Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay road trip: Drive distance & best stops
The best stops on a Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay road trip itinerary include Yamba and Killen Falls. The 232km distance can be covered in a driving time of around 2h21m.
This independent, Australia travel expert-researched guide is aimed at travellers planning a road trip itinerary from Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay in New South Wales. To just book Byron Bay accommodation, go here, and to look for the best tours and activities, go here.
If you can do just one thing in Byron Bay, make it kayaking with dolphins. The scenery’s beautiful, and you can get much closer to the dolphins than you would on a boat tour. BOOK HERE.
To learn more about the Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay drive, including the distance, driving time and the best stops along the route, read on…
Planning a Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay road trip
A Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay road trip connects the largest city on the New South Wales North Coast to the state’s internationally famous holiday town. It covers arguably the best two stops on the drive north from Sydney to the Gold Coast in southern Queensland.
Coffs Harbour offers hinterland rainforest tours, whale-watching and coastal wildlife adventures. Byron Bay brings kayaking with dolphins, glowworm tours and surfing lessons at top drawer beaches.
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and reserve your place on the top byron bay tours and experiences.
Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay is 232km. This makes for a driving time of around two hours and 21 minutes. But the drive is best turned into a longer road trip itinerary, as there’s lots more to see on the way.
As for where to stop between Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay, good options include Yamba and Ballina.
You’ll initially start following the Pacific Highway along the Coffs Coast. On the way out of Coffs Harbour there are a few attractions worth investigating, too. The North Coast Regional Botanic Garden has the beauty, while the Clog Barn and the Big Banana have the quirky gimmick factor. Diggers Beach and the Solitary Islands Aquarium at Charlesworth Bay Beach require a short diversion towards the coast, while the Forest Sky Pier and Treetops Adventure in Korora are slightly inland.
6 fab Coffs Harbour experiences to book in advance
- Glide through nature – on a Boambee Creek kayaking tour guided by a marine scientist.
- Jump out of a plane – with tandem skydives that land on the beach.
- Go kayaking and wildlife-spotting – on a coastal adventure.
- Head into the hinterland – on a rainforest and waterfalls day tour.
- Test your nerve and agility – at the Treetops Coffs Harbour adventure course.
- See migrating humpbacks up close – on a whale-watching cruise.
Click through to the next section: Coffs Coast beaches.