Top Cairns & the Tropical North Arts & Design

Explore the lush beauty, amazing wildlife, and rich heritage of Tropical North Queensland on this customizable full-day trip to Kuranda from Cairns. Travel to this enchanting rainforest village aboard the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway, and choose from a variety of activities including visits to Birdworld and Rainforestation Nature Park. Hang out with koalas and exotic birds, browse local markets, and more. At the end of the day, glide through the treetops back to Cairns on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.

Find out all about Cairn’s vibrant food scene on this walking tour of Rusty’s Market. As you wander from stall to stall tasting food from independent vendors with a range of heritages and culinary backgrounds, learn about the history of the market, and discover hidden gems and local favorites. Visit Chinatown, and hear from your local guide where’s best to eat in town.

Learn why Cairns is the second hipster capital in Australia on this walking tour that will show you the city’s street art and other details that make this a hipster paradise. Check out the tattoo parlors, graffiti art, foodie trends like plenty of vegan cafes, elite barbers, and more. Your guide will walk you through the streets and point out all the hip and cool things in the city.

Explore Cairns with a local guide and enjoy a dinner cruise on this all-day combination tour. After a convenient pickup from your Cairns City or Northern Beaches hotel, visit popular destinations like the Flecker Botanical Gardens and Lower Barron Gorge. Enjoy a scenic lookout with gorgeous views and afternoon tea—included in the tour price—before feasting on a 3-course dinner aboard the 85-foot (26-meter) Spirit of Cairns catamaran.

Sunday is market day in Port Douglas, and the lively seafront markets draw shoppers from all along the coast. With this tour, enjoy round-trip transport from Cairns, stopping along the way to take in the views from Flagstaff Hill and Rex Lookout, and browse Rusty’s Market in Cairns. At Port Douglas, enjoy plenty of time to shop for hand-made crafts, artisan goods, and unique souvenirs, then perhaps visit the Palm Cove Markets or Holloways Beach Markets on the way back.

Learn more about Cairns' unique culture and history at the interesting Cairns Museum. This ticket saves you time, so you can straight into the museum and check out its interactive exhibits. There are family friendly displays that all members of the family can enjoy, plus refreshing air conditioning when the heat of tropical North Queensland gets too much.

A visit to the Historic Village Herberton is like stepping back in time. Showcasing Australia’s rich and diverse history this outdoor pioneer museum is testament to an era that is long gone. This incredible museum collects, preserves and displays fascinating historical exhibits from across Australia. The history of this museum is also closely tied with the township of Herberton and features many priceless antiques as well as buildings that have come from the town’s ancestors. The Village currently features over 60 original buildings that date from Herberton’s foundation years and are as they were originally constructed. Walking through the Village, visitors are given a sense of being in a real township complete with apothecary, bottle shop, school, bank, grocer’s store, frock salon, toy shop, mechanic, jail and more. There is just so much to see and do in this amazing village that it needs to be experienced to understand the full depth of history it offers.

Avoid waiting around outside in the tropical heat with priority access to the Cairns Museum. Save money with a family ticket, and head right on inside to enjoy interactive exhibits on the history, culture, and geography of Cairns and Northern Queensland. Conveniently located in the central city, you can enjoy great views from the upstairs veranda.

Discover the secrets and stories of 19th-century Queensland with a visit to the Historic Village Herberton. Just over 90-minutes inland from Cairns, this huge outdoor pioneer museum gives visitors a chance to peek back to a long-ago era. Walk through the streets and you’ll discover the original buildings from the town, including the school, jail, bank, grocery, bottle shop, apothecary, and mechanic—complete with antique cars. You can also enjoy the natural surroundings and go wildlife-spotting on purpose-built trails.