Holiday in Cairns?

[Mumshmum]

Just wondering if anyone knows of some great holiday spots in Cairns? Will have 2 adults, a 4 year old and a 3year old. Will be in September.

[newmum2one]

I live in Cairns so maybe I can help - are you looking for somewhere to stay or stuff to do? and if it's stuff to do, are you looking at touristy? shopping? free stuff? We've got some great beaches and parks etc... will you have a car or using public transport?

[Mumshmum]

We love the beach, will be tourists, may be able to borrow a car.(my hubby will be attending a work conference first)
How far is Port Douglas from Cairns?

[newmum2one]

Port Douglas is only about an hour away (I think - only been there once)... Definitely visit the northern beaches ie Palm Cove, Trinity Beach and so on (a map will help you there) - they are only between 20-35 mins from the CBD. The Esplanade has a lovely big swimming lagoon and Muddies Playground for littlies (not right next to each other, you will have to walk along the waterfront a bit to get from one to the other). I'll keep thinking - it really depends on how much time you've got here - there's the tablelands, and scenic railway/skyrail and all that kind of thing if you're interested

[ozzysmum]

port douglas is only about 45 minutes drive from Cairns (from memory) and it's a lovely drive :) we went with ozzy in december and stayed at breakfree portsea - has fantastic adventure swimming pool which kids will LOVE and a swim up bar (for the grown ups;)) i totally recommend it- we had a great time. port douglas is very pram friendly and there's a couple of good hire places if you don't want to drag everything with you (car seats etc)

have a FAB time :smiliedance:

[Mumshmum]

Thankyou. I will look into those suggestions. We will be staying about 1 week.

[BabyJoy]

Hi! I also live in Cairns, well actually Kewarra Beach which is on the same stretch of beach as Palm Cove (Kewarra is the southern end which is dog-friendly). Anyhow, I personally think Port Douglas is overrated and very expensive and that there's heaps to do around Cairns and northern beaches as well as the Tablelands. But I agree that the drive there is really scenic.... not sure if it would interest a 4 yr old or 3 yr old.
Cairns Coconut Village Caravan Park has won heaps of awards for its family friendliness... they've got a huge playground, pool and mini golf and a variety of accommodation options (not just caravans). I'm sure you'd find them if you google.
The lagoon on the esplanade is fabulous for children but Muddies playground is even better with fabulous water activities. It's a good 15 minute walk from the lagoon to Muddies (just walk north on the esplanade) and it also has a nice little cafe for grown-ups!
The Kuranda Railway and Skyrail are great for the family (although a little pricey - not sure of your budget). You can take the train up and the skyrail back and depending on where you are staying you can get transferred to and from your accommodation by coach as part of the price. This sort of trip will take up a whole day and the kids will love it.
If you'd like to check out the Tablelands, it's best to hire a car... there are car hire places EVERYWHERE in Cairns, and so they are priced really well because they are so competitive. Whatever you do, DON'T take a cab somewhere believing it's not far because Cairns and northern beaches are spread out and you could spend a small fortune on cabs if you relied on them. Oops, just read your post saying you might be getting a car, so ignore the above!
If you have a car, then it's worth driving to the northern beaches... Trinity Beach, Palm Cove in particular and on the way you can stop at Cairns Tropical Zoo (it's at Palm Cove on the Cook Highway)... it's great value for money and fun for kids. Palm Cove is like a little resort town for honeymooners so there's not much there for kids and it's expensive, but aside from that, it's got a great vibe, great beach, great restaurants and a jetty for the kids to walk out on and check out what fish the locals are catching.
You could also take a day trip to Green Island. There's a crocodile farm over there (if that sort of thing interests you) and you can snorkel off the beach (although the coral isn't the best)... but I'm trying to think of things you can do with little kids and the water off Green Island is REALLY shallow so you could have a great time paddling with them and may spot a starfish or some little fish. I once saw one of those huge blue starfish about two metres from the shore line and it was only in about a foot of water.
One last thing... you are picking a great time of year to visit. September is just before stinger season so you should be okay to swim in the ocean (especially Green Island) and the climate is also really nice... not too humid.
If you have any more questions just send me a PM.
Have a great holiday! :D