My list of things to do in Rainbow Beach (free and paid) are:
- Visit the rainbow beach tourist centre (free)
- Camp (free)
- Swim at the beach (free)
- Surf Australia’s longest break (free)
- Take in the view/sandboard at Carlo Sand Blow (free)
- View the coloured sands of Rainbow Beach (free)
- Walk the rainbow stairs (free)
- Walk to Poona Lake (free)
- Have a dip at Searys Creek (free)
- Dolphin feeding at tin can bay (paid)
- Drive on the beach to Double island point in your 4wd (free)
- Play in the park (free)
- Scuba drive wolf rock (paid)
- Kayaking with the dolphins (free and paid)
- Horse ride on rainbow beach (paid)
- Day trip to Fraser Island
- Skydiving (paid)
- Kitesurfing (free)
- Stand up paddle boarding (free)
I have travelled to Rainbow Beach both with and without kids. Here is my list of recommended free and paid activities for anyone visiting Rainbow Beach.
Map Of Things To Do At Rainbow Beach
Rainbow Beach Tourist Centre (Free)
This was my first stop on my first visit to Rainbow Beach. If you want someone to help plan your activities you will be able to chat with a local here.
If you also forgot some beach gear chances are you will be able to replace it here.
Camping In The Rainbow Beach Region
There are many different types of campgrounds from Rainbow Beach to Inskip Point. You can camp at a Big 4 or Rainbow Beach Holiday Village which has all of the facilities that you need to make life comfortable, or you can rough it at any of the beach camping spots (S.S. Dorrigo Campground, MV Natone Camping Area, or Teewah Beach Camping Area to name a few – there are too many to list).
If you are going to camp at Inskip peninsula a permit is required before you get to your campground, if you aren’t sure how to do that go to this Queensland Government website and they will explain more. Fees can range from $6.85 per person per night to $27.40 per family per night.
Swim At Rainbow Beach (Free)
The water at Rainbow Beach is the clearest water I’ve seen at a surf beach in Queensland.
You can swim anywhere along the 23km of coastline, however, the safest place to swim is at the patrolled beach just next to town.
There are a number of risks associated with swimming at Rainbow Beach including bluebottles, rips, and strong currents according to Beach Safe, but as long as you listen to the lifeguards and local advice you will be safe from most risks.
Surfing Rainbow Beach (Free & Paid)
You can surf anywhere you want along Rainbow Beach. The two main spots though are at the main beach just next to Rainbow Beach flagged swimming area, or if you have a 4wd you can drive along the beach to Double Island Point where when the conditions are right you could be surfing the longest wave in Australia.
If you want to give surfing a go and need some lessons to get up, Epic Ocean Adventures, Rainbow Beach Surf School and Rainbow Beach Learn To Surf all conduct surfing lessons at both Rainbow Beach and Double Island Point. The cost can vary between operators but the price starts from around $50 for a group session and goes up.
Take in The View/Sandboard at Carlo Sand Blow (Free)
You won’t need a 4wd to access the Carlo Sand Blow. You can drive and park here and walk about 500 metres to access the Carlo Sand Blow.
When on the sand blow you will be able to take in great views of the ocean to the east and have the chance to see any passing whales, and to the west, you will be able to see some beautiful landscape.
Another activity you can do at the Carlo Sand Blow aside from sightseeing is sandboarding. Bring along a sandboard (or cardboard box, boogie board, or whatever else works) and ride it down the steep sand dunes just below the stairway onto the sand blow.
View the coloured sands of Rainbow Beach (Free)
Often referred to as a natural art gallery, the iron-rich sand dunes along Rainbow Beach are constantly being changed and re-sculptured by the wind, rain and erosion.
The sand dunes have many colours ranging from yellows, browns, reds and whites.
You can walk from the main beach south less than 1 kilometre to start seeing the changing colours in the sand dunes. If you have a 4wd you will be able to see much more of the dunes by driving all the way south to Double Island Point.
Walk the Rainbow Stairs (Free)
No visit is complete without walking up the rainbow stairs. The stairs are located starting from Lawrie Hanson Park leading down to the beach.
While causing quite a stir in the community, the stairs have lasted the test of time and are still painted in rainbow colours since 2018.
Walk to Poona Lake (Free)
If you think you can handle a moderately difficult hike (approximately 6.5 kilometres return), you can tackle the Poona Lake Walking Track to walk to Poona Lake.
Walking through some beautiful rainforest, the walking track starts at the Bymien Picnic Area.
Activities you can do at Poona Lake include picnicking, swimming (if you can stand the cold water) and general sightseeing.
Have a Dip at Searys Creek (Free)
Just a short 10-minute drive (8kms) south of Rainbow Beach is Seary’s Creek.
This spot is ideal for a family picnic under a shady tree, and if it is a warm day you can cool off by having a dip in the freshwater creek.
There is a boardwalk down to the creek that is only a couple of hundred metres long from the car park so it is a very easy going walk suitable for all ages.
Dolphin Feeding At Tin Can Bay (Paid)
Run by Barnacles Cafe, the dolphin feeding happens daily with the gates opening at 7:00 am and at a cost of $5-10 per person.
The staff only let through the first 50 or so people in the first wave so that everyone gets a turn feeding the dolphins, so line up before 7:00 am if you want to make sure you don’t miss out. As people leave they do let more people in.
There is no guarantee that the dolphins will come in but they have been fed from this spot for decades and are in an almost daily routine of turning up for their fish feeds.
Barnacles Cafe is also a great place for a coffee and breakfast out.
Drive on The Beach to Double Island Point in Your 4wd (Free)
When the tide is low you will see a lot of casual 4wds cruising on the beach at Rainbow Beach.
An easy point to get onto the beach is here, you can drive up to the sand on a bitumen road. Then you can cruise all the way south to Double Island Point.
Driving on the beach is only suitable at low tide, so make sure you time it so you don’t get stranded with a rising tide. And before driving on the beach you will need to obtain a vehicle access permit (map) which will cost $13.60 if you order it online.
If you don’t have your own 4wd that you are willing to drive on the beach you can always hire one. You will also get their local knowledge and advice on how to 4wd on the beach at Rainbow Beach & K’gari Island (Fraser Island).
Play in The Park (Free)
There are a few parks overlooking the beach at Rainbow Beach that are great fun for kids of all ages. Lawrie Hanson Park and Phil Rogers Park are worth the visit. There are also picnic and BBQ facilities that you can use here.
Lawrie Hanson Park is more suitable for both smaller and bigger kids. It has a large flying fox and climbing equipment.
Phil Rogers is more for younger kids, there isn’t much there to entertain the younger kids.
Next to Lawrie Hanson Park is also a skate park for the kids to ride their bikes, scooters and skateboards at.
There is also a great park at Tin Can Bay called Les Lee Playground which is worth visiting if you are going to do the dolphin feeding at Tin Can Bay.
Scuba Drive (Paid)
Located just off Double Island Point is what is regarded as the best shark and ray diving spot, Wolf Rock. A known endangered grey nurse breeding area, you will be sure to see some unique and rare animals.
The dive area is up to 38 metres deep in some areas, with visibility ranging from 5-50 metres depending on the conditions of the day.
If you have your dive ticket you can head out with Wolf Rock Dive will take you out for an unforgettable diving experience.
Kayaking with The Dolphins (Free and Paid)
A safe way to get further out into the water is to do it with a sea kayak. The deeper you go the better than the chance of seeing other animals like manta rays, humpback whales, turtles and dolphins (90% chance).
Epic Ocean Adventures do half-day kayak tours departing from Rainbow beach, they are dependant on the tide so plan ahead and contact them to see what days they will run these tours.
Horse Ride on Rainbow Beach (Paid)
Rainbow Beach Horse Rides offer you an unforgettable experience of riding their trained horses on the beach. They take their horse tours where 4wds are not allowed so it will be a very peaceful and tranquil experience.
With heaps of 5-star reviews on Google, they obviously provide a great day out to people.
Day Trip to Fraser Island
There is a tour operator that runs a full-day tour of Fraser Island leaving from Rainbow Beach. In this tour you will get to enjoy:
- Comfortable and spacious 4WD cruiser with panoramic windowsÂ
- Wander lush rainforests and dive into the cool water of Eli Creek
- Marvel at the natural wonders of the colourful dunesÂ
- Cruise down the famous beach sand highway and enjoy the thrill!
- Enjoy a delicious and authentic Aussie Barbecue lunch.
Skydiving (Paid)
Skydive Fraser Island has unfortunately closed, so there aren’t any skydive operators that operate in the Fraser/Rainbow Beach area anymore.
If you want to go skydiving the nearest place would be Noosa and you can organise it here with Skydive Noosa.
Kitesurfing (Free)
There are plenty of spots that you can go kite surfing at as long as you bring your own gear. As far as I can find there aren’t any operators that hire the gear out or do lessons at Rainbow Beach. The beaches that people kitesurf at include:
- Inskip Point – There are apprantly lots of sharks in these waters so unless you can stay on your board at all times proabably best to give this spot a skip.
- Rainbow Beach Main Break – take yourself north of the main beach. If you go south you will be contending with all of the 4wds heading up and down the beach. Also watch the tides, don’t expect there to be enough beach for you to beach left at high tide.
- Double Island Point Lagoons – If you have a 4wd you can drive south and kitesurf at the lagoons at Double Island Point. This spot can be ktied when the wind is coming from a NW to NE direction.
- Tin Can Bay – When the wind is blowing from the north you can kite at Tin Can Bay. If you don’t like sharks just wait until low tide and there will be less water for them to swim near you.
Stand Up Paddle Boarding (Free)
There are many spots that cater to any level of standup paddler. Bring your own standup paddleboard and you can do this activity anywhere for free. Two spots you can do it at are Double Island Point (4wd access) or Pelican Bay (all vehicle access), but you don’t have to limit yourself to just these two spots, you can go anywhere and everywhere that your vehicle can access.
If you don’t own one you can join a tour with these guys and they will take you to their favourite spots and provide you with equipment and instructions to maximise your progression and experience.
Standup paddleboarding is a great way to see the scenery nad marine life around Rainbow Beach and Inskip Point. There is a good chance that you will see animals like turtles, rays, dolphins, fishes and birds.
Rainbow Beach FAQs
What’s The Population Of Rainbow Beach?
Rainbow beach has a population of 1249 according to the 2016 Census.
Is Rainbow Beach Worth Visiting
If you love camping, fishing and just the outdoors in general, Rainbow Beach and its surrounding region are definitely worth visiting.
Where Is Rainbow Beach
Rainbow Beach is over 230 kilometres north of Brisbane (over 3 hours driving), or 120 kilometres south of Hervey Bay (1.5 hours driving).
Is Rainbow Beach Busy
It depends on what you are doing if you will think Rainbow Beach is busy.
If you are trying to book accommodation at Rainbow beach during the school holiday periods you will struggle to find vacant accommodation.
But if you are planning or camping at Inskip Point or Double Island Point the crowds of people and 4wds shouldn’t have a big impact on your experience.
Is It Safe To Swim At Inskip Point
The risks of swimming at Inskip Point include rips, currents, massive waves, blue bottle jellyfish and watercraft. It is recommended that you don’t swim up at Inskip Point but rather head to the southern end and swim at Rainbow Beach or near Double Island Point.
How to Get to Rainbow Beach
To get to Rainbow Beach from Brisbane, it would take 3 hours driving without stops.
To find out how to get to Rainbow Beach click here to find out directions from where you are.