Things to Do in Cairns with Kids: Family Activities and Reef Adventures

Cairns is an excellent family base, with a combination of wildlife encounters, reef adventures and tropical outdoor activities that suit all ages. The Esplanade Lagoon is the safest free swimming option for families in the city, with shallow areas for younger children. Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome, on the roof of the Reef Hotel Casino complex in the CBD, combines wildlife including a saltwater crocodile with a treetop ropes course for older children. Hartley's Crocodile Adventures at Palm Cove (about 40 minutes north) has crocodile boat tours and wildlife shows in a tropical wetland setting. Glass-bottom boat tours to Green Island provide a reef experience without snorkelling for younger children. The Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park near the Skyrail terminal at Caravonica has interactive performances and boomerang-throwing.