Things to do in Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is Australia’s favourite holiday playground – its been that way since the 1950s when Surfers Paradise was established as a one hotel, beachside town and has grown up over the last half century with plenty of accommodation choices and plenty of great things to do while visiting, making the region one of the most tourist oriented in the country.

We’ve compiled a brief guide to some of the most popular things to do on the Gold Coast. If you’re doing anything in the beautiful Queensland sun, we bet you’ll be very happy. Click through to learn more about the various activities on offer and book tours and experiences online. Whether you prefer public transport, driving, cycling, walking or gliding on the water, it’s easy to get around Gold Coast.

Something new and exciting in Gold Coast! Hijinx Hotel is an immersive interactive game experience. With 15 quick play challenge rooms, this where you come to play, not stay.

For more information on things to see and do while in Gold Coast, click here for the Visit Gold Coast website.

Here is a list of the most popular things to do when on the Gold Coast:

The Main Tourist Attractions

The Gold Coast is a dedicated tourist town and there's enough things to do to keep you occupied for months. It's not just mini- golf and wax museums either; take a tour of the river and canals in an aqua-bus, see the Australian Outback without leaving the Gold Coast, learn about our native wildlife or learn to surf on one of our pristine beaches. Check out our list of the best Gold Coast tourist attractions!

Whale Watching

Each year majestic Humpback Whales migrate from the Antarctic to the warmer waters off the coast of Queensland. Every year around 1200 whales make the 5000km journey – the first ones arriving on the Gold Coast in early June. There are plenty of options when it comes to seeing these majestic creatures on their migration, with tours ranging from a few hours to a whole day, with the typical season lasting from June to October.

Surfing

The Gold Coast has some of the best and most consistent waves in the nation; it’s home to round one of the Association of Surfing Professionals world tour; there are 70km of beaches and four epic point breaks. It would be appropriate to call it a surfers’ paradise; and they did. In fact, getting a wave on the Gold Coast is as easy as heading east. When the wind is right and the swell is from the east, surfers are almost guaranteed a wave.

Gold Coast Beaches

The Gold Coast has more than 70km of fantastic beaches and Surfers Paradise is one of the most iconic along this huge stretch of sand. However, there are plenty of beaches that are much prettier and have better swells if you care to explore the area. Read our comprehensive guide to Gold Coast beaches including information on beach safety, the best Gold Coast beaches, a history of shark attacks and surfing.

Hinterland Bushwalking Trails

Enjoy this beautiful region on foot and trek through the rainforest, under waterfalls and the ancient rock formations which wildlife, such as the mysterious glow worm, call home. With hundreds of square kilometres of bushland, stretching from Mt Tamborine in the north, down south to the NSW border, the number of treks you can do is really only limited to the amount of time you have and the thickness of the tread on your boots.

Gold Coast Markets

Once upon a time the Gold Coast was home to one market place and that was the Carrara Markets. While they're still a favourite, now there are dozens of markets that line the coast. Some follow the rules that one man's trash is another man's treasure and others nurture the local arts, crafts and fashion scene. Get out into the sunshine (or moonlight, depending on which markets you choose to visit) and check out one of these markets!

Theme Parks

Theme parks on the Gold Coast come in all shapes and sizes and whether you like death-defying roller coasters or petting furry animals, you’re sure to have a great time. Choose to visit a handful of the big 5 (namely Dreamworld, Sea World, Movie World, Wet’n’Wild and WhiteWater World), or visit them all – passes are available and you can save hundreds off admission prices by getting a combo pass.

Breweries

Many of the Gold Coast breweries have been winning both Australian and international awards for their beers and if you visit them you’ll see why; Queenslanders love beer! To these local brewers what they do is not just a job, it’s their lifestyle. Drop in for a tasting and hear them talk with passion about the brewing process, what beers go with which dishes and what their favourite brews are.

Restaurants and Dining

As you'd expect with any tourist town, the Gold Coast has a restaurant on every corner – except that unlike a lot of other tourist towns, most Gold Coast restaurants are really quite good. If you're after a cheap meal by the ocean pretty much all of the surf clubs (found in every oceanside suburb of the Coast) have a bistro where no matter what you choose. Read our guide to where to go for a meal on the Gold Coast.

Images and content source from Destination Gold Coast website.

Australasian Radiation protection society 2023 conference

Sea World Resort Conference Centre | Gold Coast Queensland | 29 October - 2 November 2023

Australasian Radiation protection society 2023 conference

Sea Word Resort Conference Centre
Gold Coast Queensland
29 October - 2 November 2023