15 Reasons To Visit Airlie Beach: A Queensland Road Trip Destination Guide
I LOVED Airlie Beach
I unintentionally stayed in Airlie Beach for two weeks, having an amazing time exploring The Whitsundays, chilling in the sun and taking some much-needed R&R in this beautiful coastal town.
After my six months working in a packing shed day in and out for my 3rd year working holiday visa and regional farmwork, I decided I deserved a holiday.
Airlie Beach is a perfect Queensland holiday destination and a go-to stop on my Australian road trip bucket list. Here are some of my favourite things to do in Airlie Beach:
- Explore The Whitsundays
- Airlie Beach Lagoon
- Boathaven Beach
- Whitsunday Saturday Markets
- Cape Gloucester
- Hydeaway Bay & Dingo Beach
- Cape Hillsborough
- Cedar Creek Falls
- Bicentennial Walk
- Honeyeater Lookout
- Breakfast in Airlie Beach
- Sorrento Whitsundays Restuarant
- Nightlife
- Airlie Beach Accommodation
- Coral Sea Resort
Things To Do In Airlie Beach
1. Explore The Whitsundays
The main reason for visiting Airlie Beach is The Whitsundays – an incredible collection of 74 islands off the Queensland Coast.
Known as The Heart of The Great Barrier Reef for its amazing stretch of coral reefs and white sand beaches, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to having multiple ways to explore The Whitsundays out of Airlie Beach.
For more information on The Whitsundays make sure to read my dedicated blog post: Exploring The Whitsundays By Land, Sea & Air.
2. Airlie Beach Lagoon
Airlie Beach Lagoon is a must for a chilled out day, basking out in the Queensland sun.
Pop into the lagoon for a free swim, chill, or shallow sunbathing session. There are lots of bbqs with covered dining areas alongside shaded tree areas which create perfect sunbathing spots for everyone.
It’s always buzzing with people, music and groups relaxing for the day.
In the summer it’s open till 9 pm which means a cheap dinner on the free BBQs for all my fellow frugal backpackers.
Also visiting The Lagoon is a must when it’s jellyfish season and beach swimming is not recommended from November to March!
3. Boat Haven Beach
The only beach with a stingers net to protect you in jellyfish season! Stinger Season is from November – April.
The beach is full of beautiful white sand littered with shells and inviting blue water.
The only downside is there is hardly any shade – so if you stupidly burn in the lagoon pool as I did, there’s nowhere to hide!
Plus you get to walk past the second harbour full of incredible boats and yachts. Choose which one would be yours in an imaginary world. Or, if you own one, can I please come aboard?!
Port of Airlie, The Beacons, Airlie Beach QLD 4802
4. Whitsunday Saturday Markets
Make sure you are up early to get the best finds at the Airlie Beach Saturday markets.
The perfect way to spend a Saturday morning strolling and looking at all the local produce.
Australians are big on Aussie made products and this market is no exception. Great coffee pop up caravans and food stalls means you can grab a great breakfast all whilst listening to the live music artists.
Airlie Beach Markets open 8 am – 2 pm every Saturday.
10-20 Airlie Esplanade, Airlie Beach QLD 4802
5. Cape Gloucester
Only a 45-minute drive north from Airlie Beach, I have to let you in on the beautiful secret that is Cape Gloucester.
Getting here is an adventure that will see you driving down gravel roads through farm country! Stop off to see the big cows fenced on either side of the long road.
6. Hydeaway Bay & Dingo Beach
So I’ve sent you to Cape Gloucester, the reason why, is for these two idyllic beaches! Palm tree’s Line Dingo Beach and some are perfectly angled to climb and pose upon for the perfect photo moment! Hydeaway Bay is perfecting for those of you who enjoy fishing or exploring rock pools at the far end.
7. Cape Hillsborough
I’ve previously sent you North of Airlie Beach for 45 minutes to explore, now I am going to send you South!
Quite a little further south but it is an incredible sight that awaits you if you decide to visit Cape Hillsborough National Park.
Drive 1 hr 30 minutes for an amazing camping destination with the main attraction happening at sunrise…
Kangaroo’s in their masses can be found on the beach, often fighting, roaming and more often than not, searching for food as the sun rises.
It is an amazing Australian experience seeing Kangaroo’s in the wild, and for once, not dead on the side of the Bruce Highway!
Just don’t make the mistake of heading to Cape Hillsborough for sunset thinking kangaroos will be spotted, because I can tell you from first hand experience, sadly they won’t.
8. Cedar Creek Falls
Walk along the Cedar Falls walking track for around 15 minutes to come across this swim-up waterfall! Located within the Cedar Creek section of Tamborine National Park, it is a great day out when visiting the Whitsundays region of Queensland.
For the braver explorers amongst us, jumping and diving from the waterfall is not something I would recommend as the water isn’t as deep as you would think!
Bring your swimmers, some blankets, bug spray & and picnic for a great half day trip.
9. Bicentennial Walk
To save you some time, once you’ve booked Sorrento’s Italian restaurant in Airlie Beach off my recommendation further down into this blog, you can walk part of the Bicentennial Walk around the harbour to the restaurant! It is a beautiful walk any time of day but just before sunset is a lovely cool option.
10. Honeyeater Lookout Trail
My only advice for this uphill trek is to go when it is cool, early in the morning.
Avoid the mistake of hiking this walk in the midday Queensland sun. It’s not so enjoyable otherwise!
Equally, do not go too far into the afternoon as it takes around an hour and a half to two hours to make it up and down again. Doing this walk in the dark is not advised!
I am speaking from experience here, we thought you could go for sunset until luckily, a kind local man told us otherwise before we started the trail. We came back the next morning a little later than planned and hiked the sweaty uphill climb.
Airlie Beach Restaurants
11. Breakfast in Airlie Beach
Wisdom Cafe
The only negative thing I have to say about Wisdom Cafe is that it’s not open 24/7. The best spot to head for a quick sandwich snack or healthy hangover juice whilst chilling at the lagoon.
Make sure to get in and grab a ham and cheese toasty before it closes at 2 pm. The number 9 sandwich and the mango smoothie are must orders too!
Wisdom Cafe was so budget a taste friendly, I went there pretty much every other day.
It’s doggie friendly too with puppycinos on the menu. Grab a photo by the perfect Instagram wall or lounge on the bean bags whilst you wait for your order.
Shop 1B/273 Shute Harbour Rd, Airlie Beach QLD 4802
The Treehouse Airlie Beach
The Treehouse is a lovely open alfresco dining breakfast or brunch spot with views of the lagoon. The big breakfast doesn’t lie either – The Treehouse’s take on a full English brekky with an Aussie twist was epic.
The three pork Mexican beans were a winner and my staple breakfast diet of Avo Smash & various ingredients on sourdough toast hit the spot perfectly.
Plus add the owners brand new puppy to the equation and you have a perfect start to a happy day when visiting this Airlie beach restaurant.
Reasonable prices for Airlie beach with breakfast costing between $22 – $30 including coffees and meal.
It also has a full lunch and evening menu – but I didn’t have the budget to eat out three times a day!
Where To Eat In Airlie Beach
12. Sorrento Whitsunday
Sorrento’s on Airlie Beach Harbour is the best spot for sunset! You will need to book in advance to get a table as the view and food makes this the favourite Italian restaurant Airlie Beach has to offer.
The filleto fettuccini pasta was incredible, I went three times in 2 weeks and ordered it every single time. It’s also probably the reason why any farm weight I lost was fully regained!
I went for dinner with 8 friends and everyone ordered something different, I had food envy with every delicious order and insisted on trying theirs too.
You can have the full dining experience with table service upstairs, or eat in the more relaxed downstairs bar area.
Sorrento’s also have a happy hour between 4 – 5 pm as well as two for one on pizza deals between 3-5 pm.
22 Shingley Dr, Airlie Beach QLD 4802
Airlie Beach Hotel – The Pub
Yes, a pub called The Pub. It caused my friends some confusion when I told them to meet me here at the pub without specifying which pub!
To be fair, it’s the nicest Australian pub I’ve seen in a while! Grab a table amongst the gorgeous flower aesthetic of the Airlie Beach Hotel – The Pub and spend a good while looking over their large menu with multiple tasty choices!
Main menu choices come with a buffet starter and dessert, whereas your typical pub grub snacks cravings like pizza and loaded chips. The chilli ones are to die for.
Often with live music in the evenings, The Pub Airlie Beach is a great spot to head to no matter what time, state, mood or craving you find yourself wanting. The vibe will give you the energy for a big night out on the main road or fuel your day exploring.
Airlie Beach Hotel, 16 Airlie Esplanade, Airlie Beach QLD 4802
13. Airlie Beach Nightlife
I may have gone overboard most nights in Airlie Beach. But, I had my excuses of being deprived of any normal public human interaction in rural Queensland on the farm (Completing six months of farm work for a visa).
So here are some of my favourite Airlie Beach Bars and which night of the week you need to visit them:
Hush Bar
If Australia did Coyote Ugly – Hush Airlie Beach would be the closest replica.
Gain yourself a free drink by giving the bar staff your undies, you might even get them hung up on the wall – make sure they are fresh just in case!
Their open mic night is where all the talented locals and passing through backpackers head to sing their hearts out with the talented musical accompaniment of Simon Briley Music!
I even dusted off the old lungs and gave my first public (non-shower or car journey) performance in a while! Anything to get a free drink…
Magnums
You will end up in Magnums bar, even if you don’t want to end up there!
I visited during phase-out Covid 19 restrictions in November 2020 – so no dancing sadly (footloose eat your heart out) but everything else was back to normal.
They had still not opened to full capacity yet with the upstairs terrace and the nightclub remaining closed.
Honestly, it was probably a good thing for my bank balance and helped with the total hours of sleep I managed to get whilst visiting Airlie Beach.
They sell jugs of spirit and mixer for $22.00 (4 glasses). Unheard of in Australia so make sure to grab one otherwise it’s $8 for a single and mixer… do the maths gang.
Mamma Africa
Usually, I would never even consider to include this awful bar/nightclub for any promotion good or bad. But, because it’s so bad, I have to warn you.
Do not go & do not waste your money, horrible staff, watered-down drinks and a power tripped, love deprived man child ‘bouncer’.
By any luck, it will be finally closed down by the time any of you visit!
Boaties
The bar associated with Nomads & Base Hostel – receive a 20% discount if you stay at the hostel.
Happy Hour 4-6 pm & 8 – 10 pm for everyone – Happy days!
Lovely outdoor balcony and terrace to sit in the sun with a cider as the sun sets.
There are plenty of other bars and nightclubs across Airlie Beach and even into Cannonvale suburb. The majority of restaurants and bars have live music each night, so there is a constant atmosphere around the town.
14. Airlie Beach Accommodation
Nomads Airlie Beach
My motto is and always has been Boujee expensive-looking travels with a basic backpacker budget.
Australia is one of the best places to backpack and travel in the world, although it is also one of the most expensive
During my Queensland road trip, I fully embraced the backpacker lifestyle again. I am sharing my tried and tested tips and experiences to help you save some $$$.
The only place I can and will recommend full-heartedly for where to stay in Airlie Beach is Nomads Hostel Airlie Beach.
354 Shute Harbour Rd, Airlie Beach QLD 4802
Other options are Magnum Hostel – but its lively bar right next to the accommodation is one of the top bars in Airlie Beach.
Beware, sleep is not usually an option before midnight, plus it’s more expensive.
370 Shute Harbour Rd, Airlie Beach QLD 4802
Airlie Beach Hotels
15. Coral Sea Resort Hotel
This resort was way too Boujee for my actual budget.
However, you best believe I managed to dig deep and find $22 for an espresso martini cocktail overlooking the harbour, on a swinging chair at sunset!
If you spend $40 at the coral sea resort Airlie beach in the daytime, which amounts to lunch and a cocktail, you can use the infinity pool for the day without being a staying guest.
They also have amazing Sunday Session parties with DJ’s and a fun pool party – not one to miss if you are visiting over a weekend.
For those of you in full-time employment (unlike me, homeless and travelling for the next 3 months) – Spend until your heart’s content and stay in the incredible Coral Sea Resort Hotel, without a doubt the best hotel in Airlie Beach.
Other Air BnB’s and apartment rentals are available – just make sure you are staying in Airlie Beach itself and not the next suburb of Cannonvale.
25 Ocean View Ave, Airlie Beach QLD 4802
Airlie Beach is a great halfway point for travelling Queensland. It sits just before the start of tropical Northern Queensland & the city of Cairns. Or if you are heading south its a great stop before the long drive south down the coast to Southern Queensland; with towns like Noosa, & The Gold Coast.
Whitsundays – Discover By Land, Sea & Air
The main reason for visiting Airlie Beach is for access to The Whitsundays – Make sure to Go With Gabbs for all land & sea exploration of the incredible Whitsunday Islands and & Options for exploring the incredible Islands and Great Barrier Reef.
