Things to do in Noosa
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Aromas
This European-style cafe is unashamedly ostentatious, with chandeliers, faux-marble tables and cane chairs deliberately facing the street so patrons can ogle the passing foot traffic. There's the usual array of panini, cakes and light meals, but most folk come for the coffee and the atmosphere.
reviewed
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Fraser Island Adventure Tours
Has won several industry awards for its day tour to Eli Creek and Lake McKenzie and packs as much punch as a two-day tour.
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Noosa National Park
You'll find the main entrance to Noosa National Park on Hastings St. The 2km-long park has fine walks, great coastal scenery and a string of popular bays for surfing on the northern side.
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Merrick's Learn to Surf
With a string of fine breaks around an unspoilt national park, Noosa is a fine place to catch a wave. The best year-round break is probably Sunshine Corner, at the northern end of Sunshine Beach, though it has a brutal beach dump. The point breaks (First Point to Granite Bay) around the headland only perform during the summer, but when they do, expect wild conditions and good walls at Boiling Point and Tea Tree, on the northern coast of the headland.
Noosa Spit, on the far end of Hastings St, has gentle breaks that are heavenly for the novice - unlike at Sunshine Beach, riders are protected from open water so the rips tend to be less intense. It seems someone is always le…
reviewed
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Noosa Surf Lessons
With a string of fine breaks around an unspoilt national park, Noosa is a fine place to catch a wave. The best year-round break is probably Sunshine Corner, at the northern end of Sunshine Beach, though it has a brutal beach dump. The point breaks (First Point to Granite Bay) around the headland only perform during the summer, but when they do, expect wild conditions and good walls at Boiling Point and Tea Tree, on the northern coast of the headland.
Noosa Spit, on the far end of Hastings St, has gentle breaks that are heavenly for the novice - unlike at Sunshine Beach, riders are protected from open water so the rips tend to be less intense. It seems someone is always l…
reviewed
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Wavesense
With a string of fine breaks around an unspoilt national park, Noosa is a fine place to catch a wave. The best year-round break is probably Sunshine Corner, at the northern end of Sunshine Beach, though it has a brutal beach dump. The point breaks (First Point to Granite Bay) around the headland only perform during the summer, but when they do, expect wild conditions and good walls at Boiling Point and Tea Tree, on the northern coast of the headland.
Noosa Spit, on the far end of Hastings St, has gentle breaks that are heavenly for the novice - unlike at Sunshine Beach, riders are protected from open water so the rips tend to be less intense. It seems someone is always l…
reviewed
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Trattoria Ma Mensa
Dining under the Trattoria's shady canopy, set behind a thin perimeter of greenery, almost feels like Italy. And after dipping into the food you'll likely believe you've arrived. The menu is short and sweet, with a choice of five or six pastas, as well as a small but carefully thought-out list of poultry, steak and seafood. The wine list, both Australian and imported, is longer than the menu. Overall Trattoria is an intimate place for an almost genuine Italian dining experience.
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Jack’s Teppan Char
Noosa’s very own brewery – Laguna Bay – now has its very own teppan-yaki restaurant serving char-grilled goodness in a hip cocktail-induced atmosphere. The vegetarian udon is deliciously crunchy and the noodles perfectly sweet and sticky, while the chicken teriyaki is outstanding. Serves are not huge, so dig into the extensive entrée menu. Best of all, the adjoining bottle shop keeps the price of the booze down.
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Ocean & River Kayak Tours
The Noosa River is excellent for canoeing, and it's possible to follow it up through Lakes Cooroibah and Cootharaba, and through the Cooloola Section of Great Sandy National Park to just south of Rainbow Beach Rd. Ocean & River Kayak Tours (in a parking lot behind Hastings St) offers two-hour sea kayaking tours that stop for snorkelling in Laguna Bay - if you're lucky you'll see turtles and dolphins.
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Le Monde
A recent facelift has merely fixed a permanent smile on Noosa’s beloved Le Monde, still the cafe of choice for those who know about those kinds of things! An extraordinarily long menu – juicy burgers, fine pasta, all manner of seafood and curries – hides the secret agenda of this open-air glam spot, which is to simply sip the day away. Regular live music means you can often sip the night away too.
reviewed
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Riverhouse
Understated, underrated Riverhouse has a stylish Queensland sensibility, with a bright, open aspect on a street away from the Noosaville drag. Staff are warm and non-intrusive, while the seasonal menu includes buttery Wagyu steak, organic chicken and ham hock terrine with fig chutney and angel shell pasta with croutons, tomato, rocket, fresh basil and dollops of sweet olive oil.
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Lazuli Blue Café
Slow and lazy eating is mandatory at this relaxed café that's long been a favourite smoothie joint for locals. Colossal fresh juices and smoothies are the speciality. The lunch Turkish toasties, salads and overstuffed sandwiches are better than the egg items on the breakfast menu. The owners are clued into the local theatre scene.
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Fraser Island Excursions
Offers trips from Noosa to Fraser Island, including the major Fraser Island highlights such as Lake MacKenzie and Seventy Five Mile Beach. Small day tours take place in comfortable 4WD minibuses - much preferred to the giant 40-seaters some companies use. Tours include a gourmet lunch and get a good reception from readers.
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Bistro C
The menu at this yuppie beachfront brasserie is an eclectic blend of everything that seems like a good idea at the time. The legendary egg-fried calamari is still popular.
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Berardo's
Beautiful Berardo's is culinary Utopia, from the sun-dappled setting swimming in elegance to the heavenly food. Soft music from the grand piano and delicate dishes made from fresh local produce will have you swooning in gustatory ecstasy.
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Cato’s
This firmly established wine bar gets packed on warm summer nights by masters of the smart casual. Whirling fans keep the breeze running down the polo tops of the 30-plus crowd, as you peruse the 30-strong wine list and spill your own life story. The regular live music gets loud!
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Reef Hotel
Classic country meets coast at the grandstanding Reef Hotel, a multifloored long-time favourite. The downstairs club cranks until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. During the day, patrons watch or gamble on sport, munch hearty pub meals and spread sand all over the place.
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Gusto
Gusto trumps Noosa's classy competition with effortless style, superior service and breezy water-views. The Mod Oz menu offers Hervey Bay scallops, opulent bangers and mash, Mooloolaba prawns or melt-in-your mouth cuttlefish, all marinated, cooked and served with passion.
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Fusions
Catching plenty of beach breeze through the wide open doorways, families, couples, locals and tourists sit at Fusions' high-backed Balinese chairs inside or the oversized tables outside. Gourmet sandwiches, wood-fired pizzas and spruced-up café fare graces the menu.
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Muse
Upon entry through the waterfall windows, you know you’re in Noosa’s new king of stylish dining. If the pleasures of the sea are not your thing, then how about roasted venison with sweet potato and pecan pie? Or triple-orange glazed duck? You get the idea: it’s fancy.
reviewed
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Zachary’s
Noosa Heads’ Zachary’s offers an alternative for electronic kids who still love eating great pizza, chugging cocktails and checking people out. The walls are dark red, the day beds made of velvet, and the overall preparty bravado is very hard to resist.
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Sierra
Sierra is a rocking little cafe-bar serving strong fruit daquiris to shoeless chess players and tanned newspaper browsers. The food is also spot-on, including such glorious tropical concoctions as grilled prawns with Cajun banana and black sticky rice.
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Sunshine Beach
Sunshine Beach is perfect for a windswept walk - keep the kids occupied counting the number of bluebottles washed up on the beach. Sunshine Corner, at the northern end of the beach, has an excellent year-round break (it also has a brutal beach dump).
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Sunshine Foodstore
Multipurpose food stores like these are just so happy summer holidays! While awaiting plates of pesto-laden scrambled eggs or mouth-wrenching ciabatta, bright-eyed news fiends scour headlines from behind enormous juice cups and designer sunnies.
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Ricky's River Bar & Restaurant
In a perfect location on the Noosa River, this elegant restaurant has a simple, well-executed menu favouring local produce like Noosa spanner-crab spaghettini. The tapas menu is tantalising.
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