The mega-list of hot attractions and things to do on the Gold Coast for updated 2024! This year, our list features over 100 things to do focused mostly on family-friendly attractions and adventure activities, both paid and free.
Jump to: Attractions & Activities | Water Sports & Activities | Theme Parks | Wildlife Parks | Family Entertainment | Entertainment | Cruises & Water Way Tours | Tours | Boat Hire | Markets | Shopping | Golf | Sports | Local & National Parks | Nature Attractions | Museum & Arts
Attractions & Activities
SkyPoint Climb
SkyPoint Climb is located atop the 270m tall Q1 at Surfers Paradise offering Australia’s highest external building climb with a view of the Gold Coast like no other.
Price: from $ 92
iFLY Indoor Skydiving
Indoor skydiving is a simulator utilizing a giant glass tunnel and a column of air that lifts you up allowing you to float effortlessly. Every indoor skydiving flight is equivalent to the free fall of an outdoor skydive from 14,000 feet!
Price: from $50-295
Slideways Go Karting World
Slideways Go Karting World offers modern Sodi European karts on a 700 metre long track featuring undulations, banked corners, sweepers and fast straights. There are also two-seater karts and kids carts. Prices start from $69 with various offers available
Price: from $44-250
GC Wake Park
Gold Coast Wake Park is a world class wakeboarding attraction offering guests the opportunity to learn how to effortlessly glide across the top of the water in an affordable, safe and fun environment.
Price:from $29-74
Supercars Driving Experience
The Supercars Driving Experience on the Gold Coast puts you behind the wheel in a car prepared by actual Supercars engineers & mechanics!
Price:from $250
Holey Moley Golf Club Surfers Paradise
Holey Moley Golf Club Surfers Paradise is mini golf with a bar plus karaoke all located at Circle on Cavill.
Price:from $12
Strike Bowling Bar Surfers Paradise
Strike Bowling Bar located in Surfers Paradise offers a modern version of your favorite bowling alley.
Price:from $12
Skirmish Gold Coast
Skirmish Gold Coast, located in Mudgereeba, is an outdoor paintball experience featuring a variety of games such as capture the flag, tank attack on their massive outdoor field.
Price:from $49
SlingShot Surfers Paradise
SlingShot is located in the heart of Surfers Paradise offering an iconic thrill ride that will push your senses to the limit. There is also mini-golf and a bungee trampoline here too.
Price:from $40
Thunderbird Park
Thunderbird Park, located in the scenic Hinterland area, is Australia’s largest adventure playground featuring educational and fun activities for everyone. Attractions and activities include: high rope courses and zip lines bush walking rock pools bird feeding mini-golf horse riding laser skirmish Aboriginal Corroboree show
Price:from $24-150 depending on activity
Infinity Attraction
Infinity is designed to challenge your senses through a maze-like environment coupled with laser lighting and sound effects.
Price: from $70 to $120
Ripleys Believe It Or Not!
Ripleys Believe It Or Not! Odditorium located in the heart of Surfers Paradise offers 15 individually themed galleries of unbelievable artifacts and interactive exhibits spread across almost 9,000 square feet to explore. Illuminating the lives of unusual but real characters along with amazing stories of history, magic, mystery, incredible illusions, fun interactive games, and more.
Price: from $23
Stunt Park Experience
Stunt Park Experience is located in Nerang and offers the chance to experience and learn the skills and tricks of movie stunts. Attractions include high ropes, high tower rappel, flying fox, trapeze, motorcycle track and more.
Price: from $306
Superbee Honeyworld
Located adjacent to Currumbin Sanctuary, at Honeyworld you can learn from professional beekeepers how honey goes from hive to jar. You can also sample their selection of honey varieties and purchase anything that takes your fancy from their shop.
Price: FREE entry
The Escape Hunt Experience Gold Coast
The Escape Hunt Experience located in Southport offers an exciting and challenging active mystery event where your team can attempt to escape the room in time.
Price: from $92
Water Sports & Activities
Kayaking & Snorkeling Tour inc South Stradbroke & Wave Break Island
Spot dolphins, stingrays, and turtles on this kayak and snorkeling day trip from the Gold Coast. Visit South Stradbroke Island and explore the island by foot as you bush-walk to the beach. Snorkel in Wave Break Island’s reef, home to hundreds of tropical fish or try your hand at kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, or playing beach games
Gold Coast Broadwater Jet Boat Ride
Brace yourself and hold on for an exhilarating 55-minute jet boat thrill ride on the beautiful Gold Coast Broadwater. Jump aboard a powerful turbo-charged Jet boat for an adrenalin-packed ride, full of 360-degree spins, slides and shallow-water skimming.
Currumbin Alley Surf School
Based at Currumbin Alley, Currumbin Alley Surf School offers year-round surfing lessons on the Gold Coast for people of all ages, sizes and ability levels.
Mariners Cove Marina
Mariners Cove Marina, located in Main Beach, offers a destination for a range of water-based activities and other activities that depart from the marina, along with a popular tavern and restaurants. Just opposite is the large mall, Marina Mirage.
Paradise Jet Boating
Paradise Jet Boating, located in Main Beach, offers a true jet boating experience on the Gold Coast Broadwater and Moreton Bay Marine Park combining the thrill of a jet boat with stunning scenery. Experience full 360° spins, high-speed drifting, incredible beach buzzing and more.
Queensland Scuba Diving
Queensland Scuba Diving operates a fleet of vessels on the Gold Coast based out of Mariners Cove Marina. They cater for divers of all ages and skill levels offering scuba diving and snorkeling for the complete novice through to PADI certification at Instructor level.
Jet Ski Safaris
Gold Coast Jet Ski Safaris is located at Mariners Cove at Main Beach and offers Jet Ski tours of 30min, 1, 1.5 and 2.5 hour in duration.
Southport Yacht Club Incorporated
Southport Yacht Club is located near the Southport Broadwater at Main Beach and here you can enjoy amazing views while dining at the Waterfront Restaurant. They also offer a Sailing Acadamy, regular sailing events and regattas, powerboat events, along with marina services and docks.
Walkin’ On Water Surf School
Walkin’ On Water Surf School located in Coolangatta offers group and private lessons for all ages and abilities.
Wave Break Island Snorkel Tour
For those who wish to stay on top of the water, the Gold Coasts Wave Break Island is a fantastic site for snorkeling. Spot hundreds of beautiful fish and magical marine life in the best calm water dive site on the Gold Coast.
Scuba Diving at Wave Break Island
Enjoy the weightless experience of exploring the underwater world on the Gold Coast, Australia. Experience the thrill of breathing underwater on the calm water of the sheltered dive site on the Gold Coast.
Get Wet Surf School
Get Wet Surf School offers a range of introductory lessons, kids surfing lessons, and packages. They also offer private lessons. HQ is at Mariners Cove and lessons take place in safe waters at The Spit.
Gold Coast Half-Day Fishing Charter
Enjoy this Gold Coast fishing charter, deep sea fishing targeting a wide variety of pelagic and bottom-dwelling species. This charter operates seven days a week, departing daily from Main Beach, Gold coast.
Theme Parks
Sea World Gold Coast
Sea World is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and theme park located at Main Beach reputed as Australia’s No.1 Marine Theme Park. It includes thrill rides although its focus is on animal exhibits and family-friendly attractions.
Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast
Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast is a water park situated in Oxenford, Gold Coast, adjacent to Warner Bros. Movie World. The park remains open all year with all of the pools and slides heated to 25 deg. during the winter months.
Warner Bros. Movie World
Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast features various movie-themed thrill rides and attractions ranging from motion simulators to roller coasters and slow river rides.
Dreamworld
Dreamworld is the Gold Coast’s largest theme park encompassing thrill rides, native attractions, family fun, shows, and much much more. In this one-page super-guide, I’ll walk through all the must-know points about this mega-fun destination.
WhiteWater World
WhiteWater World is located beside Dreamworld Theme Park at Coomera. It’s a purely water-based attraction theme park featuring a range of rides with something suitable for all ages.
Paradise Country
Paradise Country, located at Oxenford near to Movie World, is an Australian farm experience offering many attractions and even accommodation experiences. This includes many native animals such as Koalas, Kangaroos, Emus, and there is also Pigs, Alpacas, Peacocks and more.
Wildlife Parks
David Fleay Wildlife Park
David Fleay Wildlife Park is located on the beautiful on Tallebudgera Creek near Burleigh Heads and you can see some of Australia’s most iconic wildlife including crocodiles, koalas, emus, brolgas, dingoes, dunnarts, bilbies and kangaroos, and even a platypus.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is a heritage-listed zoological garden at 28 Tomewin Street, Currumbin, Queensland, Australia. The sanctuary is world-renowned for its feeding of huge flocks of free-flying wild rainbow lorikeets, which come to the sanctuary to feast off the special mixture which the lorikeets eat.
Family Entertainment
Australian Outback Spectacular
Australian Outback Spectacular is a dinner and show hosted at its own dedicated multi-million dollar event centre. The shows are updated regularly but are all themed on Australian outback life and culture. The show features live music, stunts, live animal acts, special effects, and more.
Timezone Indoor Family Entertainment Centre
Timezone has two locations, in Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta. Timezone at Surfers Paradise is the largest Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Australia covering an area of 5000 square meters offering laser skirmish, bumper cars, mini-golf, typhoon simulator, Dark Escape 4D, ten-pin bowling, state of the art racing games, shooting, bowling, and basketball games plus over 300 other games.
Game Over
Game Over is a large entertainment centre located in Helensvale offering Indoor Go Karting, Adventure Climbing Walls, and Lazer Tag. For tickets, you can pay per attraction or buy a package ticket which includes all activities.
Entertainment
Aquis Park – The Gold Coast Turf Club
Aquis Park and the Gold Coast Turf Club is home to regular horse races and several major Australian horse racing events including the Magic Millions Raceday held in January each year as part of the Magic Millions Carnival & Yearling Sale. Members and the public have the choice of over a dozen separate bars, restaurants, cafes, and bistros.
The Star Hotel and Casino
The Star at Broadbeach is a large casino, luxury hotel, and entertainment venue. Previously known as Jupiters Hotel and Casino. Here you will find a 24hr casino, regular live entertainment and shows, several restaurants, and bars.
Draculas
Dracula’s is a time-honored icon of the Gold Coast, since 1985 it has been constantly renewing itself and engaging new audiences with their renowned horror-themed cabaret dining experience
Cruises & Water Way Tours
Whale Watching Tour
Spirit of Gold Coast is a 24-meter power Catamaran purpose-built for whale watching with ’360 degree’ viewing and fully licensed bar. They offer a two and a half hour whale watching cruise which departs from Mariners Cove Marina.
Sailing In Paradise
Sailing In Paradise offers cruises of the Gold Coast Broadwater and Gold Coast Seaway along with boat charter for groups or corporate functions.
Gold Coast Gondolas
Gold Coast Gondolas Experience takes you on a pleasant journey of Main Beach and Surfers Paradise’s waterways enjoying views of the multi-million dollar waterfront mansions and peaceful canal living. All journeys are pre-booked and you can choose between a 30 minute, 1 hour, 1.5 hour and 2 hour gondola cruises.
Quack’r Duck – the Amphibious Adventure Bus
It’s a bus, it’s a duck, it’s a boat, noooo, it’s Quack’r Duck! Jump on board and take in the sights of Surfers Paradise before heading to the boat ramp and seamlessly gliding into the Gold Coast Broadwater for a boat cruise tour of the beautiful Nerang River.
South Stradbroke Island Day Trip
Take a few hours or a full day and visit South Stradbroke Island. Your base for the day will be Couran Cove Island Resort which invites you to utilise all resort facilities including restaurants and day spa.
Spirit Broadwater Cruises
Join Spirit of Gold Coast for a serene journey through the iconic Gold Coast Broadwater. Witness the beauty of the Gold Coast from a unique vantage point, while cruising through calm waters on Spirit’s Super Catamaran. Among other options they also offer a Sunset Floating Bar Cruise every Saturday
Aquaduck – Tour & Boat Cruise
Aquaduck is an amphibious bus offering tours of Surfers Paradise and the Gold Coast Broadwater. With live commentary on board, you will learn about the history and landmarks of Surfers Paradise along the Esplanade, cruise along trendy Tedder Ave before diving into the water for a pleasant cruise of the local waterways.
Tour Highlights
Half-Day Tour of Gold Coast Breweries
Visit three local craft beer breweries on the Gold Coast, including Lost Palms, Madocke, Black Hops, Balter, or Burleigh Brewing Companies. Small groups experience unique flavors and a fun day out sampling new beers and supporting the local community. Sample some incredible craft beer from the Gold Coast.
Gold Coast Scenic Heli Flight
Departing from Gold Coast Airport, your initial climb will take you south to track towards the famous Kirra Beach.This flight offers amazing panoramic views of Mount Warning, the Tweed Valley, Byron Bay and Coolangatta.
Heli Tandem Skydive Gold Coast
Take the plunge and tandem skydive over the Gold Coast’s beautiful beaches. Your friendly guide will ensure your experience is one to remember for all of the right reasons.
Canyon Flyer Zipline Tour
The Canyon Flyer guided zipline tour is Australia’s largest, highest and fastest guided zipline tour and one the most exciting adventure on the Gold Coast. The tour consists of seven huge ziplines spanning 1.5km that cross Cedar Creek Gorge multiple times before dropping into the gorge and flying just above the treetop canopy below.
Glow Worm Cave and Natural Bridge Tour
Travel into the Gold Coast hinterland to view the spectacular sight of one of Australia’s largest glow worm colonies, located within Natural Bridge Cave. On this 3-hour tour, you’ll encounter native nocturnal wildlife at Springbrook Plateau and gaze up at billions of stars twinkling in the night sky.
Lamington National Park and Tamborine Mountain 4WD Eco-Tour
Get off the beaten track and discover the rainforests of the Gold Coast Hinterland by 4WD. This full-day tour takes you to the volcanic plateau of Tamborine Mountain, and then onto Lamington National Park and the famous Treetop Walk at the family-owned O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.
Southern Cross 4WD Tours
Southern Cross 4WD Tours offer luxury day tours of the Gold Coast and Hinterland. Tours include destinations such as World Heritage Rainforests of Mt Tamborine, Springbrook National Park, Lamington National Park, Natural Bridge and O’Reilly’s. Tours include pick up and drop off and they also offer half day and full day private tours.
Boat Hire
Coasting Around BBQ Boat Hire & Tours
Coasting Around BBQ Boat Hire & Tours is located at Mariners Cove Marina in Main Beach. They offer unique “coaster” style leisure boats for hire that are self-drive with a 5hp Mercury outboard motor and no boat license required. The boast seat ten and can be hired by the hour.
Mirage Boat Hire
Mirage Boat Hire, located at Mariners Cove Main Beach, offers a fleet of 22 boats including various size half cabins speedboats from 15’ to 20’, Sweetwater Party Pontoons, BBQ Pontoons, large 33’ BBQ Party Pontoon, Four Winns Bowrider, and a 45 person party cruiser.
Duffy Down Under Boat Hire
Duffy Down Under, located at Mariners Cove Main Beach, offers both self-drive and skippered boat hire on the beautiful Gold Coast Waterways. They offer 10 and 12 seat boats. They also offer morning and sunset cruises.
Markets
NightQuarter at Helensvale
Located in Helensvale, the Nightquarter night markets is a hip market that fuses food, artisans, music, and community. Divided into unique precincts you’ll find micro-restaurants, emerging fashion, and unique live music spaces.
The Village Markets
The Village Markets is held on the first and third Sunday at Burleigh Heads State School. Here you will find custom made and boutique fashion, jewellery, arts and crafts. Along with the market stalls there are also live performances and tasty street food stalls.
Art and Craft Markets
The Art and Craft markets are held in the suburbs of Burleigh Heads, Broadbeach, and Coolangatta featuring over 150 stalls for locally made crafts, fresh produce, and homemade treats.
Carrara Markets – Everything You Need to Know
Carrara Markets opens every Saturday and Sunday with over 400 stalls offering fashion, jewellery, toys, souvenirs, homewares, artworks, phones, and phones accessories to name just some. There is also a secondhand market area.
Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets
Taking position on the Surfers Paradise beachfront every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evening the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets features over 100 stalls offering all kinds of things ranging from local craft and produce through to curios and knick-knacks that you may not see elsewhere.
Shopping
Marina Mirage
Marina Mirage is a shopping centre located on the waterfront at Main Beach. Shops here include dining, fashion, beauty services, and homewares.
Brickworks Centre
The Brickworks Centre, located in Southport, offers a mix of cafes, restaurants, and retail shopping. The area is quite large and while some of it is dedicated to local resident needs such as homewares although there are a lot of boutique stores such as jewelers and several cafes.
Sundale Retail Precinct
Sundale Retail Precinct is a small shopping area located in Southport that offers numerous cafes, restaurants, and businesses. The area is a reasonably new development featuring residential residences and serviced apartments.
Southport Central
Southport Central comprises of three residential towers with integrated shopping and commercial precincts. Here you will find offices, banks, a Fitness First Gym, several Chinese restaurants, newsagency, several small cafe, and other restaurants. This also connects to Australia Fair Metro which is in turn linked by an overpass walk bridge to Australia Fair Shopping Centre.
Tweed City Shopping Centre
Tweed City Shopping Centre is a major mall offering several big name stores including KMart, Best & Less, Harris Scarfe, Big W, and JB HiFi. There are two major supermarkets here being Coles and Woolworths.
Stockland Burleigh Heads Shopping Centre
Stockland Shopping Centre is a major local shopping mall featuring most everything for the daily needs. Major stores here include Woolworths supermarket, Aldi, Big W, Best & Less, JB HiFi, The Reject Shop, Cotton On. Near to here there is Bunnings Warehouse, Anaconda, Spotlight, Rivers store, Billabong store, and World Gym.
Niecon Plaza
Located in the heart of the Broadbeach shopping and entertainment precinct, Niecon Plaza offers a unique mix of fashion, fun, and entertainment, as well as an extensive health and service offer. Free three-hour customer parking is available right next door at The Oasis Shopping Centre which is easily accessed via the open air mall. In total there are 26 or so stores
Robina Town Centre
Robina Town Centre, located in the suburb of Robina is a large mall featuring 7 anchor tenants and over 350 retail outlets covering over 130,000 square metres. Major retailers include David Jones, Myer, Big W, Target, Kmart, Coles, Woolworths, and Event Cinemas.
The Strand at Coolangatta
The Strand at Coolangatta is a small mall featuring fashion, dining, services and Aldi and Woolworths supermarket. Timezone Coolangatta is located here.
The Oasis Shopping Centre
The Oasis is mid-sized mall located right in the heart of Broadbeach. It features numerous fashion stores inc. Cotton On, First Choice Fitness Centre and gym, My Fitness Club, a large Woolworths supermarket, pharmacy, newsagents, and much more.
The Marine Village, Sanctuary Cove
Marine Village is an upmarket shopping precinct by the marina at Sanctuary Coves. Featuring cafes, restaurants and bars, speciality shops including fashion boutiques, art galleries, a chocolate shop, and more.
Australia Fair Shopping Centre
Australia Fair Shopping Centre located at Southport is one of the largest shopping centres on the Gold Coast. Offering a modern movie cinema, two large supermarkets, K-mart, beauty salons, lots of fashion stores, and numerous casual eateries and coffee shops. Across from the main Australia Fair is Australia Fair Metro featuring a selection of boutique stores.
Chevron Renaissance Shopping Centre
Chevron Renaissance Shopping Centre is a major shopping area in the heart of Surfers Paradise. Here you can find Starbucks, Crust gourmet pizza, edota spa, Infinity Attraction, Max Brenner Chocolate, a large Coles supermarket and much more.
Paradise Centre
Paradise Centre located right in the heart of Surfers Paradise features over 90 stores and eateries and includes the famous Hard Rock Cafe, a Woolworths supermarket, the largest indoor entertainment center, Timezone, and much more.
Harbour Town Outlet Shopping Centre
Harbour Town is a major shopping mall on the Gold Coast located at Biggera Waters featuring over 240 stores, a large cinema & casual eateries.
Pacific Fair Shopping Centre
Pacific Fair Shopping Centre is perhaps the prime shopping mall for visitors to the Gold Coast with its easy to access location in Broadbeach and vast array of shopping and dining options under one roof. There are over 400 stores here with the big names being H&M, Zara, and Uniqlo.
Golf
Burleigh Golf Club
Open to members and public they offer an 18 hole course with a ‘woodland’ type forest front nine flowed by a ‘sandbelt’ heath back nine.
Surfers Paradise Golf Club
Open to members and public, they offer an 18-hole, par 71, championship course. Surfers Paradise Golf Club is open seven days a week and you can book online directly at their website. Surfers Paradise Golf Club is a fully licensed club with bar, gaming, keno, and restaurant.
Palmer Colonial Golf Course
An open to public and members 18 hole, par 72, championship resort layout, set among 39 hectares of eucalyptus, picturesque lakes, and serene waterways. A classic Queenslander-style clubhouse welcomes both golfers and visitors alike and serves meals from 10.30 am to 3pm.
Glades Golf Club
Open to members, this beautiful and challenging Greg Norman designed par 72 course boasts the reputation as one of Australia’s most prestigious resort golf courses.
Boomerang Farm Golf Course
An open to public 9 hole par 34 course in a beautifully scenic location.
Tally Valley Golf Club
An open to public 9 hole, 18 tee course that provides scenic golf in the Tallebudgera Valley. They also offer golf club, buggy and electric cart hire.
KDV Sport – Carrara Gardens Golf Course
Open to public offering driving range, bunker and chipping green and an easy 10 hole course. KDV Sport also offers coaching and other sporting facilities including tennis and fitness centre. There is also a restaurant onsite opening from 7am till 9pm.
Gainsborough Greens Golf Club
An open to public and members offering an18 holes, par 72 course with natural scenery and electric GPS carts. Also featuring a modern clubhouse serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Coplicks Tallebudgera Golf Course
An open to public par 67, 18 hole course located in the picturesque rural surroundings of the Tallebudgera Valley.
Meadow Park Golf Course
An open to public 61 par golf course offers a challenging 9 holes with 18 tees.
Links Hope Island
Links Hope Island Golf Course is the centerpiece of Hope Island Resort offering an18-hole championship course.
Glades Golf Club
The Glades Golf Club offers an 18 hole, par 72 course designed by Australian golfing icon, Greg Norman within visually stunning surrounds.
Emerald Lakes Golf Club
Emerald Lakes Golf Club offers a Graham Marsh designed 18 hole golf course. The par 72 course is open to visitors and members also offering Golf under lights so you can play until 9:30pm, 7 days a week.
Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club
The Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club features two premier championship courses being the Pines and the Palms courses. Sanctuary Cove Golf Club also offers driving ranges, practice chipping and putting green, five tennis courts, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, lap pool, sauna, and spa.
RACV Royal Pines Resort Golf Course
RACV Royal Pines Resort Golf Course is located in Benowa featuring 27 holes of championship-level golf. The 27 hole course is configured into three unique 18 hole courses for players.
Palm Meadows Golf Course
Palm Meadows Golf Course located in Carrara is an all all-weather course with 11 kilometres of golf cart paths around the fairways. Palm Meadows has a fleet of 72 Club Car Electric Golf Carts with wet weather covers.
Parkwood Village
Parkwood Village is a precinct offering an extensive range of dining, entertainment and golf options, designed to cater for all tastes and budgets. The golf course is an 18 hole, 6043 metre course suitable for pro golfers and casual play.
Topgolf Gold Coast
Topgolf, located at Oxenford near to Wet’n’Wild and Movie World, is a golf based entertainment complex where you can challenge your friends and family to addictive point-scoring golf games that anyone from the pro golfer to the novice can play year-round.
Southport Golf Club
Southport Golf Club offers an 18 hole championship course that’s been operating since 1924.
Arundel Hills Golf Club
Arundel Hills Country Club is home to an 18 hole championship golf course renowned for its picturesque design. They offer a range of membership options for local residents and visitors.
Lakelands Golf Club
Lakelands Golf Club, located at Merrimac, is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course offering a par 72 18 hole course with a clubhouse featuring restaurant and bar. They offer multiple short and long-term membership options.
Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club
Located just south of the Gold Coast, Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club offers two 18 hole championship courses and clubhouse.
Tamborine Mountain Golf Club
Tamborine Mountain Golf Club is located overlooking the Gold Coast, offering a 9 hole, 18 tee golf course that is a delight to play any time of the year. Visiting golfers are welcome.
Sports
Gold Coast Aquatic Centre
The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre (GCAC) is located at the Broadwater Parklands in Southport offering 6 different swimming pools, dive training facilities, fully equipped gym, and fitness centre. You can visit on a casual entry basis, multi-visit pass, and there are membership options.
Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium
Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium is located at Carrara offering a venue capable of handling a wide range of indoor sporting events along with exhibitions. It features two multi-use courts and is located adjacent to Metricon Stadium and Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre.
Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre
The Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre is a multi-purpose arena located at Carrara. It has 15 multi-use sports courts, large outdoor areas, function rooms, meeting rooms, café and bar. The mixed-use sports courts are designed to accommodate court sports including basketball, netball, indoor soccer, badminton and more.
Sports Super Centre
The Sports Super Centre was originally a training centre for athletes competing at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and recently the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, now, its facilities are now open to all. Features include track and field amenities, competition standard hockey pitch, saunas and heated spas, ice bath, indoor pool, and an outdoor pool.
Local & National Parks
Broadwater Parklands
Broadwater Parklands is a massive green space and leisure area located on the Broadwater at Southport. It’s free to visit and explore the park and there is also free wifi available. You can reach the park quite easily via the G:Link to the Broadwater Parklands station which is at the southern end of the park or take the 700 bus
GC Aqua Park
GC Aqua Park located on the Broadwater at Southport offers a fun place for kids and families to splash about and enjoy the inflatable obstacle course.
John Laws Park
John Laws Park at Burleigh Heads connects with Justins Park to the north and Burleigh Heads National Park to it’s south. The park offers incredible views along the coastline and prime times are sunrise and sunset and even at night for watching the lights of Surfers Paradise and the stars twinkling over the ocean.
Paradise Point Parklands
Paradise Point Parklands overlook the Broadwater at Paradise Point and joins onto Len Fox Park. Here you can enjoy BBQ with picnic tables, walking tracks, fitness station, kids playground, and more.
Laguna Park
Laguna Park is located in Palm Beach and is a kids favorite featuring fenced playground containing a pirate ship, slides, a pedal power monorail, funny faces interactive boards and more. The park also features BBQ undercover picnic areas, toilets and water tap.
Apple Tree Park
Apple Tree Park is located in the Springbrook area featuring barbecues and picnic tables and is accessible by road. There are a number of short walks from this park as well as the Hinterland Great Walk that connects to the park.
Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens
The Gold Coast Regional Botanic Garden is located in the suburb of Benowa and offers a wonderfully interesting green-escape from the city life and commercial attractions.
Nerang National Park and State Forest
Nerang National Park (commonly referred to as Nerang State Forest) is a national park Nerang. The protected area is located 12 kilometres from Surfers Paradise on Nerang’s north-west outskirts. Nerang National Park is known for its variety of birds, trails, and views making it a popular place for mountain bike riders, bushwalkers and bird watchers.
Binna Burra, Lamington National Park
The Binna Burra section of Lamington National Park is packed with waterfalls, scenic lookouts, and natural beauty. The beautiful Binna Burra Lodge is also located here.
Justins Park
Justins Park at Burleigh Heads is located right along the foreshore offering direct access to the beautiful Burleigh Beach, along with kids playground, public toilets, sheltered picnic tables and BBQ’s.
Harley Park
Haley Park at Labrador is a popular spot for its Broadwater views, spots for fishing, kids play areas and swimming lagoon. There is also a BBQ and picnic area.
Pat Fagan Park
Pat Fagan Park is small but incredibly beautiful park that offers superb coastal views through to Surfers Paradise from Rainbow bay Lookout and of the beaches below. You can walk around the lower cost side track which goes around the Greenmount Hill and then along the Rainbow Bay Beach and also walk to the top of the headland.
Pizzey Park
Pizzey Park is an open-air sports and recreation precinct in Miami, a suburb in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The 60-hectare (150-acre) site is owned and operated by the Gold Coast City Council. Pizzey Park has sports fields for a wide variety of sports including rugby league, rugby union, Australian Rules Football, soccer, netball, softball, and athletics along with skateboard and BMX facilities.
Mick Schamburg Park
Mick Schamburg Park is a small park located in Miami and encompasses the headland which features a green park with BBQ, playground, amazing coastal views from its lookout, and walking tracks.
Pine Ridge Conservation Park
Pine Ridge Conservation Park (or Pine Ridge Regional Park) is one of the last remaining wallum banksia areas on the Gold Coast. The park is large and features a walking track, picnic tables (no toilets), and is a haven for wildlife including lace monitors, koalas, bearded dragons, sacred kingfishers, rainbow bee-eaters and fairy-wrens.
Numinbah Section, Springbrook National Park
Numinbah is on the western side of the Springbrook plateau and whilst it lacks the marked walking tracks of the other sections it is an incredibly beautiful place for photography and a haven for many species of wildlife. Forest Park is a great spot for a barbecue or picnic.
Natural Bridge at Springbrook National Park
The Natural Bridge is a naturally formed rock arch over Cave Creek, a tributary of the Nerang River. It was formed from a waterfall which undercut a cave beneath the waterfall and dug a pothole on top, until the two joined and the creek flowed through the cave, leaving an arch across the front.
Tallebudgera Creek
Tallebudgera Creek is a local favorite spot for camping, swimming, picnicking, kayaking, fishing or simply just taking a relaxing walk. The Tallebudgera Creek park features sheltered areas, BBQ’s, kids play areas and grassed areas.
Springbrook Plateau, Springbrook National Park
Springbrook Plateau of Springbrook National Park features a range of scenic lookouts, walking tracks, waterfalls, rainforest, and ancient Antarctic beech trees. It also features the popular Purlingbrook Falls, Natural Bridge, and much more.
Burleigh Head National Park
Burleigh Head National Park offers an easy to access nature escape where you can explore the rocky foreshore and ancient volcanic columns, rainforest, mangroves, wildlife, and ocean views. Or, simply relax the time away with a picnic on the well-maintained foreshore.
Mount Cougal, Springbrook National Park
Mount Cougal, Springbrook National Park is a mountainous section of Springbrook National Park which protects valuable wildlife habitat and a diverse range of animals. A popular feature is the scenic Cougal Cascades. Take the walking track past cascades and rock pools to the restored remains of a bush sawmill dating from the 1940s.
Lamington National Park, Green Mountains Section
The Green Mountains section of Lamington National Park, located in the Gold Coast Hinterland, features lush rainforests, waterfalls, and spectacular views. Lamington National Park, Green Mountains Section is also the home of O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.
McIntosh Island Park
McIntosh Island Park is an oasis in the heart of Surfers Paradise. It’s tall trees shelter it from the surrounding hi-rises and there are loads well manicured of green-space and even a sandy beach spot by the river.
Nature Attractions
Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk
Rainforest Skywalk is located in the beautifully scenic Gold Coast Hinterland area. The entire walk totals 1.5 kms featuring a combination of forest floor trails, 300 metres of bridges through the highest points of the upper canopy, and a cantilever bridge that soars a breathtaking 30 metres above the creek and rainforest below.
O’Reilly’s at Lamington National Park
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat is located in the scenic Lamington National Park in the Gold Coast Hinterland offering accommodation and a host of activities for guests and day visitors. Activities include Birds of Prey Show – Meet the majestic predators of the sky and learn about our resident Owls, Wedge Tail Eagles, Kestrel and Black Kite.
Hinze Dam
Hinze Dam is located in Advancetown and is the source of the city’s water supply. The area provides lots of activities for visitors including the Hinze Dam Interpretive Centre which features audio-visual displays highlighting how the dam and water supply system functions, mountain bike trails, catch and release fishing, walking and running tracks, boat ramps. and more
Curtis Falls, Tamborine National Park
Curtis Falls is located in Tamborine National Park and easily accessible by road and a short walk. Nearby, on the main road, there is also a cafe and several shops. Curtis Falls track is a 1.1 km walk that takes around 30 minutes. You can also extend the walk by taking the Lower Creek Circuit track.
Numinbah Valley Adventure Trails and Camping
Numinbah Valley Adventure Trails is located in the scenic Gold Coast Hinterland offering a 2,500 acre privately owned cattle property featuring horse riding, bush walks, camping and more at this extraordinarily scenic area.
Museum & Arts
Surf World Gold Coast
Located in Currumbin, Surf World Gold Coast is Queensland’s only surfing museum offering an extensive collection of surfboards from the early 1930s to today. There’s much more including early surf photography, art, cinematography and other memorabilia.
Wax Museum
The Wax Museum is one of the longest lasting attractions on the Surfers Paradise scene. Established in 1968. Inside you’ll find numerous wax celebrities, themed dioramas, and much more.
Gold Coast and Hinterland Historical Society
The Gold Coast and Hinterland Historical Society Museum is located in Surfers Paradise and opens every Sunday from 10am-3pm and Entry is just $5 (children 10 and under are free). The grounds include rare remnant coastal vegetation, Heritage listed trees, a reproduction early settlers cottage, pioneers’ graves and several buildings housing collections of great historical significance.
HOTA – Home of the Arts
HOTA – In the tropical parklands with the Surfers Paradise skyline as the backdrop, HOTA Home of the Arts is a contemporary cultural precinct where art meets life.