Ultimate Guide to the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

After spending two amazing weeks on the Gold Coast visiting my older brother, this beautiful place will always hold a special place in my heart. Stretching for 42km/25miles, the Gold Coast is full of stunning beaches, wildlife, rainforests, charity shops, and cute cafés. I had the most wonderful time here! There is so much to see and do and I am so grateful to my brother for having me and showing me the best bits. Now I get to share it with you!

Read on for the ultimate guide of things to do in the Gold Coast:

1. Beach

Okay, let’s start with the obvious. The Gold Coast is known for being a surfer’s paradise, and in fact, there is a beach with the same name. You are not spoilt for choice of beaches with over 42km of sandy shores. Bring a good book, sun cream, and snacks! Notice how the sand seems to ‘squeak’ under your feet (apparently due to fine rounded grains of quarts that compress together making the squeaky noise!) The sea is wavy and good fun for surfing and body boarding, but if you are looking for a pleasant swim without being tumbled around, then read on!

2. Tallebudgera Creek and Currumbin Creek

Still estuaries of sea water with sand banks either side for sunbathing, perfect for swimming, with paddleboarding and kayaks on hire further up stream. I have never been so terrified and in awe all at once when two magnificent sting rays flew in the water beneath our paddle boards, beautiful and peaceful. The creeks are easily accessible with bus stops and car parks close by, or you can walk to the Talle creek from Burleigh Head along the most stunning coast path (more on that later). If you are feeling brave (not me), you can join people jumping off the bridge into the water at Tellebudgera creek!  

3. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

This place is magical. Located just South of Currumbin Creek (the bus number 700 stops right outside the entrance), visitors can experience animals native to Australia through a large space of bushland and rainforest. This not-for-profit organisation reinvests all proceeds back into wildlife and conservation projects and the on-site wildlife hospital has specialist vets that care for sick, injured, and orphaned animals. You can even hand feed and pet Kangaroos- literally amazing. But importantly they also have a large sectioned off area they are free to come and go from if they would like some space from the humans. Entry costs AU$59.95 (about £30) for an adult, and, for and extra AU$39 (about £20), you can hold a Koala Bear and have your photo taken. Best. Day. Ever.

4. SkyPoint- Get an epic 360 degree view of the Gold Coast from Australia’s tallest building!

The SkyPoint observation deck is 230 metres/77 floors high (don’t worry, there is a lift to the top!). It costs wAU$31 for general admission or you can pay AU$45 which gives you admission and a AU$20 voucher to spend in the restaurant (enough to get a meal and drink!). My brother and I made the most of our money and really milked our time there. We arrived about an hour or so before sunset (this was around 4pm when we visited early April) and stayed for 2-3 hours. This meant we saw the entire gold coast, the maze of waterways, and tall skyrises, in the daylight, at golden hour, at sunset, and at night time. All super cool. There are loads of comfy seats, charging points, chairs and tables. We paid the AU$45 and enjoyed a pizza and Kambucha. There is also an option to clip on a harness and climb higher on the outside of the building… (Definitely not my cup of tea!) https://www.skypoint.com.au/

5. Miami Marketta- super cool indoor street food, bar, and live music venue

After 5pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Miami comes alive with this undercover venue that hosts street food from all around the world, bars, live music, events, and drag shows. It’s a local’s favourite, has free entry, is welcoming and family friendly.

6. Coolangatta

Take the number 700 bus and head south to the very COOL-Coolangatta. Charity shops and café culture, and often some sporting event taking place on the beach. Walk along the lovely Jubilee walkway from Greenmonth Beach to Nappers Rock, which is on border of New South Wales and Queensland!

7. Yoga by the sea

An affordable yoga class while feeling the sea breeze and listening to the sounds of the crashing waves- what a lush way to start the day! Check out the posters pinned up along the main pathway between Miami and Burleigh head, for the days and times. No need to book, just bring your own mat/towel, some cash and just turn up. The early morning Saturday class we went to was only AU$3!! 

8. BBQ!

A right of passage for living down under. To keep the beaches tidy and minimise the risk of fires, the Gold Coast council have metal communal BBQs all along the beach front. They are cleaned by a member of the council early every morning, and they are exceptionally well looked after by the community. The only rules: Cook your food, and give it a quick wipe down after for the next person to use. I lost count of the amount of BBQs we had over the two weeks… we even used the BBQ to cook breakfast and dinner in the same day!

9. Snorkelling

The main stretches of beach are very wavy (hence why surfers love it), but there are still plenty of opportunities to see beneath the sea. We booked a snorkelling trip through Groupon and were able to hire a wetsuit, mask and snorkel, and flippers, before heading to a remote area in a minibus and then a small boat ride to calmer and protected sea. We had a few hours to explore and wonder at the different species of fish. Tip!- Take a dry bag or carrier bag if you have one as the boat floor was in a small puddle of water. It obviously depends on the day for what you will see. Some newbie divers that were practicing about 20 meters away from us saw a Lemon Shark!

10. Surfers paradise

More of a touristy spot than the rest of the Gold Coast, but still well worth a visit. The main town/city in the Gold Coast and you are not spoilt for choice for souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants, tattoo parlours, shopping centres, supermarkets, nightlife etc. It is also home to a massive shopping centre called Pacific Fair. Although if shopping is not your thing, there are lots of funky seating areas to chill in while your friend shops.

11. Burleigh head walk and viewpoints- best walk

The Burleigh Head nature reserve hosts a BEAUTIFUL walk through rainforests along the coast with the most stunning viewpoints along the way. There are a few different paths you can take, and I recommend trying them all over your stay, all just as stunning as the next. My favourite walk of my whole trip to Australia!

12. Federation Walk Coastal Resort

Take a bus or use the electric bikes to cycle the Federation Walk Coastal Resort. You can walk along the pier, while being sprayed with sea water, and try your luck at spotting turtles! Sadly for me, no turtles came up and said hi while I was there, but my brother and my parents have all seen the little guys there bobbing their heads in and out of the water.

13. Putt Putt crazy golf

One for a rainy day, we spent a fun few hours enjoying one of the three 18-hole crazy golf courses, filled with moving parts and tricky obstacles. Just a few streets back from mermaid beach, it is outside but covered with a canopy and also has a café, arcade and toilets. If it is still raining by the time you finish your game, there are a couple of big charity shops in Pacific Square just along the road.

14. Day trips from the Gold Coast

I loved the Gold Coast so much, I very happily could have stayed there a lot longer, but if you are looking for an adventure, there are lots of day trips you can take from the Gold Coast. I would say most require hiring a car. We did just that and drove to Byron Bay! The day was fantastic, we walked around the town popping into a few shops, had a picnic lunch on the beach, dipped in the sea, and then walked around the headland to the lighthouse. We were incredibly lucky to see a pod of dolphins playing and jumping about in the waves, some wild wallabies, a sting ray, and an eagle! We enjoyed some ‘happy hour’ schooners and dinner, with the surround sound rainbow lorikeets collecting in the trees.

Hope this blog post gives you some inspiration for your trip to the Gold Coast.

Have the best time in one of my favourite parts of the world!

B

P.S. All photos taken by my brother or myself 🙂