8 It's a long drive from Cairns on a very good road (allow 4 hours), and there's...
It's a long drive from Cairns on a very good road (allow 4 hours), and there's not a great deal to do once you get there. There's a nice river-front walk, fishing jetties, playground for the kids, and a new water-park towards the end of the bay. Some nice pubs and restaurants to choose from, (Cooktown is noted for its seafood), and the usual souvenir shops. The museum is interesting but quite expensive at $25 per adult admission; worth it if you want to see the anchor from Capt. Cook's Endeavour and how it was retrieved. The sunset cruise on the Endeavour river is worth doing; byo drinks, but glasses, ice and a nice cheese platter is included, and Nick's commentary is worth the price of the cruise in itself.
The Grassy Hill lookout is quite spectacular but you'll need to hold on to your hat as it gets very blustery up there, and the Botanic Gardens near Finch Bay are also worth a visit.
If you're based in Cairns and just want to see Cooktown to tick it off your "been there, done that" list, I'd suggest heading north towards Port Douglas then veer off to Mount Molloy is a better way than the usual recommended route via Mareeba. Don't even try going via the Bloomfield Track through the Daintree unless you have a big 4WD.
Stuart, Australia