The Sunshine Coast stands out as an extraordinary culinary destination. Enjoy classic beachside burgers at Betty’s Beachside Bistro while wearing your bikini, or visit one of two-hatted establishments for fine dining experiences; there is truly something here for every palate!

Explore Australia’s bizarre and wonderful wildlife at the iconic Australia Zoo or cross off another major item on your Sunshine Coast bucket list by visiting the heritage-listed Big Pineapple.

Rainbow Beach

Rainbow Beach, three hours’ drive north of Brisbane, is a small oceanside town known for its quiet atmosphere and magnificent oceanside setting. As one of the Sunshine Coast’s premier beach holiday destinations, its miles of pristine beaches and towering dunes make for ideal surfing, fishing, swimming and sightseeing activities; surfing, fishing and swimming among them! For something different try horseback riding Carlo Sand Blow or driving off-road along Great Beach Drive exploring its colourful sand cliffs – also popular pastimes here!

Little Parliament offers visitors an eclectic assortment of shops. For an engaging community atmosphere, head over to Carly Ladas’ fourth-generation family business combining retail shop with cafe. Here visitors will find ethical Australian designed homewares alongside locally produced food and coffee.

With children in tow, visitors to Cooloola Nature Park will be treated to cute fairy penguins and leafy sea dragons at Cooloola Nature Park; or visit an aquarium and get up close and personal with rescued seals and sea lions in an underwater tunnel! For something different try kayak tours to discover coral reefs and marine life!

Eumundi Markets

Eumundi Markets, one of the world’s premier artisan markets in Australia, has quickly earned international fame due to its high-quality arts and crafts, international street food offerings, live music performances, cool creative vibe and shaded market areas shaded by magnificent trees in Eumundi’s historic village center. Each market area varies slightly but all offer handmade products of original, high-quality local origin that adhere to eco-friendly production processes. Stallholders must pass an ecological quality assessment test in order to sell at Eumundi Markets.

Stallholders range from homewares, jewellery, pet couture and everything in between, run by local producers who take immense pride in what they produce. Check out My Soap for nostalgic candles cut into the shape of battered fish and crinkle cut chips; Larrikin Signs offer cheeky engraved hardwood signs; Rachael Curry Art creates breathtaking paintings of local flora and fauna; Bushblocks provide incredible recycled timber island benches; while Conscious Pet Co offers plastic-free pet toys.

Noosa Everglades

Noosa Everglades, known for its sparkling lakes and tranquil waters, ancient tea tree forests and vibrant birdlife is one of only two Everglades worldwide – providing reflection-rich waterways as well as rich birdlife – is also one of only two in Australia! Lexis students were invited to immerse themselves in this magical wonderland on the Serenity Tour to feel at one with nature.

Noosa river and Everglades cruises offer an unforgettable experience that shouldn’t be missed! They provide the ideal opportunity to get acquainted with Noosa from its waterways while watching local wildlife from your boat while relaxing aboard.

Kanu Kapers Eco-Cruise departs from Habitat Noosa at Lake Cootharaba and requires no kayaking experience to enjoy this thrilling excursion, featuring rainforest hike and morning tea at Boreen Point – approximately 30 minutes drive from Noosa Heads or two from Brisbane if driving northbound.

Montville

Montville is well known for its beautifully preserved nature areas and diverse attractions and museums. Montville’s star attraction, the USS Nautilus nuclear submarine is featured at this comprehensive museum housing 4 National Historic Landmark vessels as well as 33,000 artifacts.

Baroon Pocket Dam lies beneath Montville Escarpment and provides visitors with scenic lakes that feature picnic and barbecue facilities, along with an idyllic lakeshore jetty and shaded shoreline, perfect for exploring, before hiking up one of 11 Glass House Mountains peaks for breathtaking views.

As part of its focus on local produce, Sunshine Coast cuisine puts local farm-to-plate cuisine on the map. At thriving cafes and fine-dining restaurants like Betty’s Burger Bar in Noosaville you can sample classic burgers (with concrete for dessert) before enjoying long lunches at Masterchef alumni Matt Sinclair’s Sum Yung Guys Asian eatery or Spicers Clovelly Estate’s French inspired dining – for something more formal try Spicers Clovelly Estate Montville or Secrets on Lake Baroon gallery that displays artwork that offers breathtaking lake vistas.