The Mission Beach Tavern is a classic coastal pub and hard to go past for a cold beer in a casual setting overlooking the main street to the beach. It’s less than 200m away from the park. There’s several cafe options but our favourite is Joey’s, serving up coffee from Campos and a range of great cafe classics with warm hospitality. The Bacon & Egg roll is fantastic! 

For something a bit less casual but still very approachable in the evening time we’re fans of Castaways Beach Bar & Grill, located within the nearby Castaways Resort. The Seafood Pasta with Moreton Bay Bugs, Tiger Prawns and Mussels is one of our favourite dishes, and they also have a brilliant range of steaks for the non-seafood eaters. Plenty Restaurant & Bar is another fantastic spot, located right on the beach and serving a range of creative dishes with a clear Asian influence. 

The park is directly opposite Mission Beach, which is a beautiful spot for a stroll. With the beach being protected by neighbouring reefs and nearby Dunk Island, waves are generally calm year round. That said, have a chat with park staff before going for a swim in the beach as both stingers and crocs can present danger to travellers. In our experience, the stinger net where the surf lifesaving club is located is the best spot for a safe ocean swim. 

Speaking of Dunk Island, it’s just a 15 minute ferry trip away and well worth a visit to explore its lush rainforest, turquoise beaches and walking trails. If you’re keen to explore further, the team at Barrier Reef Australia offers a great tour that combines a stop at Dunk Island with a visit to the Outer Reef for some snorkelling or diving. 

For some non-coastal adventure, a visit to Josephine Falls is well worth the journey. It’s roughly an hour away by car followed by a 700m walk through lush rainforest but you’ll find an incredible waterfall and natural swimming hole that is famous for good reason. Crystal clear waters are surrounded by an overhanging canopy of lush rainforest with 10 metres of cascading waterfalls the highlight.

The park gets particularly busy between the months of June and September so if you are looking to stay at this time, make sure you book well in advance.