25 Amazing Things to do with Kids in Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands

Airlie Beach is close to the gorgeous Whitsunday Islands and is the perfect spot to stay to explore as there are so many things to do with kids nearby.

With multiple playgrounds and a huge lagoon, Airlie Beach is definitely kid-friendly. Plus, there are great day tours available from Airlie Beach with kids.

Is it worth staying at Airlie Beach? Well, that is up to you and your family. For us, definitely! Mark and I have been to Airlie Beach twice, and this is the first time we came with kids. We stayed at Airlie Beach both times for the proximity to shops and restaurants and the ease of going out on snorkeling day trips.

There are a large variety of hotels available at Airlie Beach for different budgets.

Keep reading to find the best things to do in Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays, plus where to stay in Airlie Beach and how to get around Airlie Beach.

There are all kinds of amazing Day Trips from Airlie Beach.

Free Things to do in Airlie Beach with Kids

#1 Play at the Playground

Airlie Beach has multiple playgrounds. The largest playground is Airlie Beach Playground with its large slides and plenty of places to climb.

There is a playground near the Lagoon at Fairy Tree Park, and another near the beach close to Fairy Tree Park.

Logan’s Adventure Playground is located on Cannonvale Beach, about a 10-minute drive from the lagoon on Airlie Beach.

#2 Swim in the Lagoon

It is not safe to swim in the water on the beaches at Airlie Beach, so the lagoon is a popular place to swim.

We learned the hard way, the lagoon is not open 24 hours. The hours are 6 am – 6 pm daily, though they did let us swim until 6:30 pm.

There is a shallow area for small children, which includes a rock path that my kids liked to jump across.

We ate both breakfast and dinner at the covered picnic tables by the lagoon.

There are toilets and changing rooms located at the lagoon.

#3 Play at the Beach

Boathaven Beach, Cannonvale Beach, and the beach by Fairy Tree Park all have sandy areas to play in.

Boathaven Beach has a stinger net where swimming is available. It is close to the playground and toilets.

Cannonvale Beach also has a playground and toilets, but there is no swimming.

#4 Walk through the Saturday Markets

Located near the largest playground in Airlie Beach is the Saturday Markets. The market runs on Saturdays between 7:30 am and 1 pm.

There are a lot of options at the Saturday Markets from kid’s items to food, crafts to jewelry. Of course, there is a charge for purchasing items, but walking around the markets is always free.

More Things to do in Airlie Beach with Kids

#5 View the Great Barrier Reef from Above

Helicopter rides and plane rides are available from Airlie Beach. The famous heart reef is visible on these rides.

Decide which helicopter ride or airplane ride is right for your family by comparing options with Viator.

#6 Take a Boat to the Great Barrier Reef

The lower part of the Great Barrier Reef can be visited from Airlie Beach.

Mark and I snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef on our first visit to Airlie Beach before we had kids. On this trip, we chose to stay closer to Airlie Beach and visit the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns.

If you would like to head to the Great Barrier Reef from Airlie Beach, full-day tours are available.

#7 Take a Boat to the Whitsunday Islands

Whitehaven Beach is a popular stop in the Whitsunday Islands and many boat tours go to Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach.

On this trip, we toured with Redcat Adventures. We had a stopover at Whitehaven Beach before heading out to snorkel in 2 different locations.

Other boat trips to the Whitsunday Islands from Airlie Beach include sailing the Whitsundays, a glass bottom boat tour, and a sunset sailing trip.

Read more about our day out to Whitehaven Beach and snorkeling at the Whitsunday Islands.

#8 Go Snorkeling

Seeing what is underwater is what makes this area amazing. There are lots of options for snorkeling tours for most ages and abilities.

Check out snorkeling options from Airlie Beach with Viator.  

#9 Kayak or ride a SUP

If you want to explore the ocean from the top of it, try kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding.

These activities don’t take up the whole day and leave plenty of time to explore Airlie Beach or join in on other water activities.

It is easy to book day cruises, sunset cruises, and all types of water experiences through Viator.

#10 Jetski

Kids as young as 8 can be passengers, and kids 16+ are able to drive their own jetski on a Whitsundays guided jet ski tour.

#11 Sleep on a Boat on the Great Barrier Reef

Families with kids who are 12+ can join a 2-day, 1-night Great Barrier Reef Reef Sleep experience.

Spend the night in a tent on a pontoon boat, with a mattress and bedding included. Meals are included, as is snorkeling equipment. Lots of activities are available to add to your experience.

Interested in spending a few nights out on the water?  Families with kids 12+ can spend 4 days and 3 nights on a boat with snorkeling, bush walks, and all meals included.

#12 Eat at Jubilee Tavern

Kids eat free on Mondays and Tuesdays from 5:30 pm-6:30 pm at Jubilee Tavern and that is not even the best part. Jubilee Tavern has a large playground for the kids to play on while they wait for their meals.

#13 Tour Airlie Beach on a Tuk Tuk

Get your bearings with an Airlie Beach land tour or join in on a progressive dinner with Just Tuk’n Around Tuk Tuk Rides.

Tours range from 30 minutes – 2 hours and private custom tours are available as well.

Indoor Things to Do Near Airlie Beach

Sure, there are so many amazing things to do on Airlie Beach with kids, but what do you do when it is raining or you just need a break from the hot sun?

To be honest, there isn’t much to do indoors on Airlie Beach with kids. Most of the outdoor activities are still available during the rain. However, if you absolutely want to be indoors, here are a few ideas that require a drive.

#14 Go to the Movies

Bowen Summergarden Cinemas is about an hour’s drive from Airlie Beach and at this point is the closest movie theatre.

#15 Take an Art Class

Smart Arts offers art classes and workshops for kids 5+. Adult classes are offered at Smart Arts Whitsundays as well.

The art studio is in Cannonville, just a few minutes drive from Airlie Beach.

#16-18 Take the Ferry to Hamilton Island

An hour-long ferry ride away, Hamilton Island has a few options for indoor activities when it is raining.

Hamilton Island is part of the Whitsunday Islands. Out of the 74 islands that make up the Whitsundays, only 8 are inhabited, including Hamilton Island.

Art classes are available for kids 6+ as well as adults.

With 7 lanes of bowling and an arcade, the family can spend some time indoors 9 pin bowling.

Kids as young as 6 weeks old can go to Clownfish Club, Hamilton Island’s Kid’s Club.

#19 Play at Whitsunday Gold Coffee Plantation

While the kids might not be interested in visiting a coffee plantation, they will definitely be in for a surprise at Whitsunday Gold Coffee Plantation.

This coffee plantation includes an indoor playground with a tea cup ride, flying fox, and slides.

Coffee tours are not currently being scheduled, but coffee, breakfast, and lunch are still available to purchase.

Things to do Near Airlie Beach with Kids

#20 Swim at Cedar Creek Falls

We stopped at Cedar Creek Falls on the way to Airlie Beach from Proserpine Airport.

There is not much of a hike to the falls from the parking lot, you can almost see it from behind the trees.

Even though we visited during the summer, the falls were not cascading down, and they were barely visible. That did not stop us from swimming in the cool water below.

This swimming hole is very popular on hot summer days.

Lanie’s Tip: There is a banana stand on the way to the falls. Bring coins and stock up on healthy fruit for your visit. However, don’t leave the bananas in the hot car all day. Lesson learned.

#21 See Aussie Animals at Hamilton Island Wildlife Park

Take the hour-long ferry ride from Airlie Beach to Hamilton Island and see Australian animals at Hamilton Island Wildlife Park. Animal feeds and encounters are available.

Animals that can be seen at Hamilton Island Wildlife Park include koalas, kangaroos, dingos, snakes, lizards, and crocodiles.

#22 Explore Conway National Park

With lots of rainforest hikes and gorgeous views, Conway National Park is worth visiting.

Decide which trail is best for your family with the All Trails Guide.

#23 See Aussie Wildlife at Bredl’s Farm

Hand-feed kangaroos, emus, and cassowaries, snuggle with koalas, and get close to large crocodiles at Bredl’s Wild Farm.

Bookings are currently mandatory, so don’t forget to book before you go.

Tours are from 10 am-2 pm and are the only way to see the farm.

#24 Go Whale Watching

The winter months are best for whale watching in the Whitsundays. Humpback whales are often seen swimming through turquoise waters.

#25 Have an Aussie Day with Whitsunday Crocodile Safari

Go crocodile spotting and explore the Aussie bush with Whitsunday Crocodile Safari. Cruise down the river and ride in a wagon, enjoy tea and damper, and an Aussie BBQ lunch.

Getting to Airlie Beach

Anyone flying internationally needs to first fly into either Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne.

For those flying domestically, Proserpine Airport (PPP) is close to Airlie Beach. Proserpine Airport is also called Whitsunday Coast Airport.

Alliance, Jetstar, and Virgin Airlines currently fly into Proserpine Airport.

For those flying in who do not want to rent a car, Whitsunday Transit offers airport transfers. Taxis are also available at the airport.

The Spirit of Queensland train runs between Brisbane and Cairns and stops in Airlie Beach.

Greyhound Bus also stops at Airlie Beach.

Book an airport transfer through Viator.

Getting Around Airlie Beach

We have had a car for both visits to Airlie Beach, but it is not necessary to have a car if you plan to spend time on Airlie Beach or join tours that most likely offer hotel pickup and drop-off.

Our first visit to Airlie Beach was a road trip from Townsville, and this current trip was the start of a road trip to Cairns and Daintree, so we rented a car at the airport.

Many of the hotels in Airlie Beach are within walking distance of shops and restaurants.

Airlie Beach Accommodation

It is always hard to decide where to stay on vacation! Do you plan to spend a lot of time at the hotel or just sleep there? Would you rather be within walking distance of shops and restaurants or drive into town? Do you need a kitchen or laundry facilities?

Every family and every holiday is different and luckily, Airlie Beach has a wide variety of accommodations.

For this trip, we just had 1 night on Airlie Beach so we chose to stay at a hotel right in the main area.

Whitehaven Beachfront Units only has 6 units and they all face the beach. There is a small parking lot right off the main road, and if you don’t look hard, you miss that this hotel is even there.

We didn’t have time to use the kitchen or laundry facilities, but we did enjoy the balcony and the view of the beach, as well as the small playground below.

Whitehaven Beachfront Units are very close to the lagoon so we were able to walk to breakfast and dinner.

For families looking to spend more time at their hotel or want more space, Mantra Boathouse has apartments with multiple rooms, a playground, and a swimming pool.

For families who want to spend a lot of time at their hotel, and don’t mind staying a kilometer of two out of town, Big 4 Adventures Whitsundays, BIG4 Whitsundays Tropical Eco Resort, and Discovery Parks Airlie Beach offer fun activities for kids. With playgrounds, movie nights, kids clubs, and jump castles, kids definitely won’t be bored at any of these hotel options.

What to Pack for Your Holiday in Airlie Beach

• sunscreen
• sunglasses
• bathing suits
• bathing suit coverups
• swim shoes are optional, for waterholes
• beach towels
• snacks
• refillable water bottles
• raincoats or ponchos during the summer
• camera/underwater camera

Find the best water shoes for kids

Road Trip to Cairns from Airlie Beach

Airlie Beach was our first stop in a road trip to Cairns and then Daintree.

To save some time, we got straight in the car after our RedCat Adventures day trip to Whitehaven Beach and snorkeling at the Whitsunday Islands and drove an hour to Bowen for the night.

Just an hour away, Bowen is a small town that provided our evening entertainment at the kid’s waterpark and playgrounds along the waterfront. We picked up fish and chips and had a picnic dinner at one of the many picnic tables along the water.

The water at the waterpark in Bowen shuts off at 7 p.m.

Bowen is also home to the Big Mango. The shop was closed, but we stopped to take a picture with the mango.

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