The top 5 free "Things to do in Cairns"
Published on Thu 2nd Feb 2017 7:01:52pm AEDT
Cairns is a popular travel destination for tourists with easy access to the Great Barrier Reef and it has one of the oldest rainforests in the world, the Daintree Rainforest (Cape Tribulation). But if you have done all the main tours and are seeking for “things to do in Cairns” without spending big. What can you do?
Tourism Cairns has put together a list of activities to do in Cairns that are completely free,so you won't have to spend a cent.
Cairns Lagoon
The Cairns Lagoon is a hugely popular site on the Esplanade. It’s a vast 4-hectare outdoor swimming pool containing crystal clear seawater, complete with sandy beaches. It is a great place to sit, relax, sun-bake and even meet new people.
The atmosphere is great and it is the perfect place for families, couples and backpackers. There are many BBQ facilities available to use any time during the day, so just bring some meat and bread rolls and enjoy the day at the Lagoon with your friends.
Waterfalls
There are several waterfalls around Cairns. Most of them can be reached by bus if you don't have a car.
One of the most popular locations is Crystal Cascades, located in the Redlynch Valley, west of Cairns around 19km from the Cairns City. Crystal Cascades offers numerous waterfalls and swimming waterholes.
Another location is Stoney Creek, located where the river descends from the Atherton Tablelands to the Cairns coastal plain. It is also a beautiful location. Both locations (Crystal Cascades & Stoney Creek) are not far from each other so you can enjoy both places in the same day.
Botanic Gardens
The Botanic Gardens is a beautiful and special place in Cairns. Flecker Botanical Gardens is a heritage-listed botanic garden at Collins Avenue, Edge Hill. The Garden offers a wide range of plants and some of them significantly old.
At the Botanic Gardens there is the Red Arrow Circuit Lookout, great for those who like hiking or just exercise. The circuit takes you to a beautiful lookout where you are able to see the Cairns airport, the ocean and parts of the city.
The Esplanade
The Esplanade in Cairns offers a great opportunity for people who enjoy doing some exercise or sports. Along the Esplanade there are many different types of exercise equipment available to use, and also different types of courts such as tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts and skate ramps. Also for families with kids there are several playgrounds including the famous Muddy's which is a water playground for kids. They will be sure to love it.
Cairns Central Shopping Centre
If you like shopping Cairns Central Shopping Centre is the ideal place for you. Cairns Central is the largest shopping centre in Far North Queensland and has been servicing the local region since 1997.
The centre is fully enclosed and offers an extensive range of stores and services. It has over 180 stores together with Myer, Target, Kmart, Coles, and Vmax screens at Event Cinemas.