A Sunshine Coast getaway is perfect for those looking for a fun, laidback, and relaxing holiday. On the Sunshine Coast, you’re never too far from the beach, so always have your swimming trunks, bathing suits, and suntan lotions in the car for when the urge to take a dip hits you.

Below are some of the places you can go to on self-drive trips as you explore the Sunshine Coast.

  • Kings Beach – The Sunshine Coast is home to a lot of beautiful beaches, but if you’re planning a day out with the kids, nothing can beat Kings Beach. Equipped with an oceanfront saltwater pool, cafés, rockpools, child-friendly water fountains with time-delayed spurts of water, and many more, Kings Beach makes for a very memorable and exhilarating holiday.
  • Noosa Springs Golf & Spa Resort – Located just a half hour’s drive from the Sunshine Coast Airport, the Noosa Springs Golf & Spa Resort will welcome tired and worn out travellers and will do nothing but pamper them for the duration of their stay. If you’re into fitness and yoga, or if you want to re-invigorate your body, or if you just want to relax with a soothing massage, Noosa will have the perfect package for you. And as the name implies, it also has an excellent golf course for when you feel recharged enough to go outdoors.
  • Berkelouw’s Eumundi Bookshop & Café – If spending a day or two in a spa got you in the mood for a more tranquil setting, then Berkelouw Books in Eumundi should be your next stop. Imagine yourself browsing through shelves and shelves of books, surrounding yourself with that old book smell, and just lose track of time sampling more than the 100,000 second-hand books, rare, and out-of-print titles that you can bring to the beach.
  • Capricorn Way Drive – For a real taste of the great Australian outdoors, we recommend you to check out the Capricorn Way Drive, named after the highway on which most of the journey occurs. For 579.67 kilometres and about 30 hours (give or take however much time you want to spend at each stop), it’s a smooth ride, but not without its share of rewards along the way. This route will take you from Rockhampton to Duaringa where you can visit Mackenzie Park and see the Budgeroo or Duaringa Stringy Bark Tree. Keep going, and you’ll find yourself in Blackwater, which boasts a beautiful Japanese garden. From there, head on over to Emerald and find a field of sunflowers to take a great picture. From Emerald, the next item on the list is to try your luck looking for sapphires (!!!) in Gemfields. After that, you will arrive at the Outback town of Alpha, also known as the “Town of Murals”. Get your camera ready because a lot of the buildings have murals depicting the history of the area on their walls. The last destination on Capricorn Way is Barcaldine, a town sitting on the crossroads of Matilda and Capricorn. Steeped in history and culture, Barcaldine presents an ideal location to rest up after your long journey.
  • Australia Zoo – If you have never been to Australia Zoo yet, make it a point to add it to your itinerary, especially if this is also your first time in the Sunshine Coast. What better way to remember the late great Steve Irwin, than by visiting the physical manifestation of his legacy? Animal encounters, zoo tours, shows, and a healthy amount of photo opportunities for you and the whole family await you once you step through the gates of Australia zoo.

Car Hire Sunshine Coast Airport

Whether you are looking for adventure, relaxation, culture, or an all-around fun time for the family, there is something in the Sunshine Coast that will surely tickle your fancy. The area is a hub for tourism and culture that you can find something interesting just walking around. Still, for places that are a bit farther, like the ones in this post, your best option is to secure car hire in the Sunshine Coast, to experience your great Sunshine Coast adventure!