Family of 3

I've just booked flights to Cairns for the July school holidays. I've booked a week in Port Douglas and I'd like to book the second week about an hour south of Cairns.

So where? Mission Beach? Mini is 5, so we're looking at beach holiday but with some nice places to eat and a few things to see close by when we get sick of the beach.

Any recommendations on places (apartments) to stay?

TIA

ExSmoggie

My MIL lived in Mission Beach and we have spent quite a bit of time there. I'm not sure it will really fit what you are looking for. North Mission has a few restaurants and there are a couple at Wongaling but they aren't really anything special. MB itself is quiet and fairly isolated -about 30mins out to the Bruce Highway and not a whole lot to see or do between Cairns and Townsville. The beach itself is picturesque and nice to walk up and down. In theory you will be outside of stinger season but in reality not many locals swim in the sea at any time of the year (jelly fish, sea lice, sea snakes). Sand flies can also be a huge problem on the beach at certain times as well as mosquitos. This all sounds really negative. It is a pretty place and worth a day trip. Some of the rainforest is beautiful but and this is only my opinion, I wouldn't be basing myself there for a week. If it rains, there is very little to do.

Personally I would spend the second week in Cairns - maybe the northern beaches. There you still have the beach, there are nicer restaurants and you are more central to visit places like the Tablelands, Crystal Cascades, the reef and even a day trip to Mission Beach if you wish. If you haven't been to Port Douglas before, you won't be disappointed. It is a lovely place!

Buzzy--Bee

You could go a bit farther South and head for one of the islands? We spent 2 weeks on Magnetic Island last year and loved it!

BB

chris955

My absolute favourite place in Australia is Cape Tribulation north of Cairns. The touristy places really are of little interest but CT is beautiful.

kevzone

Cape Trib is fabulous, make sure you visit Lake Morris, in Cairns as well..

If you stay in mission beach I recommend one of four units, (See Link)
http://www.missionbeachholidays.com....iew.banfield-2
These are almost on the beach and are very rustic relaxing beach houses.
I would warn that there isn't a great deal to do there and 3-4 days stay would be more than sufficient.
Also visit paronella park as the gardens and history of the place is fascinating.

Marleys Ghost

We've visited Cairns and Townsville, and loved both.

They are very different places and both offer lots to do for families.

That said, we'd heard lots of great recommendations for Port Douglas.

PD just didn't 'do it' for us, and we were very glad that we had stayed in Cairns and visited PD rather than the other way round.

For us, a family of three, Cairns had lots to do from a 'base' there, where Townsville had enough to do in the 'city' itself without going anything else on day trips. That said, we had a hire car and did day trips out from both.

(We booked cheap car hire once we got to each place, it worked out at
$50 per day.)

Of course it's very relevant to what 'we' expect from a holiday as against what others might expect.

In my opinion only, if I were visiting that area of FNQ I'd spend one week in Cairns and one in Townsville and make the most of each day in each location.

Not sure if I read it on this thread or another, but think one member spent two weeks on Magnetic Island.

We were happy with 3 hours there, and happly headed back to Townsville.

Of course, we might be the 'seen that/done that', so tick it off the list sort of people

MG