This article is written in partnership with Expedia.com.au.

Located at the northern end of the Sunshine Coast, Noosa is one of Queensland’s premier holiday spots. With beautiful beaches, amazing shopping and dining, and year-round warm temperatures, people flock to Noosa from all over Australia to enjoy some sun, sand and relaxation. Noosa is also surrounded by stunning natural landscapes, from beautiful coastal scenery to a hinterland filled with rainforests and charming country towns.

If you’re planning a trip to this beautiful beach destination, follow this guide and discover some of the best things to do in Noosa.

Noosa Travel Information

Getting to and around Noosa

The closest airport to Noosa is the Sunshine Coast Airport, however you will have more flight options if flying into Brisbane, around 2 hour’s drive south. Shuttle Buses and transfer options are readily available. Hiring a car is a good option as it gives you the freedom to go and explore outside of Noosa.

Noosa Heads is easy to get around on foot, and there is a good bus network that connects to other areas in and around Noosa and the Sunshine Coast.

Where to stay in Noosa

Noosa is a popular holiday spot, so there is an abundance of accommodation options to suit all styles and budgets, from flash up markets hotels, to family friendly apartments and backpacker hostels. When I visited I stayed in a pet friendly holiday house so that I could bring my dog along with me. Have a look at Expedia to see what accommodation options there are available in Noosa.

Where to eat in Noosa

Noosa has a huge range of cafes and restaurants. The Noosa Surf Club is a good choice for affordable pub style food with cold beer and amazing views of the beach. If you’re looking to splurge, Noosa Beach House has one of the best fine dining experiences in Noosa, by famed chef Peter Kuruvita. For a laid-back breakfast, I really enjoyed The Drop, located just up the hill from Main Beach.

Things to do in Noosa

Hit the beach

The first thing you will probably want to do in Noosa is head straight to the beach. Noosa’s Main Beach is where all the action is, with a nice stretch of soft sand right along Hastings Street in the heart of Noosa Heads. The beach here is always busy with holiday makers, popular for its convenient location, but it is undoubtedly a beautiful spot with gentle waves and warm water, perfect for swimming.

If you want to escape the crowds, head around to the other side of the headland of Noosa National Park to the continuous long stretch of sand that starts off as Sunshine Beach, before becoming Sunrise, Castaways and Marcus beaches. You’ll always be able to find a spot to yourself at these beaches, and the continuous stretch of sand makes it perfect for long beach walks.

For a real adventure, enjoy the 3km walk in Noosa National Park to Alexandria Bay, where you’ll find a gorgeous, seemingly untouched beach that will make you feel miles away from civilisation.

Go hiking in Noosa National Park

The forest covered headland that juts out into the Pacific Ocean at Noosa Heads is designated as Noosa National Park. This gorgeous area of natural beauty is the perfect place to go for a hike to enjoy stunning coastal scenery, rainforest and wildlife.

The most popular trail is the Coastal Walk which follows along the stunning coastline of the national park. You can easily reach the start of this walk from Noosa Main Beach, which follows the coast for a total of 10km return if you walk it in full. The coastal scenery is breathtaking, with highlights being Fairy Pools and Hells Gate. If you’re there at the right time of year, you may even see some whales swimming off shore, while dolphin sightings are common.

Other nice walks to try are the Noosa Hill walk, for forest and views, and the Alexandria Bay Walk, starting from Sunshine Beach and ending at the stunning remote beach at Alexandria Bay.

Try Stand-Up-Paddle-Boarding

Stand-up-paddle-boarding has become a popular pastime in the last few years and the calm waters of the Noosa River provide the perfect spot to give it a try. This relaxing way of exploring the waterways and canals of the Noosa River is a fun way to spend a morning in Noosa, and boards and paddles can be hired on the waterfront. Kayaks are also available if sitting down is more your style.

Learn to surf

If you’ve ever thought about learning how to surf, Noosa is one of the best spots in Australia to do so. The gentle rolling waves of Noosa Main Beach provide the perfect spot for learners, and the year-round warm climate means you can surf throughout the year. There are a few surf schools in Noosa, but the absolute best is Learn to Surf Noosa, run by world-champion surfers for over 20 years, and regarded as the most recognised surf school in Australia. You’ll be standing up and surfing the waves in no time.

Browse the Eumundi Market

The small town of Eumundi is located about a 20-minute drive inland from Noosa and is a charming little historic town with a massive market at its heart. The Eumundi Market is considered to be one of the best artisan markets in Australia, with hundreds of stalls selling unique, hand made wares. This is a big market with a laid-back vibe and lots to offer, including a whole section of food stalls. Make a morning out of it and enjoy a browse of the market stalls, grab a bite to eat and enjoy the atmosphere.

Have a drink at the Noosa Surf Club

It’s hard to beat the view from the huge deck at the Noosa Surf Club, making it a great spot for an afternoon beer or a glass (or two) of wine. The surf club overlooks Noosa Main Beach, so you can watch the waves roll in while sipping your beverage and just let life slow down for a little while. The food here is also pretty good if you’re after some lunch or dinner.

Go shopping on Hastings Street

Hastings Street is the main drag that runs parallel to Noosa Main Beach. This is where you’ll find all the branded fashion stores and boutique shops. It’s busy, flashy and not exactly cheap, but a wander down Hastings Street is a must if you love your shopping. There are lots of great cafes and restaurants here, so have a coffee or a bite to eat along the way.

I hope you enjoyed this little travel guide to Noosa.

Have you been to Noosa? Tell me about your visit in the comments below.