The ultimate 3-day Coffs Coast itinerary

Q: Is the Coffs Coast worth visiting for a long weekend?

Absolutely! Even a long weekend is enough to combine Coffs Harbour's coastal icons with a taste of the Waterfall Way hinterland, as long as you pick a handful of highlights rather than trying to see everything. The Big Banana Fun Park Niigi Niigi – Sealy Lookout Solitary Islands coastal walk Dorrigo National Park

Q: How would you extend this 3-day Coffs Coast itinerary?

With an extra day or two, add more of the northern beaches and First Nations culture around Woolgoolga, or head south to Nambucca Heads for quieter estuary and coastal scenery. Woolgoolga Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve Nambucca Heads A guide to whale watching on the Coffs Coast

Q: How many days should I spend on the Coffs Coast?

Three days covers the essentials, but four to five lets you slow down and add the northern beaches, the Nambucca Valley and more time in and on the water. Coffs Coast Bellingen Dorrigo Nambucca Heads

Q: If I only have one day on the Coffs Coast on a road trip, where should I stop?

Stay close to Coffs Harbour itself. The Big Banana, Sealy Lookout, a swim at Jetty Beach and a walk on Muttonbird Island deliver the essential Coffs Coast experience without a detour off the highway. The Big Banana Fun Park Niigi Niigi – Sealy Lookout Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve Solitary Islands Aquarium

Q: What are the best day trips from Coffs Harbour?

The standout day trip is the drive up Waterfall Way to Bellingen and Dorrigo National Park, with Nambucca Heads and Woolgoolga good options if you'd rather stay along the coast. Waterfall Way Dorrigo National Park Bellingen Nambucca Heads Woolgoolga

From golden beaches and lush hinterland to underwater wonders and really big bananas, the Coffs Coast has something for everyone. Here’s how to discover the very best of the region in just three days.

Morning

There's no better way to kick off a Coffs Coast holiday than with a stop at Australia's original and most famous Big Thing. The Big Banana Fun Park has been a road trip landmark since 1964, and today it's a fully-fledged theme park built around the giant walk-through banana. Spend the morning working through the country's largest indoor slide, the biggest water park between Sydney and the Gold Coast, mini-golf, laser tag and the Plantation Coaster. Or keep things mellow with a wander through the working banana plantation and a choc-coated banana from Junee Chocolate at the Big Banana.

The Big Banana Fun Park, Coffs Harbour

Afternoon

Head inland to the Niigi Niigi – Sealy Lookout, Coffs Harbour's first eco-certified tourism attraction, set in the Orara East State Forest. From the Forest Sky Pier, 15 metres above the forest floor, you'll get a sweeping panorama from the mountains all the way to the coast. Keep the sky-high thrills going at Treetops Adventure Coffs Harbour, which is part of the same complex. There are more than 110 aerial challenges and 20 ziplines criss crossing through the canopy.

Treetops Adventure Coffs Harbour, Coffs Harbour

On the way back towards town, drop into the Solitary Islands Aquarium at Southern Cross University's National Marine Science Centre. It's a small, family-friendly window into the marine world you'll be swimming and diving in over the next two days, with clownfish, lionfish, a touch pool and guided presentations from marine scientists.

Solitary Islands Aquarium, Coffs Harbour

Evening

Check in to the BreakFree Aanuka Beach Resort, your home for the next few days. Set right on the waterfront at Diggers Beach, just north of Coffs Harbour, it has everything from classic hotel rooms to luxe spa bures and four-bedroom villas perfect for the family. There are multiple swimming pools, sports courts, play equipment, day spa and more.

BreakFree Aanuka Beach Resort, Coffs Harbour - Credit: NSW - BreakFree

It’s a short stroll to dinner at the adjoining Aanuka Beach House. Sit outside on the terrace and listen to the crashing waves as you dine on fresh seafood, woodfired pizzas, burgers or tacos. Pair it with a cold beer or colourful cocktail and toast to a successful first day.

Aanuka Beach House, Coffs Harbour

Morning

Start the day on the water with Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours, an award-winning, 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned and operated business. Their stand-up paddleboarding tours glide across the clear waters of Coffs Creek, Moonee Creek or Red Rock Creek (depending on the tides). Led by Gumbaynggirr guides, they’ll share language, Dreaming stories and seasonal bush tucker along the way. It's a fun, family-friendly introduction to the marine park and to Gumbaynggirr culture, and a proportion of profits goes back into local language and cultural programs.

Wajaana Yaam Adventure Tours, Coffs Harbour

Prefer to explore below the surface instead? Swap the paddle for a snorkel or oxygen tank with Jetty Dive Centre, a family-run PADI 5-Star dive centre that's been operating out of Coffs Harbour for more than 30 years. Their daily charters head out into the Solitary Islands Marine Park, where warm tropical currents mix with cooler southern waters for a genuinely unique mix of marine life.

Jetty Dive Centre, Coffs Harbour

Afternoon

Dry off with lunch in town, then walk a scenic stretch of the Solitary Islands coastal walk, a 60-kilometre trail linking golden beaches, rocky headlands and rainforest between Sawtell and Red Rock. You don't need to tackle the whole thing – even an hour along the Coffs Harbour section delivers idyllic coastal views, and dolphins and migrating whales are regularly spotted from the headlands.

Look At Me Now Headland Walk, Emerald Beach

(this walk is part of the Solitary Islands coastal walk – can the caption reflect that?)

Head south to Sawtell for the afternoon and try your hand at surfing with the Solitary Islands Surf School, which runs lessons for all ages and abilities on the Coffs Coast's protected, flat-breaking beaches. If you'd rather stay on flat water, C-Change Adventures hires kayaks and paddleboards nearby, with free tide-assisted drop-off up Boambee, Bonville or Coffs Creek – a relaxed way to spot ospreys and kingfishers as you float back down with the current.

C-Change Adventures, Coffs Harbour

Evening

Stay in Sawtell for dinner at Bar Que Sera, a relaxed wine bar and Mediterranean restaurant on First Avenue with the region's most diverse wine list and share plates built around the freshest local produce – the perfect way to wind down after a big day in the ocean.

Bar Que Sera, Sawtell - Credit: Bar Que Sera

Morning

Leave the coast behind and follow the Waterfall Way inland. One of Australia's most beautiful drives, it winds for 185 kilometres from the coast up onto the Northern Tablelands through rolling dairy country and Gondwana rainforest. Your first stop is the village of Bellingen for a relaxed brunch at Three Blue Ducks Bellingen. Set on 16 acres of manicured gardens with sweeping views to Dorrigo National Park, it's true paddock-to-plate dining, with a menu shaped by whatever's growing on the property that day.

Three Blue Ducks Bellingen, Bellingen - Credit: Three Blue Ducks

Afternoon

Continue climbing the escarpment to Dorrigo National Park, part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. Begin at the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre, where an elevated boardwalk leads out to the Skywalk lookout for views stretching all the way back to Coffs Harbour. From here, walking trails wind through 600-year-old trees on the Wonga walk, past cascading Crystal Shower Falls, or you can drive a few minutes further to see Dangar Falls tumble 30 metres over the escarpment.

Dangar Falls, Dorrigo

Evening

Retrace the Waterfall Way back towards the coast and detour north to Woolgoolga for a tasting at Critters Distillery, a boutique 'paddock to glass' distillery crafting award-winning gin, vodka, limoncello and coffee liqueur inspired by Australia's marine environment.

Critters Distillery, Woolgoolga

Continue south into Coffs Harbour for a final meal overlooking the water at Latitude 30, perched right on the marina. Grab a table on the deck for sprawling Pacific views (you might spot whales frolicking offshore in season) and a menu built around locally sourced, seasonal produce.