How to spend a long weekend in Noosa

With the colder months rolling in, many of us are searching for a dose of autumn sunshine. That’s why international student and resident blogger Danielle recently escaped the bustle of Sydney for a spontaneous trip to Noosa with a friend. 
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Renowned for its tropical climate, buzzy bars, and long stretches of golden beaches, it's no wonder Sydneysiders flock to the Queensland hotspot. Below, find out how to spend a long weekend in Noosa, from the National Park walk to Eumundi Markets.    

Thursday

12.30pm - Touchdown. The flight from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast only takes an hour, making it a great destination for a spontaneous trip out of the city. We catch a local bus into the centre, and even make a few friends en route!
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2.30pm - We’re staying at Nomads Youth Resort, one of the most popular hostels in Noosa. Weekly rates start from $170, and there’s a choice between a private room or sharing with fellow travellers. Our room is a four-bed, which gives us the chance to make new pals. We’re pleased to find fellow Brits staying with us, and they invite us to join them for drinks the following night.

4pm - After a quick freshen up, we head straight down to the Main Beach. After another La Niña summer, the sunshine is a welcome change, so we grab ice creams from Massimo’s en route - an excellent recommendation from one of our friends. 
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6pm - After a long afternoon of swimming and sunbathing, we make our way into town to find something to eat. We stumble across a local Italian, where there’s live music playing all evening. We order two pizzas and two (ok, four) Aperols.

Friday

7am - We’re up bright and early to tackle the National Park walk but first, we search for coffee. Australia is renowned for its incredible coffee culture, and the cafes are where you’ll find barefoot locals catching up with friends at sunrise. We head to Olakino for an acai bowl and coffee each.   

8am - And we’re on our way! It’s a sunny day so we plan to make pit stops along the walk to take in the views and go for a dip. The beaches are beautiful, and it’s a rare opportunity to spot dolphins, whales and koalas. This was definitely a highlight of the trip, and I really recommend it if you’re in Noosa for a long weekend. 

10am - After a few hours of walking through the bush, we arrive at Alexandria Beach and go for a well-earned dip. 

11.30am - We’ve reached Sunshine Beach which signals the end of our walk! I suggest grabbing a bus back into the centre, or it’s a short 20-minute walk - which we definitely didn’t have the energy for! ​

12pm - Back at the hostel, we find a spot in the sunshine for a picnic. There’s a great outdoor bar, pool area, and hammocks to take an afternoon nap in, which we do!  

5pm - Many of our friends recommended booking one of the sunset cruises, but they’re full, so we take the usual ferry which takes you on a guided tour along Noosa River. This actually turned out to be the better option.
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The ferry is bring your own drinks and you can watch the sunset without having to pay a small fortune. As the sun dips behind the horizon, we dig out a punnet of strawberries and wine to share.

7pm - It’s a two-hour trip so we’re ready for dinner when we disembark. We’ve booked a table at Light Years. We grab a table by the window and order bao buns, leafy greens and plenty of spring rolls to share. It’s a great vibe with friendly staff and a must come Friday night. Top tip: order the pineapple margarita! 

9pm - We’re on the search for a good bar and are not disappointed. There’s a real holiday feel to Noosa and it’s great to see Australia welcoming tourists back again. We tick off Surf Club, Café Le Monde and Miss Moneypenny's. If you're looking for a spot to eat or drink, Hastings Street is the place to be!

Saturday

8am - We set our alarms early to head down to Eumundi Markets for the day. It’s just a short bus journey from the centre of town so we grab a coffee from Moonstruck on the way and start to plan our day of action!

9am - We spend the day wandering around the market, picking up lots of souvenirs! It’s a great vibe with live music, free samples and a vast range of shopping stalls from clothes and jewellery to homewares. I recommend getting there nice and hungry to try as many of the different food stalls too...   

2pm - The market is closing, so we catch the bus back into town and spend the afternoon lounging on the beach until sunset. 

5pm - We’re hungry so head to El Capitano for pizza and cocktails.  ​

Sunday

12pm - We take a local bus to the airport and touch down in Sydney by late afternoon. Nothing beats the view flying back into the city and we're already plotting our next Australian adventure...  ​