Things to do in Cairns

In Cairns, a lot of our downtime revolves around enjoying our environment or taking inspiration from it. There are so many things to do in Cairns. Life can be very relaxed here. But you can pick up the pace if you like. Cairns has most of the fun things you'd find in a capital city, but with more palm trees, sunshine, and fewer people.

Natural wonders

Cairns has unique landscapes and natural wonders. With so many reefs, camping spots, views and waterfalls, you could go somewhere new and amazing near Cairns every weekend if you lived here.

Eating out & cafes

Cairns has hundreds of great restaurants and cafes. Locals who like funky or fine dining benefit from living in a tourist destination that also caters to its rich and famous visitors.

Cairns fishing, boating, sailing and diving

Fishing, boating and sailing are hugely popular in Cairns with boat ownership sitting at around 1 for every 14 residents. Cairns is one of Australia's top fishing and diving spots.

Nightlife, pubs & clubs

Nightlife options range from small laneway bars to big venues that cater to locals and backpackers.Plenty of international and national performers feature at our venues. The craft beer scene in Cairns has taken off recently.

Sport & recreation

Cairns has more than 400 sporting clubs, including competitive leagues in all the popular sports and many other niche activities and sports.

Arts & culture

The Cairns arts scene is sophisticated, bright and quirky. Musicians, artists and audiences love our unique music and arts venues.

Events & festivals

Regular major festivals in Cairns include the world-renowned Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) and Cairns Festival.

Cairns Shopping & markets

Find fresh food, luxury goods, handmade crafts in Cairns markets, shopping centres, boutiques and quirky alleyway stores.

Free things to do

So many of the best things to do in Cairns are free. We've made a list of 10 of them.