Queensland is one of Australia‘s most famous travel destinations, popular with international travellers and interstate visitors alike. Most people visit Queensland to see natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, but many also come just for the stunning sand islands and beaches lining the coast.

I grew up in Queensland, and also interned at Tourism & Events Queensland during university, before moving to Melbourne and beginning my career in hospitality marketing & PR. I’m super passionate about not only exploring this beautiful state, but sharing my favourite parts of it with readers of this blog. I hope you find it useful, please don’t hesitate to comment or drop me an email if you have any questions!

Explore More: Australia Travel Guide

How long do you need to visit Queensland?

Queensland is enormous. It’s 7x bigger than the UK and more than twice the size of Texas! You won’t be able to see it all in one visit, but if you’re visiting for the first time, a week is a great start. If you’re on a time crunch, you could give each region you’re planning to visit 2-3 days and still see lots of amazing things in each place.

I’d recommend spending at least 3 days in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, 3 days in the Whitsundays and 2-3 days in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast regions (each). If you have less time than this, pick less regions, rather than spending less time in each place.

Read more: Itinerary for One Week in Queensland from the Whitsundays-Cairns

The best places to explore in Queensland

These are the best regions to explore in Queensland. From the Great Barrier Reef to the cities and beaches of Southeast Queensland, the state is teeming with beautiful destinations to explore.

Read More: The Most Amazing Places to Visit in Queensland

Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

The tropical Cairns & Great Barrier Reef region is home to some of Queensland’s most dazzling natural wonders, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Base yourself in Cairns or Port Douglas & explore from there.

Read More: 15 Amazing Things to do in Queensland’s Tropics

Gold Coast

In the southeast corner of Queensland, the Gold Coast is one of Australia’s favourite holiday spots. The city that has sprung up along the coast of the Pacific Ocean is packed with beautiful beaches, relaxed beach neighbourhoods like Burleigh, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach and dozens of quintessential Australian cafes and coffee shops.

Explore More: Gold Coast Travel Guide

Brisbane

Queensland’s capital, Brisbane, is the third-largest city in Australia and the fastest growing. Brisbane feels distinctly different to Melbourne and Sydney, and hums along at a much more laidback pace. Make the most of the beautiful sub-tropical climate by strolling through Southbank, dining over the river at the Howard Smith Wharves, picnicking in New Farm Park or catching the City Cat down the Brisbane River. If you’ve got more time, make a day trip or overnighter to Moreton Island, North Stradbroke Island or Bribie Island.

Explore More: Brisbane Travel Guide

The Whitsundays

An archipelago of 74 islands in Queensland’s tropics, the Whitsundays is the Australia’s dreamiest island holiday destination. Luxury travellers will want to stay on Hayman Island or at qualia on Hamilton Island, which are both popular with honeymooners and A-list celebrities. Budget travellers might choose to camp or stay somewhere simple on Daydream Island, or on the mainland at Airlie Beach, a backpacker hotspot. No matter where you stay, don’t miss Whitehaven Beach!

The most beautiful spots to see in Queensland

Queensland is full of spectacular natural wonders, but there are three that you absolutely won’t want to miss.

Read More: 37 Photos that will inspire you to visit Queensland

Great Barrier Reef

One of the seven wonders of the world, a UNESCO World Heritage listed site and so big that you can see it from outer space: the Great Barrier Reef is worth travelling for. The reef stretches along more than half of the Queensland coastline, but you’ll find the most reef activities around Cairns. You can visit the Great Barrier Reef’s Outer Reef Station or snorkel the Great Barrier Reef straight from the beach, on Green Island!

Daintree Rainforest

The Daintree Rainforest is the oldest living rainforest in the world. The rainforest is one of the most biologically diverse rainforests in the world, and also a UNESCO World Heritage List site. It’s the same size as all of Sydney, Australia’s largest city, so the best way to get the most of your trip to the Daintree is to take a guided eco tour on a day trip from Cairns. From Cape Tribulation, you can watch the Great Barrier Reef meet the Daintree Rainforest – the only place in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage sites collide!

Whitehaven Beach

Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island is regarded one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and the #1 beach in Australia. Whitehaven is a freak of nature, caused by unusual ocean currents over thousands of years. Unlike the surrounding islands, it’s shores are made of 99% silica, which creates dazzling white sand that doesn’t heat up in the sun. There’s nothing else like it in Australia!

Read more: Visiting Whitehaven, the best beach in Australia

The best things to do in Queensland

Relax on some of the most beautiful beaches & islands in the world

Queensland has dozens of beautiful islands and hundreds of white, sandy beaches, and visiting at least one is an essential part of any trip to Queensland. Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays has been named the most beautiful beach in the world, but there are plenty of gorgeous beaches down south on the Gold Coast & Sunshine Coast. Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island, and you can snorkel the Great Barrier Reef straight from the beach at Green Island and Fitzroy Island, to name just a few.

Related: The Most Beautiful Beaches on the Sunshine Coast

Waterfront drinking & dining

The enviable, quintessential Queensland lifestyle is all about life on the water. In Brisbane, this means dinner and drinks on the Brisbane River at the historic Regatta Hotel or the spectacular new Howard Smith Wharves. On the Gold Coast, the best seat in the house is at Rick Shores and Burleigh Pavilion, directly over the Pacific Ocean. On the Sunshine Coast, you can dine at restaurants on the Noosa River, or overlooking the beach. Up north, go for a drink overlooking the marina at Salt House in Cairns.

Wildlife experiences

You’re never far from nature in Queensland. My favourite wildlife experience in Queensland is whale watching, which can be done along the coast – most famously at Hervey Bay, but also closer to Brisbane on the Gold Coast and in Moreton Bay too. International visitors can have their first koala cuddle at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, which is one of the few koala sanctuaries that facilitate koala cuddles.

Get close – but not too close – to Queensland’s fearsome crocodiles, either at the late Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast, or on a croc spotting tour on the Daintree River, from Cairns. Remember, never swim in creeks, rivers or watering holes north of Rockhampton, because it’s croc territory!

What to eat & drink in Queensland

Hyper local seafood

Queensland’s menus are littered with prized local seafood, like Moreton Bay Bugs, Hervey Bay Scallops, Mooloolaba Prawns and tasty Spanner Crabs. You’ll find these easily at restaurants all over the state, particularly in cities and towns along the coast.

Macadamias

Like white gold, these beautiful, buttery white nuts are endemic to southeast Queensland.  Pick them up at a grocery store to eat them on their own, or look out for them worked into the dessert menu at a restaurant.

Lamingtons

Named after Lord Lamington, the eighth Governor of Queensland, Lamingtons are an Australian afternoon tea icon. You can pick some up at any self-respecting bakery.

Bundaberg Rum

Brewed in the regional town of Bundaberg, “Bundy” as it’s known is a dark rum, born in 1888 as a way to put the region’s sugarcane fields to better use than just baking cakes. I’ve never been to Bundaberg, but if you’re there (perhaps to see turtles hatch at Mon Repo), you can visit the distillery & make your own rum. Bundy is popular as “Bundy & coke”, one of the world’s first mixed drinks to be sold, or “Dark & Stormy” which is a pre-mixed drink of Bundy & ginger beer. Bundy is most at home at the local pub, bowls club or backyard BBQs.

When is the best time to visit Queensland?

Queensland is warm and sunny, year-round. Keep in mind that the tropics (Cairns, Townsville & the Whitsundays) don’t have four traditional seasons, but instead have the wet & dry seasons. The wet season runs from November-March, and can bring tropical storms and occasionally cyclones. The dry season runs from April-October, and this is the most popular time to visit as it’s still very warm. I visited in November, and it did rain a couple of times, but none of the storms lasted very long – we still had lots of beautiful weather.

Brisbane, the Gold Coast & Sunshine Coast are sub-tropical, so while you’ll see some summer storms, particularly in January, there’s no bad time to visit. However, be prepared for some serious heat & humidity from October-March!

Getting there & away

If you’re visiting from overseas, you’ll likely fly in & out of Brisbane, however the Gold Coast airport & Cairns airport do receive a handful of international flights from southeast Asia, i.e. from Singapore and Tokyo. If you could fly via Singapore into Cairns, you could start in the north and work your way down to Brisbane or the Gold Coast in the south, and fly home from there.

If you’re arriving elsewhere in Australia first, it is easy to get flights to Cairns, Brisbane or the Gold Coast from any major Australian city.

Side trips from Queensland

Byron Bay  – One of Australia’s most famous beach towns is just south of the Queensland border in New South Wales. Byron Bay is a 1.5 hour drive from the Gold Coast, or 2 hours drive from Brisbane.

Sydney – Visit Australia’s de facto capital and largest city. Sydney is just a 1.5 hour flight from Brisbane.

Melbourne – Visit Australia’s capital of culture and cool, via a 2 hour flight from Brisbane.

New Zealand – From Brisbane, you can reach New Zealand’s major cities of Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch via a 3.5-4 hour flight.

Have you been to Queensland? Are you planning a trip? Let me know in the comments!