If you’re chasing wild beauty, untamed landscapes, and once-in-a-lifetime adventures, Queensland and the Cape York Peninsula is where the road begins. From the Great Barrier Reef, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, to the ancient canopies of the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest, Queensland is a land where outdoor adventure meets breathtaking natural wonders. Discover what you can do or see in Queensland:
Head north from Cairns and you’ll find Cape York, one of the most remote and untouched regions on earth, where rough and rugged dirt tracks weave through tropical rainforests, across crystal-clear rivers, and past isolated, golden beaches that stretch for miles. Discover more about Cape York’s rich history here.
Perfect for solo explorers, families, or mates’ getaways, Queensland offers something for every traveler. Here, you’ll find a world that still feels wild, and an experience that will stay with you forever.
Wanting to plan family activities? Here’s some of the best things to do around Cairns:
Cairns is the perfect launch pad for your Cape York Motorcycles Adventure, and it’s packed with great places to stay depending on your travel style.
If you’re traveling with mates and want to stay close to the action, look for hotels and apartments around the Cairns Esplanade, it’s central, buzzing with restaurants and bars, and just a short walk to the Reef Fleet Terminal for Great Barrier Reef tours.
If you’re here to relax before or after your ride, beachfront suburbs like Palm Cove and Trinity Beach (20 min. drive from Cairns) offer a more chilled-out vibe with beautiful resorts right on the sand.
For families, Cairns offers fantastic family-friendly resorts with pools, kids’ activities, and easy access to both the city and natural attractions.
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Cairns is a perfect starting point for exploring more of Australia, especially if you have extra time to travel. Thanks to easy domestic flight connections from Cairns International Airport, you can quickly reach some of Australia’s most iconic destinations.
In just a few hours, you could be exploring Sydney‘s famous Harbour Bridge and beaches, diving into the vibrant city life of Melbourne, hiking around Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the Red Centre, or soaking up the laid-back vibes in Brisbane or the Gold Coast.
For a short stay:
If you’ve only got a few days after your Cape York ride, we recommend hopping a short 2-hour flight from Cairns to Brisbane (about 1,070 miles / 1,720 km) to enjoy the beaches and city buzz before an easy connection back to the USA, Canada or any other international hubs.
For a longer stay:
Have a bit longer? Sydney is just a 3-hour direct flight (1,220 miles / 1,965 km) where you can explore the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and Bondi Beach.
For travellers with a full week to spare, Melbourne is about 3.5 hours south by air (1,430 miles / 2,300 km), offering amazing food culture, and easy onward flights home.
All three cities (Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne) offer direct long-haul flights to major U.S. hubs like Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Dallas (DFW), and Houston (IAH), making your return journey smooth and efficient no matter where you explore.
Direct international flights include routes to Singapore with Singapore Airlines, Tokyo with Jetstar, providing smooth connections to Europe, Asia, and beyond. Travelers can also connect via Dubai with Qantas and Emirates partnerships, or through Tokyo with Jetstar, opening up access to North America and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
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