Free Things to Do in Cairns with Kids: A Family Guide
Cairns is often thought of as an expensive family holiday destination. There are Great Barrier Reef cruises, rainforest tours and plenty of other amazing (and pricey!) experiences to choose from.
But the good news is, you don't need to spend a fortune to have a fantastic family holiday in Cairns. In fact, some of the best things to do with kids in Cairns are completely free!
Here are some of our favourite free things to do in Cairns with kids:
If you're looking for the ultimate free family activity in Cairns, head straight to the Esplanade Lagoon!
Right in the centre of Cairns, the huge saltwater pool is a fantastic place for families. Entry is free and the lagoon is patrolled by lifeguards during opening hours. There are shallow areas suitable for younger swimmers as well as deeper water for more confident swimmers.
There are showers, toilets and changing facilities here, as well as white sand and plenty of grass for the kids to play on.
There’s picnic tables and BBQs so you can bring your own food to save some money - there is a big Woolies a couple of blocks away where you can stock up on supplies. There is also a café at the lagoon if you don’t fancy cooking.
The lagoon is usually open 6am–9pm, although it’s closed on Wednesday mornings for cleaning and maintenance.
2. Exploring the Cairns Esplanade
The Cairns Esplanade stretches along the waterfront and is one of the easiest places in the city to spend a few hours without spending any money.
Take a stroll along the waterfront, look at the art, watch the boats, stop at one of the playgrounds or simply find a shady patch of grass and relax.
There are free BBQs and picnic tables along the Esplanade, making it a great place for a relaxing family lunch or dinner.
If you're visiting with older kids, there are plenty of free recreational facilities along the way, including a skate park, bouldering park, basketball court and beach volleyball courts.
There are around 2.5km of pedestrian and shared paths along the Esplanade, making it easy to explore on foot, scooters or bikes.
3. Fig Tree Playground
On the southern end of the Cairns Esplanade is a lovely free playground, built around one the area's enormous tropical fig trees.
What makes it different from a standard playground is the way the play space incorporates the natural environment. Kids can explore climbing areas, tunnels, slides and pathways amongst the tree, making it feel more like a little adventure playground than a conventional play space.
It's a great option if you're staying in the Cairns CBD because you can combine it with a walk along the Esplanade, a visit to the Lagoon or a picnic.
The playground is next door to the Hemingway’s brewery which often has kids eat free or 50% off kids meals specials.
Just along the Esplanade from the lagoon is one of Cairns' best playgrounds for little kids - Muddy's Playground. It has water play areas, a flying fox, slides, games and a giant mouse wheel. There is also an all abilities Liberty Swing (for access please ask at Muddy's Cafe).
There are also picnic tables, BBQs, toilets and a café nearby, so parents can enjoy a coffee while the kids play.
The playground is open daily from 9am to 7pm.
Cairns Art Gallery is in the centre of Cairns and entry is free. The gallery operates across three heritage buildings: the main Public Curators Building, the Court House Building and the Mulgrave Building.
For families, it's a particularly good free indoor activity to have up your sleeve when Cairns is too hot, humid or wet.
The gallery focuses on the art and cultural heritage of Far North Queensland and the Asia-Pacific region, with a mixture of historical and contemporary exhibitions.
They also regularly run creative learning programs and children's activities, including school-holiday workshops, so keep an eye out on their website.
The Cairns Botanic Gardens are one of the best free attractions in the city.
There is an enormous amount to explore, including tropical gardens, rainforest areas, lakes, walking paths and fascinating collections of plants. We particularly loved the Flecker Gardens - you can pick up a map from the visitors centre which will tell you all about the amazing things to see there!
The Flecker Gardens are open daily from 7.30am to 5.30pm, while other areas of the gardens are open around the clock.
There are also free walking tours at the gardens at various times, with family friendly ones during the school holidays.
From the centre of Cairns there is a bus that will take you directly to the gardens - the 131- and all buses are only 50c per person, no matter how far you travel, making it a very economical way to get around.
If you have a car and would like to explore the local tropical rainforest, freshwater swimming holes and waterfalls, we recommend heading to Crystal Cascades.
It’s a short 1.5 kilometre paved trail that leads to several swimming holes and a beautiful waterfall at the end.
There is also a BBQ and picnic area with toilet facilities, and it’s about 20 mins drive from the centre of Cairns.
8. Trinity Beach
Cairns city doesn’t have the type of beaches that you might expect from Australia, but there are plenty of beautiful beaches to explore if you head a little way north.
If you have a car, access is easy, but making the most of the 50c bus tickets means that you can still have a very cheap day out.
Our favourite beach is Trinity Beach, and this is actually where we usually stay because we love it so much!
You can get there on the 111 bus from the centre of Cairns and it’s such a great spot to spend a day. It’s a beautiful sand beach, which has a lifeguard if you walk down the south end of the beach.
We generally visit in winter and spend our days swimming - the water is calm and still warm, and the risk of crocodiles and box jellyfish is very small at that time of year. We have always felt very safe swimming there, although the risk is never zero.
There are picnic tables and BBQs along the beach, as well as some shade and a playground for little kids. Nearby is a bigger playground with a skate park.
9. Palm Cove
Further north than Trinity Beach, on the 110 bus route from Cairns, is Palm Cove, another beautiful beach.
I feel like this is way more touristy than Trinity Beach - getting a parking spot is hard, but once you’re there it’s lovely, especially at the south end of the beach where there is a tunnel of palm trees!
There is a netted swimming enclosure and a beautiful jetty to explore, as well as lots of places to grab lunch and an ice cream.
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I hope this list helps you plan your trip - please let me know if I have left anything out. And honestly, one of the best things about visiting Cairns with kids is that you don't need to spend a lot of money to have an amazing adventure!
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