BYRON BAY GETAWAY GUIDE
EATING
Italian at The Pacific, Beach Hotel
We long for the days this used to be the Pacific but in saying that the boys from The Italian have done a great job filling big shoes. With its ‘greatest hits’ Italian fare, top drawer cocktails and snappy service you’ll be back for more.
Raes at Wategos
Is there a better place to go for lunch on a lovely day? No! Amazing spot, wonderful seafood, great wine list, enough said. New and improved Raes will be opening late 2012.
Harvest Café, Newrybar
A must. Perfect for a long lunch if it doesn’t feel like a beach day and dinner has a different menu regarded by many a foodie as the best in the area. Only a 15 minute drive from Byron. Go.
Targa
This place does an amazing breakfast and is very reliable for lunch and dinner. It’s Italian all the way.
Top Shop
Really consistent and super busy old school burger joint at the top of the hill. Real burgers, real milkshakes, real fish n chips (with the best tartare sauce), and good vibes all around.
Town, Bangalow
Get out of town, and go to town on the town (so meta), for a fine dining experience at this charming top notch restaurant. order the 5 course degustation menu with matching wines and you’ll want to tell everyone about this joint.
Orgasmic
Right behind the beachie in the alleyway is the best felafel pockets in town, fresh out the fryer with all the pickled extras, it get’s no better that these.
Fishmongers
In the same alley as Orgasmic, Fishmongers is well seasoned in the F&C’s game.
Byron Bay Pies
If you consider yourself a pie deviant, you will have two choices; Byron Gourmet Pies and Humble Pie Company. I highly suggest you try both, as both are pretty incredible in different ways. You may never eat another servo pie again (not that they’re even in the same bracket). You can get the Byron Bay pies at the corner store and the Humble Pies at the factory in Billinudgel. Also, across the road from the Corner Shop is the 23 hour bakery, which as you can guess is open 23 hours a day for all your boozy food moods.
Mac’s Takeaways
This little take-away/corner store will cure your hangover ails with a burger or anything that tickles your fancy. Good little local secret spot.
Outside of Byron Bay:
Brunswick Heads Fish Co-op
Easily the best fish and chips in the shire, and totally worth the 15 minute drive to Brunswick Heads. Pull up a bit of wharf next to the fishing trawlers and dig in. Priceless moments.
Yami’s Felafel and Vegetarian Restaurant
Also in Brunswick Heads, Yami’s serves up a killer pocket roll of felafels and israeli breakfast and lunch good times.
DRINKING
The Beach Hotel
You’ll find most of the locals here slamming schooners like beer is a new and exiting thing, tons of bands and great live acts are always on display. You’ll probably spend a lot of time here.
La La Land
Get a cocktail and get trashy, you will see most DJ acts roll through on most nights.
The Rails
Grab a quiet beer and watch some bands or some rogue poetry at the Railway Friendly Bar, a former railway station. Lots of kooky characters.
The Great Northern
There is no shortage of awesome old pubs with live bands, and the northern is the original.
The Balcony
Perfect for that cocktail and a meal overlooking the bustling streets of Byron Bay, great people watching.
Buddha Bar
Located in the piggery on the way to Skinners Shoot, amongst the backpackers and the cinema, this is where debauchery can occur quite frequently.
Woody’s Surf Shack
Woody’s nightclub can also get very loose, with DJ’s and live acts playing consistently, it’s a place for beers and getting a bit trashy.
Byron Bay Brewery
Hit the pride and joy of Byron Shire’s brewery delights, try the whole range of IPA’s, pales and assorted brews.
SLEEPING
Mr & Mrs Smith Hotels
Our concierge partner Mr & Mrs Smith have an amazing range of hotels at their disposal, especially around the Byron Bay area. Back in April we test drove The Villas of Byron Bay and we were thoroughly impressed!
Byron on Byron
A stunning hotel with some amazing packages, big money but worth it.
Beach Hotel
As close as you can be to both the action town and the serenity of the beach. Drinks at the Beachie followed by a girl’s stone throw away from your room.
Beach Suites
Also, extremely close to town and main beach, grab yourself some ocean frontage and chill right out.
Raes at Wategos
Tucked around the headlands, in it’s own little beach cove, you have Rae’s. Pristine and beautiful, it’s one of Byron’s best.
East on Byron
On the quiet side of town in Belongil, it’s a 15 min walk to town and has a range of penthouse’s, villas and apartments.
It’s also wise, even for a couple of days is to book a house, apartment or villa from the local real estate agents:
Ray White
LJ Hooker
Professionals
Elders
First National
Also Stayz.com.au has a range of private and holiday rentals.
For more: Byron Bay Hotels
THINGS TO DO
Hang-gliding at the lighthouse
Skydiving
Splendour in The Grass
Blues and Roots Festival
Sunrise and sunset Horseback Riding
Julian Rocks scuba diving
Byron Shire Markets
AQUA
Suffolk Park
Great for surfing with it’s changing sandbanks. For the medium-advanced swimmers only when things get a bit rough.
Bundjalung Tea Tree Lake
The tea tree lake might put off some people, as you have to walk into an inlet that turns into some amazing copper brown coloured water and is a bit slimey on the feet. But ignore that and wade into the knee deep water and walk yourself into the deep end and lay end to end in and around the healing properties of tea-tree infused water. This place is kind of magical, it’s known at the “Women’s Lake” and was used by Aboriginal women for giving birth, so you know it’s a bit sacred.
The Pass
A well renowned surf break for locals and a tourists alike, it gets very busy. Swimmers can enjoy a dip quite easily.
Main Beach
Most famously, Main Beach attracts the big crowds, great for all ages and levels of swimmers and surfers.
Wategoes
Just amazingly serene, it’s like swimming in paradise. You must swim here at least once.
The Wreck
Left of Main Beach beyond the rocks is the famous wreck, check out the local talent shred up some frothy ones or get involved yourself.
King’s Beach (White’s Beach)
If you’re up for the minor trek, this is the most amazing cove beach you’ll find in the Byron Shire. It’s a drive and a walk down from the beautiful forest into another world. It is a well known gay friendly nudist beach so also be prepared get butt naked, and feel liberated with your surroundings.
Brunswick Heads, Torikina, Main Beach & North Wall
Some great little beaches and swimming inlets are in this area, if you haven’t been to Brunswick Heads, you really need to check it out. It’s like Byron Bay 20 years ago without the crowds.
Lennox Heads
Well renowned for it’s sweeping surf swells, Lennox Heads is a quiet little town with a few cafes and bakeries. It has some fantastic beaches in and around the area.
