Cotton Tree Beach faces north at the mouth of the Maroochy River, which gives it calmer water than many of the ocean-facing beaches along this stretch of the Sunshine Coast. The beach is wide and sandy, patrolled by surf lifesavers in season, and popular with families for exactly the reason the exposure suggests: the conditions are more forgiving for young swimmers than the open ocean beaches nearby.
The beach runs from the river mouth southward, with the caravan park behind it. At the northern end, where the river meets the sea, you can watch boats coming and going from the Maroochy River and sometimes spot dolphins in the river channel. The water is generally calm enough here for children to play in the shallows even when conditions further along the coast are rough. Parking is available along the esplanade.