Cairns Holiday Guide for Families
A Cairns holiday in Tropical North Queensland should be on every family’s bucket list. From the Great Barrier Reef to the Daintree Rainforest to easy days chasing waterfalls. Cairns is an amazing destination for families!
We love holidays in Cairns for its warm weather, sunshine, access to the Great Barrier Reef and proximity to the Daintree Rainforest.
Cairns holidays can be managed by budget-conscious families by staying at a family room in the YHA Central. This allows self-catering and taking advantage of free activities such as the Cairns Lagoon and chasing waterfalls. However, if you’re after a lux experience, you won’t have to look far!
Awesome Experiences and Accommodation in and Around Cairns
Great Places to Visit on Your Cairns Holiday
Cairns City
With a population of around 150,00, Cairns is large enough to have everything you need. However, it’s not so large that crowds and traffic are a problem. The city itself feels modern and the population is spread out, giving it more of a ”spacious” feel.
Cairns is framed by a backdrop of rainforest mountains and most visitors fall in love with the Cairns Esplanade, despite the fact that the beach itself is … well… yuck. We loved the Cairns swimming lagoon, waterfront boardwalk, marina, night-markets and food options.
The man-made lagoon is picturesque and provides all year round safe swimming in saltwater. The lagoon features sand for the kids to play in and plenty of shallower areas. Plus it’s FREE to enjoy, making it a great option for those families doing their Cairns holiday on a budget.
Credit – Jessica Palmer
The Daintree
As the oldest rainforest on Earth, The Daintree is truly something special! Located north of Cairns, it can only be reached by a ferry across the Daintree River.
The Daintree Rainforest in unspoiled by man-made structures and mass tourism. Covering an area of 1,200 square kilometres, it has continued to evolve for around 180 million years, surviving events that wiped out even the dinosaurs.
We highly recommend visiting the Daintree Discovery Centre as a great introduction to the area. The centre has a great self-guided walk that kids of all ages can enjoy, including their parents.
Visiting the Daintree Rainforest is a ”must do” on your Cairns holiday!
Credit – Jessica Palmer
The Great Barrier Reef
Most people visit Cairns as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system. The Great Barrier Reef is an amazing natural wonder and is the only living organism that can be spotted from space. Protecting it is essential!
Comprising of over 3000 individual reef systems and coral cays as well as hundreds of tropical islands, The Great Barrier Reef is considered to be one of the seven wonders of the natural world. There are many ways to see the reef including snorkelling, scuba-diving, helicopter tours, self-sail, glass bottom boats and much more.
We recommend going with Great Adventures for your reef experience. We will absolutely use them again next time we visit Cairns.
Credit – Tourism & Events QLD / Sean Scott
The Islands
Visiting at least one island is a must-do experience for your Cairns holiday. We headed over to Green Island with Great Adventures and had an amazing day out, spotting four turtles within the first two hours! Green Island is located only 45 minutes from Cairns via fast cat and features a resort and day visitor area with cafes and gear hire.
Other popular islands include Fitzroy Island, Dunk Island, Lizard Island, Low Isles and more. We will absolutely make sure to visit more next time we visit.
Credit – Jemma Craig / Tourism and Events Queensland
Mossman Gorge
Located around 80km north of Cairns, Mossman Gorge is a must-do for any family visiting Tropical North Queensland. It’s located in the southern section of the Daintree National Park.
There are some great self-guided walking tracks that are achievable with kids. We managed all of them with a 5 and 7 year old easily!
The Mossman Gorge Centre doesn’t recommend swimming as the Mossman River is unpredictable. However, when we visited the water was calm and just stunning. Despite the warnings, there were lots of people swimming in the cool water.
Credit – Tourism and Events QLD / Sera Wright
Cairns holiday resources
Best time to visit Cairns
April to September is often touted as the best time to visit Cairns for a great mix of warm dry weather, affordable accommodation and not too many people around. Winter temperatures in Cairns are VERY comfortable! In fact, many use a Cairns holiday as a way to escape the winter cold in other areas.
Stinger season runs from November to March with December to March usually being the hot/wet season.
Where to stay
For budget-conscious families, the Cairns Central YHA is a great choice!
For mid-range apartment accommodation with plenty of space for families, the Park Regis City Quays is a great choice. (our top choice!)
If you’re looking for five-star, Riley a Crystalbrook Collection, is a great choice in a fantastic location near the Cairns Lagoon.
Getting to Cairns
Cairns is a long way from Australia’s capital cities. Located 1,678km North of Brisbane and 2,414km North of Sydney, it’s a long road trip to get there. If you can’t stand the thought of a long road trip with kids, or just don’t have the time, there are regular flights from the capital and major cities.
Find a great deal on Trip.com.
Getting around Cairns
Getting around Cairns on foot won’t be a problem if your goal is to spend time on the reef and see the city. Particularly if you’re accommodation is within walking distance to the marina and esplanade like the three recommended above.
To head further afield to chase waterfalls, visit the Daintree Rainforest or head even further north to Cape Tribulation, hiring a car is a great option.
