A Family Friendly Guide to Byron Bay
Byron Bay; Cheer Up, Slow Down, Chill Out is the sign as you enter and it's a great slogan as it does indeed describe the vibe!
Known for its stunning beaches, palm trees, sunshine and healthy living vibes, Byron Bay is on most tourists bucket list with good reason.
O.B. Designs was founded amongst this beautiful slice of paradise and we thought we'd give you the Family Friendly guide to Byron so when you next visit, you're all over the local tips!
GETTING TO & AROUND BYRON
Ballina Airport - A small, regional airport located around 20 mins south of Byron. Not as many flight times as Gold Coast and more expensive to fly in and out of.
Gold Coast Airport - More frequent and affordable flights from anywhere in Australia and only 45 mins north of Byron.
Shuttle Buses run from both airports and drop you in the centre of Byron town or you can hire a car (recommended with kids so you can visit beyond just Byron town).
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
Summer - Dec, Jan and Feb are humid and hot (perfect beach weather) but it's quite crowded and busy.
Autumn - March and April are still really warm and not as humid (a great time to come)
Winter - Cold and crispy mornings and nights lead to sunny warm days. Not as busy and cheaper accomodation and less crowded in general.
Spring - Starting to warm up again and not as busy but delightful!
ACCOMMODATION
Airbnb: Lots of options here but it can get super $$ at key holiday times (like January Holidays, Schoolies, Blues & Roots Festival and Splendour in the Grass.)
Captain Cook Cabins; In the heart of Byron tucked behind the Lighthouse walk and ON the beach. Walking distance to everything. No car needed!
Elements of Byron: A splurge for sure but a great family friendly luxury resort moments from Belongil Beach and walking distance to Habitat and close to an IGA supermarket. A bicycle ride into Byron town or a short drive if you've hired a car.
FOOD
There is an abundance of cafes, restaurants and take away options for families on all budgets in the region. But be warned, you need to reset your clocks if visiting from the cities in Australia; alot of cafe's shut around 1:30-2:30pm so eat lunch at 11ish for ease. Most places are all about the early family dinner from 5ish so you're all set there. But some of the towns outside of Byron are pretty quiet after 7pm, so plan your dinners in advance.
It's always great to grab a picnic mat, buy some takeaway in town and eat on the main beach near the playground and listen to the buskers singing and watch the sunset for ultimate byron views and vibes followed by gelato!
MARKETS
The great thing about Byron is there is ALWAYS a market on... Great for live music, fresh food, local produce, local home-made goods and getting into the Byron lifestyle...
Tuesdays - Farmers Market in South Golden Beach (10 min drive north of Byron town)
Thursdays - Farmers Market in Byron at Dennings Park (in town)
Fridays - Mullumbimby Farmers Market - Around 15 min drive north of Byron town)
Saturdays - Bangalow Farmers Market - Around 10 mins drive west of Byron town in the hinterland
Rotating markets each weekend (Lismore Car Boot, The Channon, Bangalow Flea Market, Byron Market in town, Lennox Heads Markets, Brunswick Heads Markets).
MUST VISITS WITH KIDS
The Farm - Located in Ewingsdale, the Farm has a great playground for kids, a cafe and the infamous Three Blue Ducks restaurant, paddocks with farm animals for the kids to interact with and just generally is well worth the visit and is always busy! Lots of parking or a 10-15 min bicycle ride out of town.
Crystal Castle - Around 20 mins west of Byron is a magical crystal theme park where you can stand between two of the tallest crystals on earth, sit in an ancient amethyst cave or wander through the tranquil Shambhala Gardens and rainforest.
Brunswick Head Fairy Trail - Funded by the community, follow the clues of the fairy trail around the beautiful river town of Brunswick Heads. Quirky, fun and interactive, this trail will delight little imaginations! Brunswick Heads is around a 10 min drive north of Byron.
Currumbin Wild Life Sanctuary - Around 45 mins north of Byron just below the Gold Coast border is this little pocket of family fun. A great day out.
Killen Falls - Just 25 mins South West of Byron is this incredible waterfall with viewing platform in Tintenbar. It's a 660m return walk and well worth the view and effort!
Lighthouse Walk - Well worth the effort to do this stroll up to the Lighthouse for spectacular views of Byron and beyond including whale and dolphin watching! Little kids will find the whole walk a bit much, so best to do sections of it or drive up to the lighthouse and look at the view. Senior primary age kids and above will find it easy.
BEST BEACHES WITH KIDS
The Pass - Known for its incredible surf and waves, The Pass is around half way on the Lighthouse walk. It's got a great shallow section for kids who love to build sandcastles, frolic in the waves or test out their boogie boarding skills on shallow waves.
Wategos - A favourite for its spectacular views both of the beach and the exclusive views into the small but incredible beach houses overlooking this little pocket of paradise. Parking is a challenge so get there early!
Torakina - Located in Brunswick Heads, this beach is super family friendly with shallow waves for the kids and lots of rocks to jump off plus it's super close to the toilets and town. Around a 10 min drive north of Byron Bay.
There's so much more to Byron than just the town itself; so we do recommend hiring a car to get around and about for some day trips into the Hinterland around Byron; particularly Mullumbimby, Bangalow, Lennox Heads and Brunswick Heads. Enjoy!
We feel so grateful to live in this beautiful part of the world. You might even recognise some of the beaches from our past photo shoots!