24 Exciting Things to do in Caloundra for First-timers!

Are you visiting the lovely Sunshine Coast and looking for the best things to do in Caloundra. Known for its calm beaches, and scenic coastal walks, Caloundra is one of those destinations that can surprise you if you know where to look.

For first-timers, the challenge is working out what’s actually worth your limited time. Caloundra is quieter than places like Noosa or Mooloolaba, which can leave visitors wondering if they’re missing something.

Since, I’ve been living in this area for over 25 years, you’ll be surprised that I can still see something new every time I visit. So, this post breaks down the must-see spots, easy activities, and local favourites that make Caloundra a great choice for first-time visitors.

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Best Things to do in Caloundra & Map!

Caloundra is located about one and a half hours north of Brisbane city in South East Queensland. Interesting that the name comes from the local Gubbi Gubbi people and is an indigenous word related to the local beech trees.

While you have lots of exciting attractions in the Sunshine Coast, This region stretches about 50 kilometres long the coast through Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, up to Coolum and Noosa Heads. 

Caloundra is the most southern suburb and out of all the locations, and it was singled out in 2023 as Queensland’s Top Tourism Town.

Are you more of a visual person? Then, please click to play the video below, otherwise read on for my list of suggestions!

1. The Coastal Walk

Matt and I have wondered through various sections of the Coastal walk, but I do love the board walked section in Caloundra. It’s something special for those avid hikers, or for others looking to see the shoreline and get in the great outdoors.

It’s a paved pathway that starts at Bells creek in the south and goes all the way to Coolum in the north. It travels in and out of the rocky headland of the Sunshine Coast, which has up to 73 kilometres of walking paths.

The Coastal Walk portion is enjoyed by hundreds of people each day, especially in the morning. This includes using your feet, Bike, Skates, Rollerblades, push scooters or anything else you can find. I’m expecting, you might not walk the whole lot, but doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a kilometre here and there.

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2. Ride a Jet Ski

I always enjoyed Jet Skiing and a few years ago, I even got my licence for it. Obviously, in the hopes that I could buy my own one day. But, in the meantime, Jet Ski tours like this one off Bulcock beach can help you out with tons of excitement.

The great news is, a license is NOT required, but, there are limitations like a follow-the-leader scenario and lower speeds. Despite that, they can still be a whole lot of fun and a family-friendly activity to try out (much like our Jet Ski tour at the Gold Coast).

After getting the safety instructions and jumping on board, they headed through the Pumicestone Passage and past Golden Beach. This is in between the mainland and Bribie Island and generally calmer than the ocean side.

3. Day trips/tours

Whether you’re a local or just visiting the Sunshine Coast, day trip tours are the perfect way to explore the area without worrying about the details. I try to schedule these in between my own plans, so it’s not too busy.

But, it’s always nice to let someone else handle the planning while you sit back and relax.

➡  Compare prices for Day Trips & Tours on the Sunshine Coast HERE

Take a scenic afternoon cruise through the Noosa Everglades, ride the AquaDuck or enjoy a delicious seafood lunch onboard a boat at sunset.

And if marine life is more your thing, stroll through the Sealife Aquarium, or check out the Whale Watching between June to October.

4. Queensland Air Museum

The Queensland Air Museum is located on Pathfinder Road and is run entirely by volunteers. There are over 80 historic military and civilian Aircraft displayed in a two-hectare area.

We visited towards the end of the day and were lucky enough to get an experienced guide, all to ourselves. If you’re the type of person who prefers to walk around on your own, I’m telling you now – you’ll be at a disadvantage. The stories and history alone make it worthwhile being guided!

Most of these remnants played an important role in World War 2 and they have one of the most diverse ranges of Aircraft in Australia. It’s open every day (except Christmas) from 10am to 4pm and costs start at $25 per adult with options for Annual passes. 

5. Dip in the Saltwater Pool

If you want the salt water swim with the waves, your best option is dipping your toes into the FREE Kings beach saltwater pool. This is also great if you have kids and looking for some low-key swimming.

It’s a 25-metre salt-water pool with a children’s swimming and wading area. Along with shade sails and a few chairs, and an easy stair and ramp entry. On the downside, it can be popular in the summertime and it’s not very big, so there might not be much room to move around.

6. Markets and Fairs

The region operates four different markets in the region and features many different stalls from the local area. I’ll often pick up Fruits and vegetables that are better quality and cheaper than the supermarkets and enjoy the creativity of the local arts & crafts produced (just too many to name).

If you like grabbing a bargain on your holiday, check out one of these:  

• The Street Fair – Bulcock Street and open every Sunday from 8am to 1pm.
• Baringa Twilight Market – Only opened for special occasions.
• Currimundi Lake Twilight Market – operating on the third Friday of each month, from 4pm to 8pm.
• Twilight Markets – Operating on Bulcock Beach Esplanade on the last Friday of each month (excluding July/August) from 5pm-9pm.

7. Water Fountain & Playgrounds

Kids will also love the zero-depth Water Feature located right beside Kings beach. It’s a time-delayed fountain that will give the kids some splash time to run around in and keep them entertained for hours.

Not only that, but you have a playground, and it was fun watching other people, on a piece of equipment crossed between a bungee and a trampoline. I’m presuming these are special additions that come and go, so you might encounter something else exciting!

➡  Compare prices for Day Trips & Tours on the Sunshine Coast HERE

8. Explore CBD

If you enjoy the shopping atmosphere in beach towns, then the Caloundra CBD is perfect for you! With various bars, restaurants, and shops lining the streets and always being just minutes away from the beach – it’s hard to beat. 

I love getting lost exploring all it has to offer from delectable steaks or seafood for dinner, or grabbing a coffee and running into the famous Alfie Langer (Rugby league player). Unfortunately, Alfie has sold his café, but you can get a drink or a light meal at Beachview Seafoods, La Promenade Cafe, Drift Bar, Roslilley Singapore Chinese, or the The Thirsty Beaver Bar & Kitchen.

Do you need help planning your trip to Queensland? Book a one-on-one consultation call with me, to get your questions answered & personalised help!

9. Visit the Lighthouse

If you want to head a little further up the hill from Kings Beach, you’ll come across the lighthouse. While it might not be on everyone list as an ultimate highlight, it holds a lot of history and can be great for aspects like photography!

It was built in 1896 and is now the Townships’ oldest building. You can purchase tours, but these are only available on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 9am to 3pm.

10. Learn to surf

Matt was a big surfer back his in younger years and as much as I didn’t get that far, I did love body boarding the waves. If you live in a colder climate, or somewhere with a lacking of beaches and waves, you’ll fine plenty of tourists take advantage of the beginner surfing lessons.

The coaches are friendly and knowledgeable to help get you or your kids started, and the school provides all surf equipment. This means all you need to bring is your swimmers, drinking water and a sense for excitement. In all honestly, nothing beats familiarizing with the basic’s and learning proper techniques from the beginning.

11. The Lookout Point at Moffat Beach

The Moffat Beach Lookout is located on McIlwraith Street, can be accessed by car or by walking up from the beach itself. I must admit that the car parking is really horrendous in this section and having to drive a single lane road, that is officially two ways?

Irrespective of that, it’s one amazing view over Moffat Beach and the perfect INSTA picture moment. However, know that this is still part of the Coastal Boardwalk to venture up and over the rocky headland, so you might want to take advantage of that.  

Tip: Grab a coffee or snack from Moffat Beach Brewing Co. down the bottom of the hill.

12. The Big Kart Track 

For all the thrill-seekers and speed demons out there, the Big Kart Track is the ultimate place to go! With up to 50 go-karts to use, on an international standard track, you can drive your little 4-stroke motored go-kart around a 1.2 kilometre course.

We purchase a 30 minutes session, but you could conveniently separate that into 2×15 minute rides. I must admit, doing it all at once made my hands numb and cold, but well worth the challenge. They even cater for party’s or big group events and it’s a brilliant way to show everyone how to “Eat your Dust”.

➡  Compare prices for Day Trips & Tours on the Sunshine Coast HERE

13. Aussie World Theme Park

South East Queensland is generally known as “theme park central” in Australia. While most are available on the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast has it’s own version of a Theme park with “Aussie World“.

Its contains side show alleys, a Ferris wheel, adrenalin rides and lots of family fun. While it is smaller than the other theme parks, it’s also a bit cheaper for an entrance ticket and you won’t find the massive crowds there.

Tip: Grab a drink or meal at the Banana Bender hotel next door. Or at least see all the memorabilia they have inside.

14. SeaLife Aquarium

If you’re willing to drive a little bit, the check out the Sea Life Aquarium in Mooloolaba is well-worth the trip! The seal show is an absolute must, but make sure you go early to get a good seat. Apart from that, the penguins are incredibly cute, while the jellyfish are mesmerising to watch!

You can purchase your tickets online and it will only take a few hours to wander around and see all the underwater exhibits.

We even went that one step further and donned a wetsuit and jumped in with the sharks and massive rays. While both Matt and I are divers and can see plenty of this in the wild, we snagged a special 2 for 1 deal and tried it out. If this is not your cup of tea, you can always walk through the Ocean tunnel and watch others jump in!

15. Australia Zoo

Australia Zoo wildlife are worth seeing and it thrives on variety and adding new enclosures all the time. It’s only a short 25 minutes away from Caloundra, but your will need an ENTIRE day to see the shows and different enclosures.

If anything, it’s famous for it’s Steve Irwin’s passion for saltwater crocodiles and you shouldn’t miss the daily Croc show in the Crocoseum Arena. The otters are just cute and playful and I could sit and watch the Lemurs for ages. In the end, this is a brilliant family-friendly option and just one of the many day trips you can do from the Sunshine coast,

16. Eumundi Markets.

The Eumundi Markets really surprised me with it sheer size and variety on offer. From food to clothing, fine art photography, even small food stalls, and your general fruit and vegetables. It’s open every Wednesday and Saturday from 7 AM to 2 PM, but I recommend getting there early to snag one of the free parking areas (Otherwise, there is $9 Tap and Go parking).

You could browse all the stores in half a day, or relax more by dining at one of the restaurant or cafes. We managed to pick up lots of locally made products like creamed honey, some delectable plum infused marinade, and cashews coated in caramel. YUM, YUM!

17. The Ginger Factory

Ginger is a huge obsession of mine and I’ll use it almost everyday in my cooking or drinks. So, I really couldn’t pass up to opportunity to visit the Buderim Ginger Factory. What you might not know is it’s FREE to visit the general store, including the ginger infused dishes served in the café.

However, there are specially organised tours you can purchase to learn about the ginger growing and manufacturing process as well as taste-testing their finished products. Along with riding the small train around the factory gardens (which is probably more for the kids)!

I can’t get enough of their ice cream flavours, but also tantalised my taste buds with an Asian salad dish, with a ginger-soy sauce! I would also recommend buying a packet of their “Naked or Crystalised Ginger”, but you can also pick this up at your local Supermarket.

18. Bulcock Beach

Bulcock Beach and the esplanade would have to be one of the more popular spots in Caloundra. As mentioned before, this is very close to the central business district and the main street of shops.

What you might not know is, you have the tip of Bribie Island only a short distance away. I expect this actually blocks most of the higher surf areas and allows for some great calm water swimming in pumicestone passage.

Apart from that, Bulcock beach is always very busy, and doesn’t take too long for the car parks to fill up. The esplanade is part of the Coastal walk (which I mentioned before), and you have lots of people fishing, resting on one of the chairs, or sitting down on the grassed areas.

19. Kings Beach

The next beach we have is Kings Beach, which is conveniently lifeguarded and the most popular. I have heard it’s a great surfing spot, but this didn’t seem to be the case on my visit. Though, it was still good enough for body boarding and I found it comparable to places on the Gold Coast. 

It has a beautiful white sandy beach with a rocky headland in the northern sections. In the end, I think Kings beach is well suited for people that like swimming in the waves or lazing around catching a tan.

20. Shelly Beach

Shelley beach was definitely much easier to park our car, but I’m expecting this was because it’s less popular. Therefore, we didn’t spend that much time here. Certainly nothing wrong with this beach, but I could see there were a lot of rocks around and looks like some were hidden by the waves.

If anything, I think it’s a nice quiet beach for taking your morning walk, but might be better on a lower tide with more beach areas. I would also use it as a quiet lunch stop before moving onto other areas of the sunny coast.

21. Mount Ngungun

Since it’s one of my favourite hikes in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, I couldn’t help but mention the summit climb of Mt Ngungun. Anyone with a reasonable fitness level can complete it and your reward is the magnificent views of the ocean and other Glass House Mountains.

I don’t rush too much (taking too many photos) and even I managed to get to the top in about 50 minutes. If I lived on the sunny coast, I would absolutely use this for my morning walk, before tackling the days work duties. I think it’s one of the best ways to absorb yourself in the region’s culture, with mesmerizing 360-degree views.

If you want a hiking trail a little closer to the coast, then the Mt Coolum trail is one of the best options for beach views and only 30 minutes north of Caloundra.

22. Moffat Beach

We cruised along to Moffat beach next, which is a little north of Shelly Beach. The car parking was horrendous, and we weren’t able to find a car park beside the beach. Therefore, I recommend getting in early or visit at less busy times. 

Plenty of surfers use the headland to catch the best waves, and it’s interesting to watch them. Even better to see them from the Lookout point I mentioned earlier. Apart from that, you have some convenient accommodation choices like Raintrees Moffat Beach and close by is a whole block of cafes like The Shack Fish & Chippery, and The Pocket Espresso Bar.

23. Dicky Beach

Just another 10 minutes north of Moffat Beach, we get to Dicky beach and another very popular spot. There is a small creek which exits into the ocean and the east-facing surf or wave section.

It has beautiful clean sand, stretching as far as the eyes can see, and happens to be named after the iron screw steamship SS Dicky, which washed ashore from a cyclone in 1893. We’ve stayed here a couple of times at the Portobello by the Sea, which has a nice easy walk to the beach for a morning stroll.

24. Currimundi Lake 

Lastly, we get to Currimundi Lake, which has both a creek section that overflows into the ocean and the beach. I can see the Lake section is the most popular and was very busy with family and friends lining the calm water’s edge with Gazebo’s.

It’s a great option for low-key swimming, paddle boarding, or just lying around in a floatation device. The water is fairly shallow in areas, and at low tide, it’s a great spot for yabby fishing with a pump.

The weather turned for the worse when we were here and the beach area was so rough and choppy that the lifeguards has actually closed it. Although, looked really nice if it wasn’t raining.

Where to Stay!

Around Bulcock Beach, I’ve personally stayed at the Break Free Grand Pacific Caloundra. This gave us our own private spa villa and enough room for a birthday celebration we were there for. However, there were plenty of other choices along the esplanade and heading further around to Kings Beach. 

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The Bulcock beach area is great to stay if you want to access the main CBD shops of Caloundra. Although, I think the next time I’ll be staying, it will be in one of the high-rise apartments overlooking Kings Beach.

Best time to visit!

The best time to visit Caloundra is generally from April to October, when the region experiences mild temperatures, low humidity, and plenty of sunshine. During these months, daytime temperatures usually sit between 20°C and 26°C, making it ideal for beach visits, coastal walks, hiking in the hinterland, and outdoor dining without the intense summer heat.

It’s interesting that the Sunshine Coast is blessed with approximately 280–300 sunny days each year, so enjoyable weather is common no matter when you visit.

Summer (December to March) brings warmer temperatures, often 28–32°C, along with higher humidity and the majority of the annual rainfall. While this is the best time for swimming, waterfalls, and lush green landscapes, afternoon storms and heat can limit long days of exploring.

Winter (June to August) is dry and sunny, with cooler mornings and daytime temperatures averaging 10–22°C. It’s perfect for sightseeing, road trips, and national park walks, although ocean temperatures can feel cool for extended swimming.

For me, the shoulder seasons of April–May and September–October are the sweet spot. You’ll enjoy warm water, fewer crowds, lower accommodation prices, and consistently pleasant weather.

Wrap up!

Thanks for reading this blog post today on the best Things to do in Caloundra and I hope you found what you were looking for. However, if you’re still researching, please explore other Sunshine Coast hidden treasures HERE for inspiration and planning.

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