When I was given an opportunity to join a Segway tour, I didn’t have to think twice. I’ve always wanted to try riding a Segway. They just look like so much fun, don’t they?

If you’re like me and you’d love to ride a Segway, learn to navigate obstacles, see how fast you can go and make your way up and down hills – all while enjoying great views, read on.

Take a fun 1-hour Segway Tour at Novotel Pacific Bay Resort, Coffs Harbour

Riding a Segway around a resort

The Segway tours and fun rides are run by a company called Time Out Xperiences. They are based at Novotel Pacific Bay Resort in Coffs Harbour.

In Australia, Segways aren’t allowed on public roads or cycle/footpaths (yet), but Time Out Xperiences has found a great location at Pac Bay Resort where there’s more than enough space to keep you interested and challenged for at least an hour.

The area includes an obstacle course as well as paved paths and dirt tracks around the resort, large grassy fields and plenty of bumps and hills for lots of fun and thrills.

You get to ride right up to a private beach as well as up onto a hill on the other side of the highway (don’t worry, there’s a tunnel so there’s no dodging cars to get across), from where you have a great view over banana plantations and down to the resort and coast below.

Some Segway Q&As

• Is riding a Segway difficult? No. It really isn’t. You follow the simple instructions, start slow, and off you go.
• Is it fun? Yes it is! After just a few minutes, it all feels quite natural and you just want to take one home to use all the time.
• Is it expensive? When you compare it to going to the cinema or going ice skating, then yes, it is. However, it isn’t when you consider you get to have a unique experience that you may have wanted to try for a long time. And it’s cheaper to tick it off your bucket list in Coffs Harbour than in Sydney or Melbourne for example, where it costs quite a bit more. Prices are below.

Segway up the hills behind the resort and down to the beach

Essential Info

Location: Time Out Xperiences is located at Novotel Pacific Bay Resort, 3km north of the Coffs Harbour CBD.  From Bay Drive, take the 1st left into Resort Drive, go past the resort’s main entrance and you’ll soon see Zip Circus on your right hand side. The Segway rides and Time Out Xperiences’ other activities are right beside Zip Circus.

Pricing: Segways are expensive machines so you can’t expect Segway tours to be cheap. The standard 1-hour Segway Tour costs $65 per person and a 40-minute eco-tour is now also available for $49 per person (minimum 2 people per tour). If you just want to try one out quickly, there’s a 15-minute Segway Fun Ride that costs $20 per person (minimum 4 people).

Age: You need to be at least 12 years old to join a Segway Tour and those aged 12-17 need to be with a participating parent or guardian.

Times: Time Out Xperiences runs its Segway Tours 7 days a week during school holidays, at 11am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 4pm and 5.30pm. Less often outside of school holidays. Booking ahead is essential.

Other (group) activities: Time Out Xperiences also offers fun, safe and environmentally friendly Laser-Clay experiences, Giant Foosball on a life-size inflatable foosball field and several other activities that are fun for groups, parties and corporate team-building events.

Website/Phone: Find out more on the Time Out Xperiences website or call 1300 090 767 for further information.

With around 250 stalls set up all around leafy Bellingen Park, you can spend hours at the market, which has such a good atmosphere and live music and performances that it feels less like a normal market but more like a festival that you get to enjoy every month.

Of course, Bellingen is known for its laid-back character, interesting locals and alternative lifestyles. This adds to the lovely, casual ambience you’ll find anywhere around the town and at the markets as well (cue massage tents and tarot reading stalls).

The Bellingen Markets: 250 stalls under the trees in the park

250+ market stalls selling EVERYthing

The stalls sell a huge variety of handmade arts and crafts, fresh produce, jewellery, plants and flowers, clothing, shoes and bags, musical instruments, household and kitchen items, soaps and natural remedies, gourmet tea and coffee, and much, much more. You’ll find plenty of local, organic and ‘green’ home-made products.

Even if you don’t think you need anything, I can almost guarantee that you will see something you like or want. Before you know it, you’ll have filled up your bag with a net of local avocados, a tiny bottle of essential oil, a handmade toy for an upcoming kid’s birthday, a pot of honey and a unique garden sculpture – or any other random collection of goodies.

Food & drink

Whatever your taste buds prefer, there will be something to your liking on offer at the market, whether it’s for a snack or a meal. Just follow your nose and you’ll find a good feed at one of the food stalls representing different cuisines. Or buy some  cake, dessert or other treat made lovingly at home by one of the local stallholders.

Live music & entertainment

Everyone just loves the Bellingen Markets, which creates a fantastic atmosphere. Something that definitely adds to that is the live music and other performances held at the markets. There is a main performance area where booked artists provide the main musical entertainment, but you’re likely to hear tunes coming from other areas around the markets as well. Two little girls playing violins here, a guy on a didgeridoo there – it really makes for a happy place to walk around on a Saturday.

For the kiddies, there are things like pony rides, swing rides and a jumping castle plus probably other things as well, but I have to admit I don’t pay much attention to that as I’ve never taken a child to the markets.

The monthly Bellingen Markets are among the largest in Northern NSW

Essential info

Day:
When are the Bellingen Markets on? The Bellingen Community Markets are held every 3rd Saturday of the month, 12 months a year.

Location:
Where are the markets held? The markets are at Bellingen Park close to the centre of Bellingen. From Waterfall Way (the main road through town), turn into either Ford Street or Church Street and you can’t miss it. You may need to park a few blocks away if you don’t arrive early.

Time:
What time do the Bellingen Markets start and end? The markets officially open to the public at 9am and end around 2.30pm when stallholders start packing up.

Bellingen:
How far is it to Bellingen from Coffs Harbour? Bellingen is less than half an hour by car from the city of Coffs Harbour. Take the Pacific Highway south and after about 15 minutes turn onto the Waterfall Way and enjoy the short drive through the beautiful Bellinger Valley.

Further info:
For more information about the markets or to contact the organisers, visit the Bellingen Community Markets website.

I was afraid it would be a tiny ice rink but it was actually bigger than expected. I’ve been to an indoor ice skating rink before where you all you could do was go around in tiny circles, but at the Coffs Harbour ice rink, you can actually pick up some decent speed on the straight stretches before having to turn the corner.

The quality of the surface is also pretty good and there are lots of helpers on and off the ice eager to assist anyone who needs a hand.

Ice skating at The Big Banana ice rink, Coffs Harbour: fun for the whole family

(There’s also a short VIDEO at the bottom of this page)

It’s quite strange to see people ice skating in shorts and t-shirts, but it’s a permanent 15 deg C in the hall and if you dress too warm, I guarantee you’ll want to throw off some layers after skating a few rounds.

Essential Info

What do you need? Thick socks, that’s really the only thing you’ll need to bring. Wear something that’s comfortable to move around in and suitable for an air temperature of 15 degrees C. There are lockers for your bags and valuables.

Skates: Skate hire is included in the entry fee. You can choose from two different types of skates: figure skates or hockey skates. They’ve got them in all sizes. There are special kiddie skates as well.

Location: The ice skating rink is located at The Big Banana in Coffs Harbour, just a few kilometres north from the CBD on the Pacific Highway. You can’t miss the Big Banana! From there, just follow the signs to the ice rink.

Tickets: Entry prices are: $14.50 adults (14+), $12 kids 4-13, $2.50 under 4 and $42.50 for a family pass (2 adults + 2 children < 14). This includes skate hire. The Big Banana also offers combo passes if you’re interested in different attractions.

Opening hours: Every day 1.00pm-2.30pm, plus 7pm-9pm on Friday and Saturday nights. Extra morning sessions run daily during NSW school holidays only: from 10.30am to noon.

Website/Phone: Visit the ice skating page on The Big Banana website or call (02) 6652 4355 for more information.

There’s no need to book, you can just turn up. Don’t forget your socks!

The Coffs Coast is a subtropical region and we do get our fair share of rain throughout the year. If you’d rather not tackle outdoor activities when it rains, or when it threatens to rain, don’t worry – Coffs Harbour has plenty of things to do on a rainy day.

Some of the wet weather activities listed below cater to children, while others appeal more to adults. But hopefully everyone should be able to find some indoor activity or attraction they like in this list.

Things To Do In Coffs Harbour When It Rains:

• Aquarium at the Marine Science Centre
• Art galleries (e.g. Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, Woolgoolga Art Gallery & many more)
• Big Banana (World of Bananas, Candy Kitchen)
• Bunker Cartoon Gallery
• Cafés and Restaurants (literally hundreds of choices)
• Coffs Harbour Butterfly House
• Cinemas (BCC Coffs Harbour, First Ave Cinema Sawtell)
• Clog Barn
• Ice Skating (at the Big Banana)
• Indoor Bowling (10-pin or 9-pin bowling)
• Indoor Kids’ Play Centres (Jungle Bungle, Tabatinga)
• Indoor Rock Climbing
• Indoor Swimming (e.g. Olympic pool, Aquatic centre)
• Markets (various/on weekends)
• Coffs Harbour Museum (currently temporarily closed)
• Pet Porpoise Pool (covered grandstand)
• Shopping (Coffs City Centre, the Promenade, Park Beach Plaza, Moonee, Woolgoolga, Sawtell, Toormina, Bellingen)
• Spa, massage or beauty treatment (dozens of options)
• Tabatinga Entertainment Centre (Balladium Ball Blaster, Glow in the Dark Mini Golf)

There are plenty of other things you can do when it’s raining in Coffs Harbour, including things to do outside despite the rain, but I have chosen to only list things to do inside for those of you who really do not like getting wet (well… don’t go to an indoor swimming pool then either!).

If you would like to suggest another indoor activity in or around Coffs Harbour that you think belongs in this list, please let me know and I’ll consider adding it.

Find out more about Coffs Coast fish and other sea creatures at the Coffs Aquarium

The Aquarium is only open on Saturday and Sunday, and daily during NSW holidays, and it makes a nice brief outing for a rainy day on the weekend. Treat yourself and have lunch or coffee at Pacific Bay Resort afterwards – it’s right there, after all.

It’s not big (don’t expect something like the Sydney Aquarium) but the NMSC Aquarium gives a good overview of the fish, coral and other sea creatures of the Coffs Coast area.

I found it quite interesting to see all the fish that live in the Solitary Islands Marine Park and we enjoyed the half-hour video presentation, but after about 75 minutes, we’d really seen and done everything and stood back outside.

If you have kids, you can spend a little longer as the Aquarium has an education room with fun games and activities for children.

What fish will you see?

The Coffs Aquarium is really like a window into the Solitary Islands Marine Park, which stretches north from Coffs Harbour. Because this is where warm tropical waters from Queensland meet cooler waters from the south, our part of the ocean has a unique mix of marine life.

You’ll see various members of Nemo‘s extended family but also the type of fish you can expect to catch locally such as mullet, bream and whiting. My favourite fish was the butterfly cod – it looked amazing!

Some extraordinary marine species live in Coffs Harbour waters!

A fun and educational video presentation starts on the hour every hour and there are several fish feeding sessions throughout the day. There’s also a guide who you can approach if you have any questions (which you may well have because not all the fish tanks display information about all the creatures you see inside it).

Essential Info

Location: The Aquarium is located at the National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour, next-door to Novotel Pacific Bay Resort – just a few minutes up the highway from the Coffs Harbour CBD.

Tickets: Entry is $10 adults, $6 children, $8 concession, $25 family (2 adults + 2 children < 16) and free entry for children under 3.

Opening hours: Every Saturday and Sunday 10am-4pm and daily during NSW school holidays.

Website/Phone: The National Marine Science Centre website has a page about the Aquarium and you can call (02) 6648 3931 with questions or to arrange a group visit.

Will we see whales today? If so, how many? And will they merely spout some spray into the air to alert us to their presence, will we see their backs glide gently out of and back into the water, will there be some tails up in the air or are they putting on a full-on breaching and tail-flapping show for us?

Watching mighty humpback whales in the ocean off Coffs Harbour

No matter how many times you’ve seen whales, because they’re so mighty and so unpredictable, every time you see one it’s exciting again. And it unites people, pointing them out to those who haven’t spotted them yet and going “oh” and “ah” and “wow” in unison.

Every year from late May, thousands of mighty humpback whales migrate north along the east coast of Australia from the cold Antarctic seas to the warm ocean waters off the Queensland coast to breed.

Along the NSW Coffs Coast, in June, July and early August you’ll see them on their way up, while from late August to early November they’ll be going back south with their calves. The whales actually tend to swim a bit closer to shore on their way back in order to protect their calves, so you may even get a closer view then.

Various tail-shots of migrating humpback whales along the Coffs Coast

Here are some excellent spots around Coffs Harbour to watch whales:

• On the water – aboard a whale-watching cruise - choose from the large ’Spirit of Coffs Harbour’ (ph. 02 6650 0155), the sailing catamaran ‘Pacific Explorer’ (ph. 02 6652 8988) or Jetty Dive’s ultra-fast ‘Wild Fin’ (ph. 02 6651 1611)
• From the top of or the viewing platform on Muttonbird Island in Coffs Harbour
• From Beacon Hill Lookout on Victoria Street, Coffs Harbour Jetty area
• From Boambee or Bonville Headlands in Sawtell
• From Macauleys Headland, between Diggers Beach and Park Beach in Coffs Harbour
• From Look At Me Now Headland in Emerald Beach
• From Woolgoolga Headland in Woolgoolga

Bring your binoculars and if you’re going on a boat, make sure you bring your camera as I guarantee you’ll want to take lots of photos or videos!

All the headlands and lookout points mentioned above have benches to sit on, or bring a rug and a picnic and park yourselves on the grass for a relaxing game of “spot the whales”.

It’s a good idea to wait for calm weather because it can be incredibly difficult if not impossible to spot whales when the sea is choppy. Have fun!

One popular cycle route is the cycle path along Hogbin Drive between Coffs Harbour and the neighbouring village of Sawtell. The cycleway is separated from the road by a nature strip so it’s a safe and relaxing ride. And Sawtell makes a fun destination.

Just the stretch along Hogbin Drive is 6km, but if you go from the centre of Coffs Harbour to the centre of Sawtell it’s 10km. That’s a distance you can easily do in one hour (i.e. going a very leisurely 10km/hr).

A tree-lined section of the Hogbin Drive cycleway, Coffs Harbour - Sawtell

We enjoy meeting up with friends early on Sunday morning at the start of Hogbin Drive and riding to Sawtell to have breakfast before making our way back.

Some sections of the route you’ll be riding in the shade of tall trees while others are more open, giving you wide views of the area.

Cycling along Hogbin Drive near the university campus in Coffs Harbour

At the end of Hogbin Drive, you turn left into Sawtell Road and follow that for about 3km until you reach the centre of Sawtell.

However, if you want to avoid some steep hills, take the following easier, flatter option: At the roundabout at the end of Hogbin Drive, continue straight onto Toormina Road. After passing Centro Toormina Shopping Centre, turn left into Minorie Drive, at the end turn right into Werambie Street and take the path that brings you to the back of the Sawtell Railway Station.

Cross the railway line, follow Hulberts Road to Sixteenth Avenue and then take any left turn off there to bring you to First Avenue, Sawtell’s main street.

Park the bicycles, have a look around the Sawtell shops or follow the inevitable coffee aromas to find a good café for breakfast, morning tea or lunch.

The outdoor café at the Sawtell Surf Club, overlooking the beach

The Sawtell Surf Club Café being my favourite destination in Sawtell, we usually end up at a table overlooking magnificent Sawtell Beach. Keep an eye out for dolphins frolicking in the ocean and, between May and November, passing humpback whales.

For the bike ride back to Coffs Harbour, you can go the same way you came, but in reverse, or try an alternative route through the streets of Sawtell back to Hogbin Drive, although you may want to have a map with you… or someone who knows the way.

Once you’ve done this fun, safe and easy bike ride, I’m sure you’ll want to do it more often. Especially with the cafés in Sawtell having such great rewards on offer for your efforts!

If the weather is good, Red Rock is the perfect destination for a relaxing day out with your special someone or the whole family.

The picturesque park by Red Rock River invites a rest, a picnic and a swim

Here are just a couple of things you can do when you’re in Red Rock:

• Swim across the crystal clear river to the sand bank, walk in the direction the tide is going, get back in and float back to the park where you entered the water. 
• Go fishing in the ocean or the river, from under a tree on the riverside or the boardwalk, or from your boat you can launch at the boat ramp (the caravan park kiosk sells bait).
• Bring a good book, a blanket and a picnic and relax under a tree in the picturesque park, or bring a ball or frisbee and play on the lawn of the riverside park.
• Launch your canoe, kayak or rubber dingy in the river and go for a paddle up through the undisturbed nature of Yuraygir National Park that starts here.
• Go for a walk along the boardwalk, you’ll see and hear lots of  birds by the waterside.
• Swim or surf in the ocean near the actual ‘Red Rock’ the village is named after.

Plus anything else you can think of that you can do in a park, on the beach, in the surf or on a river!

The near-deserted beach at Red Rock and the formation the village is named after

Just remember that there’s only the one shop/kiosk/takeaway at the Red Rock Caravan Park and no other shops, so you’ll have to bring most of what you need with you.

You’ll find it fairly quiet even though it’s a fantastic holiday destination, except for the summer school holidays when it can be pretty packed.

I guarantee it will be one of the most utterly relaxing days you’ve ever spent anywhere!

Get to Red Rock by heading north on the Pacific Highway from Coffs Harbour. It’s about 10 minutes past Woolgoolga, and signposted as a turnoff via Corindi. The trip from the Coffs CBD should take no longer than 35 minutes.

They’re called the Harbourside Markets. Not to be confused with the Jetty Markets, which are held indoors underneath the Jetty Village Shopping Centre.

The Harbourside market stalls are set up underneath the trees and the atmosphere is really laid-back. It’s the perfect way to start your Sunday.

There's a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere at the Harbourside Markets

There’s a paved walkway along the Jetty Foreshores, just behind the sand dunes, all the way from Coffs Creek to the Deep Sea Fishing Club (probably between 1 and 2km). You can park your car on many spots along the foreshores, go for a walk on the pathway, Jetty Beach or the Jetty itself, and end up at the markets.

There are usually around 40 stalls or so, selling only home-made and home-grown products and produce. From fresh veggies to cakes, plants, jewellery and arts and craft, you’ll usually find something you like, want or need. 

You can also get a massage and there’s often a jumping castle, fake tattoos and pony rides for kids. There’s music playing to add to the relaxed atmosphere and from 10.00am, musicians (different ones every week) play live music in the centre of the market ‘circle’.

We go to the Harbourside Markets nearly every week. Sometimes we bring the Sunday paper, buy a large cup of freshly brewed, organic coffee and perhaps a slice of banana bread or something, and settle down on a picnic bench in the shade just behind the market, where we can still enjoy the music.

The market stalls are set up in the shade of the trees on the Jetty Foreshores

The markets are on every Sunday from 8am to 2pm. A bit of rain doesn’t stop them, and ever since they started in September 2007, I think they’ve only been cancelled half a dozen times in all due to swamped grounds.

I really do think the Harbourside Markets are the best way to start your Sunday in Coffs!

For more information on any of these, click on the link to go to the relevant website.

Overview of the main annual Coffs Harbour events and Coffs Harbour festivals:

January:
Pittwater to Coffs (yacht race) & Festival of Sail
March’s Coffs Jetty Carnival

March:
Coffs Coast Ocean Swims

April:
Woolgoolga Curryfest
Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival

May:
Bellingen Music Festival

July:
Sawtell Chilli Festival

August:
Coffs Harbour Gold Cup Carnival (horse racing)
Bellingen Jazz & Blues Festival

September:
Toast Urunga (food & wine festival)
Coffs Harbour International Buskers & Comedy Festival

October:
Coffs Harbour International Buskers & Comedy Festival
Bellingen Global Carnival (world music & performing arts)

December:
Various Carols by Candlelight events

The Coffs Coast has great festivals and events throughout the year

Of all the festivals and events listed above, the weeklong International Buskers & Comedy Festival in Coffs Harbour in September/October is definitely the biggest and possibly the best.

The Bellingen Jazz & Blues Festival and Global Carnival are also major and extremely popular events on the Coffs Coast.

I would say any of these three events, at the very least, are definitely worth a trip to Coffs Harbour from anywhere in Australia.