Gold Coast: Things To Do

Surfers is the heart of the Gold Coast and the closest thing to a city centre for what is really a string of suburbs spread along the long coastline. This is where many of the attractions are located (Q1 Skypoint, Mini golf, arcades, etc - see below), where you can find the nightlife, a fantastic beach, shops, restaurants, and lots of accommodation options.

The Gold Coast is centred around the long beautiful stretch of sand that goes from the spit at the northern end and around 18km down to Burleigh Head, without interruption. South of here, the beaches continue through Palm Beach, Currumbin, Coolangatta and on into NSW. The sand is wide and clean and, given the name "Surfers Paradise", it is obviously well known for it's quality surfing. Spend a day relaxing on the sand, playing in the water or trying your hand at some water sports.

A trip to the Gold Coast usually comes with an expectation of having some relaxation time to offset all the fun. Lots of the hotels are resorts with great pools to lounge and relax beside as you waste away the day by doing absolutely nothing but soaking up the sun, sipping on a drink, and reading a good book.

The most impressive theme park on the Gold Coast, and in Australia, is this movie themed park that has areas dedicated to the Looney Tunes, Wild West, Hollywood and DC Superheroes. The top rollercoasters include Superman Escape and DC Rivals, the wild west log flume is great fun (you will get wet!), and the looney tunes area is great for kids. The shows are worth checking out too, including the parade and the stunt show. To get here from Surfers, take the tram and a bus, which takes around 1hr total. Alternatively, drive it in 20min. Consider a multi-park ticket that adds in Sea World and Wet 'N' Wild.

Another great theme park, this one mixing rides and rollercoasters with marine animal exhibits and shows. It is the biggest and most impressive aquarium type attraction in the country, with exhibits for sharks, polar bears, dolphins, stingrays, penguins and more. The shows include an impressive water based stunt show, and there is a Nickelodeon area. The rides include plenty for kids, plus the big attractions of the Storm coaster, Jet Rescue coaster and the new wooden coaster coming soon - Leviathan. Get there via a 30min bus ride or a 10min drive from Surfers Paradise.

The third of the three big theme parks on the Gold Coast, this one mixes fun rides with exciting animal attractions. There are several thrill rides, including roller coasters, a Dreamworks area for kids, and wildlife attractions like tiger island and Australian animal exhibits. Passes can be purchased that include the adjacent WhiteWater world or Skypoint (see below). It will take just over an hour by public transport from Surfers, or around 40min by car.

One of Australia's biggest and best water parks, Wet 'N' Wild is full of massive and exhilarating water slides for you race down, some rides, a wavepool, and a lazy river. Located next to Warners Movie World, they are owned by the same company (as is Sea World), so you can buy a pass to visit all three. See the tips section below for details.

Dreamworlds water park is smaller than Wet 'N' Wild, but has plenty of good slides, and a wavepool, all packed into a small area - plenty to occupy you for a full day. A pass can be bought to get you into Dreamworld, WhiteWater World and Skypoint - see the tips section below for details.

There are many smaller attractions that we have collected together under the banner of 'Midway attractions'. These are places you can drop into and have fun for a couple of hours. They are; Holoverse, for hologram games; Infinity, a light up maze; Top Golf, a fun driving range; Zero Latency / Freak, for VR shooting games; Mini golf, five of them, King Tutts putt putt, Holey Moley, mermaid beach, Boulders & Badlands, Putt in the park; Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, a bizarre and strange exhibit museum; ArtVo, for perspective illusion photos; and Sling Shot Fun Park, for a scary ride into the sky at 160km/hr.

Including the spire, this is Australia's tallest building, and you can take a ride to the top to visit it's observation deck for some incredible panoramic views or step outside and walk up the spire on an exhilarating climb. The climb costs from $77, including entry to observation deck, is 90min long, and can be done during sunrise, day, twilight or night. There is also a bar and bistro up there so you can eat a meal or buffet breakfast with a view. The weekend only buffet breakfast ($35) makes for a good deal considering it includes entry to the observation deck.

Grab a car or jump on a tour to explore the Gold Coasts hinterland and you will discover a beautiful landscape, fantastic views back to the city, and some great attractions for exploring the rainforest. Attractions include the Tamborine Rainforest Walk (pictured), the glow worms cave tour, and world heritage listed national parks (Lamington and Springbrook - see below). Quaint villages, scenic drives, vineyards, and food, are other draws. There is no public transport option, but driving will take you less than an hour from Surfers Paradise to get up to Tamborine Mountain.

The Gold Coast is an action packed place to take a trip to with the headlining theme parks leading the way to GC being seen as a thrill-seeking place for people looking to raise their adrenalin levels. There are a plethora of tours available to help you do that including, sky diving, go karting, ifly indoor skydiving, scuba diving, Stunt Park experience, aerobatic adventure flights, supercar driving, ropes / treetop adventures, and jet boating. See the Tips section below for links to all these tours.

The Gold Coast has one of the strongest reputations for it's nightlife in the country which is mostly centred around the Surfers Paradise area and it's association with schoolies week. Having said that, Surfers is not as packed out with bars and nightclubs as you would expect, so don't let that put you off if the nightlife is not your thing. Beyond Surfers, you have other areas to consider like Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads, the Star Casino (see below), or a bar / nightclub on a boat (see YOT club below).

There are two wildlife sanctuary's on the Gold Coast - Currumbin and Fleay. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is a great Australian native animal attraction in a beautiful setting. They have a wide array of animals on display, as well as shows, feedings and talks; a hospital; encounters for photos with animals; and a treetop adventure. David Fleay Wildlife Park is an attraction which is smaller and cheaper than Currumbin but still offers the beautiful location, native animals (including a rare wallaby species and platypus), talks and a cafe. Both are close to each other - take a bus for around 1hr, or drive it in 30min.

If you're a seasoned surfer or a complete novice, it would be hard to come to Surfers Paradise without trying a bit of surfing. The long curved beach that runs the length of the Gold Coast invites waves from the Pacific ocean and there are plenty of opportunities to grab a board and have a go. The waves differ along the various surfing spots, so click the link the find out more info depending on your ability, noting that Surfers Paradise is good for beginners. There are lots of places where you can hire boards or you could take a lesson t see if you can stand up and ride a wave for the first time.

In addition to trying your hand at surfing, there are a whole host of other water based sports you can have a go at on the Gold Coast. This includes Jet ski riding, parasailing, flyboarding, kayaking, fliteboarding / Hyrdrofoil, wake boarding, and stand up paddle boarding, all on tours from in and around Surfers Paradise. 'GC Wake Park' has a purpose built facility with a cable system for wakeboarding and knee boarding, plus an aqua park. See below Tips section for links to all these great activities.

There are many tours catering to tourists that don't fit into the adrenaline category above. If you would like something less action-packed, but just as entertaining and exciting, you can book one of the following - a hot air balloon ride, helicopter tours, Numinbah Valley adventure camping, whale watching, coasting around boat hire, crab trips, Kiff and culture tour, and day tours. See the Tips section below for links to all these adventures.

There are two major national parks on the Gold Coast's doorstep - Lamington and Springbrook. Both are exceptional, located next to each other on the NSW border, and are included in the world heritage Gondwana rainforests site. Come here for the incredible scenery, birdlife, and waterfalls, which can be explored on hikes, a tree top walkway, swimming in pools, or at lookouts. The natural bridge in Springbrook and the many waterfalls are the highlight. It takes around 1hr to drive here, or you can take a tour. If you want to extended your stay, check out the famous O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, or Nightfall camping.

This is a diner show that brings the outback to the Gold Coast in spectacular style. It takes place in a massive building with tiered dining seats that all face the arena. Horses, cattle and excellent use of projection mapping technology bring the show to life. The show starts at 7.30 each evening, but there is also a Sunday matinee performance, and it lasts for 1hr45min. There is preshow entertainment for over an hour beforehand too. Tickets include a three course meal and drinks (including beer, wine and soft drinks). It's located next to Warner's and Wet 'N' Wild, so it's easy to do the show after a day at those parks.

Home of the Arts is cultural centre that has recently been expanded and enhanced with a new art gallery (the largest outside a state capital), a new bridge to connect better to Surfers Paradise, and an outdoor concert venue. You will also find on site a cinema, theatres, a lake, chapel, adventure trail (over the outdoor stage), a cafe, bar, and restaurant. Most visit for the gallery or one of the many events. You can get here with a 15min walk from Surfers Paradise over the new bridge. Events and some exhibits have a fee attached.

There are a few pop up markets on the Gold Coast, often on the beachfront. These include the Carrara markets, the largest permanent weekend market; The beachfront market in Surfers; the Art and Crafts markets held at Burleigh Heads, Broadbeach and Coolangatta; or the Green Marque Eco-friendly Twilight Markets. Follow the link for more information, more markets, and the days they operate on.

Expand your relaxing break in the sun by visiting a day spa or getting a massage. There are many spas located within hotels and some good options in rainforest retreats in the hinterland. Follow the link for some good options.

The Gold Coast has hundreds of kilometres of canals flowing around it as offshoots of the Nerang river. Jump on a river cruise and you can relax, or have lunch/diner, whilst sailing around the waterways. 'Duck' tours offer land and water based tours in an amphibious vehicle. Gondola's and Whale Watching are offered too. You can also use the hop on hop off service to access attractions like Sea World (see above) and HOTA (see below).

There are three different farms that you may want to visit if you are travelling with kids. Paradise Country ($50 entry), which is owned as part of the Warner Movie Park / Sea World group so can be included on a joint ticket, provides a day of entertainment with farm animals, more exotic wildlife (meerkats, marmosets, roos, etc), Shaun the Sheep, and different shows and animal encounters. Mountain View (Free entry) is an Alpaca farm and vineyard in the hinterland.

There are plenty of farms to visit if you're into your food or drink. This includes Tropical fruit world, many vineyards, and the husk farm distillery.

The Gold Coasts botanic garden is perhaps not as good as some of the state capital botanic gardens, but it does have a nicely landscaped feature lake, a good size (31 hectares), and plenty of different areas to keep you interested as you walk around. Some of the highlights include the Mangroves to Mountains walk, the gum tree corridor, the butterfly garden, rose garden, and the bush food garden. It's 5km from Surfers Paradise and the closest bus stop to the garden is a 1km walk away, so it does take a little time to get there on the bus. Driving should only take 10min.

This small national park is surrounded by the development of the Gold Coast, but the headland that forms the southern tip of the long beach along the Gold Coast is still protected and covered in foliage and forest. There are trails running through it that you can take to get some fantastic views, such as from the Tumgun lookout or back to the city from Jebbribillum Lookout, or soak up the sound of the water with the ocean view walk. Get there with a tram and bus in 40min, or driving in 20min. You can also check out Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre next door that also offer tours through the headland.

The Gold Coasts only Aboriginal cultural centre, located next to Burleigh Head National Park, is fully owned by traditional owners, and offers tours, a cafe and an art gallery. Their walkabout tour goes through the Burleigh Headland to hear about the Dreamtime and learn about the facts of Aboriginal traditional life, bush tucker, fishing and hunting. Get here with a 40min tram and bus ride, or drive it in 20min, from Surfers Paradise.

Brisbane is only an hour drive north of the Gold Coast, or under 2hr by tram and train, so easily reached for a day trip to explore the capital and biggest city in Queensland. Aside from simply exploring the city and it's history, the highlights include museums, the art gallery, river cruises, the food and drinking scene, Story bridge, and the South bank parklands. Click the link to go to our Brisbane travel guide.

Over the border and into NSW, Byron bay is only an hour and fifteen minutes away by car, so it's easy to make a day trip here to explore this cool and hip small town. The main attractions include the lighthouse, which sits at the most easterly point of mainland Australia, the incredible Tallow beach, and the shops and cafe's in town. Note that from October to March, there is a 1hr time difference when you cross the border as NSW changes their clocks and Queensland does not.