The Ultimate Guide to Exploring the Tweed by Rail Trail
Lonely Planet named the Tweed one of its Best in Travel 2027 destinations. Here is how to experience it slowly, locally and on two wheels.
When Lonely Planet recently named the Tweed among its top places to visit, most locals had the same reaction. “It’s about time.”
We’ve known for years that this corner of Australia punches well above its weight. World-class beaches, award-winning dining, charming villages, ancient rainforest, winding rivers and the dramatic backdrop of Wollumbin somehow all exist within a remarkably small patch of country. But while most destination guides will tell you where to find the best beach or waterfall, they don’t always tell you how to truly experience a place. That’s where the Northern Rivers Rail Trail comes in. While some destinations are best explored through a windscreen, the Tweed isn’t one of them.
The best parts happen in between the coffee stop and the long lunch. Between the gallery and the village pub. Between the lookout and the boutique hotel. And that’s exactly what Rail Trails do best. They slow you down just enough to notice everything you’ve been driving past.
Jump straight to your ideal Tweed weekend:
Family Adventure
Girls’ Weekend
Romantic Escape
Murwillumbah
Food Lovers
The rise of slow adventure
Around the world, cycle tourism is booming. Travellers are increasingly looking for experiences that feel more authentic, more sustainable and more connected to the places they’re visiting. They’re swapping packed itineraries for meaningful experiences. Less ticking off attractions. More discovering places by accident. The Northern Rivers Rail Trail is perfectly positioned for this new style of travel.
Ride five kilometres. Stop for coffee. Ride another ten. Take a detour into a gallery. Stay longer than planned over lunch. Meet locals. Discover a village you didn’t know existed. That’s not time lost. That’s the experience.
Thanks Lonely Planet, but don’t miss the good stuff
The beaches are spectacular, and the waterfalls deserve every bit of their reputation. But here’s the stuff that tends to become the highlight of the trip. The unexpectedly brilliant meal. The tiny village café. The gallery you almost skipped. The country pub that turns into dinner. The bike ride that ends three hours later because you kept stopping. The places the brochures don’t always talk about. Let’s start there.
A Region Built For Food Lovers
For a relatively small region, the Tweed’s dining scene borders on ridiculous. At one end of the scale is Pipit, the acclaimed Pottsville restaurant led by chef Ben Devlin that has become one of Australia’s most respected regional dining experiences. Then there’s Bistro Livi. Small. Modest. Hard to get a booking. And recently named NSW Regional Restaurant of the Year. It’s the kind of place people plan entire weekends around.
For something equally memorable, head to Apex Dining at the Tweed Regional Gallery, where exceptional food is matched by extraordinary views across the caldera towards Wollumbin. And if you’re after something more casual, you’ll eat exceptionally well almost everywhere you stop.
Coffee from Keiths. A meal at the Imperial Hotel. Fresh pasta from Pasta’Bah. Legendary quiche and juices from Platform Café.
Then there’s Cubby Bakehouse. Let’s just say there’s a reason people happily queue out the door. Whether you’re grabbing pastries for a family adventure, stocking up before a day on the Rail Trail, or simply searching for an excuse to order “just one more thing”, Cubby has become a destination in its own right. Consider it an essential Tweed experience. Arrive early. You’re not the only one who got the memo.
You’re going to want stretchy pants.
The creative soul of the Tweed
One of the biggest surprises for first-time visitors is just how creative this region is. The Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre rivals galleries in much larger cities and offers an intimate glimpse into the life and home of one of Australia’s most celebrated artists.
Nearby, M-Arts Precinct has transformed a former industrial site into a vibrant creative hub filled with artists, makers, workshops and events. And right in the heart of Murwillumbah sits The Regent, the beautifully restored historic cinema that has quickly become one of the town’s most loved gathering places. The Tweed doesn’t just have culture. It lives and breathes it.
The villages you’ll fall for
Every Rail Trail rider seems to have a favourite village. Ask ten people and you’ll get ten different answers. Uki wins plenty of fans with its relaxed atmosphere and Bastion Lane Espresso housed inside the old post office. Mooball remains gloriously committed to its cow obsession, complete with cow-print telegraph poles and letterboxes. Burringbar has quietly become one of the region’s coolest food and wine destinations, attracting a steady stream of locals, creatives and serious food lovers. They’re the sort of places where an intended twenty-minute stop somehow becomes half a day.
Murwillumbah: The Town You’ll Wish You’d Left More Time For
Many visitors arrive expecting a convenient Rail Trail starting point. What they discover is one of the most interesting regional towns in Australia. Spend an afternoon wandering the Art Deco streetscape, grab a famous chocolate milkshake from Austral Café, browse the shelves at Slow Books, pick up a sketchbook at The Artist Apothecary or hunt for treasures in one of the town’s many vintage and thrift stores.
Add in M-Arts Precinct, The Regent, the Tweed Regional Museum and more cafés than you’d expect to find in a town of its size, and suddenly that quick stopover becomes an overnight stay. Or, as many visitors discover, a recurring weekend habit. It’s the sort of place that rewards curiosity, where turning down the next side street often becomes the highlight of the day.
Three things nobody tells you about the Tweed
Every destination has its secrets. Here are a few we’ve noticed.
- One bakery stop somehow turns into three.
- Murwillumbah deserves far more than a quick look.
- The Rail Trail is usually the reason people visit, but it’s the discoveries along the way that keep bringing them back.
A few things locals know
- The best Rail Trail rides almost always take longer than planned.
- If you see a bakery queue, join it.
- Nobody comes home with fewer shopping bags than they arrived with.
- You can spend all day in Murwillumbah without stepping into a car.
- One Rail Trail trip is rarely enough.
- The answer to “should we stay one more night?” is almost always yes.
The Tweed is ready for two wheels
The best part? You don’t even need to bring your own bike. Bike hire operators, e-bikes and shuttle services make exploring easy, while many accommodation providers now offer secure bike storage and rider-friendly facilities. Bikes are becoming just as common as surfboards in hotel storage rooms. The region has recognised what travellers everywhere are discovering.
Some places are simply better explored slowly. And perhaps that’s why the Rail Trail and the Tweed are such a perfect match. Lonely Planet may have helped put the spotlight on the region, but once you’re here, it’s the coffee stops, long lunches, tiny villages, gallery visits, unexpected conversations and kilometres of trail between them that you’ll remember most.
Which traveller are you?
To save you the planning, we’ve done it for you.
Planning a family adventure? A girls’ weekend? A romantic escape? Here’s exactly how we’d spend three days in the Tweed.
Family Adventure Itinerary
Perfect for energetic kids, tired parents and families who think the best holidays happen outdoors.
Stay
Base yourself at Hosanna Farmstay, where you can choose from cabins, camping, bring your campervan, or gather another family and book the entire homestead for the ultimate group getaway.
Day 1: Bikes, glow worms and waterslides
Start the morning slowly at Hosanna Farmstay. Feed the animals, wander the property and soak up the fresh country air before setting off for the first Rail Trail adventure. No bike? No problem. One of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail’s bike hire operators can deliver bikes straight to your cabin door, making it easy to hit the trail without bringing your own gear.
Head south along the Rail Trail through rolling farmland towards Burringbar and Mooball. This is also your chance to experience one of the trail’s most iconic attractions, the Burringbar Range Tunnel, where glow worms twinkle overhead and microbats call the tunnel home.
Once you’re through the tunnel, stop at local favourites such as Station 22 Café for a coffee, snack or well-earned second breakfast. Keep rolling until you reach Tweed Valley Whey, where the cheese is made on-site and the ice cream is reason enough to visit all by itself. If you’re travelling with kids, expect requests for seconds.
From there, continue to Mooball, where cow-print telegraph poles, letterboxes and buildings provide plenty of photo opportunities. Settle in for lunch at the iconic Mooball Pub, then cool off with a dip in the pool before cruising back towards Hosanna.
Back at base camp for campfire cooking, marshmallows and one of those rare moments when everyone actually puts their devices away.
Day 2: Coast mode activated
Start the day at Cubby Bakehouse, joining the queue of locals and visitors chasing what may well be some of the best pastries in the Northern Rivers. Stock up on coffee, croissants and enough baked goods to keep everyone happy for the morning.
Then head to Tropical Fruit World, where kids can discover exotic fruits, meet farm animals and explore one of the region’s most unique attractions.
From there, make your way to Jack Evans Boat Harbour and let the kids loose in one of the best waterfront precincts in the region.
Visit Goorimahbah Place of Stories, enjoy some beach time and finish the day with the most important family holiday tradition of all: Ice cream. As much as reasonably possible.
Before heading back to base, consider making one more stop at Bread Social and Rob Roy Deli & Drinks to stock up on supplies, fresh bread and treats for later. Future campfire-you will be grateful.
Day 3: Murwillumbah, museums and waterslides
After breakfast, jump on the Rail Trail and head north towards Murwillumbah. This section showcases a very different side of the Tweed, winding through picturesque farmland, alongside creek crossings and through lush countryside beneath the dramatic backdrop of Wollumbin. It’s an easy-going ride with plenty of opportunities to stop, take photos and enjoy the scenery.
By lunchtime you’ll have earned a feed. Murwillumbah has no shortage of options, whether you’re chasing burgers, bakeries or pub classics. The Imperial Hotel is a great all-rounder and sure to satisfy even the fussiest family members.
The afternoon is where opinions divide.
Some families will head straight to the Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre, home to what might just be Australia’s greatest old-school waterslide. It’s fast, slightly terrifying and guaranteed to have kids begging for “one more go”.
Others will opt for the Tweed Regional Museum, where local stories, hands-on displays and fascinating local history help bring the region to life.
If you’ve still got energy to burn, spend some time exploring Murwillumbah’s beautiful Art Deco streets, browse a few shops, grab a milkshake from the Austral Café or hunt down an afternoon treat before heading back to Hosanna.
It’s the perfect final day. Relaxed, easy to tackle and full of classic family holiday moments that don’t require screens, schedules or much planning at all.
Girls’ Weekend Itinerary
Equal parts Rail Trail, long lunches, shopping and “we should do this every year”.
Stay
Base yourselves at Halcyon House, where beachside luxury, impeccable service and a world-class pool create the perfect setting for a weekend with your best friends. Order a cocktail, switch off your notifications and settle into holiday mode.
Day 1: Arrive and unwind
Check into Halcyon House and immediately slip into holiday mode. Spend the afternoon by the pool, order a cocktail, wander the beach at sunset and remind yourselves why girls’ weekends should happen more often. Dinner can be as fancy or relaxed as you like. You’re in the Tweed. It’s hard to make a bad choice. If you don’t feel like going far the in-house restaurant Paper Daisy has you covered.
Day 2: Ride, browse and indulge
Start with a leisurely breakfast before hiring e-bikes and heading to the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.
This isn’t a race. Stop for coffee. Stop for photos. Stop because someone spotted a cute shop. Stop because someone else needs a snack. Ride through villages, tackle the tunnel and make your way into Murwillumbah.
Browse Slow Books, discover treasures at The Artist Apothecary, duck into boutique stores and galleries, and somehow acquire things you definitely didn’t intend on buying. This is the sort of afternoon where nobody checks the time and everyone leaves carrying at least one thing they didn’t plan to buy.
Take a detour inland to explore Uki and Burringbar, two villages that perfectly capture the slower pace and creative spirit of the Tweed.
That evening, dress up and head to Bistro Livi. The wine is excellent, the food is exceptional and there’s a reason people travel across the state for a table.
Day 3: One last treat
Set the alarm early because this one’s worth it. Meet the crew at Watersports Guru and greet the day from the water. Whether it’s stand-up paddleboarding, snorkelling or scuba diving, there’s something pretty special about experiencing the Tweed coastline at sunrise.
After your morning adventure, head back to Halcyon House.
Order breakfast. Book into the bathhouse. Slip into a robe. Forget what day it is.
Somewhere between the spa and the drive home, someone will inevitably ask, “Same time next year?”
Romantic Escape Itinerary
For couples who prefer experiences over souvenirs.
Stay
Whether it’s the luxury of Halcyon House, the tranquillity of Selah Valley Estate, a cosy cabin, hinterland retreat or one of the many Rail Trail-friendly accommodation providers closer to the route, the Tweed offers plenty of places to turn a day trip into an unforgettable escape. The hardest decision might be choosing where to stay.
Looking to truly switch off? For couples seeking a deeper connection to nature, consider extending your stay at Ecoasis or La Rochér Eco Retreat. Nestled amongst the Tweed’s lush hinterland, these nature-based retreats offer the chance to slow down, unplug and immerse yourself in your surroundings. Ecoasis also offers experiences such as tea ceremonies and Qi Gong, perfect for those looking to leave the world behind for a few days. It’s slow travel in its purest form, and a reminder that some of the most memorable holidays aren’t about doing more, but doing less.
Day 1: Check in and slow down
Check in and switch your phone to silent.
Spend the afternoon exploring your accommodation before heading to Pipit for lunch, one of Australia’s most celebrated regional dining experiences.
As the afternoon drifts into evening, make your way to Tweed Eco Cruises and watch the river come alive as the sun goes down. It’s hard to imagine a more relaxing introduction to the region.
Finish with sunset drinks and a slow evening together.
Day 2: The best kind of itinerary
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before setting out on the Rail Trail. The beauty of travelling by bike is that the itinerary writes itself. See a café you like? Stop. Spot a gallery? Wander in. Find a village that looks interesting? Stay awhile. Spend the day exploring at your own pace.
As the afternoon drifts into evening, head to Husk Farm Distillery. Nestled amongst the sugar cane fields, it’s the kind of place where you intended to stop for a quick drink and somehow find yourself settling in for sunset. Order a cocktail, soak up the views and stay a little longer for dessert as the afternoon melts into evening. Nobody has ever regretted missing their original departure time from Husk.
Round out the night with a film at The Regent, one of Australia’s most beautifully restored regional cinemas.
Day 3: One last wander
There’s no need to rush. Spend the morning exploring Murwillumbah, grabbing a coffee and wandering through the town’s collection of independent shops, galleries and cafés.
Before heading home, make your way to the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, one of the region’s most celebrated cultural attractions. Wander through the gallery’s rotating exhibitions, step inside the recreated home studio of Margaret Olley, and take your time soaking up the creativity and stories that have shaped the Tweed.
When you’re ready, settle in for lunch at Apex Dining, where floor-to-ceiling views stretch across the caldera towards Wollumbin. Order something delicious, linger over dessert and make the most of your final afternoon in the Tweed.
Then do what almost every visitor ends up doing. Start planning your next trip before you’ve even left.
One Last Thing
The beaches might be why you book the trip. The waterfalls might fill your camera roll. The Rail Trail might be what brought you here. But it’s the long lunches, village discoveries, gallery visits, impromptu detours and kilometres of Rail Trail in between that will have you opening the group chat before you’ve even unpacked:
“Who’s up for the Tweed next year?”