Coolangatta to Byron Bay drive: Distance, time & road trip stops
The Coolangatta to Byron Bay drive covers a 65km distance in a driving time of around 45 minutes. Road trip stops to add to the itinerary include Kingscliff and Tropical Fruit World.
This independent, Australia travel expert-researched guide is aimed at travellers planning a road trip itinerary from Coolangatta 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 Coolangatta to Byron Bay drive, including the distance, driving time and the best stops along the route, read on…
Planning a Coolangatta to Byron Bay road trip
The drive from Coolangatta to Byron Bay in New South Wales is not an especially long one by Australian standards. Most people tackling it will be coming from Gold Coast Airport, which is just outside Coolangatta.
Book in advance for the best Byron Bay accommodation deals.
and reserve your place on the top byron bay tours and experiences.
Coolangatta to Byron Bay distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Coolangatta to Byron Bay is 65km. You can expect a driving time of around 45 minutes. That said, there are a few fun road trip stops along the way that you may wish to consider.
After leaving Coolangatta, you’ll join the Pacific Motorway in Tweed Heads. Things to do in Tweed Heads include Tweed River cruises and crab-catching experiences.
Coolangatta to Byron Bay road trip stops: Kingscliff and Duranbah
Once over the Tweed River, you’ll come into Kingscliff, where, Watersports Guru hires out kayaks. You can paddle as far south as Cudgen Lake near Cabarita Beach.
The highway turns inland after Kingscliff and there are a few potential road trip stops to add to the itinerary nearby.
Top Kingscliff accommodation options
The best places to stay in Kingscliff are:
- For a Balinese-style resort: Oaks Santai Casuarina Resort.
- For a kid-friendly holiday park: Ingenia Holidays Kingscliff.
- For suites with a lagoon pool: Mantra on Salt Beach.
- For good value by the beach: The Blue Water.
Five fabulous Tweed Coast experiences to at least consider booking
- Tweed River lunch cruise – with wildlife viewing in the rainforest.
- Crab-catching tour in Tweed Heads.
- Farm tour at Tropical Fruit World – with wildlife spotting cruise.
- Progressive four course meal across four top Kingscliff restaurants.
- Husk Distillers distillery tour – with tastings.
Tropical Fruit World in Duranbah showcases weird and wonderful fruits. Its farm tour includes a boat cruise and animal park. Alternatively, you can try rum tasting at the Husk Distillery in Tumbulgum.
If you detour towards the coast, however, there are several excellent beaches – most notably at Brunswick Heads.
Best day trips from the Gold Coast – 7 ways to improve your stay
The Gold Coast is a destination in its own right, but there are several excellent day trips you can do while using it as a base.
- Deluxe Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
- Full day Springbrook National Park tour – with waterfalls and bush tucker tasting.
- Snorkelling with turtles at Cook Island.
- Evening glowworm-viewing experience – with guided stargazing.
- Lady Elliot Island day trip – with glass bottom boat & guided Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour.
- Hopping between microbreweries – with lunch included.
- Northern Rivers fruit & distillery tour – with Tropical Fruit World and Husk Distillers.
Coolangatta to Byron Bay drive: Ewingsdale and Belongil Beach
You’ll need to branch off the Pacific Highway when you reach Ewingsdale, where Byron Bay hot air balloon flights depart from. Then you’ll come into Byron Bay past the Tyagarah Nature Reserve and Belongil Beach.
Things to do in Byron Bay include hippy hinterland tours, beer tasting at the Stone and Wood brewery, dolphin kayaking tours and learning to surf.
Byron Bay accommodation picks include the luxuriously roomy Bayview Beachfront Apartments, the oceanside Cavvanbah and the family-friendly Ingenia Byron Bay holiday park.
8 amazing Byron Bay experiences worth booking today
- Experience the region’s glorious natural landscapes from above – on a hot air balloon ride.
- Go kayaking with dolphins – and get much closer to them than on a boat tour 🐬.
- Learn to surf – on a half day surf lesson 🏄♀️.
- Discover the local secrets – let a guide show you the hidden beaches and waterfalls 🏖️.
- Go on a three habitat wildlife safari – spotting koalas, kangaroos and flying foxes 🐨🦘.
- See glowworms light up the World Heritage-listed rainforest.
- Explore the Byron Bay hinterland – including the rainforest walk to Minyon Falls.
- Taste craft beers and spirits – on a tour of Byron’s breweries and distilleries 🍻.
- Also try… Skydives | Sea-kayaking | Whale-watching.
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