Romantic Getaways: Kingscliff, NSW

Kingscliff is one of Australia’s most popular beach holiday destinations, and an ideal spot for a romantic getaway, for a variety of reasons. Tucked away in the stunning Tweed, part of the Northern Rivers region on the far NSW North Coast, this naturally blessed area combines beautiful beaches with great seafood, and a lineup of leisure activities to choose from from including walking, and fine dining to all manner of watersports. Kingscliff is very much a chilled seaside town, just a short drive south of the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta, and around 50 minutes north of Byron Bay. It’s unspoiled beach stretches from the town south to Cudgen Headland in the south, and north to Dreamtime Beach at Fingal Head, providing world-class beach breaks for board riders, along with kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and snorkelling. Not to mention a bounty of romantic sunset beach walks. So what should be on your hit list when visiting?

Stay Somewhere Fabulous

Kingscliff has much to offer for couples seeking a romantic, short break, including some stylish places hang your hat. One is Peppers Salt Resort & Spa, Kingscliff, boasting an idyllic beachfront location while also being close to the village for convenience, and making evening exploration even in winter possible. The resort also has an impressive range of accommodations and options to suit couples, including hotel rooms and suites, some with private plunge pools, some with romantic spa baths, and all enjoying a modern design and fully equipped for short or long stays. Add to that a line up of on-site facilities including a high end restaurant, Season, the Spa At Salt, grass tennis courts, bike hire and a lagoon style pool and you’ve really no need to leave.

Read our full review of Peppers Salt Resort & Spa here.

Go For Lunch And Gourmet Coffee

If you venture out for a walk or to enjoy the beach during the day, put lunch, or at least a coffee stop on your list. There are many great places to choose from dotted along Marine Parade in Kingscliff, but a couple to put on your list include Choux Box, Mockingbird, and just one street back, in the Woolworths Shopping Centre is Red Monkey. If you venture on a longer walk or a bike ride to Cabarita Beach there are also plenty of places to take a rest stop and enjoy a meal. Try the Caba Bakehouse, Cafe Mod Barista, for beach views head to Cabarita Beach Surf Club and if fresh fish and chips is your fancy, head for the Stunned Mullet. 

Go For A Walk - Or A Bike Ride

It takes about 40 minutes to walk from Salt Beach to Kingscliff one of two ways; either on the sand, or by way of the path running parallel to the beach. The boardwalk around Cudgen creek is a lovely spot to stop and savour the views, and is also great for romantic sunset photos with Mt Warning rising in the distance. Another nice local walk is the path up to Fingal Lighthouse. You can park your car at the end of Lighthouse Road, and enjoy an easy walk along the sand tracks and up to the lighthouse. From the top you can see some unique basalt rock formations, also the Giants Causeway, where waves are trapped by the basalt formations sending seawater exploding into the air. If you prefer to go biking, you can enjoy the pathway that extends all the way from the Northern end of Kingscliff, south past Casuarina and into Cabarita Beach.

Hit The Beach

Kingscliff is a popular hangout for sun-lovers, walkers, surfers, and anyone who enjoys fishing. The beaches in the local area are not only stunning but and far less crowded than those further north. If you’re looking for surf, the best surf break is a right hander which starts on the northern side of Cudgen Creek stretching down to in front of the bowls club. There are also a number of reef breaks for experienced board riders on South Beach and off the Creek Mouth, with others including both sides of Fingal headland, and Cabarita Headland.  

Best Of The Rest

If you are keen to really relax, why not head to Spa At Salt for a massage? This luxury day spa is located next door to the five star Peppers Salt Resort & Spa, offering an extensive menu of indulgent treatments including couples connection packages and half day complete harmony treatments. It also has his and hers change rooms, a spacious Tranquility Lounge and Aveda Comfort tea blend. There is a small art-house theatre, Cinemax Cinema, right on the beachfront at Marine Parade which is worth a look if the weather is inclement with a great cafe, and a cheap Tuesday offer. If you plan to visit during whale watching season, Kingscliff is a highly regarded spot from which to spot gigantic humpbacks on their annual pilgrimage along the NSW coast, with easy access to the southern Gold Coast and a number of local tours to choose from. When it comes to colourful local markets, there are a number of terrific ones which operate on different weekend days during the month including Brunswick Heads on the first Saturday of the month, the Murwillumbah Cottage Market on the first Sunday of the month, the Banora Point Farmers Market on the second second Saturday of the month, and Kingscliff Markets near the Bowls Club on the second Sunday of the month Banora). And finally, the The Northern Rivers is on your doorstep if you want to export further and are staying longer.

For some great ideas on what to see and do read click on the links below to parts one and two of our special feature.

https://www.ultimatetravelmagazine.com/the-rivers-of-life-exploring-the-northern-rivers-part-one/

https://www.ultimatetravelmagazine.com/the-rivers-of-life-exploring-the-northern-rivers-part-two/