While you can certainly spend an entire weekend travelling between your cosy suite and our heated pool, no one says your stay in Noosa has to stay in Noosa. So get a head start on your 2021 bucket list and frontload the year with a little adventure. Whether you’re after a spot of local culture or an escape into nature, there are dozens of day trips that fill your soul — and camera roll. Here are just a few of our fave ways to take your day beyond Hastings Street.
Cool Days Call for Coolum Hikes
If your beach day is ever a wash because of the cooler weather, head downcoast to Mount Coolum. A thirty-minute drive gets you to a picturesque hike which you can complete in just as much time. You might break a sweat to reach the dome’s summit, but the Insta-worthy views are totally worth it. If the sun returns by the time you reach sea level, you can find a beach town right next to the mountain.
Sip Your Way Across the Sunshine Coast
It hasn’t taken long to establish a new tradition around Noosa — craft breweries. Cute and cosy brew houses have been popping up across the coast, giving us plenty of excuses to say cheers with our mates. There are more than enough to plan a DIY tasting tour. Some of our favs include Bonsai Brewhouse in Cooran and Heads of Noosa in Noosaville. Your Mates in the Sunshine Coast also has a great atmosphere, it’s like drinking with — you guessed it — your mates.
Have a Beachy Good Time on Fraser Island
Stretching 120km with nearly as many colours of sand, Fraser Island is a multi-hued feast for the eyes. No wonder this natural wonder is a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. Cross its beachy expanse by four-wheeler, and choose between a day-trip or a camping retreat under the stars. Just make sure you check the barge schedule before making the 90-minute drive down to ferry over to the island.
Eumundi Markets
In the rare case, you haven’t already filled your suitcase with goodies from Hastings Street, head to Eumundi to double your souvenir count. Their arts and crafts market is the largest in Australia, meaning you’re sure to find something (or many things) that you just can’t say no to. This is a perfect day trip — but make sure you plan around a day the market is operating: Wednesday or Saturdays.
Go Wild in the Everglades
One of only two everglades systems in the world just so happens to be in Noosa’s backyard, so a trip up is a must if you’ve got a free day and a free spirit. It’s nature’s equivalent of a triple shot espresso: a concentrated and energising burst of flora and fauna. Spot nearly half of all the bird species in Australia as you paddle the glades’ crystal waters by canoe. Or save your arm-strength for Instagramming, and opt for an eco-cruise.
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