The Top Things to do in Noosa

Location: Noosa Heads, QLD

One of the most popular family-friendly beaches in Noosa and even the greater Sunshine Coast region, Noosa Main Beach is ideal for visitors looking to kick back, relax and enjoy the beautiful beach.

The fully patrolled beach is a great and safe option for visitors with young children who aren’t too confident in the surf.

With lifesavers on guard every day of the year, no matter when you visit you’re sure to feel safe as you wade into the water.

The number #1 thing every visitor must do is to spend time on the famous Noosa Beach! It is the highlight of the region and brings together a mixture of people including couples, groups, families, solo travellers and of course locals.

If you want to take a break from the beach and grab a bite to eat or have a little shop, Hastings Street is just back from the shore and it offers a number of great eateries and shops to occupy your time in the area.

Come summer time, you might want to get in early as the beach quickly fills up with sand castle-building kids, lounging parents and keen surfers.

Location: Beach access 14, Claude Batten Drive, Noosa Heads

If you’ve dreamed of riding a wave on the picturesque Sunshine Coast, then head to Noosa and grab a board.

Go Ride A Wave is one of the most popular and trusted surf schools in the region and will teach you all you need to know to stand up in the surf.

The experienced instructors will teach you their unique 1-2-3 method which guarantees you’ll finish the lesson have stood up at least once.

If you’ve dreamed of riding a wave on the picturesque Sunshine Coast, then head to Noosa and grab a board.

The 2-hour lessons cater for groups of up to 8 and individuals twice a day; from 10am and 2pm.

The perfect way to make your holiday in the beautiful Noosa region one you won’t forget.

Location: Double Island Point, Great Sandy National Park

Get up close to pods of wild dolphins amongst vibrant marine surrounds with Epic Ocean Adventures’ highly popular dolphin kayaking adventure.

Despite this activity not technically being "in" Noosa, it does depart from the Noosa region and is thus well worth doing for those visiting.

Travelling to Double Island Point along the scenic Great Beach Drive with an adventurous 4WD ride, you’ll be treated to an experience of a lifetime, encountering bottlenose dolphins as they feed and play in the area.

There are very few places in the world where you can get this close to wild dolphins in their natural environment as they go about your day- and the views from the kayak are amazing too!

The tours have a 90% strike rate for sightings due to hundreds of dolphins that live and play in the waters off Double Island Point.

Tours last for 5 to 6 hours in total, with 1.5 to 2 of those hours spent kayaking.

Suitable for children aged 7 years and up, this is a great way to have a wild animal encounter combined with an enjoyable sightseeing adventure.

While on the tour, keep your eyes peeled for other wildlife that live in the area including sea turtles, rays, sea birds, soldier crabs on the beach and whales during migration season.

Location: Jetty 17, Gympie Terrace, Noosaville

Combine sightseeing around the Noosa region and an adrenaline pumping adventure on the water to get the best of both worlds with an exciting jet boating ride with operator Noosa Oceanrider.

This one hour journey will take you on a waterborne trip around the Noosa Jetty, to the river mouth and out into the open ocean for an experience sure to get you screaming, smiling and soaking wet.

With an experienced skipper behind the boat, you’ll be in safe hands as you zip around the waters off Noosa nose diving, spinning and speeding over waves.

With an experienced skipper behind the boat, you’ll be in safe hands as you zip around the waters off Noosa nose diving, spinning and speeding over waves.

Jetboat rides depart on a daily basis from Jetty 17 in Noosa at 9am and last for an hour.

Suitable for kids aged above 10 years, this is a great activity for families travelling with older children, or couples and solo travellers looking for an idyllic blend of both sightseeing and high-speed fun.

Location: 4 Kittyhawk Cl, Marcoola

Push your fears to the back of your mind and take the ultimate plunge with a scenic skydive in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast!

Having long been an essential travel bucket list item for many people, Skydive Noosa has been making people’s wishes come true for many years now. And the reward for those few brave souls is unbelievable views of the Queensland coastline that only a few lucky people get to experience.

Skydive Noosa offers two tandem skydives at 10, 000 ft and 15, 000 ft but if you are going to jump out of the plane then why not go all in and do it from the highest possible elevation in Australia?

The obvious difference between the two elevations is the amount of free fall time in the air. With a 15, 000 ft skydive, you are going to jump/fall from a bigger height and have more time in the sky to think about what it is that you are doing before the parachute kicks in after approximately 60 seconds.

If you are feeling squeamish about the free fall then perhaps the 10, 000ft skydive is the one for you.

Skydive Noosa offer two tandem skydives at 10, 000 ft and 15, 000 ft but if you are going to jump out of the plane then why not go all in and do it from the highest possible elevation in Australia?

Regardless of the elevation skydivers choose, everyone will get to experience the same indescribable surge of adrenaline as you plummet to earth at speeds of 22km an hour.

There are many places that you can skydive in Australia but one reason why you should consider Noosa is because of the safe beach landings and the beautiful views of the Queensland coastline from Noosa all the way to Caloundra as you make your way back down to earth.

If you are lucky and the weather conditions are on your side then tandem skydive instructors may also let you assist in the steering of the parachute for a really interactive skydive experience.

If nothing else, you get a very pretty, scenic flight high above the skies of Noosa before the doors fly open, the light turns green and your heart kicks it up a notch.

We highly recommend purchasing the photo and video packages of your incredible skydive because your 7-minute flight will go really quickly and you will want to relive it and have a laugh with your family and friends as proof that you really did do it.

Location: Noosa National Park, Park Road, Noosa Heads

Tighten your walking shoes and set out with some friends to explore the beautiful Noosa National Park.

The Park features some of South East Queensland’s most picturesque coastlines with a wide range of endangered wildlife.

The walking tracks vary in difficulty from Class 2; quite easy, suited to all fitness levels, to Class 4; possibly narrow, steep inclinations, loose surfaces for those with a moderate level of fitness.

There are five guided tracks in total each showcasing different surroundings and suited to different fitness levels.

The Park features some of South East Queensland’s most picturesque coastlines with a wide range of endangered wildlife.

The Coastal Track is the most versatile of the lot, totalling 10.8 kilometres return, the track is split up into class 2, 3 and 4 internal tracks.

Other walks include Palm Grove Circuit (Class 3), Tanglewood Track (Class 4), Noosa Hill Track (Class 4) and the Alexandria Bay Track (Class 4).

The park is also equipped with picnic areas looking over Laguna Bay and providing sweeping views from Noosa to Cooloola.

The picnic area can be found at the end of Park Road in the Noosa Headland section of the park.

Facilities include picnic tables, barbecues, water taps and public toilets (wheelchair accessible toilets are present).

Location: Discovery Centre Jetty, Gympie Tce, Noosaville

Contrasting the sights of the golden sandy beaches and crashing waves the Sunshine Coast is renowned for, the Noosa Everglades is another beautiful side to the Noosa region.

Enjoy a cruise with operator The Discovery Group along the everglades through the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park passing forested dunes, multi-coloured cliffs and picturesque headlands.

The Discovery Group is a multi award-winning market leader in eco-tourism tours, based in Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Offering unique tours and cruises around the Sunshine Coast region, the company specialises in serene, nature-oriented cruising with a minimal impact on the environment.

Enjoy a cruise along the everglades through the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park passing forested dunes, multi-coloured cliffs and picturesque headlands.

Their Noosa Everglades cruise is a highly popular way to soak on the "other" side of the Sunshine Coast, with a trip through an environment that showcases the diversity of the Great Sandy National Park's Cooloola section.

The region is renowned for its calm waters and dense array of varied scenery, highlighted by numerous forms of water birds and other avian life.

With two different cruise options available; an afternoon cruise and barbecue lunch cruise, you can choose to combine your relaxing and scenic adventure with a delicious lunch or use it to end the day on a good, scenic note.

Make sure you bring your camera on this relaxed adventure to see a side of the Noosa region that contrasts with popular imagery of the region, but is no less delightful in its own right.

The afternoon cruise departs at 12:30pm and returns at 4:30pm, while the barbecue lunch cruise departs at 10am, both from the Discovery Centre Jetty on Gympie Terrace.

Location: Hasting St, Noosa Heads

If you are staying in Noosa then there is a fair chance that you are staying on or near Hastings Street. The street is the main thoroughfare and despite being busy all year round, it still maintains a charming village feel.

The leafy and pedestrian friendly street is lined with low rise resorts, boutique shops, café and outdoor alfresco dining.

If you were looking for a place to people watch, Hastings Street is it. This is THE place to see and be seen as they say.

Whether you are in search of a quick bite to eat, designer clothing and jewellery, want to order an espresso or get a new surfboard, Hastings Street has something for everyone.

Whether you are in search of a quick bite to eat, designer clothing and jewellery, want to order an espresso or get a new surfboard, Hastings Street has something for everyone.

Don’t forget to bring your wallet though because the street attracts a higher end shopping clientele with shops selling edgy clothing, jewellery and a few popular international and Australian fashion labels.

The street is also conveniently located to Noosa Main Beach a calm water beach perfect for families or those who are just starting to learn how to surf.

The beach is patrolled 365 days a year and given how warm Queensland weather is there are almost always swimmers in the water.

Shopping on Hastings Street is the perfect anecdote to accompany a relaxing holiday on the Sunshine Coast.

Location: 155 Weyba Rd, Noosaville

Foodies visiting the Sunshine Coast should be sure to include a visit to the excellent Noosa Farmers Market.

Taking place every Sunday from 7:00am to 12:00pm, these markets offer multiple kinds of goods with the main focus on eating.

There are numerous types of cuisines to sample that are freshly baked, fried, grilled or simply served as-is on the spot.

Fresh food is definitely the name of the game here, with an extensive amount of fresh produce available for purchase.

Fresh food is definitely the name of the game here, with an extensive amount of fresh produce available for purchase.

As a result, it’s an excellent place for a quality breakfast or lunch, with the sheer variety meaning the something for everyone cliche truly applies here.

In addition to prepared food, other miscellaneous produce such as smoked meats, fresh seafood, and a range of organic foodstuffs round out the offerings for the palate.

Those visiting the Noosa Farmers Market with kids are also catered for, as there’s a jumping castle and live entertainment to keep them entertained.

It’s nearly always busy and you may have to wait in some lines, however the quality of food on offer makes a visit here well worth the wait.

Location: Noosa Heads

The ultimate panorama of Noosa is just a short drive away from the town’s bustling hub of Hastings Street.

The site of Laguna Lookout itself is fairly simple however there’s no denying it’s the perfect spot for a photoshoot of Noosa’s picturesque environment.

There is no denying it is the perfect spot for a photoshoot of Noosa's picturesque environment.

The lookout is especially gorgeous to visit at sunset, as the colours play with the already pretty terrain to create something truly special.

Alternatively, more energetic travellers can walk up a well-maintained path and stairs (around 1.3km in total).