Coffs Harbour is located on the north west coast of NSW and is a popular stopover on long road trips such as from Sydney to Brisbane or vice versa. I recently have done two separate one night trips there for work and here is my traveller’s guide to one day in Coffs Harbour. You will note it does not include the iconic Big Banana, I have done this one past road trips but if it’s your first time to Coffs Harbour you definitely need to tick it off the list.
What to see/do
Jetty Beach and Mutton Bird Island Nature ReserveStop by the beach if you are up for a swim but I’d really recommend Jetty Beach area for a nice scenic walk. Walk along the jetty and take in the sea air and if you are up for a bit of a challenge walk up to the top of Muttonbird Island. It is a paved walkway but is a little steep but certainly do -able (I did it in regular shoes and a dress). The walk will reward you with views of Coffs Harbour and the ocean. As you walk along you will also notice the island is full of Shearwater (a type of seabird)’s burrows where they build their nests. If you walk along the path to the end of the island, there is a viewing platform where I was lucky enough to watch a whale breach. Apparently, this is a great spot to see whales, dolphins and turtles.
This is a pretty random one given we are in Australia but lean into it and pretend you are in Holland. The clog barn sells all kinds of clogs and if you walk through the store you will find out back a miniature village (free to visit!). If all the Dutch inspired minis builds your appetite, then pop over next door to the café and order some Dutch cuisine.
What to eat
For a healthy, fresh café style meal, I’d recommend the Happy Frog. A nice selection of salads and some warm items such as lasagna and falafel and there is also a cute store attached to the café.
On my first trip, we had an amazing Indian dinner at the restaurant Taste of North India (recommended by previous traveler’s to Coffs Harbour). On most recent trip, another delicious dinner was had at Esme, this was more Mediterranean faire.
And can you visit a coastal town without having some ice cream? If it’s also a must for you, check out Eric and Deb’s Homemade Ice Cream on the Jetty (I got the apple pie flavour for something different and wasn’t disappointed).
How to get around
Speaking to past visitors and locals, a car is the easiest way to get around. If you are road tripping, that will be no problem but if you have flown in for a day trip like I did on these recent visits then hiring a car from the airport has been the easiest way.
Where to stay
For both trips I stayed at Pacific Marina Apartments , spacious 1-2 bedroom apartments. The property contains a pool and is within walking distance of Jetty Beach and a lot of what I mentioned in this post!
Disclosure: The Traveler’s Guide is a free resource for traveler’s, to help support this this post may contain some affiliate links, meaning that if you click one and purchase/book something, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a little commission. All recommendations have been genuinely recommended from the traveler’s who informed this guide.
