Best Cairns Day Trips For Families
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- Family-friendly reef trips from Cairns & Port Douglas
- Fitzroy Island trips for families
- Green Island day trips for kids
- A day in Kuranda with the family
- Cairns wildlife & cultural experiences with kids
With an array of exceptional natural marvels, fringing reefs, sun-soaked islands, historical landmarks, rich history and quirky hidden towns, there is plenty to do with the family in Cairns.
Whether you want to spend most of your time diving to the depths of the Great Barrier Reef, hitting the towering rainforests of the Daintree for day walks or discovering quieter and more interesting hidden gems, you're bound to find your groove in Cairns. And, with plenty of fun adventures like snorkelling, rainforest exploring, swimming, island relaxing and outback exploring, you're bound to find something that both parents and the kids love!
So, without further ado, check out our favourite and most recommended tours for families visiting the vast Cairns region.
Discover the Great Barrier Reef
With its crystal clear waters, colourful coral and amazing aquatic creatures, you can’t go to Cairns and not see the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef: it’s a definite bucket list item on your family holiday.
Snorkelling is one of the best ways to explore the coral reef and get up close with marine life. Immerse yourself in the perfect waters and enjoy the experience of a lifetime. Make sure you go on a glass-bottom boat, a great option for children and travellers wanting to stay dry while still peering into the underwater creatures below!
Family-friendly Reef Trips from Cairns
Family-friendly Reef Trips from Port Douglas
Explore Fitzroy Island
Fitzroy Island is an unspoiled tropical paradise where the rainforest meets the reef. Only a 40-minute boat ride from Cairns, the relaxed island has plenty to entertain both parents and the little ones with water activities such as kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, and snorkelling. Trek up to the Lighthouse for unbelievable views, visit the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre or swim off the award-winning beaches; you can spend the whole day here.
Take a trip to Green Island
A wonderful island paradise and one of the best things to do in Cairns with kids, Green Island has lush tropical rainforests, white sandy beaches and amazing coral right off the beach.
Take a 1-hour boat ride to the island and can spend a day of adventure exploring, swimming or even just soaking up the sun. Treat the family to a day to remember with a scenic helicopter flight over the island, lush tropical islands, little cays and coral beds, or simply set up on the golden sands and enjoy a beach day in utter island heaven!
Check out our guide to getting to Green Island, as well as our teeming things to do on Green Island bucket list!
Skyrail and Scenic Railway to Kuranda
Kuranda is a great day out just a stone’s throw away from Cairns and is a beautiful experience for all to enjoy.
Embark on one of the most spectacular rail journeys in Australia along with the sky rail cable car travelling up the mountain range and over the impressive Barron Falls before stopping in Kuranda. This unforgettable experience allows you to immerse yourself in the living beauty of a world heritage-listed rainforest, with an abundance of entertaining stops for mum and dad, as well as the kids!
Kuranda is at the end of both the railway and the cableway, and the picturesque rainforest village is just a 25km day trip from Cairns. This colourful small town is the main attraction and has plenty to keep you entertained including the famous quirky markets, beautiful walking trails, Birdworld, an Australian butterfly sanctuary and koala encounters. It is very kid friendly and easy to walk around. Ride the scenic railway back down to Cairns for a different view of Barron Falls when you’re finished for the day, sunkissed and with a camera full of family memories.
Wildlife & Cultural Experiences for the Family in Cairns
Home to a vast array of colourful wildlife, including the almighty crocodile, Cairns really is an excellent place for kids and adults alike to explore the natural wonders at their fingertips. Whether you’re interested in learning about the rich Indigenous history of this diverse and special landscape, or want to get up close with a variety of the wildlife that calls the Cairns rainforests home, there are plenty of unforgettable experiences here.