Things To Do In Gold Coast

Gold Coast is every traveller’s delight. From a long coast for all kinds of water sports to fine sandy beaches perfect for sunbathing, from its promising night scene to some amazing sightseeing, Gold Coast has a mixed bag of offerings, all laid out in lovely glory for you. This young and vibrant city has various delights on offer. There are so many things to do for people of all ages in Gold Coast. You can go whale watching, enjoy a night show at Dracula's, visit theme parks like Dream World, Sea World and WB Movie World, and also spend your time surfing, sunbathing or making sand castles on one of the many beaches. Here are a few things we curated to help your itinerary.

One of the longest-running entertainment venues in Gold Coast, Dracula’s will treat you to a mesmerising cabaret performance. Strictly adults only, this raunchy glam-horror themed show is bound to wow you. Combined with a live rock performance and stand up comedy, this will surely be a night to remember. You can opt to attend the standalone show or club it with dinner and a few drinks. 

To experience the waters along with an adrenaline rush, we suggest you indulge in a Jet Boat ride. The ride will let you take in the beautiful skyline amidst some thrilling extreme water stunts and 360^o spins along with high speed drifting. This is sure to interest all the adventure seekers. The ride is safe and all passengers are given life jackets. This will definitely be a thrilling family activity lasting from 30 minutes to 1 hour. 

If you happen to be in Gold Coast during the five-month whale season, seeing these gentle giants from up close is an experience that should not be missed. Lasting from May to early November, the season has a large number of whales passing through Gold Coast going northwards in search of warmer waters. With a number of operators offering whale watching rides, you can choose the one that fits your needs best. Some include a lunch buffet, while others offer a longer ride. Some even offer a money back guarantee if you’re unable to spot a whale. Late May or early June offers the best rate of whale sightings. 

Water happens to be a central theme in Gold Coast, limited not only to its wonderful beaches. Gold Coast has a brilliant canal system which is among the larger ones across the world. Seeing Gold Coast from the waters will give you a very different perspective of the city. There are a number of cruises available in Gold Coast which will take you around the city giving you details of the city’s history and its major highlights and tourist monuments. These cruises at times may take you through the canal systems or the broad waters and some may even combine both. Many cruises also offer opportunities for crab catching or sailing. Take your pick and book in advance as these cruises are generally packed. 

A trip to Gold Coast will be incomplete without experiencing the city’s exquisite nightlife. The vibrant party scenes till wee hours of morning are one of the reasons why people come to Gold Coast. The focal point of all these activities is definitely Surfer’s Paradise. The majority of the nightlife is concentrated in Cavill and Orchid Avenues in the heart of Surfers Paradise, with each club having its own unique feel and take on the city’s nightlife. The most popular clubs are Sin City, The Avenue, Melbas and Shooters among various others.

Arguably the longest running markets in Gold Coast, The Carrara Markets have a host of offerings for the entire family. Spread over an area of 10 hectares, the market has over 500 stalls covering almost all angles of the shopping spectrum. It even has a few stalls selling local handicrafts. There are a lot of opportunities to keep the kids occupied. These include a mini Ferris wheel, a bouncing Castle, Pony rides and Merry Go Rounds among other activities. A number of food stalls are also there to make this a fun, gastronomic and interesting day for the entire family. 

What is a trip to the Gold Coast without a visit to its golden beaches? Be sure to surf a wave, try out some water sports, swim against the waves, or maybe just bathe in the warm sun on the famous beaches of Gold Coast. For trained surfers, the waves on Surfer’s Paradise are a delight. For Novices, there is training available. Even young kids can go paddling on surfboards. There are a plethora of water-based activities that the entire family can indulge in, be it banana boat rides, parasailing or flyboarding. You can also relive your childhood making sand castles with the kids, or indulge in a game of beach volleyball with the locals.

The various theme parks in Gold Coast set it apart from other tourist destinations in Australia. We recommend a visit to Dream World to experience some of the most thrilling rides there. The Sea world will take you to a wet aquatic extravaganza of activities. The mesmerising Movie World Parade consisting of all your favourite movie characters will surely be a fun activity to do with the entire family. Each of the theme parks is a quality attraction in its own right and has many domestic and international visitors coming in everyday. We suggest visiting the parks outside of the school holidays. There are plenty of options among the packages to choose from. Individual tickets to the parks do tend to be expensive.