Out of all the stops along our road-trip Byron Bay was one of my absolute favourites. The surfer hotspot and vacation destination for so many Australians is not really a secret tip anymore, but even my high expectations of Byron Bay were surpassed by this gem. If I could I had spend an entire week here or even two, it truly is the perfect spot for a vacation: beautiful beaches, amazing cafés and restaurants and famous for its great surf, if that is something you are capable of. 

Where to Stay

What to do

Byron Bay is very much an outdoor place. There are so many walks you could do and obviously Byron is famous among surfers, so if you were looking to do a surf lesson while you are in Australia, you might as well do it here.

There is a gorgeous coastal walk up to the iconic Byron Bay lighthouse as well as the most Western point of Australia. The views along this walk are absolutely gorgeous, with steep cliffs and lush greenery. There is a loop going from Main Beach to the lighthouse via Fisherman´s lookout, which forms a circuit bringing you all the way back into town. It is quite steep in places, but generally the street is even and quite nice to walk on. Some people run up to the lighthouse, but some people are also insane so what can you say. You get rewarded with very, very nice scenic views and you can also visit the lighthouse with a local guide.

Main Beach is obviously hugely popular for anybody visiting Byron and the water here looks amazing. But since we stayed right on Tallow Beach I may be a little biased. I really enjoyed being here and it was much quieter here. 

One of the supposed highlights of our time in Byron Bay was kayaking with dolphins. There is a morning and an afternoon tour starting right at Main Beach and there is a dolphin guarantee meaning if you don´t see some, you can come back and do the tour until you see some. I actually would recommend going in the morning and then have the option to go back int he afternoon. We sadly did it our last afternoon and were not able to go back and try again. The guides were really really nice, we got coffee and TimTams on the beach and it was still a fun day out, but I am still bummed we did not see dolphins. 

Also I loved shopping in Byron, there were so many adorable shops with great choices and that is coming from someone, who would rather spend 15 hours online shopping than one hour in an actual shop. In general the vibe in Byron is amazing. It is so pretty and so relaxed, people go out for a surf and then have coffee and brunch in town and then spend the day at the beach - absolute #goals if you ask me.

Where to Eat

Mainstreet Burgers makes - surprise surprise - a mean burger. They have loads of choices, really good deals and great local ales. Absolutely perfect after two hours of kayaking and major disappointment after not seeing dolphins.

Combi is an adorable café with great brunch options. It also has perfect Instagram backgrounds and we all know that is just as important as the food in a good café. Another coffee and brunch option: Byron Fresh. Obviously a little more on the healthier side as the name suggests.

The Mez Club is amazing for drinks and little snacks, but is a little more upscale so perfect for a date night or girl´s night out.