Every attraction is all too glaringly obvious in Airlie Beach — the second you get here, you're bombarded with advertising to go boating, parasailing, diving … you name it. And you can find details of most of the obvious attractions online. But it's the less obvious things you should find out about, like what to do if it dares to rain in paradise.
Escape all the crowds altogether and drive 45 minutes north of Airlie Beach to the completely untouched Dingo Beach. Hire a tinny with a six horse power motor for $125 for the entire day and spend your day catching fish, snorkelling and swimming on some of the prettiest coastline in the entire area. You'll also find the friendliest locals in the whole area ready to give you some fishing tips.
There's no Cinema in Airlie Beach, but at Proserpine, the local ladies put on a morning tea with a flick at the Cultural Centre (16 Main St, Proserpine, phone (07) 4945 2312) most weekends. Often a special night is organised as a fund raiser with wine and snacks included for $15. At a showing of Mama Mia!, the aisles rocked with dancing queens, champers in hand!
Walk up to The Terraces (5 Golden Orchid Drive, Airlie Beach, phone 1800 075 062) just behind town on a Wednesday night for trivia night. It's free and visitors are welcome. It's a real hoot and a great way to meet locals.
Sit on the back deck of the Whitsunday Sailing Club (located right on the point at Airlie Beach) and you're guaranteed three things:
- the cheapest, coldest beers in town
- the best view out to the Whitsundays
- bugger-all other tourists to share it with
What you'll get once you sign in and take your hat off at the door is the crustiest, funniest bunch of yachties in the entire country. Forget Sydney's Rushcutters Bay, these guys actually sail their homes, and they generally don't have a penny to their names.
Go where the locals go to have a long, boozy Sunday lunch. For a five-course meal overlooking the ocean, head to Déjà vu at Water's Edge (Golden Point Drive, Airlie Beach). Make sure you go on a Sunday if you want the best ambience, time to drink lots of wine and to turn lunch into dinner.
You don't have to spend an absolute fortune to have fun up here. On Friday night the Airlie Beach Bowling Club (Shute Harbour Road, phone (07) 4946 7656) puts on Barefoot Bowls, and it's always a really good laugh and a great way to meet the locals. About $12 will sort you out for bowling, a sausage sizzle and a beer (beers thereafter are cheaper than you'll pay anywhere in town). It epitomises North Queensland more than any five-star resort can hope to.
Got any more near the beaten track suggestions? Have your say using the comments form below.
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