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The Gold Coast is the ideal holiday destination, offering something for everyone from beautiful beaches and wildlife encounters to exhilarating water sports and theme parks. In fact, there are so many options when it comes to choosing activities and places to visit, that it can feel impossible to narrow them down! Luckily for you, below you will find a list of our recommendations for things to do on the Gold Coast. Use these ideas to plan your trip and for inspiration for what you want to do.
If you are looking for a thrilling experience on the water with some fantastic views, then make sure to book a tour with Paradise Jet Boating. Don your lifejacket, get strapped in and prepare to experience full 360° spins, high speed drifting and incredible beach buzzing in less than 10cm of water along the unique waterways found on the Gold Coast.
This family friendly adventure offers an exciting way to see the sights of Broadwater and Moreton Bay Marine Park, including SeaWorld theme park, the mansions of Sovereign Island and the dolphins, wallabies and other animals in the protected marine park. Gold Coast Jet Boating is the perfect way to experience the wonderful region while simultaneously having lots of fun. Passenger safety is a top priority with all passengers receiving a lifejacket and guidance from the experienced drivers.
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Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced diver, the Gold Coast is a spectacular place to dive or snorkel. There are over 450 different species, mysterious ship wrecks and beautiful reefs to discover and you do not need to be an expert diver to explore them.
You simply need to join a tour with an experienced qualified PADI diver and the Queensland Diving Company offers some fantastic options. Their tours are located in the Broadwater area around the stunning Wave Break Island. This is the ideal place to learn the ropes if this is your first time, with its calm, shallow waters offering a rich variety of marine life. You will get to see plenty of different species of fish and can even hand feed them! It is an experience you will not forget in a hurry with the unique feeling of breathing underwater and floating weightlessly in an alien landscape. It’s the closest you will probably get to being in space!
The tours offered by Queensland Diving Company are suitable for children from 10 years of age and no experience is necessary. They will pick you up from your hotel and take care of all your equipment needs for a memorable day out that will include both scuba diving and snorkelling.
Despite its name the Gold Coast offers more than just gorgeous beaches. The area is also home to some wonderful rainforest where you can get up close and personal with nature.
The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is a great place to start. This protected area is an iconic site on the Gold Coast with 27 acres of rainforest with open animal enclosures allowing you to feed kangaroos, see lemurs, cotton-top tamarins, red pandas, capybaras, reptiles and even have a cuddle with a koala. There are also bird flight shows, Aboriginal performances and a hugely popular children’s play area, the Wild Island with its own miniature train line.
If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, head to the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk. Here you can walk the canopies for over 1.5km along steel bridges, including the 40m Skywalk Cantilever, in 30 acres of rainforest. It is located on Mount Tamborine beside the magical rock pools of Cedar Creek and is a fantastic way to see the local flora and fauna from a different perspective.
A family visit to the Gold Coast would not be complete without a trip to one or more of the areas renowned theme parks. From cute animal encounters to hair raising rollercoaster drops and loops, there is something for everyone at these parks and you will not be disappointed!
Warner Bros, Movie World is considered Australia’s best theme park with unique rides that you will not find anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere. This park offers a great range of things to do and something for all ages. It is home to the HyperCoaster, the longest and fastest rollercoaster in the country, ideal for the thrill seekers, the Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster Next Generation for some family fun and a daily Streets Star Parade with Looney Tunes characters and DC Universe superheroes and villains. It is a full day out and fantastic family fun.
If you are a fan of the Dreamworks films, such as Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda, then make sure to pay a visit to the Dreamworld theme park. As well as rides and shows, there is also an animal world, including Tiger Island, and Australasia’s first flying theatre, Sky Voyager.
If you would prefer a water park, you have two excellent choices – WhiteWaterWorld or Wet’N’Wild Gold Coast. Both offer a range of attractions and areas dedicated to different ages. Wet’N’Wild is the better option for a full day out with a huge wave pool, a beach, smaller water slides of the little ones and the terrifying Aqualoops that drops you through a trapdoor for a scary vertical free-fall.
There are some beautiful landscapes to enjoy along the Gold Coast and one of the best ways to appreciate them is from up high.
Clamber to the top of the Q1 building in Surfer’s Paradise on the SkyPoint external building walk and appreciate the stunning views from 270m in the air. You will don a full body suit and harness and begin your ascent from the 77th floor to the crow’s nest at the top of the structure. There will be stops along the way for you to appreciate the 360° view of the city, the coastline and the green surroundings and plenty of picture opportunities over 90 minutes (including a briefing).
If you want a slightly more relaxed experience, then consider taking a balloon flight over the Gold Coast. This is one of Australia’s most popular balloon rides and for good reason. It is a unique, romantic and unforgettable way to explore 70 km of the Gold Coast and gives you the chance to witness the magical sunrise from the best vantage point.
These are just our pick of the top things to do on the Gold Coast, there are plenty more outdoor activities and places to visit. It is a destination that never disappoints with something to offer everyone along its gorgeous coastline.
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We are Jacob and Taylor. Travel is our passion and we love sharing our experiences here at The Travelling Souk. Our hope is that you would be inspired by this little blog to try something new, embrace an adventure, and live life to the fullest.