costs nothing. Dogs stay on lead, close to your table, and well behaved around other patrons and families.

The vibe

It runs a broad bistro menu of pub classics, seafood and salads, with a kids play area and sport on the screens, and trivia and live music through the week. Expect a relaxed local crowd rather than a quiet corner, and plenty of foot traffic past your table.

Max: this is a family pub with a play area and big screens, so a dog that startles at noise does better here on a weekday arvo than a Saturday night.

Getting there

The tavern is on Ocean Drive, the main road out to the Lighthouse Beach area, with a free on-site car park and flat access to the outdoor section. It opens from 10am daily, running late on Friday and Saturday nights.

Pair it with

Lighthouse Beach is minutes away, a long stretch of sand with off-leash zones, so check the signage for boundaries and times. The Stuart Park Fenced Dog Park is the secure option closer to town.

More spots are on the New South Wales pub guide and the Port Macquarie destination page.