16 Favourite Things to do in the Gold Coast

Let’s Go See the Gold Coast 🌞

The first time I visited the Gold Coast, was all the way back in 1991. You can bet I was rocking fluorescent parachute pants and listening to Vanilla Ice cassette tapes on repeat. My family lived in Adelaide until 1995, so this road trip to the Gold Coast was epic.

I won’t go into the massive changes to the Gold Coast over the last thirty years, but you can assume they are vast, and you would be right. What I will say is – I fell in love with it all the way back in the early 90’s, and still love a Gold Coast getaway all these years later. Lucky for me, the road trip is now a mere hour from home, as opposed to the two thousand kilometre trek across Australia.

This list features things I’ve personally experienced and liked enough to share with you… which means, it doesn’t include everything! i.e. The things I wouldn’t recommend, are not on this list.

Enough with the intro, to help you plan your perfect Queensland getaway, here are my 16 favourite things to do in the Gold Coast.

16 Favourite things to do in Gold Coast

Timezone Surfers Paradise

Not only did I grow up with two brothers, I now have two sons. You can imagine how much of my life has been spent around video games. As the saying goes, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

We spend a few hours doing activities at Gold Coast Timezone Surfers Paradise at least twice a year. I admit, even I have even chosen to spend my birthday here with the fam. The arcade is huge, with some of my fave games like pacman and mario kart. It also has loads of other activities and games, like VR, bowling, laser tag, mini golf and bumper cars.

You earn virtual tickets on some of the games too, and choosing from the tacky prizes at the end of the day is half the fun!

Putt Putt Mini Golf Mermaid Beach

Just down the road from Surfers Paradise, this putt putt mini golf experience is a great spot to take friends or family, or even for a fun date night! There are three different themed courses, that each have 18 holes. My only recommendation, is to either go on a cool weather day, or do this at night if you’re playing in summer.

Padlockd Escape Room Gold Coast

Despite our best efforts, our problem-solving skills failed to get us out of this nightmare themed room at Padlockd Escape Rooms Gold Coast. We’ve been here twice and played two different Gold Coast escape rooms, and we had a total blast both times. It’s an hour time limit, and you can ask for clues from the escape room staff if you need them (or sometimes they just offer them anyway, because they can see that you have absolutely no-clue-what-in-the-heck-you’re-doing).

The Spit – Beaches in the Gold Coast

The Spit is a dog friendly, patrolled beach, a few minutes drive from Surfers Paradise. As far as beaches at the Gold Coast go, the water at The Spit can get rough, so not always the greatest beach for swimming with children. However, splashing in the shallow in between the flags is still loads of fun.

The jetty at The Spit is pretty cool too, and there is a large park within walking distance, where you can hang out under the shady trees. We’ve been lucky enough to seen dolphins in the Marine Stadium section of The Spit – which is currently undergoing a huge overhaul.

There’s a snack bar by the carpark, so you don’t need to bring lunch along with you either.

If your kids are interested in surfing, a 2 hour lesson would be a perfect addition to their beach day. Don’t worry, there are adult surf lessons as well, so no one has to miss out!

Carrara Markets

There’s a few different markets that you visit in the Gold Coast, but these ones are my favourite. As well as having plants, which will always win me over, it also has loads of food options, toys, clothes, souvenirs and art. We went past on one of our weekend getaways once and ended up with a massive framed piece of artwork, that certainly weren’t out looking for.

Tallebudgera Beach – Gold Coast Beaches

I think this is the best Gold Coast beach ever… for families with kids. There are no waves at Tallebudgera beach. The sand is soft and white. There are bathrooms and showers AND a playground. My only sadness is that it seems to get busier and busier each year, but I guess I’m not helping by telling everyone how great it is. Oh the dilemma.

If you only have one opportunity for a Gold Coast beach day with the fam, then make it this one.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not

This museum of oddities is right in the heart of Surfer’s Paradise, and if you have kids, they will 100% nag you to take them in. It’s ok though, you won’t regret it. It’s kind of like you stepped into a Guinness book of weird world records, or maybe an early 1900s travelling circus. Think shrunken heads, dentures made of crocodile teeth, and a life-size replica of the tallest man on earth. Hands down this a fun thing to do in the Gold Coast.

SkyPoint Observation Deck

SkyPoint is maybe slightly over-rated, but for me that comes down to how much you spend on it. If you’re a local and you pay $15, then this I think it’s reasonable, and definitely worth a visit. However, the standard price of $31 an adult, seems steep to me amongst other activities in the Gold Coast. The GREAT news is… there are combinable tours which is going to give you much better value.

The views from the observation deck really are spectacular though, providing a panoramic outlook of the Gold Coast.

Harbour Town Shopping in Gold Coast

Harbour Town is a shopping precinct in the Gold Coast, it has outlet stores from big brand names. The ones my family always end up at are the sports shops… Nike, Adidas, Converse and the like, where we usually buy shoes, that we probably don’t need, that the kids grow out of way too quickly.

There are lots of other Gold Coast shopping opportunities too, but they are more traditional mall style centres, where as Harbour Town shopping is a more of an outdoor experience.

There’s also a good variety of cafes and restaurants, so it’s a nice spot to grab lunch. There’s also a cinema here, in case you want to have a more relaxed day out.

Wet n Wild

Wet n Wild is a lot of fun for all ages. The park features a range of slides and Gold Coast attractions, including the Tornado, Kamikaze, and AquaLoop, which are perfect for older kids and adults into an adrenaline rush. For a more relaxed experience, and my personal favourites, Calypso Beach wave pool and the lazy river are great options.

There’s also a designated play areas for younger kids, with smaller slides and interactive water features. The park is well-equipped with amenities, including food outlets, cabanas for rent, and shaded seating areas. You can easily spend a whole day here, and in summer, they often have a “Dive n Movie” night. Imagine hanging out in the wave pool while watching a flick on the big screen. You can buy park passes which include Wet n Wild and Movie World, which I talk about further down the list.

Dracula’s Cabaret

Dracula’s Cabaret is an entertainment venue that offers a one-of-a-kind experience, this one’s just for the adults though. The venue is styled after a gothic castle, complete with vampire-themed decor and costumes. The cabaret features a live stage show with a combination of comedy, music, and horror, which keeps the audience engaged throughout the night. It includes acrobatics, aerial acts, and illusions that add to the overall spectacle.

The Cabaret also comes with a three-course meal, and is a licensed venue. I haven’t been here in some years, but it left an impression, and I definitely need to go back!

Springbrook National Park

Home to ancient rainforests, cascading waterfalls, and stunning panoramic views… it sounds beautiful, and Springbrook National Park 100% meets your expectations. There’s a variety of walking tracks, from short and easy to longer and more challenging trails, like the Twin Falls Circuit.

The park is home to a variety of wildlife, including wallabies, koalas, and a range of bird species. If you are visiting the Gold Coast without your own transport, you can do a day tour.

The highlight for me is the Natural Bridge, a rock archway over a cascading waterfall, which also turns into a stunning glow worm light show in the evenings. You canbook a tour which takes you on a 3 hour trip to explore the glow worm colony and cave at night. You’ll likely see owls, bats and frogs, too!

Lamington National Park

Another of Queensland’s World Heritage-listed rainforests, Lamington National Park is also spectacularly beautiful. As with most of Australia’s National Parks, there are plenty of walking trails to explore, and no shortage of native wildlife, like wallabies and birds. You can take a tour or just explore independently if you’re on a self drive holiday.

If your kids are up for a challenge, hike the Border Track together, you’ll be rewarded with stunning panoramic views. Don’t forget to pack a picnic lunch to enjoy under the shade of the rainforest canopy. Make sure to visit the natural rock pools of Elabana Falls, where you can splash around and cool off in the crystal-clear water.

iFly Gold Coast

I didn’t participate in this Gold Coast activity, but to be fair, I’ve previously jumped out of a perfectly good plane. However, because I’d prefer my kids didn’t do some of the crazy things Mum did in her younger years, they did participate! This safer version of sky diving gave them all the thrills, without giving me any more grey hairs. Win, win. Look at that smile through the helmet and you know this Gold Coast activity was a total success.

Movie World

Movie World was my favourite theme park, even as a child when we first visited the Gold Coast. I loved the shows, the atmosphere, the characters walking around the park, and of course, the rides. I’ve been reminiscing for years over the cool stuff back when I was a kid, like a stage tour. And guess what… they are finally bringing back some real movie action, with their upcoming “hot sets”. These live film sets are not an every day occurrence though, so you’ll need to plan your visit carefully. They also have a fantastic stunt driver show on every day… and did I mention all the great rides?

Also, come 2024, a Wizard of OZ precinct is opening, and I am SO here for it!

You can get pre-purchase Movie World entry tickets, which also get you in to Wet n Wild water park.

Thunderbird Park

Thunderbird Park is an adventure-themed attraction in Tamborine Mountain, offering a range of Gold Coast activities. From treetop challenges to laser skirmish and mini-golf. When we stayed at the park, camping in a tent, we spent an afternoon fossicking for thundereggs. They are a type of volcanic rock with a crystal-filled centre, formed when volcanic ash solidifies around gas bubbles. We were told they can be found in the park’s designated fossicking area. So, we paid for a bucket and shovel hire from their tour desk, and tried our hand at treasure hunting.

We did find a stack of rocks that looked interesting, and we paid to have them cut perfectly in half, to see what’s inside. You get to keep whatever you find. We did have some okayish looking ones, but nothing spectacular. They have a display inside their shop, and some of the thunderbird eggs are beautiful.

In addition to fossicking, the park also has a range of accommodation options, from campsites to lodges and cabins. In all honesty, we wouldn’t choose to camp there again. The park seemed to attract a mega rowdy crowd, which is far from our preference of peaceful National Park stays …but you should definitely visit for all the amazing activities!

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Heading north instead? Check out the best things to do on the Sunshine Coast!

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Other Things to do in the Gold Coast

There are so many experiences and things to do in the Gold Coast, if you’ve done any I missed, feel free to share them in the comments! You can also find other great Gold Coast tours and Gold Coast activities in the link below.