Blake Walsh

20 Best Things to Do in Noosa

  • Published 2022/01/19

Even if no one is familiar with the towns and cities of Australia, one has definitely heard of the world-famous surfing destination, Noosa.

Once you spend a day in Noosa, you will get to know that it is more than just the ultimate surfing destination.

Located alongside the cheerful Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Noosa is filled with natural and lush landscapes, beautiful everglades, amazing restaurants and cafés, relaxing beaches, and not to forget the wholesome markets.

If you want to know more about this place, read on.

Here are the 20 best things to do in Noosa:

Take a Sightseeing Tour at Noosa National Park

Noosa National Park

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The top attraction that comes up first when you do a little bit of research about Noosa is Noosa National Park.

Resting in the space between Noosa Heads South and Coolum, the park is full of paperbark forests, coastal dunes, heathlands, and a rainforest.

This 9,800-acre park offers a range of outdoor activities in the middle of a natural setting.

Noosa National Park

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It is also well-known for its accessibility; one can just walk up the hill to the Noosa Headland Section, where many of the hiking trails lead you right into the wilderness.

Dolphin Point is one of the favorite places for visitors, offering beautiful coastal views – you can see dolphins and whales, as a matter of fact.

Along with spotting different animals, especially Koalas, one can have a picnic, go paddling, surf, or go fishing and swim in the sparkling waters.

Noosa National Park

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Drive along the Noosa Shores with Great Beach Drive 4WD Tours

Great Beach Drive 4WD Tours is part of Surf & Sand Safaris.

One of Queensland’s oldest 4WD tour businesses, this family-owned company was established in 1973.

It’s the only tour company that offers a specialized Great Beach Drive excursion from Noosa to Rainbow Beach.

Take a break from the asphalt and explore the Great Sandy National Park with Great Beach Drive 4WD Tours.

Family-friendly excursions on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast go from Noosa to Rainbow Beach back and are an amazing adventure.

Imagine the pleasure and freedom of driving more than 70 kilometers on white sandy beaches with natural bushland on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other.

Wander around Hastings Street

Hastings Street

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If Noosa National Park is the heart of Noosa, then Hastings Street is the soul of Noosa.

Located just adjacent to the Noosa Main Beach, it is one of the happening streets, filled with adorable boutiques, art galleries, resorts, luxurious and chic designer stores, gourmet restaurants, and cafés.

The street consists of the Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club and the Noosa Spit Recreation Reserve, which anchor the street from both ends.

Additionally, the trees are decorated with beautiful and twinkling fairy lights, giving Hastings street magical and welcoming vibes.

One can easily spend a full day in this exciting and eventful street – that’s a guarantee!

Catch a Play at Noosa Arts Theatre

Theatergoers may enjoy a wide variety of performances at Noosa Arts Theatre, featuring everything from modern plays to musical comedies, one-act plays, and cabaret.

It was formally launched at the Barefoot Gallery, Peregian Beach, on September 15, 1970.

The theater is air-conditioned and has comfortable raked seats.

We’re a licensed venue, so you’re welcome to bring your drinks inside the auditorium.

Bartenders are on duty 30 minutes before each event and have access to an assortment of beverages and a small selection of food and snacks to choose from.

Please don’t bring your alcohol since it violates our licensing agreement.

The theatre is also wheelchair accessible and has an audio induction loop.

Take Pictures at the Noosa River

The Noosa River

Anthony Moxon / Shutterstock.com

At a little distance from Hastings Street is the beautiful Noosa River, where people are seen hanging out frequently.

If you wish to get a wholesome view of the river, you can pay a little visit to Noosaville, where you can enjoy the experience of the Noosa river with your family and friends.

The river is also safe and amazing to go paddleboarding, kayaking, and boating.

There are rental outlets along the river, where you can get all the boats and dinghies you want.

Noosa River arial view

Hypervision Creative / shutterstock.com

The Noosa Ferry, with its accommodating and welcoming vibes, is also an amazing way to explore the river.

If you need a little respite from the glittering waters, you can always visit cafés, boutiques, and restaurants across the river.

Dine at Light Years

Getting an Asian-inspired cuisine in Noosa is now easier than ever!

Light Years, established in 2017, is an Asian restaurant and bar located on Sunshine Beach Road.

The menu is not completely Asian but rather a blend of Australian ingredients producing modern and Asian recipes.

Some of the recommended dishes include shiitake wontons, Kingfish ceviche, and crispy fried chicken with sriracha mayo, as well as five-spice roasted duck pancakes and knockout turmeric and coconut fish curry.

The restaurant is characterized by tables by the windows, comfortably cozy booths, fluffy sofas, dim lights, and chill playlist in the background.

Light Years is certainly one of the best restaurants in Noosa!

Go Surfing at the Beaches

Noosa Surfing

Taylor Wilson Smith / Shutterstock.com

Since Noosa is so popular for having some of the amazing and safe longboarding breaks in the world, it doesn’t come across as a surprise when surfing is regarded as the most-loved activity here.

There is a variety of Noosa Beaches where you can do surfing at your heart’s content.

The main beach, for example, is perfect for shortboards, while the First Point is ideal for longboarding when waves are small and vice versa.

Surfing noosa beach

Martin Valigursky / Shutterstock.com

Little Cove is a scenic surfboarding place and is quite the longboarders dream, where one can learn to surf even.

Now that you know the best surfing places, get your Surfboards out and go ride the waves!

Go Fishing at Lake Weyba

The Shire of Noosa in Queensland, Australia, is home to the big saltwater lake of Lake Weyba, which has relatively low salinity.

According to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Lake Weyba serves as an important fish-breeding area.

Stingrays were plentiful at Lake Weyba in the early 1900s, making it an attractive target for Aboriginal Australians spearfishing.

Lake Weyba, a natural wonder in Noosa, is regarded as a little-known secret.

A vital fish-breeding area, the small saltwater lake is supplied by the Weyba stream, a branch of the Noosa River.

Noosa Heads and Peregian Beach are within a 15-minute drive of Lake Weyba, which can be reached via Lake Weyba Drive or Eumarella Road.

Shop at Noosa Farmers Market

View of Noosa Farmers Market

Misaochan2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Noosa Farmers Market is one of the best farmers’ markets around, operating from 7 AM to 12 PM every Sunday.

The market provides amazingly fresh and local produce and artisan foods, including dips, marinades, jams, and sauces.

There are also little stalls selling freshly cut flowers, native plants, natural skincare products, and fresh seafood.

There are also shops of homemade food products, selling cakes, bread, and pies.

A fun addition to the market is the constant live music greeting the visitors, giving the place chill vibes.

In case you can’t attend the market this early, the Noosa Marina Markets, set along the deck by the Noosa River, is up a little later, from 8 AM to 2 PM.

Pay a Visit to Pucca

Noosa has an abundance of amazing restaurants and cafés – and one of them is Pucca.

It is a quintessentially modern coastal Indian restaurant and boutique gin cocktail bar located on Sunshine Beach Road.

Pucca is the brainchild of Neale White, the Indian-born and Australian-bred Michelin-trained chef, along with Cecyl Ducat and John Forest.

The ambiance is highly that of old-school Indian luxury hotels, where beautiful rattan chairs fill the massive outdoor area, overlooking lush greenery, and the interior greets the guests with its pleasant and aesthetic stark white interior.

Some of the recommended dishes include masala-seared Maleny buffalo fillet, paneer stuffed eggplants, Goan pork jowl vindaloo, and mango kulfi popsicles.

Go Kayaking at Noosa Everglades

Noosa Everglades

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In the light of the massive popularity of Noosa National Park, many people tend to forget other attractions Noosa seem to offer.

The Noosa Everglades is one such cool attraction, located in the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park.

This tropical wetland is quite a mesmerizing and important place in the whole world, being one of the only two everglades systems all around.

Noosa Everglades

Jodie Mason / shutterstock.com

Kayaking – offered by the amazing Kanu Kapers – is an activity frequently undertaken in these ancient waters to reach your destination.

The place is alive with birds, swaying trees, and whistling winds, as it is also one of Australia’s diverse and vibrant ecosystems, preserving over 40% of the native bird species.

Try the Noosa Boathouse

Finding a perfect place to hang out is difficult to come by, but not impossible, as Noosa already has one – Noosa Boathouse.

It is a popular, award-winning, and waterfront dining hub, a beautiful blend of the bar, bistro, and events destination.

The bistro takes up the ground floor and consists of 120 seats, while the front deck has the Little Boaty coffee bar and fish & chip takeaway window.

The middle level has a River Room function space, while the top deck has the beautiful Sunset Bar.

The fresh local seafood, quality beef, and locally harvested vegetables are the specialties of the place.

An amazing place to plan a chill evening or a big event, the Boathouse is a true reflection of the chill and relaxed Noosa lifestyle.

See the Sunset at Laguna Lookout

Laguna Lookout

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If you want to fall in love with Noosa in just one glance, then drive up to Noosa Hill and at the end of Viewland Drive, and you will find the popular Laguna Lookout.

There is an abundant parking space located at 5 minutes distance from the lookout, or you can just take the 1.3km round trip path, thrilling but well-maintained.

Laguna Lookout

Camila Se / shutterstock.com

The lookout provides a picturesque view of Noosa’s many areas, including Noosa National Park, the blue bay, Noosa Heads, and the towering Glass House Mountains, all of them cloaked by the dense clusters of eucalyptus trees.

Needless to say, it is a popular place to experience Noosa, especially sunsets.

Have Fun with Equathon Horse Riding Adventures

Horse Riding is something everyone wishes to do at least once in their lives; if you are in Noosa, well, you are in luck!

The Equathon Horse Riding Adventures will provide you with the way to complete your dream of horse riding.

Owned by Alex Watson, a triple Olympian and his wife, Rebecca, the company aims to forge a rewarding bond between clients and their horses.

Equathon Horse Riding Adventures offers hourly, group, private, and even overnight and week-long adventure packages; along with that, people can also get excellent horse-riding lessons and coaching for all kinds of riders.

A speciality of Equathon is that it even offers beach rides.

So, get on that horse and splash around in the glittering Noosa waters!

Grab a Beer at Land and Sea

If you are a beer enthusiast, then Land and Sea is just the right place for you.

Land and Sea Brewery, located in Noosaville, is one of the finest breweries around Noosa, well-known for its aesthetic structure and even more amazing selection of beers.

The beers are made with a scientific approach, but dispersed in the process is the imaginative curiosity and creativity.

The brewery organizes tours frequently, while one can also book the place for elaborate celebrations, formal events, and even casual parties.

The brewery also has awesome merchandise of the company, which you can order easily – from beers, gift cards, t-shirts, and even hand sanitizer.

Perfect beers, a delicious menu, and a welcoming ambiance – Land and Sea has it all!

Visit the Belmondos

Belmondos is an award-winning marketplace in Noosa, located on the Sunshine Coast.

It is an organic market and offers one of the largest ranges of organic product lines, including some amazing wholesalers and onsite artisan producers.

Right from certified organic fruits and vegetables to pantry goods and organic meats, the market has it all.

Some of the popular, permanent, and organic additions of this market include Bio Shop, Eumundi Meats, Noosa Cleanse, Yukti Botanicals, Vanilla Food, Tanglewood Organic Sourdough Bakery, and the award-winning speciality coffee roastery, Clandestino Coffee Roasters, which offers free Wi-Fi after a purchase.

Growing and expanding day by day, Belmondos is indeed the best place to get quality products!

Explore the Different Activities at Sunshine Beach

Aerial View of Sunshine Beach

Bjarte K. Frønsdal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Make your way to Sunshine Beach, a popular destination for travelers to the Noosa shire.

Sunshine Beach, formerly known as Golden Beach, is well-known for its sand, surf, upscale shops, cafés, and restaurants.

For breakfast, lunch, or supper, join the local café society and grab a table on the large deck.

Local fruit and snacks may be found in local bakeries, delis, and general stores.

A beach bar is a great place to get a cold beer or a tall drink and relax with friends while waiting for the tide to come in.

The organic coffee is prepared on-site, so you may have a spectacular espresso while reading a favorite magazine beneath a large umbrella.

Take a picnic to the beach and enjoy it on the coast.

The long, empty stretches of beach in front of the Surf Club are guarded year-round, making it easy to find a spot to catch some waves.

Dine at Sum Yung Guys

Four locals of Noosa came together one day, with big ideas for their dream restaurant, which gave birth to the popular Sum Yum Guys.

The ‘Guys’ are genius to the core, having designed not only the menu – which is a passionate representation of Asian culture and cuisine in spirit – but even the unusually beautiful dining room.

With a passion for all things Asian, the Sum Yung Guys made it reflected in their dream restaurant.

The ambience is highly personal, a beautiful blend of personalities of the owners.

Delicious menu, affordable rates, and a perfectly chill atmosphere – Sum Yung Guys fit all the criteria.

Have Fun at Noosa Backpackers

Nestling on William Street is a quaint and cozy resort by the name of Noosa Backpackers.

It might feel like a small hostel rather than a resort but is so welcoming and pleasant that no one can resist the resort’s charm.

The encompassing courtyard, the amazing café, and the flowing Noosa River around the place – where you can enjoy the water sports – are just some of the many things the resort offers generously.

While it is the perfect place for backpackers to live, as the name suggests, others, too, will definitely find the place exhilarating and relaxing at the same time, giving a much-needed boost for your life.

Noosa is located just near a World Heritage Site, Fraser Island, which can be a perfect addition to your Noosa itinerary.

Apart from that, exciting and safe water sports, places to carry out adventurous activities, golden beaches

Final Thoughts

You won’t have trouble finding things to do in Noosa, one of Australia’s most popular tourist attractions.

In Noosa, you’ll find stunning beaches, breweries, stunning hinterland drives, and so much more to keep you entertained.

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