Cairns

About Cairns

The city’s landmark is the Esplanade, which fringes the shoreline for 2 kilometers and provides a place for locals and visitors to walk, cycle, lounge by the lagoon and generally enjoy the sun. The focal point of the city, the Esplanade is always alive with various musical and cultural events and is also home to many fine restaurants and bars. Just north from the Esplanade is the city's urban center, with plenty of shopping and eating opportunities and many of the city’s cultural and entertainment attractions. Dotted around this area, particularly along Wharf Street, you will find a number of older and historical buildings with their signature wide verandas and porches. Outside of the Central District, the suburb of Edgehill is home to the Tanks Centre, a lively local arts space, the Flecker Botanic Gardens and the Whitfield Range Environmental Park. While for those looking to hit the beach, there is a bus service running to some spectacular stretches of sand about 15 minutes north of the city. The Northern Beaches consist of a number of beach communities extending north along the coast. As a rule, each beach suburb is at the end of a spur road extending from the Captain Cook Highway, so you can get there relatively fast yet not be bothered by traffic noise once you're there.