Muddy’s playground is the perfect place for a free fun day out with the kids, you could literally stay here all day with so many great play areas to explore including water play, sand play, swings, slides and climbing. For older kids the skate park is right next door - even if you don't have your skateboard there's often plenty of free entertainment as the local skaters show off their skills.

The lagoon is just a few minutes walk from Muddy’s and also the city centre. It's a beautiful family-friendly place for a cool, refreshing swim on a hot day. The clean beach sand and crystal clear water make this a popular place for locals and visitors alike. There are plenty of barbeques and picnic tables here too making it the perfect place for eating out on a budget all year round.

These beautiful gardens include a large selection of Australian natives and exotic tropical plants from all over the world. Children love the maze-like pathways through mysterious vegetation, under shady branches, over bubbling creeks and past fragrant flowers. A range of vibrant butterflies are often found here enjoying the beauty of this magical place too.

Centenary Lakes

With its wide pathways, shady trees and excellent picnic and barbeque facilities Centenary Lakes is a great choice for a family picnic. There are actually two lakes here, one is freshwater and the other is saltwater so you'll see a range of different habitats including rainforest, mangrove and eucalypt swamp. There's a wide variety of plants and animals here too with more than 130 species of birds found at this park. Children will enjoy running along the winding paths and there's a playground too, and being only 5 minutes from the city is a great choice if you have an hour or two to spare.

Crystal Cascades

Crystal Cascades is a beautiful completely natural place to visit, just 20 minutes from the heart of Cairns. Pack a picnic lunch as you won’t find any cafes here, what you will find though is untouched natural beauty at its best. You'll need a car to get here as there's no public transport, follow the signs from Redlynch. You can swim here but the current is quite strong and not recommended for under 8's. Wide pathways make pram access easy and its a great walk up the hill through lush rainforest to see the top waterfall but keep a close watch on active toddlers and young children.