Hands up if you’ve had quite a hectic start to the year? My hand is all the way up. It’s been quite the busy one. Last year, things were crazy so my sister and I packed up the car, and the kids, and decided to head north to the beautiful Sunshine Coast to take a well-earned break. My love for the Sunshine Coast runs deep, with it being somewhere I try to escape to at least once a year. It’s the perfect playground at any time of year, whether I want to lie on the beach, build sandcastles, eat up a storm, or head to the hinterland and explore. There’s something for everyone.
Here’s how you can recharge your batteries on the Sunshine Coast, just like we did. The side affect is, you’ll walk away feeling happier, calmer and ready to take on whatever life throws at you {which, let’s face it… is most likely loads of homework, laundry and kitchen duties!}.
Day One : A Sunshine-y Day
Check-in to Oceans at Mooloolaba
We usually stay in Noosa when visiting the Sunshine Coast, but this time we decided to explore Mooloolaba for a little change, so checked into Oceans Apartments. Talk about f-a-n-c-y! The kids were thrilled with the automatic blinds that went up and down, I was thrilled with the freestanding bath, spacious rooms, direct access to the pool and the views overlooking the ocean.
Breakfast at Mooloolaba Surf Club
What’s a stay on the coast in Queensland without breakfast at a Surf Club? The Mooloolaba Surf Club does an amazing buffet breakfast with the whole spread, including freshly baked croissants and pastries. It almost felt like we weren’t at a Surf Club, but a quick glance out the window to see stunning views of the beach assured as we were, as well as the games room keeping the kids entertained. Seeing everyone being fit and healthy on the beach almost made me feel guilty for eating my croissant. Almost, but not quite!
Take a drive to Noosa and dip your feet in the Ocean
Noosa has my heart, so I wanted to take a quick trip north and share Noosa with the kids again. I love that we can be swimming in the ocean one minute and then shopping up a storm the next, that’s what holidays are about. Noosa Juniors always has so many great clothes for the kids, proving to be very dangerous (read: fun!) for my wallet.
Have lunch at Betty’s Burgers
Betty’s Burgers is American Style food that always satisfies, so we stopped in for a bite to eat with the kids, with a chocolate thickshake chaser. It’s a popular spot with locals and tourists, and is worth stopping in to try.
Enjoy an ice cream, or two
I make it my mission, and the kids too, to try and taste-test every ice cream place in Noosa when visiting. Our stay was only short, so we only got to eat at Ben & Jerry’s but we know we’ll be back to sample more flavours. I encourage you to do the same.
Swim in the pool
After our tummies were full with ice cream and burgers, we took the short drive back to our apartment to spend a little bit of time splashing in the pool overlooking the ocean. I mean, someone has to do it, right?
Have fish and chips overlooking the beach
The perfect way to end a fun day, is with a blanket on the grass, overlooking the ocean, munching on fish and chips. You could even stop by the trawlers and grab some fresh seafood to enjoy, or take back to your apartment and cook up.
Day two: Nature calls
Take a stroll at Gardners Falls, Maleny
We were traveling with four kids, and I was busting to get out in nature, but I needed somewhere that was easy to navigate with kids, so I decided to take them to Gardners Falls. It was the perfect choice. The walk to the falls is only around 900m, and is completely flat, and actually stroller friendly. The falls were breathtaking, and made an ideal way to spend the morning.
Take a tour at Maleny Dairy
Before we took the drive back home, and ended our weekend getaway, I wanted to take the kids to one more place, and I’d heard so much about the Maleny Dairy. There’s so much to do, including feeding the baby cows, cuddling a goat, eating scones and cream and indulging in other dairy products. The farmers were friendly and happily answered the 101 questions the kids had for them.
We then put on a playlist, and sang songs all the way home, with our batteries completely charged and our hearts and memory banks full.
