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Queensland’s Gold Coast is Australia’s playground, with sun, surf, adventure and entertainment within a stone’s throw of each other. Its most famous beach, Surfers Paradise, is a destination in its own right and is the kind of attractive vista that beach holiday postcards are made of.Located along the state’s southeast coast, the Gold Coast covers a 57 kilometre strip of over 30 golden beaches and boasts an average of 245 days of sunshine every year. As its name suggests, its enviable waters attract the eye of surfers who travel across the world to ride its waves.
Travel away from the buzz of Surfer's Paradise and its hub of restaurants, bars and entertainment and you’ll soon discover theme parks where families can be entertained day-long and the Gold Coast Hinterland, where you can embark on walks through lush subtropical rainforest and capture views of the surrounding mountain ranges.
Compare hotel prices in Gold Coast from dozens of sites with one search
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What's there to do on the Gold Coast?
While best known for its beaches and theme parks, there's loads to do on the Gold Coast to suit any taste and traveller.
The area has some of Queensland's most luxurious resorts (hello, Palazzo Versace) to unwind at, snorkelling just offshore at Wave Break Island and plenty of waterways to explore by boat.
Travel inland from the stretches of sand and you'll hit the lush Gold Coast hinterland, where you can tour waterfalls, rainforests and natural rock pools. If you've got plenty of time to spare, consider heading down the coast to laid back Byron Bay or north toward bustling Brisbane.
Getting around the Gold Coast
If you want to see more of the 57-kilometre stretch of the Gold Coast than what's around your hotel, you'll need to hop on public transport, in a ride share or hire a car.
TransLink services the Gold Coast with trains, trams and buses. Areas that are included are Helensvale, Nerang, Robina, Varsity Lakes, Ormeau and Coomera.
Paying for transport. You need to use the electronic go card to travel on TransLink transport. Simply tap on and off and the card will automatically deduct the correct amount. You can purchase go cards at select local retailers, Queensland Rail station ticket offices or fare machines at bus stations. The minimum cost is $10. This price includes $5 for the card, which you get back when you return the card, and $5 of travel credit. You can also pay cash for transport.
Best apps for getting around. MyTransLink app can plan your journey, give you real-time It'sinformation for when transport is departing from your stop, and will find the closest stops to you. The trip announcer feature allows you to follow your journey while on-board with an audio or visual option to alert you when to get off.
Does the Gold Coast have Uber?
Yes! Ride share services Uber and Ola are both available on the Gold Coast.
Get $5 off each of your first four rides in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Geelong, Perth and Newcastle. Valid on all dates for new users. T&Cs apply.
Available on rentals from 1 February - 15 December 2021 across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Cairns, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on select flights from February - September 2021 to Launceston, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney, Uluru and more. Sample fare is Adelaide-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
Available on select flights from February - September 2021 to Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Ballina and Launceston-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
Plus get up to 19% off stays from 6 January - 30 June 2021 when you spend a minimum of $250. Destinations include Brisbane, Cairns, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Whitsundays, Townsville and more. Exclusive for Trip.com members. Membership is free. T&Cs apply.
Available on select travel dates until December 2021 to Adelaide, Hobart, Cairns, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
Available on select travel dates until December 2021 to Gold Coast, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra, Cairns, Hamilton Island and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
Jetstar sale: Australia-wide flights from $35 each way
Available on select flights from February - September 2021 to Launceston, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney, Uluru and more. Sample fare is Adelaide-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
Available on flights until 30 June 2021 to Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, Broome, Cairns and more. T&Cs apply.
Plus get up to 19% off stays from 6 January - 30 June 2021 when you spend a minimum of $250. Destinations include Brisbane, Cairns, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Whitsundays, Townsville and more. Exclusive for Trip.com members. Membership is free. T&Cs apply.
Available on flights in January 2021 to Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Darwin, Canberra, Perth and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Ballina with FlyPelican. Other airlines include Virgin Australia from $96, Qantas from $133 and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on select purchases including getaways, spas, dining experiences, skydiving, linens, online courses, electronics, accessories and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on rentals until 31 March 2021 when you book a minimum of 21 days. Destinations include Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and more.
Up to 28% off Coffs Harbour escape with wine + flights
Available for travel from 27 January - 15 December 2021. Includes return airfare, stay at The Richmond Beach Villa with private pool and late check out. Valid for 2 persons. T&Cs apply.
Up to 32% off luxurious Gold Coast getaway + flights
Available for travel from 27 January - 17 December 2021. Includes return airfare, stay at Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Gold Coast, breakfast, $100 resort credit and more. Valid for 2 persons. T&Cs apply.
Up to 17% off 5-night Gold Coast getaway with flights
Available for travel from 27 January - 16 December 2021. Package includes return airfare, stay at Q1 Resort & Spa, room upgrade, one-time SkyPoint Observation Deck access and more. Valid for 2 persons. T&Cs apply.
Available on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday pick up dates until 11 December 2021. Destinations include Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Auckland and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on rentals until 11 December 2021 across Australia and New Zealand including Sydney, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Auckland and more. Minimum of 5 days rental required. T&Cs apply.
Valid for travel on select dates in 2021 with Avis, Budget, Sixt, Europcar and more. Destinations from Gold Coast include Brisbane, Toowoomba, Lamington National Park and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on select travel dates to Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Darwin and more. Applies to bookings up to 6 persons. T&Cs apply.
Available on select dates from January - October 2021 departing from Sydney and Melbourne. Include return airfare and stay at The Shore Apartments. T&Cs apply.
Valid on select dates and adventures like quad biking, sandboarding, bridge climbing, canyoning, horse riding, abseiling, soccer training and more. Destinations include Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Canberra, Cairns and more. T&Cs apply.
Stephanie Yip is the travel editor at Finder and has been writing about travel and lifestyle for over a decade. She has written for Travel Weekly, Escape, Showpo, The Nibbler and Hostelworld. She was also the editor of kids magazine DMAG. Stephanie has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Technology Sydney and has visited 55 countries (and counting).
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