Looking for a loved-up vacay somewhere with perfect weather, beautiful scenery and a load of romantic activities?  We’ve found it for you.

The Sunshine Coast combines surf, sand and sun with warm nights and great food – the ideal getaway for you and your partner.  And, no, you won’t be stuck lounging around the hotel pool, because we’ve put together a list of the ten best activities for couples that covers Caloundra, Noosa Heads and everywhere in between.

Ready for the ultimate romantic holiday in the Sunshine Coast?  Let’s dive in.

Explore Noosa National Park

38 minutes from Ramada Resort by Wyndham Marcoola Beach

noosa national park

Exploring the Noosa National Park should the first romantic activity on your Sunshine Coast couples itinerary.  Why?  Because it’s an absolutely stunning sprawl of sea, surf and sun-drenched forest with so much to see and do!

Fringed by rocky bays and turquoise ocean, the park is criss-crossed with tracks that lead to iconic attractions like the wave-thrashed Hell’s Gates, the Insta-worthy Fairy Pools, Emu Mountain and a boardwalk through Peregian’s paperbark-populated swamps.  If you like nature, bushwalking, beautiful scenery and awesome swims, Noosa National Park is the place to be.

Note of caution: Noosa is a pretty popular family destination, especially during school holidays.  Our advice?  Go early in the morning or late in the evening.  You’ll avoid the mobs of young children, and there’s nothing like a cheeky dip in the ocean with your partner when no-one else is around.

Swim in Kondalilla Falls

36 minutes from Ramada by Wyndham Marcoola Beach

kondalilla falls, montville

Touted as one of the most easily accessible waterfalls on the Sunny Coast, Kondalilla Falls is the perfect chance to strip down to your bikinis and boardshorts in the middle of the bush.  White streams of water splay out across bare rock as Skene Creek plunges 90 metres into a deep pool at the bottom, providing a dramatic photo opp and equally awesome swimming hole.

You can access the falls via the Kondalilla Falls Circuit track, which circles past rockpools at the top of the waterfall and down to the ones below.  The walk is a total of 4.7 kilometres long, including a 300-stair cardio workout, so make sure you bring a decent pair of walking shoes.

Discover the KFZe Bar

32 minutes from Ramada by Wyndham Marcoola Beach

Fun fact: if you Google ‘KFZe Bar’, there’s no Maps location.  No GMB listing.  Not even a cheeky mention on a local attractions page.

Why?  Because this bar is hidden.  Yep, it’s burger restaurant Ze Pickle’s tribute to the KFC that once occupied the same lot, and you’ll only find it if you know where to look.  Cunningly concealed behind an old cold room door, KFZe channels a retro ambience that it underscores with upscale Tex-Mex cuisine and a superb range of tropical cocktails.

Everyone loves going out to dinner with their SO, but hunting down hidden bars is the perfect way to ratchet your dining experience up a notch or three – you get all the yumminess your bank account can afford, plus the sheer thrill of finding something that just belongs to you, your partner and the locals (oh, and everyone else who’s read this article).

Hike through the Glasshouse Mountains

35 minutes from Ramada Resort by Wyndham Golden Beach

Sunset over the Glass House Mountains
The sun rising over the Glass House Mountains.

You knew they were going to be on here – a couples’ Sunshine Coast itinerary wouldn’t be complete without them.  The Glasshouse Mountains (known locally as ‘the Glassies’) are one of the south Sunny Coast’s most stunning attractions, and, if you’re coming from Brisbane or the Gold Coast, you’ll see their dramatic shapes rising from the surrounding land as you drive up.

The most famous mountains are Mount Beerwah, Mount Coonowrin, Mount Ngungun, Mount Tibrogargan and Wild Horse Mountain.  Unless you’re an avid hiker with a serious fondness for rock scrambling, avoid climbing Beerwah and Tibrogargan at all costs – there are plenty of much easier hikes around the rest of the national park, and clinging to a cliff-face in a sweat-soaked ball of terror isn’t particularly romantic.

You can find a full list of Glasshouse Mountain National Park walks here.

Please note that the Glasshouse Mountains are considered sacred to the Jinibara and Kabi Kabi peoples, who ask that visitors do not climb them.

Relax at Waterfall Day Spa

16 minutes from Ramada by Wyndham Marcoola Beach

Day spas aren’t exactly unique to the Sunny Coast, but the relaxing, decadent experience they offer is an excellent way to round out an otherwise action-packed couples’ getaway.

Our top pick?  Waterfall Day Spa.  Rejuvenate your body and strengthen your relationship with a choice of classic couples’ massages, like the remedial, reflexology, fusion stone or Indian head massages.  For something a bit different, try the 75-minute Waterfall Couples’ Therapy Experience, which combines cleansing and exfoliation with a nature-oriented body and scalp massage.

Prefer to enjoy separate experiences in each other’s company?  You’re spoiled for choice – Waterfall’s range of solo treatments includes a suite of massages, body rituals, pamper packages, facial treatments, hand and foot experiences, and, of course, tanning and waxing to get your body prepped for fun in the sun.

Go wild with Caloundra Jetski Hire & Safaris

7 minutes from Ramada Resort by Wyndham Golden Beach

The Sunshine Coast’s beautiful oceans are one of its biggest draws, and there’s no better way to explore them than on the back of a rev-hungry Jet Ski.  Turn the water into a playground as you accelerate your aquatic motorbike and speed across the waves in a plume of spray, your partner clinging to your back.

Caloundra Jetski Hire & Safaris offer six different sea-borne expeditions around the south Sunshine Coast’s most iconic locations.  Explore Caloundra with the City Explorer, get your heart racing with the Bribie Blast, race through the Moreton Bay Marine Park, embark on a giant half-day tour, or get your grub on with a pair of foodie safaris.

If turning up the excitement in one of the Sunny Coast’s most pristine coastal areas sounds like your cup of tea, taking a Caloundra safari might just be the perfect couples’ activity for your holiday.

Have a seafood spread at Pier 33

18 minutes from Ramada by Wyndham Marcoola Beach

Seafood is pretty much the epitome of fine dining.  It’s expensive and plenty of restaurants muck it up, but, with great ingredients and even better chefs, the results can be exceptional.  Maybe that’s why seafood and romance go so well together – both of them are hard to get right and taste better with wine.

So, with that in mind, there’s absolutely no way we could write an article about romantic activities in one of Australia’s best seafood regions and not recommend a restaurant specialising in locally fished produce.

Yes, Pier 33 is arguably the Sunny Coast’s premiere seafood joint.  Channelling a clean, white-washed aesthetic that makes the most of floor-to-ceiling windows and stunning harbour views, this gorgeous resto is all salt-and-summer vibes.

Get started with speciality smalls like tempura bug tails, chargilled baby octopus or tuna tartare, and then move onto everyone’s favourite: oysters (Kilpatrick or natural), paired with a bottle of very dry champers.

Once you’ve whet your appetite, move onto the reasonably priced mains.  Yes, there’s classics like lamb shank and ribeye steak, but, let’s be honest, you came for the seafood, and that’s what you should order.  Try the seafood fettuccine, pan-fried fish fillet or deeply satisfying seafood paella.

If you’re still hungry after that, there’s a succulent line of desserts too – lemon tart, sticky date pudding, white chocolate crème brûlée and chocolate tart.  What are you waiting for?  Make that romantic seafood spread happen at Pier 33.

Explore the scenery at Flame Hill Vineyard

37 minutes from Ramada by Wyndham Marcoola Beach

flame hill winery

Flame Hill Vineyard doesn’t just source from a single property – there are, in fact, two different locations, in Montville and the Granite Belt.  Why is this important?  Because it makes Flame Hill the perfect place to go wine-tasting.  You get the ripe, fruity notes of warm-climate wines, as well as tarter, more delicate cool-climate bottles.

Wine-tasting is definitely a slower-paced activity, but it’s a great way to bond with your SO.  As you experience the different aromas and flavours, share what you’re thinking.  What smells can you detect?  What flavours?  Even if you’re not a wine buff, it’s a lot of fun swirling the wine around in your mouth and trying to name the different notes you’re experiencing.

Flame Hill’s cellar door offers three complimentary tastings, or six wines for $6.  Afterwards, fill up at the notoriously delicious Flame Hill Deck Restaurant and Terrace, which offers a flavour-packed paddock-to-plate dining experience.

Watch the sunset with a picnic

Watching the sun set with a cheese-and-drinks picnic is one of the classics of the ‘romantic activities to do with your partner’ playbook, so there’s no way we’re leaving it off this list.

Since you’re visiting the Sunny Coast, there’s no point in choosing your picnic ingredients from Woolies. Instead, purchase non-alcoholic drinks like kombucha (you can’t drink wine in public, unfortunately) from local farmers’ markets, and grab your cheeses from the deliriously yummy Maleny Cheese Factory.

Now all that remains is finding the ideal location to watch the sun sink below the horizon as you snuggle up to your partner.  Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered – check out the top five romantic sunset spots on the Sunshine Coast here.

Stargaze from Mount Cooran (adventurers only)

47 minutes from Ramada by Wyndham Marcoola Beach

One of most frustrating aspects of enjoying your romantic activities is constantly running into other people.

Cute early morning beach stroll?  You’re fighting with dog owners, families and surfers for that prime wave-side real estate.  Loved-up rainforest walk?  Enjoy smiling awkwardly as you’re forced off the path by children and those fit people who always seem to run on bush tracks.  Sunset swim?  Yeah, no chance.

That’s why places like Mount Cooran are so special.  Boasting 360-degree views, this stunning mountain takes a long drive and a bit of forward planning to climb, but it’s well worth the effort.  The hike up crosses private property, so make sure you get permission from the landowners (33 Henry Street) before going up.  You can access the start of the track at the end of the cul-de-sac in Henry Street, Cooran.

At just 1.3 kilometres return, this particular climb is short, sharp and pretty hard, so make sure you pack your cooler and picnic blanket into good backpacks before ascending.  Once you’ve reached the top, find a comfortable position among the rocks, lay back, and watch the stars emerge in the night sky.  Oh, and don’t forget your headtorches – the track can be a bit slippery in some places.

If Mount Cooran sounds a bit too challenging to arrange, nearby Mount Cooroora offers equally spectacular (but not quite so private) 360-degree views.

Quick Reference Tables

Ramada Golden Beach
Address Phone Website Cost per person Time From Resort
Glasshouse Mountains Varies Click here Free From 35 minutes
Caloundra Jetski Hire The Esplanade &, Otranto Ave, Caloundra QLD 4551 +61 4 3433 0660 Click here From $160 per jetski 7 minutes

 

Ramada Marcoola Beach
Address Phone Website Cost per person Time From Resort
Noosa National Park Palm Grove Cct, Noosa Heads QLD 4567 Click here Free 38 minutes
Kondalilla Falls Kondalilla Falls Carpark, off Kondalilla Falls Road, Montville QLD 4560 Free 36 minutes
KFZe Bar 5 Sunshine Beach Rd, Noosa Heads QLD 4567 (07) 5357 6054 Click here Varies 32 minutes
Waterfall Day Spa Landmark Resort, 11 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba QLD 4557 (07) 5444 3050 Click here Varies 16 minutes
Pier 33 33-45 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba QLD 4557 (07) 5294 5675 Click here Varies 18 minutes
Flame Hill Vineyard 249 Western Ave, Montville QLD 4560 (07) 5478 5920 Click here Varies
Mount Cooran Entrance at 33 Henry Street, Cooran QLD 4569 (private property – seek owner permission) Free 47 minutes

Feeling ready for your Sunshine Coast adventure? Book your romantic getaway holiday now with special offers and packages available now!

Ramada by Wyndham Marcoola Beach – Book Now 

Ramada Resort by Wyndham Golden Beach – Book Now

Share this Post


Related Posts