From the epic surf breaks of Nelson Bay to the bohemian heart of Byron Bay, Ingenia Holidays has North Coast holiday parks scattered throughout the New South Wales coastline. Surrounded by unique sights and attractions, our parks offer easy access to the best-hidden gems on the North Coast. So, when Ingenia Holidays approached us with the idea of a family road trip up the New South Wales coastline in a fancy new Ingenia Holidays-branded Hyundai Tucson while staying at some of the very best holiday parks around, we jumped at the chance.
One Mile Beach
First, up was Ingenia Holidays One Mile Beach. About 35-minutes’ drive from Newcastle Airport, or 1 hour from Newcastle town centre and just under 3 hours from Sydney, all we could think was “why haven’t we been here before?!”
This is arguably one of the best holiday park locations around. All we had to do was stroll over the dunes from our luxury beachfront cabin and we found ourselves on a picturesque stretch of sand that felt a million miles away from anywhere.
The experience honestly evoked that freeing, uplifting feeling of remote, natural escapism that so many of us are chasing – but the reality is that it‘s actually only an 8-minute drive from Nelson Bay where all the supermarkets, takeaways and posh restaurants you might want are located.
This place is a parent’s dream! A huge stretch of sand for the kids to run around, build sandcastles and just be kids, while the holiday park itself has wonderful bright murals, playgrounds, a lagoon-style pool with a waterslide, mini-golf, jumping pillow, pet birds that talk, tennis and basketball courts, and pedal carts. Seriously, if the kids claim to be “bored” here there is something amiss!
That’s not to mention all of the other nearby attractions – the biggest drawcard for us being a sandboarding adventure tour to the Stockton Sand Dunes which has been on our “travel adventure wish list” for a few years now.
South West Rocks
Next up, we headed 3.5 hours north to South West Rocks, with a pit-stop at the picturesque Smoky Cape Lighthouse, which was just 10 minutes from our accommodation for the night at Ingenia Holidays South West Rocks. Built-in 1891, we’d recommend having a look around the impressive heritage site which boasts stunning views.
On arrival at Ingenia Holidays South West Rocks, we were immediately taken by the laid-back feel of this pet-friendly holiday park. It’s location right on the banks of the scenic tidal way of Back Creek means you can easily wander your way into town, passing the iconic Back Creek Bridge as you walk around to the stunning Horseshoe Bay where there is a huge beachfront playground near the Surf Club that includes two flying foxes (a big winner with the kids).
The creek front location of our luxury cabin also meant we could watch the pelicans swim past from the comfort of our balcony as the kids played on the expansive lawn, and we even watched our neighbours walk only a short few metres from their cabins to throw a line in. Being a keen fisherman, our son thought that was simply the best!
However, you don’t need to leave Ingenia Holidays South West Rocks in search of fun, as there is a heated pool with impressive waterslide, pedal carts of varying sizes, and a large inflatable jumping cushion all onsite.
Byron Bay
Our final destination was Ingenia Holidays Byron Bay. The newest addition to the Ingenia Holiday’s group, the park is surrounded by bushland and located on beautiful Tallow Beach, in between Byron Bay and Broken Head.
Byron Bay is roughly a 4.5-hour drive north from South West Rocks, but there are numerous beautiful beaches to stop at along the way, not to mention the iconic Big Banana at Coffs Harbour. However, our pick for a quick pit-stop would be Look At Me Now Headland, just north of Coffs Harbour, where you’re able to get up close to Eastern Grey Kangaroos as they laze on the headland.
There is a beautiful palm-lined pool, basketball and beach volleyball courts, a big playground suitable for a range of ages, and direct access to Tallow Beach. There are also bicycles available to hire on-site, which are a great way to get around and explore the area.
Another highlight would be that we woke up in the morning to discover a friendly local kookaburra warming up in the sunshine on our patio railing. That was a pretty special, pinch-yourself moment.
The standout for any teen or skater child will undoubtedly be the thrill of discovering Ingenia Holidays Byron Bay has its own moveable skate ramps that can be adjusted for maximum thrills.
There is also a great little café, Get Trucked, on-site that serves up delicious breakfasts and has a woodfired pizza oven on site. Personally, we’d recommend the Truckers Breakfast which was delicious, huge, and great value for money.
Ready to book accommodation for your next family adventure? Find somewhere to rest your head at Ingenia Holidays.
Written by guest blogger Gemma Westacott Blair from Our Coast Life.
Photo credit: Clinton Blair from Our Coast Life
Explore our parks
