Noosa is the perfect family escape for those that want to connect, have fun and arrive home feeling refreshed. Surrounded by untouched nature, bright blue ocean, crystal-clear river and lakes, winding national parks and rolling hills. Perfectly blended with shopping, adventures and experiences to keep all family members happy while on holiday in Noosa.
There are countless ways to experience Noosa, but here’s an itinerary packed with family fun to get you started.
Noosa River and Noosaville
Noosaville is the perfect place to base your family holiday, with access to bike paths, playgrounds, water activities, barbecues and picnic areas. Gympie Terrace offers a range of eateries including takeaway fish and chips and amazing gelato! The Noosa River flows alongside the main strip where you can hire stand-up paddleboards, BBQ boats to explore, fishing equipment or jump on board the Noosa Ferry. The area is home to a variety of birdlife, including the pelican, amazing sunsets and an inviting community feeling.
Finish with dinner at the Noosa Boathouse floating restaurant, where you will have a waterfront table and can spot fish swimming under the vessel. There is also a hole in the wall for takeaway and a large lawn area on the banks of the river, where the kids can watch the pelicans. For a more upmarket feast, Noosa Waterfront Restaurant is located right on the shores of the Noosa River, with a green space area where the kids can play.
Day 2
Beach holiday
If your kids love the beach, then Noosa is the place for you. Noosa Main Beach is popular due to its north-facing headland of Noosa National Park. The headland provides a protected shelter from most winds, meaning you will find gentle calm water most days of the year. The perfect place to learn to surf, or join a tour for an adventure ride and dolphin spotting!
Follow the wooden boardwalk from Main Beach to the Noosa National Park entrance (around a 15-minute walk), where kids can learn about Noosa’s local wildlife and indigenous history. Follow the coastal track, and look for whales from the Boiling Pot lookout, before stopping at Tea Tree Bay and on to Granite Bay and Hell’s Gates lookout for Noosa’s local pod of dolphin’s and turtle spotting.
Or jump in the car to follow the coast road south, where you'll discover our eastern beach villages of Sunshine, Sunrise, Marcus and Peregian Beach. Home to skate parks, playgrounds, kid-friendly restaurants and open spaces for family activities.
End the day back on the iconic Hastings Street, which provides great family friendly dining options. Noosa Heads Surf Club is right on the beachfront for stunning beach views, or famous Betty’s Burgers that offers dine-in or take away. Dessert options win here with a number of gelato and ice-cream stores. Try local favourite Gelatissimo for authentic gelato, make your own ice-cream toppings at Happy Pops, or the new craze at Yo-chi frozen yoghurt where you can create your own masterpiece.
Day out for the kids!
Surrounding Noosa are a range of renowned family attractions to excite and thrill. Cuddle a koala at Australia Zoo, board a steam train at the Mary Valley Rattler or visit Aussie World for theme park fun. SeaLife provides marine animal interaction and education while the Ginger Factory is an all-time favourite with their bee show, overboard ride and Moreton the steam train, and Maleny Botanical Gardens and Bird World is the place to learn about birds.
No holiday is complete without visiting the Eumundi Markets, along with a stop in at The Hinterland Adventure Playground, a sprawling park and playground space with climbing structures, giant twisty slides, an epic flying fox, plenty of swings, and a winding maze of shallow splash pools, as well as green spaces and barbecue areas.
Or choose the path less travelled and take the kids on an unforgettable adventure with Epic Ocean Adventures, to Double Island Point, accessible only by 4WD. Your tour will pick you up and depart from Noosa, before you travel 88km along Australia’s longest sand highway that passes through stunning paperbark and eucalypt forest on one side and the turquoise Pacific Ocean on the other. Once at Double Island Point you have the option to kayak, SUP or surf with bottlenose dolphins, turtles and whales (in season).
Everglades adventure
Venture 35-minutes from Noosa to experience the Noosa Everglades, one of Australia’s most diverse eco-systems, boasting over 40 per cent of the country’s bird species. Known as the River of Mirrors, this is a true wilderness experience, and can be explored by kayak or boat. Local sustainable tour company, Kanu Kapers Australia offers guided and self-guided kayak tours of the everglades, with kayaks that are suitable for small children. Everglades Eco Safaris can provide return transfers from Noosa and offer an informative boat cruise down the Noosa Everglades on the indigenous history of the area and the native fauna and flora that call this place home.
Stay overnight at the Noosa Everglades in glamping tents at Habitat Noosa Everglades Ecocamp. Located on the banks of Lake Cootharaba, there are a range of activities to keep the kids busy while you sample local brews at the onsite microbrewery. Expect to see hundreds of kangaroos in the wild, while listening to the calls of the kookaburra, and you may also spot an echidna.
Wet weather – it happens
Although Noosa prides itself on its weather, we have you covered on rainy days. Challenge the kids at laser tag or arcade games. Visit Noosa Junction cinemas showing the latest releases and stop for lunch at restaurants, offering sushi, pasta, pizza, Mexican and much more. Noosa Civic provides an array of shops, kids play area as well as a fantastic school holiday activity program. Noosa’s library, museum and art gallery are also great for kids. Visit the Noosa Country towns and get muddy, discovering walking trails, farm gates, bike paths and waterholes.
Looking for more Noosa inspiration? Discover a whole world of destinations to enjoy the best beaches, rivers and hinterland experiences.
