10 Best Things To Do In Coffs Harbour, NSW

Coffs Harbour is often seen as a classic family stopover on the drive between Sydney and Brisbane. It’s known for its amusement parks and beachfront holiday parks. And while that side of town certainly exists, it’s not the reason I fell in love with Coffs Harbour.

To be honest, I didn’t expect to fall in love with it at all. From the outside, it felt like a busy entertainment hub rather than somewhere I’d personally connect with. But after exploring the coastline on foot, swimming in sheltered bays and venturing into the hinterland, I realised how wrong I was.

So this article is for nature lovers, families, and active travellers who are more interested in coastal walks, quiet beaches, wildlife encounters and scenic picnic spots than theme parks and popular activities. It focuses on free or low‑cost outdoor experiences that show off the natural beauty of the Coffs Coast — the kind of places that make you slow down, stay longer, and start planning your next visit before you’ve even left.

kangaroos are certainly involved in falling for the Coffs Coast 🙂

Coffs Harbour isn’t just a destination in its own right; it’s also a fantastic base for exploring the wider Coffs Coast, where golden beaches, rocky headlands, rainforests and wildlife-rich reserves are never far away. So let’s start with the natural attractions that truly won me over. Let’s start by skipping the Big Banana.

Best things to do in Coffs Harbour (nature‑focused guide)

Coffs Harbour is surrounded by forested hills, farmlands and, of course, a beautiful stretch of coastline. It’s this natural setting that defines the best experiences here. While the Big Banana is the town’s most famous landmark, it was never the highlight for us. Not with so many coastal walks, peaceful beaches and green spaces to explore instead.

Below are my favourite things to do in and around Coffs Harbour, all based on multiple visits and real experiences — and all easy to combine into a relaxed, outdoor‑focused itinerary.

Muttonbird Island Walk – best coastal views in Coffs Harbour

Muttonbird Island is my absolute favorite spot in Coffs Harbour! Surrounded by the sparkling ocean in shades of blue, it offers stunning views of the Coffs Coast, the Solitary Islands, and the hinterland.

The island is a nature reserve and cars are not allowed, so your only way to get there is by walking. The walk begins at the Coffs Harbour Marina, and first, you stroll along the break wall on a flat, paved pathway. Then from the foot of Muttonbird Island, the path becomes steep, though it’s sealed all the way.

At the top, there’s a lookout offering breathtaking views of the marina, the Coffs Coast, and the hinterland. You can then continue to the eastern lookout, which provides distant views of the Solitary Islands. Between May and November, it’s also a fantastic spot for whale watching.

As you walk along the track, you’ll spot open burrows on either side of the path. Muttonbird Island is a vital roosting and breeding site for the Wedge-tailed Shearwater. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of these birds. However, their burrows are very delicate, so please stick to the track.

Jetty Beach – the best swimming beach for families in Coffs Harbour

view of Jetty Beach from the jetty

Jetty Beach is the best if you’d like to swim in the ocean. It’s one of the most sheltered beaches in Coffs Harbour, protected from large swells by the marina’s breakwall. While it’s not one of those secluded beaches I’m so fond of, it has all the amenities (toilets, changing rooms, showers, drinking water, and picnic shelters) that made our beach day easy and enjoyable. Jetty Beach is also patrolled every day during the summer holidays.

I do appreciate its calm bay, perfect for a leisurely swim—no waves splashing in your face here (most of the time). The water also deepens gradually, making it ideal for families with young kids. And those who are after some adrenaline rush can jump off the jetty.

Taking a walk on this historical timber jetty is quite delightful, and the Jetty Foreshores Park behind the beach offers plenty of picnic shelters, paths for rollerblading and biking, and a playground.

Coffs Harbour Beach & Coffs Creek – calm water fun and creekside picnic spots

Coffs Harbour Beach is located on Coffs Creek, not directly on the ocean, but its proximity to the river mouth and the stunning turquoise hues of the water make it rival any nearby ocean beach. Right behind the beach, Coffs Creek Park has plenty of shaded picnic tables, BBQs, and a small playground, making it a perfect spot to spend a morning or afternoon. We had breakfast in the park and then enjoyed various outdoor activities until a downpour caught us.

At low tide, Coffs Creek becomes very shallow at Coffs Harbour Beach, revealing several large sand islands in the middle of the river that you can easily walk across. As you can imagine, it’s a fun water playground for families (and dogs)! However, the current can be quite strong, so be sure to keep young children within arm’s reach.

Confident swimmers might enjoy drifting downstream with the current, then climbing out using the ladders or stairs along the promenade for easy water access. Speaking of the promenade…

Coffs Creek Walk – scenic walking and cycling path through Coffs Harbour

The Coffs Creek Walk is another highlight of Coffs Harbour. This creekside walkway is a shared path for both bikers and walkers. It links the city center of Coffs Harbour with the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden, Dolphin Marine Conservation Park, Coffs Harbour Beach and Park Beach.

Overall, Coffs Creek Walk is about 8.6 km, but you can choose a shorter section. In this case my recommendation is to walk from Coffs Harbour Beach to the scenic Mangrove Boardwalk, or do the ~3 km walk from Coffs Creek Park to the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden.

North Coast Regional Botanic Garden – rainforest, boardwalks and easy walks

After so many delightful walks in the Royal Botanic Garden of Sydney in every season, I wasn’t sure if the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden would impress. But we were curious about the Swamp Forest boardwalk, and it’s free to visit, anyway, so why not give it a chance?

We ended up spending a few hours there, exploring most of the discovery walks amongst the natural forests and planted gardens. There are Australian plants from different regions, plants from Japan, China, South and North America, rainforest and swamp forest walks, sensory garden, a tropical glasshouse, ponds and lakes. Overall, we loved this botanical garden very much!

The mangrove boardwalk was closed when we visited, but luckily, we could enjoy the one along the Coffs Creek Walk. It still has over 5 km of pram-friendly path, and it’s open every day 9am to 5pm.

Emerald Beach Park – picnic spot and beach day just north of Coffs Harbour

Emerald Beach is a peaceful and picturesque spot just 20 km north of Coffs Harbour. It’s backed by a spacious lawn with shady trees, picnic tables, and BBQs. There’s a large playground, and you can cook lunch while the kids are playing on the beach.

Emerald Beach is usually patrolled during Christmas holidays. While it’s somewhat protected, certain sections are also great for surfing.

Keep an eye out for glossy black cockatoos in the trees, and take a walk to the Look At Me Now headland to meet the local kangaroos.

Look At Me Now Headland Walk – kangaroos and sunset views in Moonee Beach Reserve

The intriguingly named Look At Me Now headland in Moonee Beach Reserve is a must-visit for anyone seeking a classic Australian scene—kangaroos grazing on the grass against a stunning coastal backdrop. To make the most of this walk, visit around sunset, when the resident Eastern Grey kangaroos are most active.

Although it’s only a 1.3 km loop, we spent well over an hour here—because who could ever get bored of kangaroos? Earlier in the day, we had a picnic at Emerald Beach Park and then walked the scenic Dammerels History Walk, which connects Emerald Beach to the Look At Me Now headland. In addition to the kangaroos, the headland offers breathtaking views of Moonee Beach and Shelley Beach, as well as access to the sheltered, sandy cove of Shelley Beach.

Diggers Beach & headland walks – swimming, surfing and coastal views

Diggers Beach is nestled between Macauleys Head and Diggers Head, along the Solitary Islands Coastal Walk. This spacious bay offers some protection, making it great for swimming, boogie boarding, and surfing. However, lifeguards only patrol the beach during the Christmas, Easter, and September school holidays.

What I enjoyed even more than swimming, though, were the two headlands. The walk from Diggers Beach to Diggers Head and then to Charlesworth Bay is a scenic ~2 km section of the Solitary Islands Coastal Walk. It features a boardwalk through littoral rainforest and stunning views of both Diggers Beach and Charlesworth Bay from the headland. BBQs, picnic tables, beach showers, and toilets are available at both ends of the walk, and there’s a playground just behind Diggers Beach.

South of Diggers Beach, you can take the stairs to the Macauleys Headland Walk. If I thought Diggers Head was beautiful, Macauleys Headland was even more impressive. At the top of the stairs, I found myself standing at the edge of towering cliffs, looking down at the crashing waves below. The 2 km paved pathway winds along the high coastline, leading towards Park Beach.

Solitary Islands Coastal Walk – best coastal walking track on the Coffs Coast

The Muttonbird Island Reserve, the Look At Me Now Headland, the Diggers Beach to Charlesworth Bay track and the Macauleys Headland Walk are actually all part of the Solitary Islands Coastal Walk. This ~60 km track from Red Rock (in the north) to Sawtell (in the south) leads you along fabulous golden sand beaches, rocky headlands and littoral rainforests on the Coffs Coast.

Since there are countless different access points to the Solitary Islands Coastal Walk, it’s easy to choose a section you’d like to explore.

Coffs Coast Hinterland walks – rainforests, waterfalls and scenic lookouts

Waterfalls, rainforests, lyrebirds—a wild world awaits adventurers in the hinterland.

If you’re looking for an easy and accessible walk, consider the one along Corindi River from Red Rock Headland. This walk follows a boardwalk beside the river, passing through mangroves, salt marshes, and paperbarks. There’s also a good chance to spot pelicans and turtles along the way.

The easy Gumgali Track begins along Sealy Lookout Drive and ends at Korora Lookout, offering a sweeping panorama of the coast and the Solitary Islands.

Bangalore Falls in Bindarri National Park is for hardcore adventurers! While the hike itself is relatively short and easy, getting there requires a 4WD, as you’ll need to navigate the scenic and winding Eastern Dorrigo Way or the rollercoaster-like Pine Road.

More amazing things to do on the Coffs Coast

Coffs Harbour is just the beginning. The wider Coffs Coast (and hinterland!) are packed with places that deserve their own trip: the scenic coastal boardwalks and sheltered waters of Urunga, laid‑back and charming Bellingen, the wild beaches of Bongil Bongil National Park or the rainforests and waterfalls of Dorrigo National Park.

Rather than squeezing them into this guide, I’ve put together a separate, in‑depth article sharing my favourite things to do across the Coffs Coast and hinterland, based on the same slow, outdoor‑focused style of travel. If you have more time in the area — or you’re planning a longer road trip — this guide will help you decide where to go next.

How to get to Coffs Harbour?

As you drive along the Pacific Coast Highway from Sydney or Brisbane, Coffs Harbour and the Coffs Coast make excellent stops. However, you’ll regret keeping them brief, as this region has so much to offer. (Of course, this applies to many other places along the drive between Sydney and Brisbane—this is Australia, where nature is magical everywhere you go!)

You can even fly to Coffs Harbour. Regular passenger flights connect it with Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and they depart from Coffs Harbour Airport.

Best time to visit Coffs Harbour

Any time, seriously. The Coffs Coast is pleasant for outdoor activities year-round. Summers are best for swimming, and from fall to spring it’s ideal to do some hiking. Though the coast is often breezy in summer, as well, and we enjoyed several short coastal walks in December.

If you’re planning longer bushwalks in the hinterland, I recommend avoiding the hot summer days. Then again, you might choose to do a sweaty hike and then cool off with a refreshing shower under a waterfall.

Best place to stay in Coffs Harbour

My impression was that Coffs Harbour is an expensive destination. You’ll certainly find plenty of nice beachfront apartments and holiday parks, but they come with a matching price tag. Accommodation farther from the beach isn’t necessarily much cheaper, so you might as well opt for an excellent location.

Beachpark Apartments Coffs Harbour has a 4-star rating and excellent guest reviews. It offers apartments in various sizes, directly opposite Park Beach. There’s an outdoor swimming pool on-site, and several cafés and restaurants are just 200 meters away. Guests appreciate the extremely clean, spacious rooms.

BIG4 Park Beach Holiday Park is a beachfront holiday park with various villas and studios. Each villa is air-conditioned, has a balcony, a fully equipped kitchen and private bathroom. All guests can access the shared areas: a communal kitchen with BBQ facilities, an outdoor dining area, a games room, a watersplash playground, pool and jumping pillow.

Ocean Park Motel & Holiday Apartments offers self-contained apartments right behind Park Beach. Each apartment comes with a kitchenette, a fridge, and kitchenware, and guests have access to an outdoor pool. The studios are the most affordable option, suitable for up to two people.

Camping in and around Coffs Harbour

If you’re travelling with a tent, camping in Coffs Harbour itself can be challenging. While there are several holiday parks in excellent coastal locations, they tend to be expensive and often require minimum stays during peak periods, especially during school holidays.

On one of our visits, we found that camping on private land just outside Coffs Harbour worked much better. It offered more space, a quieter setting (with the occasional and black cockatoos screeching), and a more relaxed atmosphere than holiday parks. The price you pay is being a bit further from beaches and coastal walking tracks. Also, some of these properties have gravel road or 4WD access. But if you’re comfortable with rural driving, these kinds of stays can be a great alternative to crowded holiday parks.

What to look for in a campsite near Coffs Harbour?

• Distance from town: 15–30 minutes is ideal (close enough for day trips, far enough for peace and quiet)
• Access roads: check whether the access is sealed if you’re towing or travelling with a standard car
• Shade and space: important in summer, especially for tents
• Basic facilities: at least a toilet and water access make longer stays much easier
• Flexibility during school holidays: private sites are often less restrictive than holiday parks

Thinking about these upfront can save a lot of frustration — and help you enjoy the camping side of your trip just as much as the beaches.