Rainy days in Byron Bay

We were lucky enough to get cheap flights up to the bohemian bounty of Byron Bay for a long weekend recently. I was so excited to get out of the cold and wet of Melbourne’s murky winter and into some sunshine in the supposedly tropical north. Plus I had never been to Byron!

But it was raining....

Looking out to Tallows beach

It always sucks when the weather doesn’t play ball when you’re supposed to be on holiday. But it happens and all you can do is carry on and enjoy what you can do. So I give you my guide to a rainy mini break in Byron Bay:

1. Massage - this city is a mecca for those who are health and wellness aficionados. Make sure you dabble in at least one wellbeing activity while you are there. I suggest a massage, but yoga, pilates and even crossfit are all indoor options there. We also went to one of the many crystal stores and bought some stones that were relevant to us. Although not normal crystal buying folks, it was amazing to see how many stones were available and the meanings and intentions behind them.

Brunch at Combi

2. Brunch - We were incredibly lucky to have an AirBnB host that had some great breakfast place ideas for us to sample. Our favourites were Combi and Espresso head (make sure you have the smashed peas). But there are so many places to go, many with a great view of the beach. Infact for such a small township, there were a surprisingly large ratio of restaurants. There were also quite a number burger and pizza joints (maybe that’s to even out all the wellness?)

Rainy day walk to the lighthouse

3. Lighthouse - Yes, it’s raining, but can you even say you have been to Byron if you haven’t gone to the lighthouse? (tip: if you have a car, just drive to the end and walk the 100 metres to check out the most eastern part of mainland australia). We came prepared and had rain coats on hand, but if you don’t, nearly every man and his dog sell rain ponchos in town. So grab one of those and you’ll be set. The walk itself is complete with fantastic views and many stairs (regardless of which way you go) so enjoy the jungle feel.

4. Hinterland - For this activity you are gonna need a car or a tour bus. Getting out to the hinterland of Byron is beautiful. Even when it was basically flooding like when we went. We headed out to Killen Falls (which was overflowing so much we couldn’t even complete the walk), to Newrybar to see the Macadamia and Coffee Farms then to Ewingsdale for a quick bite to eat at The Farm Byron Bay. The Hinterland is a great mix of farmland and rainforest and you will probably find yourself forgetting that the glorious beach is only 20 minutes away.

Young surfer catching a wave

5. Surfing / Kayaking - It doesn't matter if it's pouring down with rain when you are in the sea. The ironic thing about this option is that we booked a kayaking tour for our weekend away (I love kayaking) and it was cancelled - not because of the rain, but the bloody wind! We ended up spending some time watching the surfers and there was even a comp on.

Byron Bay is a summer mecca for bronzed gods and goddesses, but there is still so much to do when it's raining and cold. Although most would recommend going in the summer months, if you want to skip the crowds and still have an enjoyable 'summer-like' experience, Byron is still the most famous place to go in Australia.

Stayed: Air BnB
Ate: So many places - Il Buco, Miss Margarita, and Byron Bay Brewery
Coffeed: Espresso Head, TopShop, Beach Byron Bay and Combi

Until next (rainy) adventure,
Sxx