Ultimate Guide to Byron Bay
Long before I decided to start a travel blog, I knew I needed to write about what to do in Byron Bay, NSW. Some people think this town has become overpriced and overrun by tourists, whilst others (like myself) still find a certain magic to the place, and keep getting called back to it.
Aside from the fact I keep planning Byron trips (partly to show friends around who’ve never been), my Byron Bay photo album stands at 831 strong images, which is indicative of the fact that I’ve not only been to Byron Bay a good few times, but that I have an inability to delete images off my camera roll. I know a thing or two about where to eat, drink stay and play here.
Here’s my comprehensive guide to everything worth seeing and doing in Byron Bay, NSW.
Beautiful Wategos beach
GETTING THERE
Located approximately 765 kilometres from Sydney’s CBD, Byron is about a nine hour drive (which in reality is more like twelve hours with traffic and food stops), or a 50 minute flight, plus a 30 minute drive into town from Ballina airport.
Having both flown in and driven up several times, I would always recommend a road trip over flying if you can, to save yourself the hassle of not having checked baggage etc.
Driving also means you can stop in at a few nearby towns and places along the way (see below), and you’ll have a car to get around town.
ON THE WAY
Unless you’re planning to drive overnight to get there faster, I recommend spreading your journey across two days so that you can explore some nearby towns. Some cool spots to stop in at along the way:
• Newcastle or Port Stephens: both areas have beaches aplenty and lovely spots to have a waterfront lunch at.
• Seal Rocks and the Myall Lakes are are both gorgeous, so lunch and a quick swim here would be beaut too.
• Port Macquarie, South West Rocks and Crescent Head: I’m so sorry for lumping all these towns together, but if I didn’t do so and skip over a few, we’d be here till Christmas just going through coastal towns worth driving into along the way.
L-R: View from the Pass; the famous stairs to the Pass; Tallow beach at sunset
Normally these posts are in the order of eat, drink, stay and play, but let’s start with the must-see and do activities in Byron town.
PLAY
Buckle up because there’s a lot of (not so) hidden gems in this section.
Being a coastal town, the beaches are a good place to start. Main Beach is well, the main beach, right in the heart of the town. Good for: free live music in summer, gorgeous sunsets in winter, and max tropical vibes with your takeaway food and beers.
Tallow beach is less crowded, and is one of my favourite beaches of all time. The beach stretches for miles, and depending on the time of year, you’ll have it to yourself.
Wategos is another gorgeous beach that’s a short drive from the main strip. There’s also headland walk here, with some amazing vantage points of the ocean. Good for: surfing, marvelling in the natural beauty that is the sparkly turquoise water of the Bay.
Cape Byron Lighthouse — the most easterly point in Australia!
Other nature must-see’s include Cape Byron Lighthouse — the most easterly point of Australia, a great hike and arguably the nicest lighthouse in the state with sweeping views of the coast.
The Pass also boasts great ocean views — it’s actually a set of stairs to a lookout only accessible during low tide off Main beach (nobody told me this wasn’t a ‘place’! It took three attempts on different days to get the tide times right and actually see it).
The Farm in Ewingsdale (13 min drive) is another must-visit. A farm complete with pigs, horses, highland cows, and of course, the famous sunflower field (above). The on-site restaurant, Three Blue Ducks, is all about that farm-to-table dining experience, serving up the goods. Come for brunch or lunch, walk around until you find the sunflower field, pat some horsies and grab a takeaway pastry for the road.
If the weather isn’t allowing for outdoor activities, time for a spot of shopping. The main strip (Jonson St) is lined with cute and kitsch shops. Check out Spell boutique, Kivari, and Arnhem. Like everything in this town, they’re extremely aesthetic and beautifully furnished.
Spell & The Gypsy Collective - possibly the most aesthetic boho store ever
Crystal shops and tarot culture are also big in these parts, and even if you’re not into that, these lil’ shops are fun to take a look in.
L-R: Boutique shopping; iconic General Store umbrella's; crystals aplenty.
Lennox Head is another nearby area worth seeing. As is Bexhill Quarry, known for its bright aqua blue water. It’s been ruled unsafe to swim in but that hasn’t stopped Instagram tourists from getting in.
EAT
Brunch should always be the first order of business when you arrive.
Having repeatedly visited, I’ve found that some of the raved-about hotspots I’d eaten at before had regressed — the food was worse, and the same menu items had gotten smaller in size but remained the same price.
L-R: Roadhouse brekkie; overpriced smashed avo; Byron Fresh brunch.
Cafes:
• Byron General Store: closer to the Suffolk Park side of town, this cafe sits on what used to be the local general store (hence the name) and is the one with the cute vintage umbrellas out front. Good for: vegans & passing time (great local magazines).
• Bayleaf: sadly this is the one where the dukkah eggs had gotten smaller but remained the same price within a year. There was also a 20 minute wait for brunch on a rainy Monday in off-peak season, so they’re popular and they know it.
• Combi: only go here if you’ve got a hankering for açai that can’t be satisfied elsewhere. They have an “avocado surcharge” during Splendour festival season, (no other cafe in the area does such a thing — there was no avocado shortage, and there was also no repeat visit to Combi for us).
• Byron Fresh: the portions here were generous and the food was delicious. Get the pesto eggs if they still have ‘em.
• Roadhouse: loads of rustic charm and a nice outdoor seating area.
L-R: Octopus at The Farm; margs at Miss Marg's; lamb shank at Mez Club.
Restaurants:
• Miss Margarita: I’m reluctant to list this one, as the dining experience I had in 2018 was awesome, but in 2020, not so much. There’s also a 30+ minute wait (they don’t take bookings and there will be a wait even if you arrive at 5pm on a rainy weekday). It’s tex mex with good drinks and good vibes, but defs overpriced with average food.
• Balcony Bar: fresh seafood, pub-style meals and happy hour from 4-6pm. Also great views from the balcony.
• Mez Club: yummy Mediterranean-inspired share plates and decor, and nice cocktails.
• Three Blue Ducks: this is the restaurant within The Farm. The food here is farm-to-table and SO damn good.
There’s also great casual dining (the Thai and Japanese joints are great), and nothing beats takeaway fish and chips or a burger on the beach at sunset.
DRINK
You can visit Stone & Wood Brewery for a tasting paddle but please beware that they are no longer independent & Australian owned.
Balcony Bar, Loft, Mez Club, Light Years, Casa Luna and The Northern (the local pub) will all quench your thirst but I recommend grabbing some takeaways and enjoying a sundowner bevvy on the beach.
Please note the local ALDI does not have a liquor section attached. The bottle-o to go to is on Lawson Street.
STAY
Jonson Street is the main strip where you’ll find motels, hostels and hotels, but most of the more affordable Airbnb’s are located in the suburb of Suffolk Park, which is a 5-10 minute drive away (or 25 min walk)
Byron is not a cheap holiday destination to stay at — unless you’re staying at a hostel/motel. For context, a 1 bed private studio outside of town in off-peak season was $600AUD for 3 nights (*pre pandemic). This place was one of the cheaper ones available, pictured above.
The Byron Motor Lodge Motel is great if you’re on a budget and want to be near the main strip.
If price is no objective, you’ll want to stay at Rae’s on Wategos, the Atlantic, or the Bower. All gorgeous and very boujiee.
PLEASE NOTE:
Byron Bay is home for the local population of 9000+. Yes, there are lots of tourists, backpackers and celebs who own local real estate, but if you aren’t a fan of the overpriced brunch and long queues, neither are they. Be respectful of the local community. And for the record, yes, locals can spot us blow-ins a mile away, no matter how many Lack of Colour hats we own lol.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
If you have 5 days in Byron Bay, here's what I would do:
DAY ONE
• First stop is the pre check-in brunch. General Store or Roadhouse if you're staying closer to Suffolk Park; Bayleaf or Byron Fresh if you're in main town.
• Swing by Main Beach for a quick peek/some sun rays and a geez along the main strip of shops.
• Check-in to your accom, get into swimmers and beeline for the beaches.
• Sunset drinkies and takeaway dins on the beach if the weather allows. Tallows if you're staying in Suffolk; main if you're in town.
DAY TWO
• Lighthouse walk, followed by a hearty post-exercise brunch.
• Get into swimmers and head to the beach.
• Check out The Pass at low tide (usually afternoon)
• Happy hour drinks @ Balcony Bar (4-6pm), followed by dinner at either Mez Club, Loft, or one of the joints along Jonson St.
DAY THREE
• Head to Wategos for the walk and watch the surfers catchin’ waves.
• Lunch @ Rae's (bring a change of nicer clothes). Alternatively, a picnic on the sand will do just fine too.
• Spend the arvo checking out nearby Lennox Head/Bexhill Quarry/main strip shops.
DAY FOUR
• Brunch @ The Farm. Go early if it's the weekend. Spend rest of the morning exploring The Farm and its animals.
• Arvo coffee at Top Shop/General Store/Byron Corner Store.
• Final dinner! Mez club if you haven’t already been at this point.
DAY FIVE
• Farewell Byron with one last overpriced brunch.
• Stop in at any of the aforementioned spots on your drive home should you desire.