Best 3 Sunshine Coast Road Trips With Kids

​Looking for some inspiration for a weekend getaway? We've selected 3 of the best locations on the Sunshine Coast to take your kids for a road trip. Go out and explore, we're sure you'll enjoy them yourself as well!

MALENY & MONTVILLE

No family drive out to Maleny is complete without a visit to the Maleny Lane & Maleny Dairies. At Maleny Lane, you'll find food from around the world and a lovely garden cafe for the kids to explore. The Maleny Dairies is a working dairy farm which offers tours and demonstrations where kids can get hands-on milking the cows, bottle-feeding calves, before enjoying a ride on the tractor.

Make a full day of your trip to Maleny by visiting the Maleny Botanical Gardens. There are over 18 acres of incredible themed gardens, plus a petting farm and Bird World – four walk-through aviaries with over 700 exotic birds from around the world. 

A drive out to Montville will take you into the beautiful Sunshine Coast hinterland.  Perched atop the Blackall Range, Montville is a quaint historic village with spectacular views in every direction. Your drive will take you through rural pastures before climbing high up the mountain range, with stunning lookouts and Insta-worthy photo opportunities along the way.

The kids will love the Russell Family Park, or going for a nature walk or swim at Kondalilla Falls, and the olde-worlde village shops are a treat.

LAKE WEYBA

Take a drive to the Sunshine Coast & visit Lake Weyba, one of Noosa’s best kept secrets.  Lake Weyba is a natural inland saltwater lake, upstream of the Noosa River.  The waters are home to several rare bird species, and shallow enough for you to spot rays from its banks.

If you fancy something a bit more active than a lakeside stroll, load the kayak or stand up paddle board onto the roof of and take to the water. The lake has an average depth of only one metre, making it a great choice for families.  As it is so flat and wide, try to go in the morning or on a day that's not too windy.

The best car parking option is by the Lake Weyba Foreshore Park on Lake Weyba Drive.

BRIBIE ISLAND

Pack up the car and take a day trip to Bribie Island! There is heaps to do & see, and it's one of the closest surf or calm water swimming beaches to Brisbane.

Bribie Island is the only island in Queensland connected to the mainland by a bridge, so you can easily access it any time you want.

Visit Bongaree Beach for its family friendly calm waters, bbq & picnic facilities and fun flying fox; check out the wildlife, including giant goannas in the Bribie Island National Park; or enjoy a peaceful afternoon at the Bribie Island Butterfly House.

The Sandstone Point Hotel is also worth a visit for lunch or a cool drink (it's located on on the mainland side of the passage). It is an awesome vantage point for viewing Bribie Island, had wide openrolling lawns (great for the kids) and will host boutique music festivals from time to time.

There’s lots to explore on Bribie Island – it’s one of those Sunshine Coast drives you’ll make again and again!