Cairns: The Final Stop on Your Sydney to Cairns Road Trip
Cairns is the final major destination in our Sydney to Cairns Route Planner and the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.
What you do when you arrive will depend on whether you are returning a rental campervan or travelling in a used campervan or 4×4 that you own.
Returning your rental campervan in Cairns
For most people renting a campervan from Sydney, Cairns is the natural place to finish the road trip.
Adding another week to your campervan rental can be expensive, especially after already spending three or four weeks travelling north from Sydney.
A more practical option may be to return the campervan and spend a few extra days in Cairns without paying for a vehicle you do not need every day.
After several weeks on the road, Cairns is also a good place to freshen up, wash your clothes, enjoy a proper shower and take a break from driving.
Explore Cairns after returning your campervan
You do not need a campervan to enjoy many of the best things to do in Cairns.
The city is one of the main departure points for Great Barrier Reef boat trips, and ferries also leave Cairns for Fitzroy Island.
You can spend several days enjoying the reef, tropical islands, markets, restaurants and free attractions around the city.
- Take a boat trip to the Great Barrier Reef
- Catch the ferry to Fitzroy Island for snorkelling, beaches and walking tracks
- Swim at the free Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
- Walk along the Cairns Esplanade
- Visit the Cairns Botanic Gardens
- Walk the Red Arrow rainforest track
- Explore Rusty’s Market and the Cairns Night Markets
- Visit local museums and art galleries
Explore the Cairns Botanic Gardens for free
Free and low-cost things to do in Cairns
Cairns is a good place to slow down and save money after completing the long journey from Sydney.
The Cairns Esplanade Lagoon is free and provides a safe place to swim and relax beside the waterfront.
The Cairns Botanic Gardens are also free to visit, and the nearby Red Arrow walk takes you through tropical rainforest to a lookout above the city.
Rusty’s Market and the Cairns Night Markets are good places to explore, find inexpensive food and experience more of Cairns without booking another tour.
Visit Rusty’s Market in Cairns
Explore Northern Queensland on an organised tour
Returning your campervan does not mean your Northern Queensland adventure has to end.
Organised day trips and multi-day tours leave Cairns for Port Douglas, Kuranda, the Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation and the Atherton Tablelands.
This can be easier and less expensive than extending your campervan rental for another full week.
You can use Cairns as your base, choose the places that interest you most and avoid having to organise another vehicle immediately.
Take a break before hiring another campervan
Travellers with more time could spend a week resting and exploring Cairns before beginning a separate Northern Queensland road trip.
After taking a break, you could hire another campervan or vehicle and travel north towards Port Douglas, the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation.
This separates the Sydney to Cairns journey from the Northern Queensland road trip and means you are not paying for a campervan while spending several days on reef trips or relaxing in Cairns.
More freedom when you own a used campervan or 4×4
Travellers who bought a used campervan or 4×4 do not have to worry about a rental return date or the cost of adding extra weeks.
You can dip into Cairns for a few days, freshen up, wash your clothes, restock your food and enjoy the Great Barrier Reef before continuing north.
When you are ready, you can explore the coast, rainforest and waterfalls of Northern Queensland at your own pace.
You can then return to Cairns and enjoy any reef trips, markets or other activities you missed the first time.
Head North from Cairns and Experience One of Australia’s Most Spectacular Coastal Drives
The drive north from Cairns is one of Australia’s most spectacular tropical coastal journeys.
Rainforest-covered mountains rise beside the coast, with beaches and small communities along the way.
Popular places to explore include:
- Palm Cove and the northern beaches
- Yorkeys Knob and Ellis Beach
- Port Douglas and Four Mile Beach
- The Daintree River
- The Daintree Rainforest
- Cape Tribulation
- Crocodile and wildlife tours
Cross the Daintree River by ferry to reach Cape Tribulation
Explore Kuranda and the Atherton Tablelands
Northern Queensland is not only about the coast.
Travel inland from Cairns to explore rainforest, mountain roads, waterfalls and the cooler landscapes of Kuranda and the Atherton Tablelands.
- Visit Kuranda and its markets
- See Barron Falls
- Explore the Atherton Tablelands
- Visit Millaa Millaa Falls
- Explore Mount Hypipamee National Park
- Discover rainforest walks and scenic drives
Explore the Atherton Tablelands from Cairns
How long should you stay in Cairns?
Allow around five to seven days to enjoy Cairns, visit the Great Barrier Reef and take one or two trips into the surrounding region.
Allow longer if you are planning a separate road trip through Port Douglas, the Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation, Kuranda and the Atherton Tablelands.
Travellers who own their campervan or 4×4 have the freedom to spend several weeks exploring Cairns and Northern Queensland without being restricted by a rental return date.
