Having been to Byron Bay twice before, this time I was looking to go a little further afield with my Byron exploring. And what’s better than a road trip?

After all, curating road trip itineraries (and bringing the boombox) is what I do best. In this blog post, I am going to share and epic 1-day road trip from Byron Bay which starts at sunrise with a hike to the top of Mt.Warning! If you’re keen on an active adventure and love a good view, this Byron Bay road trip is for you.

Other travel guides you might find useful…

• The best things to do in Byron Bay
• A complete guide to Byron Bay
• The best things to do in Australia
• Australia: the ultimate travel guide
• A guide to solo travel in Australia
• Australia: the ultimate East Coast bucket list
• A complete guide to Sydney
• A guide to budgeting for backpacking Australia
• Planning your transport in Australia

Here’s an incredible itinerary for a 1-day road trip in Byron Bay…

…featuring sunrise at Mt. Warning and exploring Lennox Head…

START: Byron Beach resort.

Located in Belongil (a 15 minute beach walk from Byron Centre) this hostel had a super chilled vibe and I wouldn’t hesitate at all to recommend it to you guys after my recent visit. See my guide to choosing a hostel in Byron Bay here.

Top tip: Here’s a handy Google Map for you to open up on your phone during your road trip so you don’t get lost and you can’t miss any of the highlights!

1. Mt. Warning Rainforest Park

We left Byron Bay in the evening and checked into Mt. Warning Rainforest Park for the night so that we could get maximum sleep before the 3am start and hike to the peak of Mt.Warning. You can camp here if you’re on a budget, but there are lodges available too. Book your stay at Mt. Warning Rainforest Park here.

Top tip: It’s a great idea to stay overnight near the start of the hike, if you want to do the sunrise climb. Otherwise you’ll have to get up an extra hour early to drive from Byron to the start of the track.

At 3.15am we drove 2 minutes down the road to the start of the track…

2. Sunrise hike up Mt. Warning

It took us 1 hour 30 mins to climb up and 1 hour 15 mins to climb back down. We spent about an hour and a half up there whilst the sun rose and lit up Australia. It really is one of the most stunning sunrise view points in Australia and it is worth every sweat bead shed. We set off at 3.30am and got back down just before 8am.

With check out time still being 2 hours away {10am} we all headed back to our lodge for a well deserved shower, cup of tea, and freshen up before we got back on the road.

3. Nimbin Town

Nimbin is a colourful, creative and crazy town which is at the top of many people’s bucket lists for Byron Bay. If you haven’t already booked on to the Happy Coach tour that comes out here from Byron, add Nimbin to your road trip itinerary and check it out for yourself…

BOOK A HAPPY COACH NIMBIN TOUR HERE

4. Cool off in the waterfalls

The waterfalls we went to were forbidden (oops!) and I don’t know what they were called. I don’t advise you head there. There is always a reason places are forbidden, and I feel these waterfalls are forbidden for safety reasons (cliff jumping). Listen to the rules people!

If you want to head to some waterfalls, try Minyon Falls. They were dry when I was visiting, but they are a very popular choice for road trippers in NSW.

5. Lake Ainsworth

This is a fresh water lake that is surrounded by tea trees creating a brown, super smooth water that you can freely bathe in. The tea tree oils pass through to the water creating a natural haven of moisture and healing – amazing for your skin!

6. Pat Morton Viewpoint

Soak up the incredible views over Lennox Head as para-gliders grace the skies…

7. Enjoy lunch in Lennox Head and then return the car to Byron Bay

8. Watch the Drum Circle or head for sunset at Cape Byron Lighthouse.

Every evening, just as the sun sets, it’s become a bit of a ‘thing’ that the drum circle appears on the rocks at the Main Beach Car Park. Musicians jam, travellers dance, campers sit in the backs of their vans with beers, and photographers snap away as the ocean roars and the sun sets. You can’t miss it.

That, or head up to the lighthouse and join the crowds with their chilled beers at another incredible sunset viewpoint.

Watch my whole Byron Bay road trip come to life in my video…

Have you done a Byron Bay road trip?

What are your top tips and recommendations? I’d love to know!

Love as always + happy adventuring,

Mollie.

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