Once you’ve picked up your Dollar rental car at our Cairns Airport or Cairns Central branch, every minute spent here is filled with adventure. From coastal areas, rainforests and mountain ranges to bustling cityscapes, we’ve listed the top places to visit in and around Cairns to truly experience the best natural beauty the city has to offer. 

Cairns is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia’s most famous landmarks and the world’s largest coral reef system. When visiting Tropical North Queensland, taking a day trip to the Reef is a must-do, and with so many ways to see and explore the beautiful underwater corals, it’s easy to add to your itinerary. Many tour operators depart from Cairns, meaning you won’t have to travel far to get out to the Reef. Book a spot on a glass-bottom boat tour to see a rainbow of corals and marine life right under your feet, or dive into an adventure on a guided snorkelling tour. From diverse sea life to pristine coral gardens, a trip to the Great Barrier Reef is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Ready for an Island adventure? Just 45 minutes from Cairns on the Fitzroy Flyer, cruise over to Fitzroy Island for a day of relaxation and adventure. With a kids’ club and educational programs available, children will have fun learning about what it takes to become a marine biologist, with activities including beach-combing, fish feeding and snorkelling. For land-based activities, there’s an array of walking trails throughout the Fitzroy Island National Park, including a self-guided summit historical hike and secret garden walk. If you’d rather stay on the mainland, the Crystal Cascades are a series of small waterfalls, just a 25-minute drive out of Cairns’ city centre in your Dollar rental car. Here you can swim in the pool at the bottom of the falls or enjoy a family picnic under rainforest canopies and bask in the serene atmosphere.

Known as ‘the village in the rainforest’, Kuranda is a mountain village around 40 minutes away from Cairns, and the most popular and scenic way to get there is onboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway. This heritage railway rises 327 metres above sea level, giving you picturesque views over the Macalister Range while seated in vintage cabins for an exciting and unique experience. Departing from Cairns Railway Station, enjoy travelling over bridges and viewing man-made rock formations and scenic waterfalls, and bring your camera along to capture memories throughout your journey. It’s just under two hours for a one-way trip, with stops at Freshwater Railway Station and Kuranda Railway Station. An alternative way to see the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics is via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Admire the view from up to 545 metres above sea level in your gondola cabin, taking in scenes of the Barron Falls and the surrounding rainforest. Both the Scenic Railway and Skyrail transport you to the village of Kuranda where you can cuddle a koala at the Koala Gardens, admire butterflies in flight at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and pick up a souvenir from the Kuranda Markets. Journey further into the world’s oldest rainforest with a tour of the Daintree. Made up of canopies and understories that are over 135 million years old, you’ll find native flora and fauna here that can’t be seen anywhere else. Discover the Daintree on a peaceful river cruise, hike, walk or trail and keep an eye out for the Estuarine Crocodile and Cassowary birds that call the rainforest home. 

Swap big adventures for peaceful strolls and playground time in Cairns’ beating heart. The Cairns Esplanade is a 2.5 km long foreshore with the ocean on one side and the lively city on the other. From wide open spaces to historic buildings and art installations, a simple wander along the Esplanade provides plenty of opportunity for relaxation and adventure. If you’re travelling with little ones, you’re in luck, as there are three playgrounds along the Esplanade for kids of all ages to enjoy. Muddy’s Playground brings the ocean to you with water play areas and nautical-themed play equipment, the Fun Ship Playground is a smaller park with see-saws and slides, and the Healing Gardens Playground is surrounded by luscious lawns and beautiful flora for a picturesque play experience. Alongside the cafes and playgrounds, the Esplanade’s main attraction is the man-made lagoon. The Esplanade Lagoon offers a place to swim, splash and play in and under the water. For exceptional views of the bay, dive into the saltwater swimming pool, which is located across from the beach. 

From sweeping views of rainforests at great heights to underwater dives on the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns truly is a nature-lover’s paradise. A visit to Cairns is the perfect place to get out into nature and enjoy a holiday surrounded by greenery.