Beautiful beaches, stunning sunsets, creative, delicious, healthy food, great boutique shopping, clean air, wonderful weather and a chilled out pace of life. As you will see by the sheer size of this post, there is so much to see, do, eat, and so much fun to be had in Byron Bay! Let alone the surrounding towns and hinterland.

So, for now, I have focussed just on the Bay itself. Keep an eye out for a future blog on my tips for beyond Byron. Including Brunswick Heads, Mullumbimby, Bangalow, the hinterland and more!

If you are travelling with little people in tow see my post on Byron Bay for little people.

I am also working on getting some prints ready for sale, and being my home, I do have a lot of Byron Bay! If you are interested in this please feel free to drop me a line.

THE LIGHTHOUSE LOOP

No matter how many times I walk this loop, I never get sick of it. From early morning, until the sun sets, under sunny blue skies or moody clouds, it always guarantees stunning views, the possibility of spotting lots of Australian wildlife like wallabies, kookaburras, lizards, brush turkeys, whales and dolphins and leaves you with a feeling of calm and serenity. My favourite route walk is to start near the Beach Cafe and walk up the road until the Captain Cook Carpark. Cross the road and head up the hill at Lee Lane, then head through the forest, up the stairs and on to the lighthouse. From there head down the stairs past Wategoes Beach, up the stairs past Rays and from the carpark at The Pass, either head up through the bush to the boardwalk, or walk back along the beach.

THE BEACH CAFE

At the end of your walk grab a takeaway coffee from The Beach Cafe and rest your legs at one of the outdoor benches under the shady trees.

WHALE WATCHING

From June to October it is whale watching season in Byron Bay. A walk along any of the coastal paths will more often than not result in whale sightings, as well as the possibility of seeing dolphins and turtles. For a more up-close-and-personal encounter you can book onto a kayaking tour or boat trip. Amazing memories guaranteed!

BROKEN HEAD

Another beautiful walk, particularly at sunset, is the meander from the Broken Head Caravan Park up the walking track to the hill top view. Or continue on to the beautiful, secluded White’s Beach.

SHOPPING

There are so many great independent shops to explore in Byron Bay, with new offerings popping up all the time. Here are a few of my favourites, but one of the joys of being on holiday is taking the time to meander the streets of a new town to see what you discover. There are also lots of amazing hidden gems in the industrial estate, just out of town, do some planning before you head out there to decide where you want to go and make sure the shops you want to visit will be open.

Ahoy Trader
A one stop shop for gifts, jewellery, candles, books, fashion and amazing original artwork from owner Jai Vasicek.

Pop & Scott
A gorgeous warehouse showroom in the industrial estate features the arty pots from this design duo, along with furniture, homewares and some clothing.

Spell Designs
A local Byron Bay fashion brand with a cult following. Think boho floaty floral dresses and skirts, quality comes at a price!

Rowie the Label
Another lovely local Byron Bay brand with a bit more of a sophisticated feel. Think dresses, skirts, shirts and trousers in plain colours or subtle prints. Check out their sale racks for some great bargains!

Auguste the Label
Yet another local Byron Bay brand. Similar in style to Spell Designs, floral, floaty, boho with a slightly cheaper price tag!

St Agni
Gorgeous leather shoe shop in the industrial estate.

Hope & May
A sweet gift shop in the centre of town. Think clothing, candles, homewares in beachy, neutral vibes.

Liberty Trading Co
Another gift shop just around the corner from Ahoy Trader. Full of ceramics, clothing, prints, cards, candles and various other goodies.

Mister Zimi
The famous fashion brand now in Marvell Street. Beautiful, bold print clothing.

Nikau Store
The most gorgeous plant and ceramic shop. One of my absolute favourite shops in the area!

Pampa
Rugs, photographs, homewares all ethically made by artisans in Argentina.

Markets
If edible souvenirs are more your thing head along to the Byron Bay Farmer’s Market every Thursday morning until around 11am. Lots of fresh produce, breakfast goodies, plus locally made macadamia butters, miso, tempeh etc. Get there early!

On the first Sunday of the month you will also find the Byron Bay Community Markets in Butler Streets containing clothing, jewellery, candles, second hand books, furniture, food. There is also usually live music and lots of food options.

WHERE TO STAY

One of the great things about Byron Bay is the plethora of stylish, quality, affordable accommodation options available, with new places seeming to pop up all the time. As I have been a local here for over three years now there are a lot of new places that I have not had the pleasure of staying at, but two of the best known places that I have been lucky enough to experience for myself are listed below.

THE ATLANTIC
The Atlantic is a character-filled property in the centre of town consisting of four original Byron Bay cottages that have been converted into holiday accommodation. We loved the convenience of the location, being able to walk everywhere, and feeling like you were living like a local. The property has lots of lovely communal spaces for reading books, enjoying a drink and relaxing.

THE BYRON AT BYRON
A gorgeous resort on the way out of town towards Lennox Head. It is about ten minutes drive into central Byron so useful to have a car to get around. The Byron at Byron is set in beautiful bushland and feels a million miles away but is an easy walk to Tallows Beach. A great pool, lovely restaurant and day spa and cocktails at sunset make this the sort of place you breathe a sigh of relief and decide you never want to leave. A great splurge for a special occasion.

AIR BNB (OUR PLACE!)
When we are not in town we love to share our place with visitors to the area. If you’d like to stay in our little rainforest retreat we’d love to hear from you! We are always open to hearing about house swapping opportunities too!

HITTING THE BEACHES

We are really spoilt for choice for great beaches in Byron Bay … and beyond (but I will leave those for another time). You really can take your pic depending on where you are staying, what you like in a beach etc. These two are my definite favourites and great for for families.

WATEGOES BEACH
A stunning stretch of sea and sand at the bottom of the lighthouse walk. One of my favourite places in the Bay. There are toilets, showers and barbecue facilities plus you can find a little piece of shade if you are lucky on the grassy hill in front of the barbecues or under the pandanus trees. Coffee is available from a cart outside Ray’s at Wategoes. This beach is particularly beautiful at sunset.

THE PASS
Another fabulous option. The Pass is a great option if you have kids with you as it is an easy walk from the carpark to the beach. There is shade under the pandus trees (watch out for the cheeky brush turkeys who love stealing picnics!). There are rock pools for exploring, gentle waves for jumping and a cafe selling ice-cream, coffee as well as full meals. Picnic facilities, toilet and showers are also available.

YOGA

I am quite a yoga snob, and very fussy about my yoga classes and teachers, so I was over the moon when Creature Yoga opened in Byron Bay. They are located in a beautiful, breezy studio in the industrial estate and if you can get to a class with one of the founders Bess or Tahl I highly recommend it. They are very different teachers but both amazing. You will sweat, stretch, breathe, learn and leave feeling a beautiful inner peace that only comes from a great yoga class. The classes are very busy so I recommend arriving in plenty of time to secure a spot … and don’t forget a towel. Yoga-ing in humid climates can be very sweaty work!

MASSAGE

Byron is also a great place to experience a luxury massage. I can recommend the services at the Byron at Byron, Elements Resort and Gaia Resort & Spa for a splurge. There is also a new salon opened in the industrial estate called Comma and whilst I have not had the pleasure of visiting it is getting great reviews. If you get along let me know what you think!

SUNSET BUSKING SESSIONS

Just in front of the Beach Hotel most nights you can pull up a piece of grass and enjoy quality music from visiting buskers, or join in a drum circle. A very relaxed and fun way to end a Byron Day. If you fancy a picnic dinner fish and chips are available from the nearby Fish Heads.

EATING OUT

There are so many options for eating out in the Bay that it can be overwhelming. The quality of tasty, healthy, creative, inventive food here is second to nowhere in my opinion! Here are a few ideas to start with, but really feel free to take a wander and see what takes your fancy! Let me know if you find a little gem that is not listed here.

Targa
Great for a date night. Tasty Italian dishes in a chilled out atmosphere. Also serving breakfast and lunch.

St Elmo
One of my favourites. This is another great place for a quiet, cosy date night or a fun dinner with friends. The atmosphere is dark and sophisticated, the cocktails and wine worth the splurge and the tapas food delicious. Plenty of options if you are vegetarian like me!

The Mez Club
Fairly new on the Byron scene. A little slice of the Greek Islands. Think delicious Mediterranean food and drinks in a breezy, all white interior. Great for lunch or dinner. Again, lots of great vegetarian options.

Beach Hotel
Standard pub fair, but you can’t beat the location if you are looking for alfresco dining and drinking right on the beach front. There is also a little boat out in the garden perfect for entertaining the little ones.

Bayleaf
Probably my favourite breakfast spot! There are so many delicious options to choose from, all very inventive and not your standard breakfast fair. You can’t go past the Scrambled Special! Always busy but it never takes too long to get a table. Worth the wait!

Light Years
A fab new offering to Byron Bay. Fresh, inventive, delicious modern Vietnamese food with plenty of vegetarian options. Great for sharing with a group of friends. The music is great and the vibe relaxed. Oh, and they have cocktails!

The Farm
From the Three Blue Ducks team in Sydney comes The Farm. Now a Byron Bay institution that always seems to be heaving with people. And with good reason. You can eat in at the restaurant, grab a takeaway coffee and sensational pastry to eat inside or picnic in the gardens. This is a great spot for kids with animals to visit, wide open spaces and a playground. Don’t miss out on grabbing a loaf of bread from the onsite Bread Social, hands down the best sourdough I have ever eaten! And if it’s Easter time their hot cross buns are something else! Did I mention the almond croissants?!

The Italian Byron Bay
One of the fanciest options in town, tucked in right next to the Beach Hotel. Contemporary Italian food in a grown up setting.

Balcony Bar & Oyster Co
I haven’t visited since the new chef and menu arrived, but on closer investigation, I think it is time I head back there! Brunch, lunch, dinner, cocktails, wine, special events and views over Byron town centre and the hills. What’s not to love?

Bolt Hole
Cocktails, beer, wine, whisky and hinterland and sunset views. This place is sadly still on my list of places to visit (hello motherhood!) but I have heard it is a goody!

Topshop
The perfect, relaxed spot to pop in after a trip to the beach or completing the lighthouse walk. Lots of canteen style options, breakfast burgers, smoothies, açai bowls, fresh pastries, salads, great coffee. Pull up a pew inside or take a seat on the grass outside. Shoes are most definitely optional here and sand and salt expected!

Folk
Just out of town, behind the caravan park on the way to Ewingsdale this cute little cafe has lots of inventive offerings for breakfast and lunch. A totally vegetarian menu, but meat eaters should also be happy here!

Combi
Smoothies galore, raw sweets and treats, plenty of vegan options. This colourful and friendly spot is a great place to indulge and still feel light and healthy.