Paddleboard at Cotton Tree
Maroochydore is best known for its sensational beaches, river precinct, shopping, entertainment and recreational facilities. A long walking track runs from Sunshine Plaza to Cotton Tree and through Alexandra Headland, right up to Mooloolaba, and is always pulsing with people stolling, jogging and cycling along the waterfront.
For things to see and do in Maroochydore, start at the Maroochy River mouth and try some fishing, stand up paddle boarding, a scenic flight in a seaplane or make your way around to the white sands of Maroochydore Beach. Play beach cricket before swimming at the protected beach and enjoying a get together at any one of the free barbeque or picnic facilities along the foreshore.
Cotton Tree, Maroochydore
Sunshine Plaza is the Sunshine Coast’s largest shopping centre, and has a large cinema complex, fashion boutiques, department stores and restaurants. Also a few minutes away there’s Top Shots fun park, with mini-golf and waterslides. Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club is always full of life or feast on gourmet delights by the sidewalk, enjoy a cold beer at the Duporth Tavern, sip a cocktail in a bar, or soak up some live music along Ocean Street – a precinct that is a vibrant hive of cultural activity.
When you want to wind down, float on the gentle Maroochy river current for endless carefree hours, take a relaxing river cruise or take out your own boat from Swan Boat Hire, a great way to see the birdlife and ecosystem of the area.
Maroochydore Boathouse
Maroochydore accommodation offers a multitude of options to choose from. For an affordable and communal experience, try one of the caravan parks on the beach, where the kids can play all day with their bikes and scooters in between hours of swimming and building sandcastles. For couples looking for privacy, rent a seaside house just a few minutes walk from the sand, or try a luxury apartment, penthouse, resort or even glamping!
Annual events include the Winter Bowls Carnival at Maroochydore Bowls Club, Maroochy Music and Visual Arts Festival, 7 Sunshine Coast Marathon or World Festival on Ocean Street held every Easter Sunday, with an eclectic mixture of musicians, entertainers and market stalls. There’s also plenty of regular community initiatives, markets at Fisherman’s Road or Cotton Tree, as well as surfing and skating competitions in the area worth looking out for.
