Byron Bay — RachiePie

We left Port Macquarie early Monday morning and continued our drive north to Byron Bay. It was a 4 1/2 hour drive and we were both ready explore the town and stretch our legs once we arrived. The main town square has a ton of restaurants and shops and we spent a couple of hours walking around before checking into our Airbnb.

On our first full day in Byron Bay, we hiked the Cape Byron Walking Track. This 2.5-mile walking trail follows along the beach and up a hill to the eastern most point of mainland Australia. It then continues to the Byron Bay Lighthouse and loops back around. This area is known for the humpback whales which migrate through here beginning in late autumn. We were unsure if we would be lucky enough to spot any as it is still early in the season, but when we were hiking up to the lighthouse, we ended up seeing three humpback whales in the distance! We even got to see a couple breach which was extra special. They were pretty far in the distance, but watching them was such a cool experience and I'm so glad we happened to catch them when we did. The whales are migrating from Antartica and will travel over 3,000 miles to spend the winter in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean to breed. Humpback whales have one of the longest migratory journeys of any mammal on Earth! I tried to take pictures, but between the distance and direct sunlight, I was unable to get any which turned out.

After our hike, we headed into town to grab brunch at the Bayleaf Cafe. I went with the Falafel and Eggs and it did not disappoint! It was delicious and was way more filling then I anticipated (although that did not stop me from eating it all!!)

After lunch, we drove 20 minutes south to the small and quaint town of Bangalow. The name Bangalow is thought to come from the the Banjalang Aboriginal word “Bangalla” meaning ‘a low hill’ or ‘a kind of palm tree’. It was an adorable town and we walked along the main street and spent time in some of the fun boutique shops.

Our last stop of the afternoon was to Stone & Wood Brewery. The brewery was Byron Bay's first independent craft brewery and has been around since 2008. They only offer flights of beers (no pints due to a weird alcohol license they have), so we each picked out five different beers and settled at one of the tables for a tasting.

On Wednesday, we spent the majority of our day at The Farm. The Farm is a collection of micro-businesses and includes farmers (produce, livestock, bees and flowers), two restaurants, and educational classes. We signed up for a tour of the farm and it ended up being very informative. We learned a lot about organic farming and utilizing a farm to table approach to food and health. Our guide was a bit, how do I put this nicely, "quirky" and super passionate about his work and living a sustainable lifestyle. Although he would go off on very long tangents (the tour was originally supposed to be 45 minutes long and we ended up touring the farm for two hours!), he really knew a lot and it was hard not to appreciate his enthusiasm for the work he does.

The Farm had a ton of macadamia nut trees and we were able to pick up the nuts and eat them right off the ground! Although they took a bit of work to crack, it was well worth the effort and we both ate at least a dozen each.

In the evening, one of the local restaurants was doing a happy hour special of $1.00 Oysters and Alex and I each ordered a dozen. We enjoyed our oysters with a glass of wine from one of the wineries we visited in the Hunter Valley and it was a perfect way to end our last night in Byron Bay.

Before leaving Byron Bay, we stopped at the Byron Bay Farmer's Market for a quick stroll. We ended up not purchasing anything, but I do love to look around and see what is being sold. The produce was especially beautiful.

Both Alex and I enjoyed our time in Byron Bay. It is a funny little town as it does give off a young surfer beach vibe, but does not feel quite as laidback as some of the other small towns we have visited in Australia. I do have to say the restaurant options are awesome and we had some really good food while here. We are continuing our trek upwards and will be staying in Brisbane next. We have exactly ONE month left in Australia before heading back to the States. I feel like I keep saying this, but I cannot believe how quickly the days are going by.

Food:

Brekky: Bayleaf Cafe, Three Blue Ducks, and Folk
Dinner: Miss Margarita, Harvest, and The Mez Club
Drinks: The Balcony and Stone & Wood