Byron Bay family-friendly travel guide

Byron Bay is lucky to have pretty fab weather most of the year, but there’s no doubt that to get the most out of the beach life, you’ll want to skip a winter visit.

Although, if beaches aren’t really your thing, then you’ll get much better prices on just about everything outside of peak season. 

December to February, with average high temperatures of 27 degrees Celsius and rain 10 days/month.

March to May, with average high temperatures of around 23 degrees Celsius and rain 10 days/month.

June to August, with average high temperatures of around 19 degrees Celsius and rain about eight days a month.

September to November, with average high temperatures of 23 degrees Celsius and rainfall about seven days a month.

There are three airports within a two-hour drive of Byron Bay: 

• Ballina Airport is served by Virgin Blue, Regional Express and Jetstar. Various shuttle buses will get you to Byron Bay in around 35 minutes.
• Gold Coast Airport is on the border of NSW/QLD, around 40 minutes from Byron Bay. Several airlines service this airport, including over 30 flights a day from Sydney. You can catch a shuttle bus from here to Byron Bay.
• Brisbane International and Domestic Airport is about two hours from Byron Bay, and is serviced by all domestic and most international carriers. There are direct shuttles from here to Byron Bay.

If you’re travelling by car, Byron Bay is six kilometres off the Pacific Highway. If you’re heading south, you’ll see the turn off on your left about 40 minutes past the Queensland/New South Wales border. Heading north, take the same turnoff, or you can follow the coast road up from Ballina to stop through Lennox Head, Broken Head and Suffolk Park along the way.

Byron Bay is approximately a two-hour drive from Brisbane and a eight-hour drive from Sydney.

Byron Bay is serviced by buses, or you can hire a car if you’d prefer. You can find bus route information here, or explore car rental options here. 

Byron Bay is foodie heaven. Especially for vegetarian or vegan family members.

The city centre is filled with quirky cafes, restaurants and family-friendly pubs.

Venture further afield and you’ll find The Farm. As its name suggests it’s a working farm where you can get up close with animals, and also enjoy locally sourced and grown produce.

Visit during school holidays to take part in one of its workshops where kids can become mini farmers and learn about how to care for farm animals, forage for food, cook and create natural products.

Directly opposite main beach you’ll find Beach Hotel Byron Bay, whose casual outdoor dining setup overlooks the water making for an amazing sunset view. Although offering lots of classic hearty pub meals, they also embrace the Byron lifestyle of healthy options and locally sourced produce, sure to please everybody.

The Byron Community Market is held on the first Sunday of every month and showcases Byron’s intrinsic authenticity and lively culture.

Supporting local businesses and talent, enjoy live music as you meander through an array of stalls selling artisan-made products, holistic services, quality imports, and of course, delicious food.

Throughout town, a whole range of surf shops, quirky crystal shops and good ol’ hippie knick knacks are abundant. You could easily spend hours trawling through Byron’s fashion world, and the trendy locals will certainly be offering a lot of inspiration.

Tipping is appreciated, but not expected in Australia.

Whatever goes in Byron. Just make sure you pack hats, sunscreen and sunglasses. And maybe a few of those extra colourful clothes you’re not usually brave enough to wear at home.

Mains voltage in Australia is 230V AC, 50Hz. Use a two-pin (shaped like a “V”) or three-pin adaptor (different to British three-pin adaptors).

No special immunisations or vaccinations are required to visit Australia unless you have come from, or have visited, a yellow fever infected country within six days of your arrival. However, regulations and medical advice can change at short notice, so check with your doctor and the Australian Department of Health before you leave home.

Tap water is generally safe to drink in Australian cities.

By and large, Byron Bay is considered a safe destination, although still exercise regular safety precautions as you would at home.

Be sure to stay vigilant around the beaches, not only with sunscreen but also watching your kids while they’re in the water. Educate your little ones about rips, and remember that lifeguards are doing their best to watch everybody, but the beaches can be extremely crowded and you should never consider them your child’s babysitter!

A must-visit is the Cape Byron Lighthouse, standing on the most easterly point of mainland Australia.

The views are amazing in all directions, so take your camera along, as well as booking in for the full tour which includes a visit to the maritime museum on site.

This is a hidden gem of Byron Bay, a little pocket-sized beach at the very northern end of Tallow Beach which makes for a super cute picture without the crowds.

A bonus is that the headland will protect you from those northerly winds.

Even the Main Street of Byron is Insta-worthy, filled with colourful shopfronts oozing boho chic.

Keep your camera at hand all through town for those adorable pictures of the unique culture you can’t find anywhere but Byron.