11 Of The Best Things To Do In Airlie Beach

From the back of a jet ski to the seat of a mountain bike or aboard a catamaran, there are countless ways to explore Airlie Beach

It’s one of North Queensland’s most picturesque… and interesting… coastal towns – full of salty characters who live for the sea – yet Airlie Beach still manages to fly under a lot of our travel radars. But there are so many things to do in a region which epitomises all the very best elements of coastal North Queensland – from its mostly uninhabited offshore islands (the Whitsundays) to bars with Coral Sea views and sea dog characters. We show the best things to do in Airlie Beach.

1. See Airline Beach from a different perspective (upside down!)

For a completely different way to see Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands, get inside a Soviet-era Russian Yak fighter pilot plane for aerial acrobatics right out over the town and the islands at speeds up to 300 kilometres with CQ Adventure Flights .

CQ Adventure flights — Experience an adrenaline rush. (Image: Marty Stringer)

Seeing the expansive ocean and islands while you’re upside down gives you a whole different perspective. There are three packages you can book – with one offering you the chance to fly right out over Whitehaven Beach, flying low over islands on the way out. It’s a great way to see everything from above while feeling like you’re locked in combat.

2. Meet the locals at the weekend markets

You won’t find a better place to get to meet the locals of Airlie Beach than the Airlie Beach Markets on Saturday mornings between 7am and 1pm. Held right beside the beach on the grassy foreshore, you won’t find a market anywhere in Australia with as spectacular a sea view. Look out on dozens of yachts and the northern islands of the Whitsundays as you browse stands of fresh produce, handmade jewellery and clothes, tasty food and fresh coffee. There’s also plenty for kids with camel and train rides.

3. Have a drink in a bar that epitomises North Queensland

There’s a bar with a view around every corner in Airlie Beach – and you can bet there’s a happy hour and a table full of salty characters ready to tell you a tale or two at every one of them. No coastal town in Australia can beat the collection of bars with sea views – especially at sunset.

Drop in for a drink overlooking the Coral Sea Marina and out to the northern Whitsunday Islands at Sorrento Restaurant & Bar.

Northies beach Bar & Grill — Relax with drinks and a meal at Northerlies Beach Bar and Grill. (Image: Red Cat Adventures)

Opt for a table beside the pool overlooking Airlie Beach and the islands up high at Anchor Bar . Or relax in a hammock or a seat at a picnic table under coconut trees on a secret beach north of town at Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill .

4. Enjoy a luxurious adults-only yacht tour

There are no children allowed aboard on these five-star sailing journeys – to allow for maximum relaxation (but there’s plenty of Champagne). Join a day tour on a 63-year-old classic sailing boat, Lady Enid , with a maximum of just 24 guests, as you sail from Airlie Beach to the Whitsunday Islands.

Lady Enid sailing — Step aboard a day tour on a 63-year-old classic sailing boat.

Choose between two-day tours which take you snorkelling, sailing and enjoying seafood lunches at two of the region’s best destinations – Whitehaven Beach or hidden gem, Langford Island. Or opt for a sunset sail in the bay just beyond Airlie Beach.

5. Airlie Beach Lagoon

The name ‘Airlie Beach’ is perhaps a bit misleading. Really there’s only one beach (Boathaven) in town, and even that’s man-made. But if you’re craving some time in the water, all is not lost: enter Airlie Beach Lagoon.

Surrounded by landscaped, palm-tree-dotted grassy shores, and featuring a sandy beach area at one end, you could easily while away a warm summer’s day at this scenic saltwater lagoon, finishing up with a beach barbie using one of the municipal barbecues scattered around the place. It’s free to visit, and those travelling with littlies can safely paddle in the children’s pool. The foreshore is also home to a super slick state-of-the-art playground, which opened in 2019, and lies just a few minutes’ walk from the lagoon.

If you’re craving some time in the water, enter Airlie Beach Lagoon.

6. Bicentennial Walkway

Fill your lungs with salty sea air, take in the beautiful shoreline views, and work up an appetite with a stroll along the Bicentennial Walkway. Roughly four kilometres long, this walk from Airlie Beach Lagoon to Cannonvale Beach takes around 45 minutes to complete.

Reward yourself with a velvety flat white or a decadent sit-down breakfast when you arrive at Cannonvale Beach: Fat Frog Beach Cafe is a local favourite that looks squarely onto the waterfront.

7. Skydiving over Airlie Beach

If there were ever a scenic spot to select for a skydiving drop zone then Airlie Beach, and the wider Great Barrier Reef, might just be it. Soar up to 15,000 feet above the Whitsunday Region before jumping out of a tiny plane and freefalling at more than 220 kilometres an hour before floating down over the clouds and drinking in the panorama of crumpled green hinterland, pure white shores, and aquamarine waters as the breeze ripples past your face.

Skydiving airlie beach — Is there a more scenic spot to select for a skydiving drop zone.

8. Sunset Cruise

Looking for a serene end to a jam-packed day and a different perspective of Airlie Beach? Step aboard one of Sundowner Cruises ’ purpose-built catamarans and enjoy a relaxing sunset cruise, complete with a glass of sparkling and a few nibbles. The company also offers two-hour afternoon cruises twice weekly.

sunset cruise airlie beach — Enjoy a relaxing sunset cruise.

9. Jet ski tours

If frolicking around on the water in a tropical paradise constitutes your dream day, then book in for a jet ski tour. Promising adrenaline and scenic vistas in equal measure, Whitsunday Jetski Tours offer three different sea safaris that last from 90 minutes up to four hours. You might spy sea turtles, dugongs, seabirds and humpback whales while scooting around in the World Heritage-listed marine park that is the Great Barrier Reef.

There are, truly, countless other ways to take to the waters of the Great Barrier Reef from Airlie Beach. So if jet-skiing doesn’t appeal then visit the Tourism Whitsundays website , which lists all of the different snorkelling, diving, and sailing trips that leave from the coastal town. You can even admire the marine park from the skies, with a scenic flight over Heart Reef and Whitehaven Beach.

Whitsunday Jetski Tours offer three different sea safaris.

10. Conway National Park

A sprawling tract of lowland tropical rainforest that’s home to hoop pines, mangroves, and paperbark and pandanus woodlands, Conway National Park is the perfect spot for practising a bit of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing). Enjoy one of the park’s numerous walks, such as the steep 7.5-kilometre-long ascent to the Honeyeater Lookout, which affords sweeping views over the coastline; take to two wheels and hurtle around on dirt ribbons below the forest canopy on one of Conway National Park’s mountain biking trails, or jump on a segway and take a motorised tour of this verdant pocket.

11. Cedar Creek Falls

Less than a 30-minute drive from Airlie Beach, these falls cascade over a rock face before landing into a sizable milky green waterhole, enveloped by trees, that’s perfect for a cooling dip in the heat of summer. If possible, time your visit to coincide with recent rainfall, so that the falls are in full flow and the pool at its base is full. Best of all, there are no crocs to worry about and it’s located just a short walk from the car park.

Now discover the best tours in Airlie Beach to go on.

Originally written by Chloe Cann with updates by Craig Tanlsey

Adventure and refined Luxury combine at the stunning Rangelands Outback Camp.

Iconic Australian red dirt, ancient rocky landscapes and bursts of greenery and wildflowers all make the small town of Winton, and its surrounds, a sight to behold. Escape the ordinary and unwind in the Queensland outback, where ancient landscapes and off-grid luxury await at Rangelands Outback Camp.

cosy seats in Rangelands Outback Camp — Unwind in the ancient outback.

About Rangelands Outback Camp

Unforgettable 360-degree views of this 95-million-year-old land await at Rangelands; bathed in style and positioned on top of a jump-up (or mesa), your tented camp seamlessly blends into its outback setting.

Set on the 53,935-square-kilometre Rangelands Station – a working cattle property – the abundant wildlife are your only neighbours; kangaroos, echidnas, eagles and other birdlife all call Rangelands home.

Bathed in style, your tented camp seamlessly blends into its outback setting. Indulge with carefully curated menus, personalised service and supersized luxury tents that guarantee a private experience. This exclusive camp only has a maximum of 12 guests at a time.

Here, the aim is pampering. From tasty menus to supersized tents with all the creature comforts, to a range of guided tours around the property and beyond.

Guests are transferred from Winton or Longreach by a dedicated Rangelands driver.

aerial shot of Rangelands Outback Camp tent — Soak in 360-degree views.

Rangelands Outback Camp tours

Join small-group tours and enjoy exclusive access to the ancient Rangelands Rifts with your Rangelands hosts. These incredible rock formations were formed by millions of years of erosion, leaving dramatic channels through the rock. Or explore the surrounds with Rangeland’s touring partner, Red Dirt Tours .

Get sunset birds-eye views over dramatic mesa country in a helicopter, from Queensland’s own Three Sisters to Corey’s Range, stopping at the best lookouts along the way.

Get up close and personal with this rugged land on four wheels, with expert drivers and guides leading guests through famous Bladensburg National Park, visiting Gondwana Stars Observatory and more.

The Winton area is famous for its boulder opals (the second-rarest opal in the world, after black opals), and a stop at the mining community of Opalton sheds a fascinating light on the unique fossicking method used to find them.

A trip to dinosaur country is a must, as this is the place that ramped up Australia’s dino contribution after a fossilised footprint was found in 1962; after more exploration, the discovery of 3300 footprints made it clear this was the world’s only evidence of a dinosaur stampede. Those same footprints are still on display today at Lark Quarry Conservation Park , a 90-minute drive from Winton. Also check out Australia’s largest collection of Australian Dinosaur fossils Australian Age of Dinosaurs, just 30 minutes from Winton. Here, join a tour through a working laboratory, dinosaur canyon and more.

A twice-daily transfer into downtown Winton is offered to guests, where they can explore the Royal Outdoor Theatre, opal shops, Waltzing Matilda Centre and more.

tour being led through Rangeland rifts — Have an exclusive adventure through the Rangeland Rifts. (Image: TEQ)

Sleeping in luxury

After a day of exploring, return to your tranquil tent for a blissful open shower and uninterrupted views from your private deck.

Designed to integrate guests into the surrounding nature, each tent feels like its own private haven. While being off-grid in the outback (in fact, each tent is powered by its own solar panels, with the added support of a backup generator), guests can also luxuriate in comfortable amenities like air conditioning, a supremely comfortable king-size bed and stylish designer touches.

Guests can stroll to the open-air Sunset Deck for breathtaking panoramic views, or to the main lounge and dining tent, where books, on-demand coffee and drinks make it the perfect place to relax after a day in the outback.

inside Rangelands Outback Camp bedroom — Enjoy plenty of space inside, and stunning views outside.

Rangelands Outback Camp dining

As the sun starts to dip below the horizon, gather for drinks and canapés on the expansive Sunset Deck, watching the sun drench the landscape in pinks and oranges as it sinks below the horizon.

Later, head to The Mahal lounge area and dining tent where mealtime magic happens. Savour a gourmet meal made fresh by Rangeland’s onsite chef. The meals use local produce to elevate classic outback dishes, and don’t worry, dietary requirements are happily accommodated.

Enjoy an open bar filled with an expansive hand-selected list of wines and premium beers, with wine pairings offered by Rangelands hosts come dinner time.

Discover more and book your luxurious stay at rangelandscamp.com.

11 of the best things to do in Airlie Beach