If you're looking for an easy weekend away, just 1.5 hours drive from Brisbane and 2.5 hours from the Gold Coast, pack your bags and head to Noosa, located in the heart of Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Noosa has something for everyone, from sunset mountain hikes to crystal clear swimming holes to an abundance of quality bars and restaurants.
We've created an easy to follow weekend itinerary covering the top things to see and do in and around Noosa.
We recommend staying within Noosa Heads, either close to Sunshine Beach or Noosa Heads Main beach as both options are within walking distance to cafes, restaurants, Noosa National Park and the beaches.
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Noosa in a Weekend: The perfect itinerary for all of the top things to do
Friday - Watch the sunset from the top of Mt Tinbeerwah
Just a 15-minute drive from Noosa Heads is Mt Tinbeerwah, located in Tewantin National Park. It's an easy walk to the summit taking no more than 15 minutes to reach the top. The full trail is less than 1 km. The Fire tower lookout point offers 360-degree views over the Sunshine Coast from the beaches to the hinterland. Watch the sunset over the hinterland mountains.
Dine at Paradise Arcade
Enjoy a casual Mexican dinner outdoors under the lights at Paradise Arcade. We had a night of tacos and some of the best cocktails of our trip - be sure to try the Tropic Thunder.
Saturday - Eat Breakfast a Vanilla Food
Start the morning at the Instagram worthy Vanilla Food cafe for a healthy, fresh and delicious breakfast. We highly recommend the avo on charcoal sourdough and bruschetta toast. They have two locations in Noosaville and at Noosa Junction, we ate at Noosa Junction.
Swim at Kondalilla Falls in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland:
Take a drive into the Sunshine Coast hinterland, just 40 minutes from Noosa. We headed to Kondalilla National Park and Kondalilla Waterfall. From the Carpark, there are multiple walking trail options from 2km to 5 km circuits. Be sure to pack swimmers to enjoy a dip in the waterfall and rock pools. After, head to the quaint town of Montville nearby and browse the shops and cafes.
Find the fairy rock pools in Noosa National Park
Noosa National park is a must-visit when on the Sunshine Coast. We recommend taking the Coastal Trail walk, which is 5.4kms spanning stunning beach and cliff fronts. Make sure to keep an eye out for whales and dolphins as you look out to sea.
If you need a break from exploring stop for a swim along Tea Tree Bay. Wander along the rocky area there and you may just find a few private rock pools to take a dip in.
Stoll down Hastings Street
Hastings Street is the perfect spot to stop for an afternoon drink or ice cream as you sit and watch the world go past. The street is lined with bars, restaurants, cafes, boutique shops and galleries. If you're looking for a coffee on the go, we recommended Blended Health Bar.
Enjoy Noosa's famous bar and restaurant scene
Noosa is full of world-class restaurants. Our highlight was dinner at Light Years, a hip and relaxed Asian-fusion restaurant with delicious cocktails. Be sure to order their Baos and Duck Pancakes.
Other restaurants we would have loved to have tried and come highly recommended to us were Sum Young Guys and Ze Pickle. For any of these options, be sure to book in advance.
Sunday - Take an early swim at Noosa Main Beach or Sunshine Beach
Noosa Main Beach is one of the most popular swimming spots in Noosa, it is well protected and patrolled by surf lifesavers each day. If you're looking for a quieter surf beach, head to Sunshine beach or swim within the National Park.
Shop local at the Noosa Famers Market
A 5-minute drive from Noosa Heads is the Noosa Farmers Market, running every Sunday from 6 am to 12 pm with parking onsite. Stroll the countless stalls while listening to live music filling the air in the background. It's the perfect spot to sample some of the delicious local produce. Our highlights were the Flying Wheel coffee, Brazilian cheese bread and homemade curry pastes
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Have a riverfront lunch at the Noosa Boathouse
For some of the best waterfront views, dine at Noosa Boathouse, located right on the Noosa River. There is a sit-down restaurant which offers a casual modern Australian menu, or if you're looking for something quick, at the entrance there is a takeaway coffee and fish and chip stand.
Getting to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast:
If you're flying in, you can fly directly to the Sunshine Coast airport, a 30-minute drive from Noosa, or Brisbane airport and take the 1.5-hour drive to Noosa.
We drove from the Gold Coast, which was 2.5 hours. If you plan to leave on a Friday, aim to go before lunchtime to miss the peak hour traffic. We highly recommend having a car for the trip as there are stunning hinterland surrounds within driving distance.
We hope you enjoyed guide to Noosa, in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. To see more of our other Australian destination guides click here.
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LITTLE SHERPAs
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