The Gold Coast
The region has a reputation as one of the best places for nightlife in the whole of Australia, but it has much more than this to offer.
As well as its glamour, the Gold Coast is a mixture of fantastic theme parks, brilliant beaches and hidden rural delights.
Sitting just over the Queensland border and a short drive south of Brisbane, during the day the Gold Coast is perhaps most famous for its superb theme park attractions and stomach churning roller-coasters.
Parks like Dream World, Wet and Wild, Sea World and Movie World – which cost between $40 and $65 dollars to enter – are all very popular summer stops, but the fantastic Queensland climate means they are well worth a visit the whole year through.
The parks are all conveniently located a short distance from each other which means you won’t need to be travelling for hours on end between visits.
The Gold Coast is also noted for its beach culture and is renowned as one of the world’s top surfing spots.
There are scores of surf shops that line the coast if you want to hire a board for the day, and for complete beginners there are surf schools to help you learn the sport.
While parts of the Gold Coast are choc-full of adventure parks, shopping centres and nightclubs, the region also has its hidden rural delights, where you can get away from the city living and enjoy a taste of ‘real’ Australia.
For example, Tamborine Mountain, which is just a few kilometres from the Gold Coast, is a 552m plateau on the northern side of the McPherson Range.
You could quite happily spend days walking around and never get bored of its beautiful waterfalls and lookout points.
Springbrook National Park is the remnants of a huge volcano, and again is a place of unbelievably picturesque scenery.
Surfers Paradise
The flagship suburb of the Gold Coast is Surfers Paradise.
This is one of the top tourist destinations in all of Australia and offers the perfect hybrid between city living and beach life.
Surfers’ vast array of magnificent skyscrapers line some of the country’s best beaches, meaning there is something for everybody, whether it’s the hedonism of a vibrant city or just a few days enjoying the surf.
This is a place of non-stop action, close to all the major theme parks and attractions the Gold Coast is famous for, and full to the brim of top shopping and dining spots.
Ironically, despite the name, Surfers isn’t necessarily the best place in the country to be catching waves. In fact, thanks to the gentle swells, it’s an ideal place for beginners trying it out for the first time.
The beach and the weather mean that this is an ideal location for topping up the tan (safely, of course), taking a refreshing dip in the ocean and maybe even sleeping off hangovers in the sun.
The city is packed with winding streets, all lined with alfresco restaurants and some top bars.
Known as Australia’s playground, Surfers certainly has a reputation as one of the best cities for nightlife in the country, and after a night out there it is easy to see why. There are countless numbers of clubs and pubs that run around the clock, with brilliant live music and some of Australia’s best DJs.
There is always plenty going on in Surfers, with the Indy Races held every October, the Quicksilver Pro-Surfing Competition and the Surf Life Saving Championships.
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