The Sunshine Coast in Queensland is a truly spectacular place. Trust me on this. I’m an ex-pat. We would still be living there if we didn’t have to move away for work. Now we get to have the joyful experience of being Sunshine Coast tourists. From Kings Beach to the Noosa Northshore, there are kilometres of breathtaking beaches. But let’s talk about the quiet beach town of Caloundra first.
At the southern point of the Sunshine Coast lies the beautiful beaches of Caloundra. It is still a relatively untouched, old-school beach town that’s underrated by locals. While you wouldn’t stay there for an action-packed holiday, it’s a great destination for a quiet holiday. It suits young families as well as travelling retirees. There’s a main street with all that you need, from groceries to restaurants, and boutique stores too.
Kings Beach is by far the busiest beach in Caloundra. While that may not be appealing to some, it has an expansive patrolled beach. The beach also has an adjoining tidal pool to enjoy. Beyond the patrolled beach, there are rocks/ rock pools from Kings Beach all the way around to Moffat Beach. Exploring the rocks along the beach is a lot of fun. The little ones will find all types of marine life, including hermit crabs, and unusual fish.
Kings Beach has a great surf club that’s right on the water and overlooks the rocks, the tidal pool, and the surf. However, if dining out is not how you want to enjoy your trip to the beach, there are plenty of other options. You could take the family for a picnic or a BBQ along the beach, with grassy, tree-covered areas at Happy Valley and Kings Beach. You’ll always see people feasting and enjoying a game of cricket during the summer holidays along the beachside parklands.
There are a couple of great playgrounds for the kids too. In the heart of Kings Beach, you’ll find a gated playground, and around the corner, there’s the Happy Valley Beach Park. But, if you’d like a quieter area to spend the day, Moffat Beach has the Eleanor Shipley Memorial park. This is definitely a quieter location with plenty of space. And you can take your dogs with you too.
If you love fishing, there are boat hire services available at Golden Beach. The boardwalk at Bulcock beach offers a great spot for fishing too. Alternatively, you might want to get your feet sandy and fish along the shore.
For the more adventurous souls, you can book in to go kite surfing at Happy Valley. Or, there are water sport hire services around Golden Beach. Why not hire a jet ski in the afternoon, or enjoy kayaking through Pumicestone passage?
There are also things to do in Caloundra that don’t revolve around the water. With many skateboard parks, roller skating, and ice skating, the kids can have fun at any time. Caloundra also has movie cinemas if you intend on staying for a week or two and want to break up the activities.
On another note, this beach town offers some quieter activities for everyone. Caloundra street fair markets take place every Sunday morning and feature over 120 unique stalls. But, if the heat gets too much, there are also twilight markets at Bulcock beach that operate once a month. They also have Christmas markets at Bulcock leading up to Christmas day. You can drop in and enjoy a meal from one of the local food trucks, along with an icy cold tap beer.
There are a few caravan parks for the grey nomads or young families who enjoy camping. It’s hard to go past Dicky Beach for camping, with direct access to the surf. It has a swimming pool, full-size tennis court, playground, and BBQs. There’s great fishing in the area, as well as bike tracks and walking paths to explore the local area. The surf club is around the corner and the local fish and chip shop is just across the road. It’s hard not to love this beautiful location. You’ll also find other campsites, but this one is by far my favourite.
At Caloundra, accommodation choices are broad. They range from waterfront houses to apartments with sweeping ocean views. There’s also pet-friendly accommodation if you shop around. And for the golf lovers, there’s accommodation at the golf course in Pelican Waters. There’s definitely a great deal of choice in Caloundra.
Finally, Caloundra’s conveniently located with one road directly out to the Bruce Highway, connecting you to Brisbane in less than one hour (depending on traffic jams!). If you’re travelling by air, it’s about a forty-minute drive from the Sunshine Coast airport. This beautiful beach town ticks all the boxes. Whether you stay for a vacation, or day trip, Caloundra beach is definitely worth adding to your travel bucket list.
For more inspirational travel ideas, take a look at the Retirement Now Travel Page.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission.
Join our network and receive exclusive offers, the latest eNews and retirement eGuides.
