The best places to visit in Queensland

Looking for a holiday that delivers wow moments in spades? Welcome to Queensland, Australia – a tropical playground of reef, rainforest and road trips.

Travel expert Florence, from Kuoni Milton Keynes, has been out exploring the Sunshine State, with highlights including snorkelling above shipwrecks and heading off-road on the sand island of K’gari. Here, she shares the best places to visit along with her tips for planning your own trip.

Why visit Queensland?

Few places in Australia pack in quite as many headline sights as Queensland. This star-studded corner is home to the world’s most famous coral wonder (hello, Great Barrier Reef), primeval rainforest that’s older than the Amazon and postcard islands with some of the whitest sand beaches on Earth – all set against a balmy, tropical climate.

“Before visiting, I’d always thought of Queensland as somewhere you dip into on a bigger Australia trip. But once you’re there, you realise how much there is to fit in – you can easily spend two or three weeks travelling the coast, hopping between islands, vibrant cities and laidback beach towns.”

Queensland: in a nutshell

Queensland is a seriously big slice of Australia – roughly seven times the size of the UK – and packed with bucket-list sights. So where do you start? Whether you're planning an epic road trip or a whistle-stop tour of the icons, here are a few of the most beautiful corners of the state Florence says you shouldn’t miss.

Tropical North Queensland: reef and rainforest adventures

If the Great Barrier Reef is on your wish list, Cairns makes a great base. This lively hub is where reef boats depart daily and the waterfront buzzes with bars, restaurants and night markets.

Many travellers choose to stay about an hour up the road in Port Douglas, a relaxed beach town that feels a world away from the city. From here, day trips head north to Mossman Gorge and deeper into the Daintree, all the way to Cape Tribulation, where Jurassic-like rainforest meets the sea.

The Whitsundays: island-hopping heaven

With 74 islands scattered across the Coral Sea, the Whitsundays are the Instagram-famous face of tropical Queensland. The best way to see them? By boat – sailing between quiet coves and dropping anchor at Whitehaven Beach, where powder-white sand swirls into turquoise water.

Trips run from both Airlie Beach on the mainland and Hamilton Island, while islands like Hayman and Daydream make dreamy bases if you want to stay among the islands.

The Nature Coast: Sunshine Coast and K’gari

The Nature Coast – comprising the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Coast – is all surf-swept beaches, coastal trails and stylish seaside towns like Noosa, where boho cafés spill onto leafy streets and coastal rainforest hugs the headland.

But there’s a wilder side to this stretch of coast too. Just offshore sits K’gari (formerly Fraser Island), the world’s largest sand island, where 4WDs travel along 75 Mile Beach and freshwater lakes like brilliantly blue Lake McKenzie sit tucked between the dunes.

Brisbane & the Gold Coast: city & surf

Brisbane and the Gold Coast round out Queensland’s line-up with a city-and-beach contrast. Brisbane is packed with great places to eat, plus riverside walks and shopping that ranges from designer boutiques to weekend markets.

An hour south, the Gold Coast has surf and skyline in equal measure – high-rise towers, sweeping beaches and locals gathering at places like Burleigh Heads or Surfers Paradise, two of the coolest spots in this part of the state.

10 unforgettable experiences in Queensland

We asked Florence to share the experiences that deserve a place on your Queensland itinerary.

Snorkel or dive the Great Barrier Reef

You can’t come to Queensland and not see the Great Barrier Reef. Boats leave daily from Cairns, Port Douglas, the Whitsundays, Townsville and Mission Beach, whisking you out to coral cays and vast reef gardens alive with turtles, reef fish and technicolour coral.

Sleep under the stars on the Reefsleep experience

For an even more immersive reef experience, stay overnight at Hardy Reef. After the day-trippers leave, the reef turns wonderfully quiet – with sunset drinks, dusk snorkelling and the choice of sleeping under the stars in a swag or inside an underwater Reefsuite.

Go brewery hopping in Brisbane

Brisbane is a craft beer hotspot, with independent breweries and taprooms dotted across the city. Spend an afternoon hopping between them and sampling local brews – head to Green Beacon in Teneriffe for a Tropical Pale Ale or try Ballistic Beer’s small-batch pours, from crisp lagers to punchy sours..

Roam the Daintree Rainforest

Head into the Daintree, one of the oldest rainforests on Earth. Walk through dense jungle, and cruise the Daintree River, where crocodiles can often be seen along the banks, then spot cassowaries among towering palms and tangled vines.

Stay on K’gari and watch for whales

For a memorable detour, spend a night or two on K’gari at Kingfisher Bay Resort. From July to October, humpback whales pass the island’s coast, making it one of Australia’s best whale-watching spots.

Snorkel the Tangalooma Shipwrecks

Just a ferry ride from Brisbane, Tangalooma on Moreton Island feels like you’ve escaped to paradise. Snorkel around the famous shipwrecks, then spend the day quad biking across the island or taking in the view from a scenic helicopter ride.

Experience Kuku Yalanji culture

Spend time with Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal guides near Port Douglas, discovering bush foods, natural medicines and the stories that connect people to this landscape.

Recharge at Silky Oaks Lodge in the Daintree

For a dose of rainforest wellness, make a beeline for Silky Oaks Lodge. Expect open-air spa treatments, yoga by the Mossman River and invigorating swims in a hidden billabong.

Cross the rainforest canopy to Kuranda

Ride the Skyrail cableway to Kuranda, drifting above the rainforest canopy before exploring the village’s markets and wildlife sanctuaries. Afterwards, return on the historic railway through jungle-clad mountains.

Visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

If you’re staying in Brisbane, take a river cruise out to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Here you can meet koalas, hand-feed kangaroos and encounter some of Australia’s most characterful wildlife, from platypus to laughing kookaburras.

Best time to visit

Thanks to its size, Queensland’s climate varies widely. Tropical North Queensland is warm year-round, while the south around Brisbane and the Gold Coast has more distinct seasons. If snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef is on your list, the sweet spot is usually May to October, when the weather is sunny, the sea is calm and reef trips run daily. Spring and autumn are also lovely times to travel along the southern coast.

“Everyone talks about Australia’s high season, but low season can actually be a brilliant time to visit. Places are quieter, hotels and flights are cheaper and northern regions are dry, sunny and pleasant. It’s also prime whale season – we spotted humpbacks from the air during a scenic flight over K’gari.”

So… how do you do Queensland?

There’s no single way to see Queensland – and that’s part of the fun. You can take it slow, island-hop along the coast or hit the road and cover some serious ground.

If you want to focus purely on Queensland, two weeks or more gives you time to tick off the state’s highlights. Our Queensland Highlights multicentre links together Cairns, the Whitsundays and Brisbane, offering a great introduction to reef, rainforest and coast.

If you have longer, our Queensland Pacific Coast Way self-drive follows the coast from Brisbane to Port Douglas – a classic north–south road trip that takes around three weeks.

Alternatively, Queensland fits beautifully into a wider Australia adventure. Our Essential Australia itinerary pairs Queensland with city marvels like Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. Or follow the coast on Australia’s Eastern Highlights, which hops between Port Douglas, Hamilton Island and Brisbane, finishing in Sydney for one last big-city hurrah.

The information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication.