Cairns Resorts Family Holiday Accommodation

Cairns Resorts Family Holiday Accommodation

Photo Courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland

Cairns is a beautiful tropical city situated in Far North Queensland and is known as the gateway to the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the iconic Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns is a very safe and popular holiday destination for families with children and or grandchildren of all ages, and a lot of our families come back year after year they enjoy it so much. Not only does Cairns have many great tours and attractions for families, Cairns also offers a world of fun and a lot of free family events thru the year in the open public spaces around the city.

So come on, bring your family to Cairns for your next family holiday and enjoy a tropical holiday!  Our Cairns Holiday Specialists team can plan it all for you.

Family Accommodation in Cairns

When thinking about booking your Cairns accommodation for your Cairns family holiday, you need to consider everyone’s needs are met in the type of resort, hotel or self-contained apartment complex you choose.   You may also like to consider staying at one of Cairns' northern beaches like Palm Cove, or Trinity Beach which offer families a large range of holiday apartments and family holiday houses.

If you are staying in Cairns city, is your accommodation within walking distance to the Cairns Esplanade so you can take the kids down to Muddy’s playground and enjoy a coffee at the café.

Photo Courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland - Andrew Watson

Is the holiday apartment in the centre of Cairns city so that you will not need a rental car?  There is so much to consider before just going online and automatically booking a room based on the cheapest price or the simple convenience of it.

If this is your first Cairns family holiday, or perhaps your second and looking for something new, then you should talk to a local Cairns holiday expert as they can advise of the places that most families favour for one reason or another, and they can also then advise the best tours and attractions to book based on your families ages and interests.   

Another great thing about accommodation in Cairns is you’ll be able to find something that suits your budget and requirements.  Families travelling to Cairns tend to go for a self-contained holiday apartment as they come with an equipped kitchen and a washing machine & dryer which come in handy for families and are usually located in or close to the city centre.

Another popular choice is holiday resorts. Some Cairns resorts have great amenities and lots of entertainment for the kids such as large resort swimming pools, playgrounds, BBQ area etc.

Things To Do In Cairns For Families

When it comes to ‘things to do’ in Cairns, you will never be bored.  There are some great day trips to the Great Barrier Reef, Kuranda and the Daintree Rainforest, plus there are also a lot of free activities for you to enjoy.  Take a look at some popular family friendly day trips including half day tours, plus check out some of the free activities.

Cairns Esplanade – South of the Esplanade is the Fig Tree Playground, with great surrounds, big open space for ball play with free BBQ’s and tables right near the water.

Head north and you’ll find ‘The lagoon’ which is a large open swimming pool free for public use along with BBQ facilities all around this area with picnic tables..

Cairns Family Fun Holidays - Cairns Lagoon - Photo Courtesy of Tourism Tropical North Queensland 

Continuing north along Cairns Esplanade you’ll find ‘Muddy’s Playground’ this is a popular place for kids as it features jungle gym playgrounds and water play sections.  There’s also Muddy’s Café located inside the playground area which has a great selection of food and drinks for the family.

Just past Muddy’s Playground is the skate park with beach volleyball, basketball and tennis courts.  Further past that is the Pirate Ship Playground this is a great spot if you want to get away from the crowds but still have access to great amenities.

The Great Barrier Reef for Families

Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.  There are plenty of reef tours to choose from so I know it may be a little hard to choose one that suits your family’s needs.  To help you out we've listed a couple that may make your decision making a little easier as these specific reef tours were created with families in mind.  

Moore Reef Pontoon – this is perfect for families with mixed aged children because there’s something for every family member, plus 2nd child travels FREE!

Family Fun Day At Moore Reef - Photo Courtesy of Sunlover Cruises

This  interactive floating pontoon features the only waterslide on the Great Barrier Reef!  Mum, dad and the kids will simply love this reef attraction and the parents will certainly win brownie points with the kids for choosing this tour.

This reef trip is also educational as it has marine life touch tank, fish feeding presentations by marine interpreters, snorkelling, an enclosed swimming pool for little kids, an underwater observatory, semi-submersible submarine and glass bottom boat tours which are great for non-swimmer and also if you have really young children.

Island Day Tours  – Cairns offers a range of Island day trips, which is great for a half day or full day island experience.  Green Island, Fitzroy Island and Frankland Island day trips depart from Cairns and offer a range of family friendly activities.  You could also choose to stay a few nights at the island resorts at Green Island and Fitzroy Island which both offer family friendly accomodation.

Fitzroy Island - Photo Courtesy of Tourism Tropical North Queensland

Cairns Rainforest for Families

A popular family choice to see part of the World Heritage Rainforest is to hop on board the Kuranda Scenic Train and Skyrail and take a trip through the rainforest to Kuranda Village.

After a 1hr 10min scenic train ride through the rainforest, tunnels and windy mountains you arrive in a little village called Kuranda.  By all means don’t take the small size of this town for granted as it has lots to offer.  With amazing rainforest walks, markets, wildlife attractions, restaurants and art galleries be sure to plan this trip allowing you plenty of time for each activity. The kids will love the Butterfly sanctuary, or perhaps a visit to Rainforestation.  There is wide range of inclusions on your Kuranda tour, so ensure to ask the tour specialists for assistance when booking.

Return back to Cairns on the Skyrail rainforest gondola. This takes approx. 1.5hrs including the two stops along the way with rainforest boardwalks. You’ll have amazing views of the rainforest from above as well as the city and Coral Sea.

Photo Courtesy of Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

Dining Out With Family in Cairns

Dining out in Cairns is great as most Cairns restaurants are family-friendly and usually have a kid’s menu to offer.

Mondos' on the Waterfront - located on the waterfront under the Hilton Hotel, Mondo's is a casual family dining spot on the grass. Complete with Pizzas, share plates, kids menus and cocktails for adults it's a popular choice.

Hog’s Breath - A great family restaurant to enjoy hearty meals with your family. Kids can choose from a range of colouring in pictures to enjoy with their steak and curly fries.  Kids also eat free on some nights with the purchase of an adult meal, this even includes a free soft drink and ice cream.

Splash Seafood Restaurant – If you’re looking for quality freshness on the coast then Splash Seafood is the place to go, with various scrumptious seafood dishes on the menu, and a children’s menu too.

Cairns Is A Great Place To Enjoy Seafood - Photo Courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland

It's always a great idea to bring colour-in pages, word search, and crayons for the young kids too.   

Cairns has so much to offer for a family holiday, especially when it has a warm climate all year round.  Relax, explore, or go on a wild adventure. There is definitely something here to suit every family member.  Speak with us at Cairns Holiday Specialists so we can put our local knowledge and experience to use to help you plan the best holiday for you and your family. 

Read more about our guides to Cairns family day trips and attractions.

 Author: Chelsea - Cairns Destination Specialist  |  Post Updated August 2023

Posted on September 26, 2018 at 10:04am by Christina James