What are the essential ingredients for a four-day break at the beach? If I’ve ticked any of your boxes, have I got the place for you. We’re heading south from Brisbane, the car is packed, sunscreen, surf mats all on board where will be enjoying a relaxing (& hopefully fine) short holiday in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
- Location ✔️
- Sun, Surf & Sand ✔️
- Entertainment ✔️
- Food – Cafes, Restaurants, Bars & Nightlife ✔️
Why Surfers Paradise? Sometimes garish, sometimes flashy but always “the place” for a family holiday, it’s the # 1 tourist destination that is on everyone’s list when you think of holidaying on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
Surfers Paradise is a suburb of Gold Coast City, nestled between Surfers Paradise Beach and the Nerang River, with Main Beach to the north and Broadbeach to the south. Surfers Paradise is the top tourist mecca on the Gold Coast and is one of Australia’s premium holiday destinations attracting over 4 million visitors a year. With beautiful warm fine days just about all year round, I’m sure you’re thinking that this place must be very crowded with wall-to-wall people all the time.
At certain times of the year, School summer holidays, Easter break holidays, Xmas / New Year, Schoolies Week, you’d be absolutely correct. With some forward planning you can book your break that falls in between these events, where you’ll find accommodation cheaper and other discounts will be more available. Wanting a little solitude, Surfers is such a place, it is so easy to get away from the crowds entirely, with long stretches of sandy beach at your doorstep or calm canals and waterways that bound the western outskirts.
As with any holiday you need somewhere to stay, there is no option for camping and caravan parks in Surfers Paradise, the closest being Main Beach Tourist Park. Lining the esplanade, there is a huge fusion of accommodation options, from newly opened skyscrapers to numerous high-rise buildings. If you want amazing sunrises and sunsets, easy access to the beach (most only involve crossing The Esplanade and you’re there) and absolutely stunning views while sitting on your balcony with a cold glass of wine in hand, I suggest that these options are the way to go.
With so many accommodation options available it was a hard choice to make. After a lot of debate, the Mantra Sun City on the northern end of the Surfers Paradise Strip were our lodgings for the next few days. We had our two grand kids with us on this trip and while there is always plenty of sunshine on the Gold Coast you also can get the occasional wet or windy day. The beach under these circumstances can be a very unpleasant place, sightseeing or shopping not on the agenda yet – with a stack of inhouse attractions The Mantra was perfect.
With three pools (one indoor heated pool), you’ve got to experience the water slide, BBQ’s, Sauna Gymnasium, and entertainment areas you get all this set amongst lush tropical gardens only a stone’s throw from the beach and G:link Light Rail (Tram). There are several unit configuration options to choose from with most offering Ocean or Hinterland views, and free undercover parking if you have brought the car.
Surfers Paradise is just one of those places where you can do a little or pack something into every hour of the day. If you prefer to explore further afield it’s a home base to many more tourist destinations or leave the car and take a walk, the best of the Gold Coast is right on your doorstep.
🔥Tip – Surf Safety
👍Always swim at patrolled beaches and bathe between the flags.
👍Follow all lifeguard instructions
👍Check the beach safety signs in conjunction with any Life savers that are on patrol. These signs will give you a “heads up” on the current water conditions and any nasty marine life that might be in the area.
👍Bring towels, sunscreen, water and a hat, even on the mildest of Queensland days, you can easily get sunburnt in the Australian sun.
We’ve come here for the sun, surf & sand, with perfect weather and a slight ocean swell rolling in, absolutely spot on for us “learner surfies” we hit the beach for the morning. As with a lot of High-Rise units in Surfers Paradise, a quick crossing of the Esplanade from your accommodation and the beach is then yours to explore. Hours and hours of fun catching waves, building sandcastles on the shoreline only to watch them disappear under the white water of an incoming tide. Take a walk along the white sandy beach stretching from horizon to horizon, it’s not long before the crowds disappear, discover new vistas, maybe a local fisherman waiting patiently for a bite, or just take in the solitude only being interrupted by fellow “beach bums” taking their daily sabbatical.
When it comes time to eating, Surfers Paradise is full of cafes, restaurants, bars, and takeaways. You can make for the beach for an early morning dip, then head back for a hearty breakfast at one of the several eateries that are scattered along the esplanade and Cavill Avenue precinct. Lunch or dinner, or just a coffee, there are any number of options available. We found Sandbars on the waterfront, great food, competitive prices, and the views – sensational, they came for free with our order. 🔥Tip: I love Eggs Benedict and a Coffee for breakfast, that’s what I ordered on a number of visits to Sandbars, I can assure you both were totally delicious.
If dinner and a night out on the town are in order, then the Surfers nightclub district has you covered. Make tracks to Cavill Avenue, Orchid Av, and along the Gold Coast Highway there’s plenty of venues where you can dance the night away. If the clubs aren’t your go to destination for a night out don’t get all melancholy, head to the Surfers Esplanade where the street comes alive every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday nights (4-9pm) with the Beachfront Markets. Since 1995 these markets have become an iconic destination for locals and tourists, featuring a huge range of fresh produce, gourmet goodies, handmade merchandise, Australian goods and so much more.
Cavill Mall – Shopping 
Cavill Mall For Shopping 
Paradise Centre – Shopping
The 300 days of sunshine can be interrupted by a few rainy days, but don’t despair, there is always so much more to see outside if the weather turns a bit nasty. Surfers has plenty of shopping retail outlets to keep you occupied for hours, centred around the Cavill Mall and Paradise Centre. The Gold Coast is also home to some of Australia’s most popular theme parks. Thrilling rides, giant wave pools, family entertainment, getting up close with polar bears and tigers when you visit Dreamworld, Wet “n” Wild, Warner Bros Movie World and SeaWorld + more.
The time has come after all that beach and shopping, you need to explore further afield and take a day trip to further investigate the Gold Coast region. Getting around is so easy (you can walk) or as we did, or jump onboard one of the Gold Coast’s latest attractions – G:link Light Rail (Tram).
👀 at this for a day trip. From Surfers head south to Broadbeach, it has a totally different vibe to its neighbor. You’ll find the Star Casino, beautiful beaches, cafes, Pacific Fair shopping, the Surf Club is a worthwhile spot to drop into for a cold beer and a meal. We’re back on the tram, tracking North, our journey will take us all the way to Helensvale winding our way past parklands and Gold Coast suburbs with numerous stops along the way. You can hop off at any one of these locations and check out the scenery, EG: Get off at Helensvale and catch the connecting buses to the Theme Parks or the Broadwater Parklands stop where you can enjoy a picnic under many shaded trees, wander along kilometres of waterside pathways, the kids will love the playgrounds and enclosed swimming areas, then grab some coffee, food and drinks from a number of takeaways and restaurants.
You’ll need to get a ticket or better still purchase a Translink Go Card or Go Explore Gold Coast Card to travel on the G:link. The Go Explore Card is one of the easiest ways for visitors to get around the Gold Coast offering unlimited one day Translink Gold Coast bus and tram travel. You can purchase these on-line, selected retailers, hotel receptions, tourist information centres and Translink Information kiosks located in the Cavill Mall. 🔥Tip: Translink – Click on the link for Go Explore, Go Card and Translink travel information.
Things To Do On The Gold Coast / Surfers Paradise
- G:link Light Rail
- Shopping
- Theme Parks (Dreamworld, Movie World, Sea World, Wet ‘n’ Wild)
- Shopping
- Pacific Fare & Harbour Town Shopping Centres
- Fishing
- Boat Cruises
- Surfboard Lessons
- The Star Casino (Broadbeach)
- Q1 Observation Deck (Surfers Paradise)
Surfers Paradise is the heart of the Gold Coast and a great place for a day trip or extended beach holiday for families and singles. Loads of shopping, restaurants, food outlets, tourist attractions and nightclubs can be found throughout the precinct and is definitely a must-see destination. Plan ahead, Surfers can be extremely busy on hot summer days and other peak times of the year. The way you spend your time, be it relaxing on the beach or around a pool, heading out for a day of exploring, the choice is yours, with the convenience of everything at your fingertips you won’t have to start the car until you leave. Add a beautiful sub-tropical climate with around 300 days of sunshine per year, Surfers Paradise is the holiday hot spot for Fun, Sun, and Surf any time of the year.
Extra Holiday Information: Their is a lot more to Surfers and the Gold Coast than Sun, Surf & Sand. Surfers is a great place to base yourself, from here we have enjoyed local attractions, the fun and excitement of the Theme Parks that are to the north. Behind the Coast is the magnificent Hinterland locally named The Green Behind The Gold with a huge range of attractions , home grown coffee plantations, car museums, rain forest tree top walks, Botanic Gardens, Mt Tamborine Gallery Walk, and superb views from some amazing lookouts.
Click on the links below for all your extra information. 🔥Tip: HOTA (Home Of The Arts), easily accessed from Surfers Paradise, a 2.1km 27 minute walk via Chevron Island and the HOTA Green Bridge is well worth a visit.
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