Byron With My Babies: Why Byron Bay Is The Perfect Family Holiday Destination

By Bella Brennan

When I think back to past holidays in Byron Bay, I vividly remember dancing on the tables at Cheeky Monkeys during Schoolies, glamping at Splendour in the Grass, and staying at Raes on Wategoes for my babymoon. The common thread? No kids. 

While Byron Bay was a glorious playground during my child-free years, I was curious to know what it was like to return there with my two daughters for a family escape. 

Nailing all the family-friendly elements

Our home for the week is Elements of Byron Bay, an award-winning resort situated on Belongil Beach that has been created with families front of mind. It’s the middle of winter, but Byron is turning it on. As soon as we arrive, my girls (aged two and five) head straight to the heated Central Lagoon Pool and spend the afternoon jumping in and out of the pool and the spa while my husband and I order some celebratory arrival cocktails. 

There’s also an adults-only pool, heated to 27 degrees and decked with cabanas and a swim-up bar. My husband and I plan to tag team to enjoy a slice of child-free bliss. 

After hours in the main pool, my kids are cooked and ready for downtime at our luxurious two-bedroom villa. We fill the massive bathtub with bubbles, and they’re as happy as… girls in a bubble bath! The villa ticks all of the family-friendly boxes parents need — super dark rooms with hardworking curtains that don’t let a crack of light in, cloud-like beds, a well-appointed kitchen with a toaster, microwave, fridge and most importantly, a Nespresso coffee machine for mum and dad, a huge TV and comfy couches. It instantly feels like home.

There is so much to do with the kids on the grounds of Elements. From the giant chessboard to the playground and fairy walk, you could easily never leave the hotel. Plus, the whole place is pram-friendly, and my girls love zipping around the hotel on their scooters. With Belongil Beach right on our doorstep, we hit the beach after our dreamy buffet breakfast to build sandcastles and burn some energy. 

Nighttime means family hangs around the fire pit before wandering to the local pub, the North Byron Hotel. It’s an ideal spot for a relaxed family dinner, where the kids can enjoy the on-site playground while we unwind with a glass of wine.

But what impresses us most during our stay is the unparalleled service from the staff. Buggies cart us from A to B to get around the resort; every driver we have is a delight. The overall atmosphere of the hotel is so warm and accommodating.

All aboard the solar express

Although Elements is on the outskirts of town, it operates the Byron Solar Train, offering a unique way to reach Byron’s main strip. The girls love riding the vintage train, powered by solar panels on its roof. This eco-friendly journey provides stunning views and connects us to Byron Bay’s bustling heart in just 10 minutes. In town, there’s so much to do with the kids. We hit up the Main Beach, get ice cream and catch the solar train back to Elements, which they could seriously just ride on a loop all day.

My animal-loving daughters are keen to check out Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, which is about an hour’s drive away and well worth the trip. Nestled in Currumbin’s lush greenery, it offers an intimate experience with native and international animals, including koalas, kangaroos, and lemurs. 

Make sure you stay for the lorikeet feeding session in the afternoon. You’ll get a bowl of food for a gold coin donation, and the birds will swoop in to feed off you. My girls can’t believe it and don’t want to go home!

Another must on our agenda is an adults-only lunch at Raes. We organise a babysitter with ease through Elements, which has a list of reputable local agencies on hand, and off we trot to eat a fancy meal slowly and in peace. Now, this is living.

Mums on tour

No holiday is complete without some kid-free downtime, so it feels only fitting to head to The Banya for a day of pampering with my two besties, who are also on the trip with us. You’ve probably seen this stunning bathhouse in your feed, and as we pull up, it’s on the main street of Mullumbimby and looks like an unassuming country pub in a gorgeous 1920s bank building. 

But as we walk through the doors, it feels like we’re stepping into a European villa with its marble-tiled floor, a charming collection of plants and cacti scattered in every nook and cranny, and chic all-white walls. 

We book in for a 90-minute session, floating between the lap pool and two hot mineral pools, testing our stamina in the wood-fired sauna, and rounding it out with a toe-curling cold plunge.

Honestly, is there a better human experience than spending the day with your best girlfriends, gasbagging against the backdrop of luxury? I think not.

As my friend Lu recommends, another top human experience is a two-wine buzz and a massage. Who are we to argue with her? We head inside to the plush leather booths, follow her instructions, order wines from the on-site bar, and consume them (responsibly, of course) before moseying upstairs to round out our cup-filling day with a massage. 

Well, it turns out Lu is bang on the money. It is a truly blissful moment of relaxation, where I dance between that beautiful in-between state of consciousness and sleep. Post-massage, we soak up some vit D on the rooftop before heading home to the kiddos.

Just kidding! We actually continue our hedonistic girls’ day with a trip to the tattoo parlour because, when in Byron! I get a delicate-line illustration of two love hearts emblazoned with my daughters’ initials on my upper arm. While my girls think it’s pretty cool to see their initials on mummy, they quickly move on to asking me when we can come back to Byron Bay again. Something tells me we’ll be back very, very soon.  

This was a gifted stay from Elements of Byron Bay and The Banya; however to enquire or book, visit their website to see the most current offers available –

https://elementsofbyron.com.au/

https://thebanya.com.au/