Port Macquarie has a warm temperate climate with mild winters and warm, humid summers. The best time to visit is autumn (March–May) and spring (September–November), when temperatures are pleasant, the summer crowds have thinned or not yet arrived, and the chance of heavy rain is lower than in summer.
Summer (December–February) is peak season: beach weather, the Koala Hospital at its busiest, and the highest accommodation prices. School holidays in January bring the largest crowds. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, sometimes heavy.
Winter (June–August) is cool but rarely cold. Days are often clear and sunny, the town is quiet, and prices drop considerably. This is the prime whale-watching season — humpback whales migrate north past the coast from June, and pods are regularly seen from the lighthouse headland.
The Festival of the Sun, an outdoor music festival, is held in December at Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park, attracting a significant crowd to town.