Discover why we keep coming back time and time again to this little hidden gem, as we share the best things to do in Yandina Sunshine Coast. Nestled in the middle of the Sunshine Coast, it’s the perfect location between the beach and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
Next time you’re looking for day trips from Brisbane or things to do in Sunshine Coast, look no further! Yandina packs a punch for being home to one of the best restaurants in Australia, our favourite antique shop and loads of things to do. You could easily spend the day here next time you’re wondering what to do in Sunshine Coast.
Where Is Yandina In Sunshine Coast?
Yandina is a one of the many villages which makes up the Sunshine Coast. It’s just a 10 minute drive from Nambour, and a 20 minute drive from Coolum Beach. If you head inland to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland it’s under a 30 minute drive to Montville. Coming from Brisbane? Expect it to take 1h30m.
Things To Do In Yandina
There are so many awesome things to do in Yandina, and although it’s a small town, there’s a lot going on here! In our opinion, it’s one of the best small towns on the Sunshine Coast. Here are the reasons why!
1. Vintage Shopping At Collective Haus
One of our favourite shops in Australia is called Collective Haus in Yandina. The owner also has sister shops in Mooloolaba and Noosaville which are called El Badi, both of which are excellent. They serve up coffee at the front of the shop, with vintage clothing in the middle and antiques out the back.
The antiques are sourced from all over the world and I have to say there are some proper gems here. We bought our vintage Turkish rug from Collective Haus and if you’re looking for vintage Persian rugs, look no further! They also tend to stock excellent vintage leather sofas and loads of awesome homewares. We could literally buy the entire shop and check their Instagram daily to see what they have in stock!
2. Spirit House Cooking School
Learn to cook Thai food at the incredible Spirit House Cooking School! As we mention further down in this article, Spirit House is an insanely amazing Thai restaurant and cooking school in Yandina. We will definitely make a beeline here to learn from some of the best chefs in Australia next time we’re in the area! Make sure you book in early as there can be a waitlist to get into the cooking classes in Yandina.
3. Yandina Markets
Yandina Markets is a bit of an institution! You’ll find everything from local produce, cheap plants and so much more here. It’s quite a big market which runs every Saturday from 6am-12pm. It’s dog friendly too, and a brilliant way for dogs to make lots of new friends! Our dog was exhausted by the time we got around it all as she had so much fun!
4. Ginger Factory
One of the biggest Sunshine Coast attractions that brings visitors to the area is the Ginger Factory in Yandina. Even the town has been named after it and is often known as the ‘Ginger Town’. You certainly won’t miss the signs for the Ginger Factory in Yandina which is more of a theme park than a factory. With train and boat rides and a tropical garden walk designed to make learning all about ginger in a fun and engaging way, it’s a popular day trip from Brisbane.
5. Te.de&Co Homewares
Te.de&Co in Yandina is a beautiful homewares shop run by sisters Tracey & Dale in the heart of the town. With a background in interior design, styling and fashion, it’s the type of shop we could easily buy a lot from for our home!
6. Wappa Dam
I have driven past the signs to Wappa Dam & Wappa Falls so many times and hadn’t ever been there until our recent visit. To my surprise, I couldn’t believe how gorgeous it is here. There’s a playground and plenty of benches and picnic spots you could host a party or come for a day to be surrounded by beautiful nature. When we arrived we saw there were no dogs signs around so we didn’t stay long as we had our puppy with us.
7. Wappa Falls
Wappa Falls is known to be a bit of a hidden gem when looking for swimming spots in Sunshine Coast. I didn’t really know what to expect but it’s a gorgeous spot and would be perfect for a dip during summer. Just be careful when coming here as there have been fatalities and do not jump into the water from the rocks.
8. Wappa Falls Observatory
You’ll notice signs all over Yandina advertising the Wappa Falls Observatory. When we drove past this place, we literally turned around and had to check it out. It’s definitely a one of a kind place and we even bumped into the owner as well who has been running it for over 30 years.
At just $20pp for a night tour of the stars, we would have done it if we had time! If you do go, keep an open mind as it is a bit of a wacky place, but I have been told the owner certainly knows a lot about stars.
9. Cedar & Vine Garden Shop & Cafe
Unfortunately, we had planned to visit Cedar & Vine but didn’t realise it’s only open from Friday – Sunday from 8am-2pm. It’s a really cool plant, vintage, homewares shop and cafe all in one! On our next visit, we’ll be making a beeline to this shop in Yandina.
10. Nutworks
If you love macadamia nuts, then you must visit Nutworks opposite the Ginger Factory in Yandina. You’ll be able to learn all about macadamias, visit the shop and eat at the cafe here. Definitely pop in when you’re next in Yandina.
11. Mount Ninderry Walk
If you’re looking for the best Yandina walks, then you must tackle the Mount Ninderry walk just outside of Yandina. We had planned to do this dog-friendly walk but our pooch was tired out from a long day (we were too!). When I researched how long it would actually take to walk up to the top, it’s around 30-40 minutes.
Make sure you type in Mount Ninderry Walking Track into Google Maps! We just typed in Mount Ninderry and it was no surprise that we ended up at the wrong side and not at the right entrance for the walk.
Where To Eat In Yandina
There are a couple of excellent places to eat in Yandina and a couple of cheap options which we recommend in this post.
12. Spirit House In Yandina
I have to say, we were completely and utterly blown away by Spirit House in Yandina. This unbelievable restaurant is not only one of the best restaurants in the Sunshine Coast, it’s one of the best Asian restaurants in Australia.
Let’s just start by talking about the actual grounds of the restaurant because we had no idea what to expect and we loved it so much, we returned the following day to see it in the daylight. It’s literally like walking into a tropical garden oasis. We have never ever seen a more beautiful restaurant anywhere in the world than here.
The food is absolutely amazing, and it’s no wonder it’s a hatted restaurant. I ordered the crispy fish, the longest-running dish on the menu. It was without a doubt the best fish I have ever tasted! The service is impeccable that when we stopped by the next day, all of the staff remembered us and treated us like we were friends. If you’re looking for a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or you’re on holiday in Sunshine Coast, definitely make sure you book a table. You won’t regret it!
13. Gun Cotton Coffee Roasters
Having visited Yandina a good few times now, I had no idea Gun Cotton Coffee Roasters even existed! It’s kinda hidden behind the main street in town, but what a gem it is. Serving up fresh and healthy food, it’s the type of place I could spend all day ordering food and working on my laptop. It’s also dog friendly with seating out the front for our pooch! We will definitely be back!
14. Bar Deco
Although we didn’t get a chance to visit, we would have definitely popped into Bar Deco in Yandina. Open from Friday to Sunday, this Belgian beer and wine garden serves up excellent beer, cocktails and a European menu. The outdoor area looks lovely too.
15. Picnic By The River
Now this one might sound a bit odd but when we’re low on money, we always go to the Yandina IGA to the deli section to pick up a turkey, brie and cranberry sandwich. It’s around $7 and tastes so amazing, we go there quite often when we’re in the Sunshine Coast. I’ve been to other IGAs to find the same sandwich in the area but they weren’t making them.
Take your sandwich down by the river to Crows Park opposite the Yandina Caravan Park as there are some picnic benches just on the outskirts of town. Or head over to Wappa Dam for a picnic lunch.
Looking for more posts about Sunshine Coast? Check out our Sunshine Coast guides for more inspiration!
A big thanks to Visit Sunshine Coast for hosting us on this trip to Yandina. As always, all words are our own and we would never recommend visiting somewhere we personally wouldn’t go to!
Bonus! Teralla Brewing in North Arm
Although it’s technically in the nearby North Arm, Terella Brewing is an amazing Sunshine Coast brewery everyone needs to visit. We loved this awesome place, perfect for families and friends to spend the whole day at.
We were lucky to catch up with the owner when we visited and we loved the story about how it came about after she bought her husband a $70 home brewing kit a few years ago for Christmas. He then got hooked and after a lot of hard work, Terella Brewing was born!
The food trucks on-site change weekly so you never know what food is available which makes it exciting. I also love how sustainable this brewery really is. It’s an awesome place we could easily spend the day trying their beers, ginger beer and new alcoholic lemonade in the sunshine.
Best Things To Do In Yandina Sunshine Coast
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