6 ways to explore Cairns with the family
The ideal holiday destination for families, Cairns has something to offer everyone, from the chillers to the adventurers and the water obsessed!
Credit: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Parents and kids alike, get ready to create life-long memories of clear blue waters, cascading waterfalls, lush rainforests, fantastic foodie experiences and all the fun of unique family-friendly attractions, on an unforgettable trip to Far North Queensland.
Whether your brood is a small unit or an extended, multi-generational gaggle, you’ll find a multitude of reasons to cherish a vacation in the tropical paradise of Cairns.
Amazing wildlife, scenic tours, historical centres and loads of places to take a dip are just the beginning.
Credit: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Discover coral gardens ON THE Islands
Only 45 mins by fast boat from Cairns, Green Island and Fitzroy Island are the ideal day-trips for family holidays. Be awestruck by the natural beauty of Green Island, an incredible 6000-year-old rainforest-covered coral cay in the Great Barrier Reef. Fitzroy Island is relaxed, eco certified, and boasts calm and sheltered waters. Pack your swimsuits and sunscreen, and explore paradise teeming with wildlife and stunning flora. Go snorkelling, jump on board a glass-bottom boat, head off on a walking tour, or see the scenery from on high on a parasailing experience. You’ll see tropical birds, loads of spectacular coral, and fish that are all the colours of the rainbow.
Cairns Aquarium. Credit: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
2. See baby coral at the aquarium
Want to be under the sea without getting wet? Head to the ever-popular Cairns Aquarium in the centre of Cairns city, just a short stroll or complimentary shuttle bus from the hotel. Keep the kids entertained on the lookout for fish, turtles, sharks, and stingrays. Catch one of the free talks led by local experts, or take the family on a special private tour of the Coral Bio Tank - the world’s first living coral biobank, raising several hundred small pieces of coral as part of reef recovery and education efforts. Explore the aquarium at different times of the day for different experiences, from sunrise and twilight, to after dark.
Credit: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
3. Hop aboard one of the world’s most scenic railways
Tickets please! You won’t want to miss this one. Gather up the kids and embark on a journey of a lifetime on the famous Kuranda Scenic Railway, which winds its way through Far North Queensland’s World Heritage-listed wet tropics rainforest. Starting with views of sparkling Trinity Bay, you’ll see stunning waterfalls and gorges as you chug past Diwunga (Stoney Creek Falls), Mayula (Robb’s Monument) and Din Din (Barron Falls) before stopping at Kuranda terminal where you visit Koala Gardens, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, Birdworld, and Kuranda Markets. Get your camera ready for a flurry of Instagrammable moments, with the railway rising from sea level to 327 metres. The journey departs from Cairns Railway Station in the CBD.
Josephine Falls. Credit: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
4. Road trip and dip your way through waterfall circuit
Hop from one cascading waterfall to the next on the photogenic waterfall circuit drive, passing fall after fall on a delightful scenic road trip out of Cairns.Tick Millaa Millaa Falls, Zillie Falls and Ellinjaa Falls off your list as you meander your way along this route. You can even spot the 500 year old curtain fig tree in Yungaburra about an hour’s drive from the city - a truly magnificent sight! With waterfalls and rock pools to discover along the way, soak up the sights, sounds and sensations of misty waterfalls on a fun day out of town.
The Esplanade. Credit: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
5. Splash around in a huge lagoon
If the kids are super keen for a salty swim, this one's for you. The Cairns Lagoon is a hugely popular swimming spot set along the Cairns Esplanade in the city, offering all-year-round, safe swimming for the whole family. It’s 4,800 square metres of saltwater swimming fun, it’s free, wheelchair accessible and patrolled by lifeguards. Plus there’s great barbecue facilities to hand too, so you can spend the whole day there!
Discover the Koi Pond at Cairns Harbourside Hotel
6. Kick back at kid hotel heaven
In between sightseeing and exploring all the things that Cairns has to offer, you just might need to put the breaks on and spend a day relaxing at your hotel… by the pool with a cocktail (you that is, not the kids). When planning your vacation, be sure to book yourself family-friendly accommodation, with kid-friendly rooms and facilities. At Cairns Harbourside Hotel, enjoy spacious family rooms, where kids stay free, with private balcony for plenty of fresh air. Plus there’s expansive lush gardens to explore, lawns ideal for a picnic, a swimming pool and spa, kids menu that little ones love (and kids under 12 eat free!), e-scooter hire, complimentary wi-fi and plenty of communal areas to relax in. It’s the place to be on days when relaxing is a priority and no one feels like leaving the lounger behind.