About Byron Bay & Surrounds
Byron Bay is Australia’s most easterly point and the iconic capital of the region known as the Northern Rivers, Summerland and the Rainbow region due to the many rivers, warm sub tropical climate and colourful and interesting people (hippies, artists, musicians and surfers).
Byron Bay boasts some of the world’s best beaches, restaurants, bars and shops to suit all budgets. If you are looking for fun things to do in Byron Bay and surrounds there are lots of activites to choose from such as Brunswick Heads boat trips, skydiving, whale watching, byron birds and wetlands and sightseeing. Two popular places to visit are Mt Warning also known as Wollumbin, an extinct volcano that created the landscape of the area and Nimbin, a little town well known for its alternative hippy lifestyle.
Byron Bay and surrounds have a huge range of accommodation from backpacker hostels to luxury apartments, motels, farm stays and B&Bs attracting both overseas and Australian tourists from backpackers, couples, families and retirees.
Byron Bay also attracts artists, writers, musicians and other talented people and Byron shire host a variety of festivals and events to showcase these talents such as Blues Fest, the Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass, the Byron Writers Festival and Byron Bay Surf Festival held annually. Local markets are a colourful, fun place to visit and they showcase the variety of local foods and crafts with great entertainment.
Byron Bay is famous for surfing with many world class surfing contests held at its beaches. Surfing is the most popular activity for visitors to Byron and there are a number of surf schools operating to cater for beginners through to elite.
Looking for some local Aboriginal Culture: Take an authentic bush tucker walk with local indigenous guide Delta Kay.
Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Centre in South Tweed Heads is where you’ll find museum exhibits, informative videos, Aboriginal art, and you may even be lucky to see traditional dance and song on the outdoor performance area.
Brunswick Heads offers locals and visitors great places to eat, parks to relax and the beach and river for water sports and fishing. The historic Hotel Brunswick is a favourite place to eat and enjoy the river views and there are several cafes with great food. Enjoy a show, caberet or movie at the iconic Brunswick Picture House. Have a wander around the harbour where you board our Eco cruises Byron Bay & Eco Guided Kayaking Sup Tours. There are 3 Reflections Holiday Parks all with water frontage.
Not far away is the town of Mullumbimby which is one of the iconic ‘hippy’ centres in this region. Here you can soak up the atmosphere, enjoy a variety of interesting shops, eat some amazing food and meet some of the town’s characters.
The historic town of Bangalow just west of Byron Bay has many historic buildings in its main street and attracts locals and visitors to its many cafes and shops. The Bangalow markets are very popular and are held behind the town’s main street under big shady trees.
Call into any one of the visitor centres in the towns in Byron Bay, Brunswick Heads, Ballina or Lismore for great information and friendly staff who can advise you of what’s on offer and help make your stay more enjoyable.
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The best way to discover the area is to take a local eco tour with Vision Walks Eco Tours.
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You could have a look at this travel blog which lists 100 things to do in Australia and shows some activities in Byron Bay and it may give you some ideas for when you travel to other areas.