We recently headed to the Gold Coast for a bit of sun and surf and to be honest, didn’t want to go home! We stayed in Burleigh Heads which is is about 13 kms or just under 20 minutes South of Surfers Paradise. Burleigh…what a beautiful part of the world! We headed off to find some exciting things to do on the Gold Coast!
Burleigh Heads
We spent four days in Burleigh Heads and we felt we could have even stayed longer. There is so much to do and it was a great base to take in all that Burleigh has to offer as well as head off on some “not-too-far” day trips.
Burleigh Beach
You could start your day off by taking a leisurely stroll along the boardwalk. You’ll be sure to see others out riding bikes, walking, jogging, skateboarding and even roller skating. It was refreshing to see the focus on fitness and health and it really made me want to get out there and go for a run!
There’s also plenty of playgrounds for the kids, as well as bbq areas and shady spots along the way.
Be sure to bring your beach gear with you so you can head to one of the many beaches along the Burleigh boardwalk.
Hike Burleigh Heads National Park
This was such a beautiful walk and well worth doing! We headed off early and parked our car at Justin Park, Burleigh Heads and then walked through the Burleigh Heads National Park. It took us about 20 min (walking with a four year old) and then we ventured down a fairly easy bush trail to get to Tallebudgera Creek. What a sight! Such a beautiful place, a great swimming spot for kids and adults alike. There was a massive sand bank which is great for kids to play in the shallow water. Take a picnic lunch and make the day of it! You could even hike further around to the other side of the creek if you wanted to.
Surfers Paradise
The surfing capital of the Gold Coast, this is the place people come for big waves and lots of shopping and to enjoy the nightlife.
Cavill Mall runs through the heart of the shopping and entertainment district. If you love the nightlife, “Surfers”, as it is well known, is where you need to be.
Cavill Avenue is one of the busiest shopping strips in all of Queensland, so be sure to check it out if you need some retail therapy!
Indoor Sky Diving, Surfers Paradise
If you’re up for some adventure, but not quite ready to jump out of a plane, then this is for you! Soaring high (or higher if you choose) in a controlled wind tunnel, this adventure activity even lets your three year old try it out! They have a free viewing room where you can sit and watch before you take the plunge to try it out yourself! Here’s a little snippet of what you can expect.
Spend a day at Broadwater Parklands
This was a fun day out! We headed to Broadwater Parklands for the day. Ethan loved the huge water park (which was free) and there was even a bigger kids playground. We secured a shady spot while Ethan had a ball playing in the water.
You do need to pay for parking which is pretty reasonably priced I have to say.
There’s a couple of cute cafes to grab some food, or you could definitely pack a picnic lunch.
We also went for a short walk which took us to a beach we could swim at. You can even swim out to a pontoon and jump off into the water! There is a section on the water with lots of slides for the bigger kids. You do need to pay for this, but the cost is pretty reasonable.
To sum up. we had a wonderful time on the Gold Coast, and there’s no doubt we’ll be back sometime soon!
I would love to hear your experiences while on the Gold Coast. Feel free to comment below.
You can also read about our whole road trip of Queensland here.