Christmas Party Central Coast

End-of-year parties on the Central Coast tend to split into two camps: the long lunch somewhere with a view, and the night that starts with an activity and ends at a bar. Work out which your team wants before looking at rooms – and if the group can't agree, it's easy to combine the two here.

Gosford and Erina hold the most choice. Woodport Hotel in Erina has a waterside Garden Bar and a Basement Bar, each for up to 400 cocktail-style, with catering packages from $45 per person for 30 or more guests. Bay Road Brewing in Gosford can be hired outright for 70 seated or 100 standing, with 19 beers brewed on site. Further north, Royal Hotel Wyong runs two-course function menus from $38 per person, and Motel Mezza in Wyong takes whole-venue bookings for shared Middle Eastern banquets.

On the coast itself, Amarilla sits on the water at Terrigal Haven for up to 120 standing, while Jasper's in Long Jetty suits a small team, with BYO wine and beer and a $7 per person corkage charge. For a party with a stage, The Savoy Bar and Music in a former Long Jetty cinema holds up to 170.

Ways to give the afternoon some shape before the meal:

• Distillery Botanica in Erina runs a hands-on class making three signature cocktails, among three acres of gardens.
• Kartatak Raceway in Tuggerah has party packages for 6 to 18 drivers, each with three 10-minute races.
• Hole in Fun in Lisarow mixes indoor mini golf with a licensed bar and a kitchen that caters work parties.
• Bangin Bus Tours links the stops with hand-painted party buses, PA speakers and party lights, from $1,400.

Ocean Beach Hotel at Umina Beach sets minimum spends from $500 Monday to Thursday, which helps a smaller team on a weeknight. For more rooms see Christmas party venues, or sort the transport with party buses.