Blending cultural awakenings with an idyllic backdrop, the best things to do in Mooloolaba offer so much more than your usual beach holiday.

The sweeping curvature and rolling waves of Mooloolaba Beach hypnotise me – but there’s so much more to life in this Sunshine Coast town than sitting on the sand. Over a week, I grow my understanding of, and appreciation for, the Kabi Kabi people’s extraordinary land, leaning into experiences beyond the tourist trail (though there’s always time for beachside cocktails, refined dining and retail therapy, if you ask me). Here, I break down the best things to do in Mooloolaba for a coastal escape unlike any other.

In short

If you only have time for one of the best things to do in Mooloolaba, make it a cruise along the Mooloolaba River with Saltwater Eco Cruises. The team offer me genuine cultural insight through the lens of Indigenous storytellers, all while I’m kicking back in style on a gorgeous sailboat.

1. Discover bush tucker at sea with Saltwater Eco Tours

There are a bunch of cruise operators in Mooloolaba, but I’ve long heard glowing reports about Saltwater Eco Tours – and my experience lives up to expectations. Simon Thornalley and his partner Jenna are instantly endearing, gaining the trust of Indigenous elders and local storytellers to join forces and offer a unique experience filled with creation stories, geographical history and a delicious taste of bush tucker (cheers to Skye, their onboard chef whose bubbly passion for cooking and native ingredients is infectious).

The crew’s newest offering, launched in July 2025, takes guests (even those with access needs, incredibly) out on the Mooloolaba River for 90 minutes in canoes, and the company’s ever-popular Bushtucker Cruise runs for two hours while serving canapes incorporating native flavours, bubbles and beer, as cultural commentary and a didgeridoo performance entertain. Check the website for more of their fabulous options.

2. Embrace whale watching season with Tallo Billa

Mooloolaba is rapidly growing as a whale watching destination, so I time my visit to winter in the hope of spying a breach or few. What really catches my breath, however, is Sunreef Mooloolaba’s Tallo Billa experience, a light and sound show on Mooloolaba River that harmonises recorded humpback whale song to spectacular projected imagery and an authentic Indigenous perspective. The unforgettable cruise also incorporates live didgeridoo performances and creation storytelling from Kabi Kabi artist and key Tallo Billa collaborator Lyndon Davis. The event, which launched in June 2025, is staged sporadically between June and October, so check the website for upcoming dates.

3. Fuel your creativity at Frida’s Mooloolaba

Switch out those sea legs for on-land interaction with a local artist. Frida’s Mooloolaba invites professional artists from across the region to lead guests through a step-by-step painting session to recreate a featured work. The cherry on top? Giggles are guaranteed as BYO beverages are encouraged. Nibbles are provided, as is the chance to improve your talents among likeminded creatives.

4. Sample local seafood on a fishing trawler at Prawn Star

In town to wrap your lips around Mooloolaba’s famed prawn? I found some of the town’s freshest goods on board one of Prawn Star’s awesome fishing trawlers. Totally kitsch and all-out fun, the beloved Mooloolaba restaurant is charming from end to end, permanently moored to dial up the novelty as fresh crustaceans and other catches load tables. I dig into tiger and king prawns this time around but promise to return one day for other fine picks like salmon sashimi, crayfish, bugs, oysters and huge seafood platters that combine it all.

5. Sip on cocktails at a beachfront wine bar

Break up intense exploration with chilled drinks over the water. Holiday vibes are cranked at WAT Den, a narrow hole-in-the-wall located along the Mooloolaba Esplanade that shakes up crafty concoctions utilising every shade of the hard stuff. There’s also Casita Wine Bar, a Pinterest-perfect Mediterranean-inspired hot spot complete with olive trees, white-on-white furnishings and delicious small plates.

6. Wander the Mooloolaba to Alexandra Headland coastal walk

Stretch your legs while soaking up some of Mooloolaba’s most incredible coastal vistas. Starting at the Mooloolaba River’s northern break wall and rolling on to the dramatically beautiful Alexandra Headland, the coastal walk follows the boardwalk at Mooloolaba Beach before passing a sprawling playground and the suburb’s main dining precinct, before climbing over a hill to the Headland, which is a magnet for surfers. Bring your togs to swim along the way.

7. Hang ten with XL Surfing Academy

Brush up on your longboard skills with one of XL Surfing Academy’s surf lessons. From absolute amateurs to occasional dabblers and the far more confident, every style of surfer is welcome. The team, led by former pro surfer Robbie Sherwell and his family, run introductory group lessons, school holiday sessions and private lessons with multiple sessions staged daily.

8. Explore canals with Mooloolaba Canal Cruise

Wind your way through the town’s tranquil waterways on a Mooloolaba Canal Cruise which departs daily. The historical timber ferries have been transporting visitors for more than 30 years and each trip is guided by an experienced skipper who offers commentary on everything you’re soaring past. Choose from a range of journeys including one-hour expeditions and sunset cruises or charter a ferry if you’re game.

9. Find your ultimate water sport with Sunreef Mooloolaba

There’s more to Sunreef Mooloolaba than its Tallo Billa experience. If you’re licensed to dive, hit the team up for a spot of scuba. Haven’t got your PADI certificate? There’s something here for everyone. Kayaks, jet skis, SUP boards, snorkelling gear – you name it, these guys are the coastal suburb’s go-to, always eager to show you the ropes.

10. Feast on the region’s famed flavours

Whatever you’re in the mood for, you’ll find it at one of our favourite Mooloolaba restaurants. The Esplanade flows with superstars including the always-pumping Pavilion Mooloolaba which dishes up breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night aperitifs, Bella Venezia, which blew me away with authentic Italian despite its touristy facade, and Fish House, which opened its doors in August 2025 inside the old Fish on Parkyn spot just outside the town’s buzzing centre.

11. Swim at the protected Mooloolaba Spit Beach

You can jump in right along beautiful Mooloolaba Beach, but I think the best swimming is at Mooloolaba Spit Beach. Patrolled conditions and protection from southerly gusts make for tranquil cooling off, plus there’s outstanding fish and chips to be ordered from Fisheries on the Spit on Parkyn Pde, best enjoyed while overlooking the waves.

12. Get pampered at a Mooloolaba day spa

You won’t walk far along central Mooloolaba Esplanade before running into yet another zen-inducing day spa. From Thalassa Spa, offering all the usual treatments plus float therapy, and The Waterfall Day Spa inside Landmark Resort, to Salt Caves offering salt therapy inside a salt-laced halo chamber, there’s always something ultra-soothing to indulge in.

13. Grab a classic pub feed at The Surf Club Mooloolaba

Blessed with prime real estate, The Surf Club Mooloolaba is a non-negotiable dining experience during every visit into town. Look past the beach views to peruse a menu of chicken parma and schnitzel, burgers, burritos and fish and chips, plus there’s a surprisingly fresh selection of fresh seafood (it’s a surf club so they’re obviously not renowned for fine dining, but their supplies seriously impress) and grilled meats. Grab a spot on the outdoor deck for pure holiday bliss.

14. Visit historical Point Cartwright Lighthouse

Charge your camera battery because Point Cartwright Lighthouse, and the views it boasts, offers open-air enthrallment. Located right at the mouth of the Mooloolaba River, the 1897 landmark towers at 32.4 metres, however it’s the blue-on-blue out yonder that’ll really catch your eye. Spy the expansive river as well as the coastline and Mooloolaba Spit from this incredible spot I always struggle to leave.

15. Take a picnic to Alex Bluff Foreshore Park

Soak up your surroundings with a picnic or barbecue at Alex Bluff Foreshore Park. BYO supplies to spread across a sheltered picnic table or get your cook on at public barbecue facilities while stickybeaking historical landmarks including the HMAS Brisbane Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and the Australian War Dog Memorial. It’s a one-kilometre stretch that’s made for slow-paced downtime.

16. Go shopping at The Wharf Mooloolaba

Commemorate your visit by picking up something chic from The Wharf Mooloolaba. Home to an excellent edit of stores filled with clothing, homewares, jewellery, artworks and more, the delightful shopping mecca is located a little away from Mooloolaba Esplanade so it’s a nice change of scenery from the chaos.

17. Tour land and sea with Aquaduck Sunshine Coast

Is it a boat? Is it a plane? Is it legal? Find answers to every burning question on board Aquaduck Sunshine Coast, the notorious hybrid vehicle also spotted on the streets of the Gold Coast. The flashy automotive tackles a street tour (hence the wheels) before embarking on a river cruise (hence the boat) to present a truly unique thing to do in Mooloolaba.