Have travelled quite extensively but Ballina was absolutely amazing, calm,relaxing,friendly just a top place to wind down and enjoy living. Wold definitely recommend for family's holiday.food amazing shopping a breeze and people are helpful friendly and kind. Top top top notch accommodation at South Ballina Beach resort. Will be back soon.

From our hotel it was easy walking distance to a supermarket and shops and it was all flat - no hills. The RSL was a slightly longer walk but very pleasant on the board walk. The Ramada's restaurant was still undergoing restoration after the floods so we look forward to trying it on our next visit.

Homeless at the front door and shopping trolleys full of soaked belongings. A parade of bogans loitering around the hotel street and lawns. A perfect view of a river system dotted with pelicans and dolphins, seemingly trained to appear as the guest arrives. A very very busy town centre with a Main Street way past its use by date, impatient drivers rivalling the hectic streets of Rome or Beijing, trying to avoid the many elderly on their motorised scooters. A WIDE variety of every food and drink you could search for with an incredibly high standard of cleanliness at each cafe and bakery and eatery. Several thrift shops, boutiques and clothing stores catering for most if not all budgets and tastes. Unsafe for cycling in the sense that many European cities opt for with vehicle of choice mainly being oversized gas guzzling 4WD s. A tapestry of humans from many walks, a bouquet of widely sourced characters to fill River Street and a pace of somewhat crazed rush just prior to Christmas. The entire location can be enveloped in mist, a moment later sunshine followed by an afternoon storm, to a traveller, the most perfect combination of sea and river breezes with the warmth of a temperate day and no humidity. Casting aside or happy to accept the redneck hicks and drugged out locals that represent a minor percentage of those encounter, the town thrives on a balance of visiting Australian holiday makers and a sprinkling of mainly European and South American tourists. No swarms of Asians like Pitt Street mall or tribes of Ethiopians drifting along Todd Mall. Seemly untouched by the suffocating First Nation retoric, there is an acceptable streamlined understanding of accepting all as they come.

Ballina is one of our favourite short stay locations-2 hours from home. Great town with amenities. Beaches, the river stretching along the main street, whales and dolphins can be viewed from cliffs just outside town, friendly people and great golf course with excellent Asian restaurant. We have also holidayed here in the past-highly recommended!

Very close to Beautiful beach Unfortunately we couldn’t swim To many Stringers From Blue Bottles ect & Super windy 🌬️ weather Comfortable Cabin But I thought I was Booked into a lamping Room (Tent )

This is the second time we have been to Ballina. There are other beaches etc nearby e.g. Byron Bay. There is also a short drive to the mountains and Lismore and Kyogle. Also you can take short drives into cane fields and the farming districts around. Ballina lacks for nothing in regards to accommodation options and places to eat as well as shopping centers. Also there is the Richmond River with the fishing fleet etc to enjoy.