Morning 
See the sunrise on the Walgun Cape Byron walking track to Cape Byron Lighthouse.

Breakfast 
Cheap eats at The Pass Cafe, with breakfast and coffee under $20. If it’s a Thursday, browse the Byron Farmers Market and grab breakfast there.

Mid-morning 
Free animal feeding session at The Farm Byron Bay.

Afternoon 
Swim at Wategos Beach, then ride the Byron Solar Train out to North Beach and back. If it’s a Saturday in summer, check out the Byron Twilight Market.

Evening 
Catch the sunset at Main Beach.

Absolutely! Byron Bay is known for glamorous resorts, but many of its best experiences cost little or nothing at all.

• Walk the free Walgun Cape Byron walking track out to the lighthouse, one of the most iconic things to do in town
• Explore Mount Jerusalem, Nightcap and Arakwal national parks for free (Border Ranges National Park charges a vehicle entry fee of $8 per day)
• Watch the free daily animal feeding sessions at The Farm Byron Bay
• Browse the region's markets, all free to enter
• Ride the Byron Solar Train for a few dollars each way
• Stay affordably at hostels like Wake Up! Byron Bay, or camp at budget-friendly spots like Flat Rock Tent Park

• Yes – every market in and around Byron Bay is free to enter, you only pay for what you buy. See the full list in our market guide.
  • Byron Farmers Market, Thursdays in town
  • Bangalow Farmers Market, Saturday mornings
  • Bangalow Market, the fourth Sunday of every month
  • Byron Community Market, the first Sunday of every month at Main Beach

Byron Bay has plenty to keep kids entertained without spending much at all.

• Free daily animal feeding sessions at The Farm Byron Bay
• An easy family walk along the Walgun Cape Byron walking track to the lighthouse
• A swim and play at Main Beach, which is patrolled in summer and has a playground right on the sand
• A ride on the Byron Solar Train between town and North Beach
• Cooling off at Killen Falls, an easy 330-metre walk to a rainforest swimming hole

Walking to Cape Byron Lighthouse is free, though there are a couple of costs worth knowing about before you go.

• The Walgun Cape Byron walking track to the lighthouse is free to walk at any time and admiring the lighthouse itself from the grounds costs nothing
• If you'd rather drive, a parking fee of $10 per vehicle per hour applies at the lighthouse precinct car park
• Going inside the lighthouse tower requires a paid guided tour, which starts at $250 for a group of up to 10 people

You don't need to book a cruise to spot whales – Byron's coastline is one of the best land-based whale watching spots during migration season, which runs from May to November with the peak months being July to September. Here’s where to go:

• Cape Byron Lighthouse and the surrounding headland reserve, the most easterly point of mainland Australia
• Main Beach and Wategos Beach, both good vantage points on a clear day
• Pat Morton Lookout and Rocky Point at nearby Lennox Head

For more information on timing and sightings, read our whale watching guide.

Plenty of walks in and around Byron Bay can be done in under an hour, with no bushwalking experience required:

• Victoria Park Boardwalk – 400m loop, Grade 1, 15-30 minutes
• Killen Falls – 20-30 minutes return to the lookout
• Lennox Head Boardwalk – 1.4km, 30 minutes one way
• Three Sisters Walking Track – 1.6km return, Grade 2, 30-45 minutes
• Pinnacle Walk – 600m return, Grade 2, 30-45 minutes

For sweeping coastal views, head to:

• Walgun Cape Byron Walking Track – clifftop views around the most easterly point of mainland Australia
• Three Sisters Walking Track – coastal views over Kings Beach from Broken Head
• Lennox Head Boardwalk up to Pat Morton Lookout – views over Seven Mile Beach

The cooler months (roughly May to November) bring the humpback migration past the coast, and many walks double as excellent whale-watching spots:

• Walgun Cape Byron Walking Track and Cape Byron Lighthouse – Byron's premier whale-watching vantage point
• Three Sisters Walking Track – the Broken Head headland lookout
• Lennox Head Boardwalk to Pat Morton Lookout
• See our full guide to whale watching in Byron Bay for the best times to go and where else to look

Head into the hinterland and you'll find some of the region's best pockets of subtropical and World Heritage-listed rainforest:

• Minyon Falls Loop and Minyon Falls lookout in Nightcap National Park
• Unicorn Falls Walking Track in Mount Jerusalem National Park
• Protesters Falls Walking Track in Nightcap National Park
• Victoria Park Boardwalk through remnant Big Scrub rainforest at Victoria Park Nature Reserve
• Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk – a multi-day trek through three rainforest parks

These walks are short and well-formed, making them a good match for little legs (always check current NPWS grading and conditions before you head out):

• Victoria Park Boardwalk – flat and pram/wheelchair accessible
• Lennox Head Boardwalk – flat, family-friendly beachfront path
• Three Sisters Walking Track – an easy grade from rainforest to beach
• Walgun Cape Byron Walking Track – can be tackled in smaller sections with kids, with beaches to break up the walk
• Killen Falls – an easy walk to the lookout (the steeper track to the base suits older kids)

The Byron hinterland is full of waterfalls tucked into rainforest – these are the best walks to reach them:

• Minyon Falls Loop – a 100m plunge waterfall, the region's most iconic
• Unicorn Falls Walking Track
• Killen Falls
• Protesters Falls Walking Track

Byron Bay is next to the most easterly point of mainland Australia, making it one of the first places in the country to see the sun each day:

• Walgun Cape Byron Walking Track and Cape Byron Lighthouse
• Pinnacle Walk in Border Ranges National Park – NPWS recommends it as a sunrise spot, with views to Wollumbin and the coast

Most of Byron’s best walks sit within national parks or nature reserves, where pets aren't permitted (assistance animals excepted). One exception is Lennox Head Boardwalk – dogs are allowed on leash along the path, with an off-leash area on Seven Mile Beach further north. There are more off leash areas on Belongil Beach and Tallow Beach.