Cairns and Beyond: A Solo Girl’s Drive to Recharge

Last Updated on August 3, 2025

There’s something deeply healing about packing a bag, grabbing the keys, and hitting the open road—with no one else in the passenger seat but your thoughts. For many women, especially those recovering from emotional burnout, work stress, or the ache of a breakup, a solo road trip is more than a getaway—it’s a reset button. And few places offer the mix of natural beauty and soul-calming quiet like Cairns and its lush surroundings.

This isn’t about ticking off every stop in a guidebook. It’s about giving yourself the space to breathe, reflect, and remember what it feels like to move at your own pace. If that’s what you’re craving, you might want to hire a car in Cairns and point yourself away from the crowds. The magic starts the minute you leave the city behind.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Why Cairns Is the Perfect Launch Point for a Solo Reset

Cairns feels like a hug from nature. Surrounded by rainforest, reef, and rugged coastline, it’s wild without being overwhelming. It’s also incredibly accessible, which makes it ideal for first-time solo road trippers. Whether you’re flying in from another part of Australia or arriving from overseas, the airport is just minutes from town. Car rental desks are easy to find, and the driving itself? Surprisingly chill. No hectic highways, no endless concrete—just winding roads that lead to clear water and green canopies.

Solo travel can sometimes feel intimidating. But in Cairns, you’re never far from a small town café, a walking track, or a friendly local willing to give directions. That soft balance between solitude and safety is exactly what makes it such a nurturing place to explore alone.

Route One: Palm Cove to Port Douglas (Coastal Calm, 1 Hour Drive)

Let’s start with a light one. Head north on the Captain Cook Highway toward Port Douglas. This coastal drive is short but packed with postcard moments. To your left, the Coral Sea shimmers like glass; to your right, rainforested hills roll in like a green blanket.

Stop at Palm Cove for a morning coffee by the beach. It’s peaceful, low-key, and dotted with shady palms and hammocks you can actually lie in. If you’ve brought your journal, this is the place to write.

Continue to Port Douglas and check into a boutique stay, or simply spend the afternoon wandering the Sunday market and walking Four Mile Beach barefoot. Don’t overplan—just follow what feels good. That’s the whole point.

Route Two: Into the Rainforest (Kuranda & Barron Falls, 1.5 Hour Loop)

If water calms you, but trees ground you, a quick loop to Kuranda might be what your nervous system needs. Drive up the winding range road and feel the air cool and the trees grow thicker. This isn’t your average roadside stretch—this is Wet Tropics country, a UNESCO World Heritage wonderland.

Kuranda itself has a kind of dreamy, alternative vibe. You’ll find markets, crystal shops, and herbal teas you’ve never heard of. But the real recharging moment? That’s at Barron Falls. Park the car, walk to the lookout, and just… listen. The roar of the waterfall, the rustle of the jungle—it’s the kind of sound that replaces all the internal noise you didn’t realize you were carrying.

Route Three: Babinda & Josephine Falls (Nature’s Hug, 1.5 Hours South)

Sometimes, healing means going off the grid a bit. About 90 minutes south of Cairns lies Babinda—a sleepy little town at the foot of Queensland’s tallest mountain. But the real reason to make this drive is Josephine Falls.

You’ll walk a short forest path to reach the falls, where clear water rushes over smooth granite. There’s a natural rock slide if you’re feeling brave (or playful), or you can simply dip your feet in and let time slow down. Bring snacks, a towel, and your camera. Or don’t—this is a spot where doing nothing feels like doing everything.

Not far from here, the Babinda Boulders offer another peaceful stop. Locals believe the area holds spiritual significance, and you’ll feel it the moment you arrive. It’s calm, green, and beautifully still.

Route Four: Mission Beach & Cassowary Country (2.5 Hours South)

If you’ve got a couple of days to spare, stretch your legs with a longer drive to Mission Beach. The journey down is gentle and scenic, and once you arrive, you’ll wonder why this place isn’t more famous.

Mission Beach is quiet, friendly, and blissfully free of tour groups. It’s also where the rainforest meets the reef—meaning you can do yoga in the jungle in the morning and walk along coral shores by afternoon.

Feeling brave? Take a solo skydive over the beach (yes, really) or just curl up with a book at a beachfront Airbnb. Either way, you’ll leave with a calmer mind and salt in your hair.

Bonus: You might spot a cassowary along the way. These prehistoric-looking birds are shy but striking. Just give them space and don’t make sudden moves—they’re cool, but not cuddly.

Safety and Sanity Tips for Solo Female Drivers

You don’t need to be fearless to do a solo road trip—you just need to be prepared. Here are a few things that’ll make your drive smoother, safer, and way more enjoyable:

• Download offline maps. Mobile service can dip out in the rainforest.
  
• Tell someone your route. A quick text before and after long drives is enough.
  
• Pack snacks and water. Especially if you’re heading off to lesser-known trails.
  
• Avoid night driving. Not just for safety—some of the best views happen at golden hour.
  
• Bring a playlist. One that makes you feel like the main character. You are, after all.
  

What to Pack for a Recharge-Ready Road Trip

This isn’t a hardcore hike or a glam getaway. You want comfort, calm, and a bit of flexibility. Here’s a minimalist list that works for just about any solo journey from Cairns:

• Comfy sneakers and slip-on sandals
  
• A breezy maxi dress or two (easy to wear, hard to mess up)
  
• Swimsuit + towel for impromptu dips
  
• A journal and your favorite pen
  
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray
  
• Reusable water bottle
  
• A good book—preferably one that feeds your soul
  
• Light jacket for cooler rainforest spots
  

Optional but lovely: a mini tripod if you want to capture those “I did this for me” moments.

Letting Go of the Itinerary (And Why That’s a Good Thing)

The biggest gift of a solo road trip isn’t what you see—it’s how you feel. You don’t have to fill every day with stops. Some of the most healing moments happen when you pull over, roll down the windows, and just let the sun hit your face.

There’s freedom in turning off your phone. In pulling over just because a roadside fruit stand looks cute. In skipping the waterfall because your book and the breeze are enough. Cairns gives you all that and more—it’s just up to you to say yes.

Photo by Leah Newhouse

When the Road Trip Ends, What Stays With You?

You might come back to the same job, the same apartment, or the same inbox. But something inside will be different. Maybe it’s a clearer head. Maybe it’s a lighter heart. Maybe it’s just the memory of a road you took by yourself—and the fact that you were enough.

Sometimes, a solo trip isn’t about finding something new. It’s about returning to yourself.

And that, honestly, is the most beautiful destination of all.