So you’re planning a trip to the Gold Coast? Don’t be a sucker, get in the know.

When travelling I know there is just nothing that compare to local knowledge. So as a born and raised Gold Coaster I thought I would shed some light on the best of the Gold Coast. Let me help you escape the dodgy tourist traps.

Burleigh Sunrise

Don’t go to Surfer’s Paradise

You’ve probably got some kind of romanticised idea of Surfer’s Paradise… a paradise, for surfers. Don’ t do it!

You should know that it is common knowledge amongst locals that Surfer’s Paradise (or Surfer’s) is the place where we contain all the tourists. We send them there because we want the best parts to ourselves. If you want to experience the Gold Coast for all its glory then stay clear of Surfers. I don’t know if I’ll get evicted for letting this one out of the bag… hopefully not.

Don’t get me wrong, Surfer’s is great if you are limited on transport, love the night life and don’t mind a mediocre beach. Some just don’t know better. But if you want to avoid the tacky meter maids and club advocates hounding you every three steps then you might want to consider somewhere outside of Surfer’s.

 

Hire a Car

Ok, I’ll admit it, the idyllic Gold Coast has a flaw- our Public Transport. It is hard going if you want to get around seeing the best of the Gold Coast without a car. Everything is very spread out and it can be frustrating messing around with busses. Slowly we are making improvements with the light rail but that really only helps if you want to go from Surfer’s to either the University Hospital or the Shops… which I’m guessing not. So if you can road trip it to the Gold Coast, then great, otherwise a hire car might be a grand idea.

 

Beaches

If you ask most locals the best beach to be seen at is Burleigh Beach. Burleigh has developed its own culture and is quite the place to be at the moment. The best way to enjoy Burleigh is an afternoon session on the hill. This is where you’ll find the hipsters, beach bums and active junkies with their foodie approved picnics, cold beverage in hand watching the sun go down with a couple of mates. If you’re not organised enough to BYO then there is more than enough food options if you go wondering down James Street or Justin Lane. (Stay tuned for more on Burleigh Eats)

Burleigh Headland

If you want to get barrelled and give surfing a crack, then Currumbin Ally is the place for you. Currumbin Ally is known for its beginner friendly waves and isn’t bad to look at either.  Become a ‘grom’ and book in a surfing lesson or head across to Currumbin Creek to hire a Stand Up Paddleboard (or SUP). You can also walk across to Elephant Rock which is famous for its Anzac Day Service or take a stroll during the SWELL sculpture festival in September. While you’re around, it would be a crime to miss out on an Acai Bowl from Salt Mill to fuel all the activities. (Stay tuned for my top Acai Recommendations)

The Salt Mill Currumbin-Photo courtesy of Local Search

The last beach I would have to recommend, that is a little more visitor friendly is Coolangatta Beach or Cooly as per local slang. Cooly has a lot going for it all in the one place and is super close to the Gold Coast Airport too. Walk along the beach up to Kirra or all the way down to Duran Bar (D Bah) and you might be able to find a piece of beach that isn’t so crowed. Plus your right on the border of New South Wales so you can also do the novelty ‘I’m in two places at once’ photo op at Point Danger, just a 30 min dawdle away. You can learn to surf at Greenmount or watch the Surfing Legends at the Quicksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks. There are plenty of places to eat as well as activities to amuse the kids like Time zone or the Cinemas.

Eagle Lookout, Coolangatta

Theme Parks

Yes, I grew up on the Gold Coast, the home of all the worlds; Dreamworld, Movie world, Sea world and Wet and Wild. I get it. I’m super blessed. Growing up we really did take advantage of this fact. We would get annual passes so that we could go whenever we want, usually in an attempt to avoid the 2hour wait for rides. Each park is great and always has something new and improved. So I guess to pick the right one for you, you really need to consider what you’re after.

Dreamworld–  Dreamworld really is a place of dreams. That is if you dream of thrill rides. I personally think that Dream world is the theme park for the ride addict. You’ve got The Claw, Tower of Terror, Buzzsaw, Wipeout and Giant Drop to name a view. Dreamworld also has its own version of a water park; Whitewater World.  I haven’t been myself but it seems to have most of the things you’d want in a water park.

Movie World– If you’re a bit of a movie buff and its Batman or Superman that you want to meet then this is your park. This one also has its fair share of thrill rides in addition to shows and entertainment. Movie World also does specialty events like White Christmas and has parades that everyone can enjoy. My tip is to make sure everyone goes on the Scooby doo Coaster- it’s the best!

Sea World– Easy, if you like dolphins then this is the one for you. It really is that simple. Sea World has an amazing array of sea life that you can experience in their shows or more personally. I went swimming with the dolphins when I was younger (cause I was a bit of a dolphin fanatic) which was pretty sweet. This park might be more suited for the little ones too.

Wet and Wild– Do you want to get wet? Do you want to go wild? Yes? Then go to Wet and Wild. Yep, you will get wet and if you take kids (or big adult kids) they will run around like wild. Don’t worry though, for those less inclined to go wild you have Calypso Bay; where you basically relax on a tube and do laps of the park, brilliant.

 

Cafe Culture

My last recommendation to truly experience all the Coast has to offer is to do a cafe crawl or Brunch (or multiple brunches). Gold Coasters are big coffee snobs. Now I don’t know if that makes us a little ADHD cause we also love cafe jumping. There are SO SO SO many places to choose from and you could try a new place every day. Find the hippest place near you and get some smashed avo in ya! They will most likely rip you off; because let’s face it avocado on toast shouldn’t cost $16, but when on holidays….

Smashed Avo, Griffith Street Lager

So come and enjoy! Hope you love it like a local!