Car Rental Coffs Harbour Airport

Coffs Harbour is one of the top spots to visit along the New South Wales coast, with stunning drives and nature walks, fun attractions in the city and beautiful beaches all on offer. Known as the ‘Banana coast’ for its exporting of the fruit, more recently Coffs Harbour has become a tourist hub, with shopping, restaurants, museums and some of the most picturesque national parks and drives in all of Australia. There are over a dozen national parks, marine parks and reserves surrounding the city, so you never have to look far for fantastic places to drive. Whether you are looking to stay in the city and lounge on the beaches and enjoy the sights and tastes of the local produce, or drive your car hire out of the city, Coffs Harbour has something for everyone.

Arrive at the right time of year, and you can see some incredible whale watching experiences. Drive your car to the Coffs Harbour Jetty and book one of the multiple tour operators. The best time to see these giant mammals is between May and November. You can drive along the coast to certain lookouts and see these whales from the shore. 

Take the Waterfall Way Drive in Your Car Hire

Perhaps the best possible use for a rental car in the Coffs Harbour Region is the Waterfall Way Drive.

The drive is regarded as one of the most stunning in Australia, taking you through five national parks over 185 kilometres. Hopes are high with a name like Waterfall Way, and we’ve yet to hear of anyone being disappointed by the trip. The drive starts in Coffs Harbour and makes multiple stops along the way before finishing in the town of Armidale, also a great destination to spend an afternoon. You could cover the drive in just over two hours, but the stunning scenery means you will more than likely spend the vast majority of the day enjoying the stops on offer. See koalas in Bellingen, home to the largest koala population in NSW; the town is filled with cafes, boutiques and a stunning river filled with waterbirds. Dorrigo National Park offers perhaps the best waterfalls of the trip; a walk along the suspension bridge above the ancient and diverse forest is an unforgettable experience. These are just a couple of stops that are in store for you, with more national parks, towns, waterfalls, cliffs and rivers along the way. You will finish the drive in the cathedral city of Armidale, full of heritage-listed buildings and art galleries.

Use a Rental Car to See The Sights in Coffs Harbour

There are many beaches in Coffs Harbour, with easy access from the car parks. These pristine beaches can be teeming with wildlife and walking trails, great for burning off the food you will enjoy at the Harbourside Market, an event held every Sunday. If you are in Coffs Harbour on a Sunday, it is a must-see, buy and taste, with stalls selling boutique jewellery, great local produce, and refreshing drinks. The market also includes live music, workshops and events. Held along the foreshore, it is stunning if the weather is right.

If you want to get a great view of Coffs Harbour, then walk along the Forest Sky Pier, 310 metres in the air, offering the best view of the harbour, you can see over 100 kilometres into the distance if the weather is right. The drive up to the sky pier is also lovely.

With botanic gardens, a marine park, and an amusement park also located within Coffs Harbour, you won’t be short on places to see, activities to do, or locations to drive to.