Queensland Holiday

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Queensland holiday at the beach for families and surfers

Gold Coast at a Glance Gold Coast Weather Things to Do What the Gold Coast is NOT Other Queensland Holiday options

These are some of the things that entice visitors to take their holidays in the Gold Coast.

Here are some of the reasons I love the Gold Coast…
 

Main Beach Sand
Just about as good as it gets!

The ocean beaches from Coolangatta to The Spit – the sand is just about the best there is!  There is nothing like getting out there early in the morning when the sun is coming up.  Walking, running or just playing with the kids in the sand. And Surfers Paradise wasn’t called that for nothing!  So of course there is the surf!

There are 42 patrolled Gold Coast Beaches.
Stay safe by swimming between the red and yellow flags.

 

The broadwater – I am biased, I live on the broadwater, so every morning I see the shining calm water.  It’s a place to take the younger kids for an introduction to beach life and water.  It’s great for jet skiing, water skiing, hiring a boat and just enjoying being on the water.

Ian Dipple Lagoon at Labrador is opposite The Grand Hotel.  
It is excellent for young families or
those who want to enjoy fish and chips on the beach from Charis Seafoods.

 
The hinterland – the backdrop of the volcanic hills is a great contrast to the coast.  I love seeing the coast from high up on one of the hills – the view is to die for.  It is cooler in the summer, lush and refreshing – it is a retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the coast.
 
Theme Parks – love them or hate them – they keep both the kids and adults entertained.  Sea World, Wet ‘n’ Wild, Movie World, Whitewater World and Dream World – well that’s 5 days of your holiday!
 
Places to stay – the choice of accommodation runs to over 600 in the Gold Coast region – the trick is finding the right one for you! 
 
Weather – the weather had me at “Hello”!  But it is variable and no one can guarantee what it will be like when you visit.  Generally the weather is tops!  It gets humid in the summer months, but hey that’s what the beach is for and in the winter it isn’t really cold. 
 
Us locals think it gets cold in the winter!  Here's a great winter holiday game - spot the local.  You can tell how long someone has lived on the Gold Coast by how much they are wearing – seriously!  All the visitors are in shorts and we're in longs, jackets and jumpers!
 

Different ways to view the Gold Coast.  
Rollercoaster at Movieworld, Helicopter Tour, Sea Plane Flight and Sea World Eye.
(Please note: Sea World Eye was removed in early 2008, but this photo is so great I don't want to remove it!)

Day trips and activities – you can

• watch whales in the ocean (May to November) or birds in the rainforest
• go deep sea game fishing
• visit Tangalooma (one of my personal favourites)
• drive to Byron Bay
• explore South Stradbroke Island
• tour the local hinterland wineries
• play golf
• relax in a resort spa and be pampered
• learn to surf or kite board
• cuddle a koala or feed a kangaroos and birds at Currumbin

• A place to shop till you drop – there are shops, outlet shopping and great markets.  But don’t expect it to be like Hong Kong or even Melbourne for shopping!

• A place of unparalleled dining experiences! – you can find really great places to eat, but there’s a lot of very average too.  Choose carefully – and a word of warning, what was good on the last trip may have changed ownership and could be disappointing.

• A place for arts, history and culture – there is art and culture, but we’re not talking National Gallery or Broadway here!  Brisbane has the edge on this, as do any of the other Australian cities like Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide.  As for history – the history of the Gold Coast is predominantly as a getaway for Brisbane families – the seaside town on the end of the railway!  There is a wax museum – does that count?

• The Great Barrier Reef – the Gold Coast is NOT on the Great Barrier Reef.  It's about a 7 hour drive north to the reefs most southerly point and two hours on a jet plane to Cairns the most popular launching point to the reef.

• Brisbane – a City holiday, stopover or base for Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast or Queensland holiday.

• Sunshine Coast – Laid back Noosa, Australia Zoo, Glasshouse mountains, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Caloundra.

• Whitsunday Islands – Island resorts, water sports, sailing holidays and diving.

• Hervey Bay and Fraser Island – Whales in the winter, dingos, sand 4WD tours, relaxing retreats.

• Great Barrier Reef – Cairns and Port Douglas, Rainforest and Reef Trips.

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