Welcome to Byron Bay, Australia’s most iconic lifestyle destinations. You really are spoilt for choice, whether you’re into surfing, swimming, shopping, chilling down at the beach or indulging in local produce. There’s no better place for an amazing beach holiday than here. If you’re wondering how to spend 3 days in Byron Bay, this blog will tell you how to do it!
Byron Bay region is known for its spectacular beaches, fashionable shopping, award-winning restaurants and vibrant community spirit. The town has come along way from its alternative culture, easygoing surfers and hippies. Still just as beautiful but a bit more refined, attracting barefoot backpackers to Hollywood celebrities. Byron Bay has always remained a destination for everyone.
How to get to Byron Bay?
Byron Bay is located on the far north coast of New South Wales. The closest airport is the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport which is a 30 minute drive south of Byron. The other airport is the Gold Coast airport which is about a 1-1.5 hour drive.
Where to stay in Byron Bay?
For our 3 days in Byron Bay we stayed at Glen Villa Resort which is a traditional Byron Bay Caravan Park and Camping Ground. We stayed in one of their 1 bedroom cabins which was perfect for our short stay.
Staying a little bit out of town at this ‘hideaway resort’ gave us the peace and quiet we wanted all while being only a 350 metre walk to the centre and 500 metres from Main Beach.
Day 1 : Get to know Byron Bay and check out the most Easterly point of Australia’s mainland.
As soon as you arrive in Byron its hard not to want to soak in the laid back atmosphere. Find a parking spot, walk around and see what all the hype is about.
You can satisfy all your shopping needs along Lawson, Jonson and Fletcher street. Around every corner there are boutiques, fashionable finds and all the high end boho fashion you can think of.
Whether you love fancy cocktails, Mediterranean tapas, fresh seafood, Mexican eats or plant based treats, there is something to satisfy all taste buds. You simply won’t have enough room in your belly for all the delicious food you can eat over 3 days in Byron Bay.
Visit Australia’s most easterly point!
Byron Bays classic Cape Byron Walk from main beach is a pretty magical trail. The 3.7 kilometre loop walking track takes you through lush rainforests and quiet beaches with amazing cliff top views.
Walk all the way up to the Cape Byron lighthouse for spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and Byron Bay beaches. The active heritage-listed lighthouse was built at the turn of the 19th century to protect ships passing along the coast. It stands resolute on the most easterly point of the Australian mainland. Operated by resident keepers until 1989, its now automated light is visible from Byron Bay township.
Day 2: Go Kayaking and explore Byron Bays famous beaches
There’s no better way to experience the clear blue waters of Byron Bay than being on the water in a kayak. GoSeaKayak Byron Bay offer guided tours through out the day from main beach. We spent just over 2 hours kayaking on the stunning waters of Cape Bay Marine Park. We watched a pod of dolphins swim past and enjoyed learning about the local history, aboriginal culture and marine biology of Byron Bay. GoSea Kayak Byron Bay also guarantees that if you don’t see a Dolphin, Turtle, or Whale you can paddle again with them for again but for free.
This tour really is a fun way to see Byron Bay from a different perspective and tours start from $79 AUD per person. Click here to book your fun kayak tour.
Explore some of Byrons Beautiful Beaches.
You haven’t done Byron Bay properly if you haven’t visited its world class beaches and surf breaks. The list of amazing beaches is endless so here’s a few of our favourites.
Wategos beach
Probably one of the most popular beaches in Byron Bay. Wategos is a calm, sheltered beach with a relaxed vibe, great facilities and offers friendly waves suitable for learner surfers. For sunset head up to Raes on Wategos. There you can enjoy a cocktail with in an idyllic beachfront setting. Raes on Wategos is a boutique retreat with unique surroundings, visit for either the hotel, restaurant or day spa.
The Pass
Located at the very end of Clarkes Beach towards the Fisherman’s Lookout, The Pass is one of Byron Bay’s surfing hot spots. When conditions are perfect surfers can expect to ride waves for hundreds of metres.
Climb up the wooden stairs to the Fisherman’s Lookout, which offers lovely views of The Pass, Clarkes Beach and Main Beach.
Main Beach
Byron Bay’s iconic Main Beach is conveniently situated directly in front of the town’s centre. Main Beach from the main car park, to Clarkes Beach and then further east toThe Pass.
With a large grassy area it is a popular venue with excellent facilities such as picnic tables, barbecues, toilet blocks and playgrounds. Main beach is suitable for swimming with often only mild waves and is where we went kayaking with GoSea kayaking.
Day 3: Try SUP’n and visit Byron Bays waterfall.
We all love the lively atmosphere of Byron Bay but what if I told you there was a tour where you could unplug and unwind all while being a fun, easy and low-impact tour? Well that is exactly what Byron Stand Up paddle is all about. Their stand up paddle tours take you down the peaceful Brunswick River which is part of the Cape Byron Marine Park.
Ricky is the owner and tour guide and has a vast knowledge of the area. For nearly 2 hours we paddled up the calm Brunswick River, learning all about the landscape and wildlife. We were spoilt with spectacular views of Mount Chincogan and were taken through mangroves and down secluded rivers. We highly recommend this tour if you want to experience something different that ticks all the boxes. Oh and afterwards we were provided with delicious home made bread, dips and nibbles.
Winning Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Best of the best award this is one you definitely have to add to your 3 days in Byron Bay itinerary. Book your Byron SUP tour here.
Cool off at Killen Falls
You have spent the morning immersed in nature so why stop now? On the way back to Byron Bay stop in at Killen Falls. The viewing platform is a 660 metre return walk and the base of the falls is a 1km return walk from the car park area.
With access to behind the waterfall and a large watering hole to swim in, Killen falls is a great place to cool down. Just be careful when climbing on the rocks and when swimming, as it is quite shallow is some areas.
If you have enough time in the afternoon you can also choose to drive an extra 25 minutes to the blue Bexhill Quarry. Apparently there has been a number of tests and it is safe to swim there.
Best places to eat in Byron Bay?
I did say you were spoilt for choice here in Byron Bay and food is no exception. With so many amazing cafes its hard to eat at them all in just 3 days so here are a few of our food recommendations.
Brunch
Bayleaf Cafe is located right in town and is one of the most recommended for Brunch. For Breakfast I ordered the black rice pudding which was really really nice. The coffee is amazing!!!
We were told to eat at Byron Fresh Cafe but unfortunately we ran out of time. We did grab a take away coffee and it was so so good. There food is meant to be really good!
Byron General Store is just a short drive out of town but is definitely worth visiting. All thier food is vegetarian and I tell you what, The Truffle Mushroom is a must have!
I could eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at all these amazing cafes!
Dinner
For delicious wood fired pizza look no further than TreeHouse. Located across from Belongil Beach and set in amongst the palms, it really is a beautiful place to have any meal. The Portobello Road pizza was my fav!
Chihuahua is a cute little hidden Mexican stand in the tucked away Feros Arcade. They have a special for 2 tacos for $15 and is a really cool place if you want a quick meal that won’t break the bank.
If you want something bit more fancy The Loft serves up delicious cocktails and food.
Supernatural was our favourite for french inspired, Byron style tapas and delicious organic wine.
We would have loved to spend more time in Byron Bay, it’s one of those places you never want to leave. This 3 day itinerary makes the most out of your short time in Byron. From the sea to boutiques shops and all the food stops, our 3 days in Byron Bay guide has you covered.
Want to read more about road trips in Australia? Check out our Best places to visit in South Australia guide, Western Australia South West road trip guide or if you love fun-filled, off-road adventures then you will love our 2 week Kimberley Road trip itinerary.
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