Two Weeks in QLD - What Would You Do?

Morphio25 on 10/11/2025 - 14:34
Last edited 10/11/2025 - 14:37

Hi all,

I am a seasoned traveller to QLD, other than Sydney which I've been to more I've visited QLD the most so I've seen and done a lot, especially in the Gold Coast area (theme parks etc).

My wife is wanting to book another trip there next year, but this time with my parents-in-law as they will soon come into a large chunk of money and want to use some of it on a holiday which they haven't done in at least the 14 years I've known them.

We'll spend 1 week on the Gold Coast doing all the usual touristy stuff with them there, but where would you spend the 2nd week? I'm torn between the Sunshine Coast and Cairns.

  • Sunshine Coast gives us better access to Australia Zoo and the other stuff around there and we can drive there easily.
  • Cairns has the Daintree Rainforest, easier access to a GBR cruise, Port Douglas etc. Our 3.5-year-old will also be with us on the trip BUT we'd have to fly there, it's too long of a drive.

Planning on using Velocity FF points to pay for the flights (at least between home/GC and back) and using booking.com's BF sale to book accommodation.

Thoughts?

Travel Queensland

Comments

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  • MS Paint on 10/11/2025 - 14:51
    +11

    Two weeks exploring Logan. Chef's kiss

    • Morphio25 on 10/11/2025 - 15:32

      Hahahaha, nice try ;)

    • Far Cough on 10/11/2025 - 19:50
      -1

      Isn’t nundah bad anymore??

  • AMofOz on 10/11/2025 - 14:56
    +1

    I feel like the convenience of driving/having your own car makes Sunshine Coast the better option.

    Highly recommend the Ginger factory and Big Pineapple, both have little train rides for the young one (if they're into that).

    https://www.gingerfactory.com.au/whats-on/ginger-train/

    https://bigpineapple.com.au/collection/the-big-pineapple-tra…

    oh and there's also a Sealife aquarium, which the kids love, I haven't done Australia zoo, but I'm sure it's fine - The big Pineapple also has a zoo, too.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/11/2025 - 15:22
    +6

    i recommend cairns over sunny coast

    • EightImmortals on 10/11/2025 - 15:49
      +1

      What time of the year?

      We enjoyed Cairns and Kuranda but not sure how we'd go in the summer.

      • CascadeHush on 11/11/2025 - 10:50
        +1

        Kuranda is great.

        But Cairns is hot - like really hot. And I was there in spring, not summer.

        Also Green Island and snorkeling is cool.

  • Gunnar on 10/11/2025 - 15:23
    +1

    Where are you located?

    Far North Queensland would be my pick - so different to rest of Australia. Port Douglas is a nicer than Cairns to stay in - its much quieter

    • Morphio25 on 10/11/2025 - 15:33

      We're from Adelaide.

      • Gunnar on 10/11/2025 - 16:26
        +2

        Yeah definitely go FNQ. It’s far more unique (plus you’ve got beaches on the Eyre Peninsula which are much prettier than east coast beaches)

  • The Wololo Wombat on 10/11/2025 - 16:11

    Depends what you want.

    Relaxing beach holiday, where you want to swim in the ocean and bathe without fear of crocs? Sunny Coast.

    A more active holiday where you do hikes and lots of day trips and observe beautiful beaches? Cairns

    A mix of the two? Byron Bay… not QLD but close enough.

    • kiitos on 11/11/2025 - 07:55

      Is Byron Bay known for hikes and day trips? I thought it was just the beaches and glam hippy vibe. Will have to stop there next time I'm in the area.

  • sam-1966 on 10/11/2025 - 18:06
    +3

    Going against the grain, a little - have you thought about going out to Longreach and Winton?

    Longreach has the Outback Hall of Fame and the Qantas Founders Museum and Winton has the Age of Dinosaurs Museum - little ones and adults would love that.

    I went to Charleville and Longreach a few years ago and was amazed at how much there was to actually do out there.

    • Dashbargain on 11/11/2025 - 09:33
      +1

      Came on here to suggest just this.

      To the OP, don't know what your 3 year old is like on car trips but mine sleeps practically the entire way. Done Brisbane to Sydney (& return) twice with him and he;s slept the entire way other than when we stopped for breaks. Have even done Cairns to Proserpine by the train but he was only 8mths old then so all he was doing was eating sleeping and pooping.

      Having driven out to Longreach myself, it does get very boring scenery wise though. I one stopped it in Emerald when I did that.

      • sam-1966 on 11/11/2025 - 17:16

        I drove with my Dad and sister, stopped in Barcaldine to see the 'Tree of Knowledge', stayed two nights in Charleville and went to the Cosmos Centre and the Secret War Base (approx 3000 American solidiers in Charleville in WWII), and then Longreach - at the Qantas Founders Museum you can actually walk on the wing of a 747 (need to book in advance and only two places in the world let you do this. Here and somewhere in South Africa).

  • pinsanity on 10/11/2025 - 18:17

    Hey look everyone Warner Brothers Movie World!

  • tonka on 10/11/2025 - 18:28
    +1

    If this is their once in lifetime holiday. It has to be the Great Barrier reef.

  • sumyungguy on 10/11/2025 - 20:42
    +3

    Spend a few nights at Kingfisher Bay Resort and do their guided tours of K'gari

  • jv on 10/11/2025 - 22:06

    Two Weeks in QLD - What Would You Do?

    Cry

  • ForkSnorter on 11/11/2025 - 06:35

    We'll spend 1 week on the Gold Coast doing all the usual touristy stuff with them there

    If you're driving, you may be surprised the Gold Coast traffic is much worse than last time you visited. Especially if you've driving down the M1 to those theme parks.

    Assuming it's summer, I'd book a hotel/airbnb that is walking distance to a nice beach, and hang out at the beach every day, eat some nice food, maybe walk around some of the headland areas. Or spend a few days near the beach, then a few days in the hinterland.

    Not fun driving around through busy traffic looking for busy touristy places.

    We'll spend 1 week on the Gold Coast doing all the usual touristy stuff with them there, but where would you spend the 2nd week? I'm torn between the Sunshine Coast and Cairns.

    There is a lot to see in and around the Sunshine Coast. And traffic is not as bad as the Gold Coast. Maybe not quite as interesting as the Gold Coast though.

  • kiitos on 11/11/2025 - 07:58

    Of your family members, which one would want the theme parks?

    Given those options, I'd probably ditch Gold Coast and do Sunshine Coast and Cairns.

  • batfastard on 11/11/2025 - 09:55
    +1

    Similarish situation.

    Wife and I are going to spend a week in Port Douglas

    Much nicer than cairns, lots of options for day trips. Eg way closer to daintree, reef trips abound, etc etc.

    • sumyungguy on 11/11/2025 - 11:08

      A few nights in Palm Cove is also worth considering

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