According to Tourism Research Australia, more than 13 million visitors travelled to the Gold Coast last year – and four million of them were domestic visitors staying the night or longer. The latter figure is an eight per cent increase on the previous year. The city is no secret but, each year, more people are discovering and enjoying its attractions.
The Gold Coast is one of Australia’s leading family destinations and offers something for every family: from exhilarating times at theme parks or lazy days enjoying world class beaches to entertainment venues in Surfers Paradise or nature adventures in the hinterland.
Don’t let the number of visitors stop you staying at the Gold Coast: the large city is accustomed to catering for a large tourist population and offers attractions aplenty at every point along its 65km length. The city is not afflicted by the traffic common in the capitals and the recently finished light rail system running from Helensvale to Broadbeach makes it easier than ever to get around.
Elite Holiday Homes’ Gold Coast portfolio features incredible holiday homes in sought after locations in the city, including Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach, Miami and Burleigh. With five to ten generous bedrooms in every home and a range of features including large indoor and outdoor living spaces, gourmet kitchens and entertainment rooms, Elite Holiday Homes are perfect for any family. Then My Holiday Concierge can also offer guests in-house dining and catering, transfers and car hire, equipment hire, housekeeping and nanny services, tours and attractions, and celebrations. You won’t even have to leave the house unless you want to!
However, the Gold Coast does offer plenty of reasons to get outdoors. Here are the top five places your family has to try this school holidays:
1. Theme Parks
Dreamworld and Warner Brothers’ trio of Movie World, Sea World and Wet ‘n’ Wild are nationally recognised fun parks. They include a range of attractions suitable for any age family: from the stomach-churning Giant Drop at Dreamworld or Movie World’s Hypercoaster for teenagers to the low-key Calypso Beach at Wet ‘n’ Wild or the dolphin show at Sea World to delight the little ones.
There are also a series of other smaller theme parks on the Gold Coast. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary provides an excellent opportunity for your children to get up close to a range of native Australian wildlife, including koalas, platypuses, wombats, emus, dingoes, Tasmanian devils and much more. The Australian Outback Spectacular presents stories about the history of Australia in an engaging show with song, horses and even a helicopter, all while guests enjoy a three-course meal. The nearby Paradise Country offers an Australian farm experience where families can see native Australian favourites and enjoy a range of experiences, including sheep shearing and a ram parade, boomerang throwing and whip cracking.
Most of the city’s theme parks are around Helensvale and Coomera, and can be accessed by hire car, a combination of bus and light rail or through transfer by My Holiday Concierge. Eutopia and La Luna are the closest homes to Sea World, which is located on The Spit, while most Elite Holiday Homes are near the light rail line.
2. Hinterland
The Gold Coast Hinterland offers a wide range of hiking trails featuring vantage points that offer incredible views. The pristine Numinbah Valley and Lamington National Park are a short drive from the city, while Mount Springbrook’s enchanting waterfalls are about three quarters of an hour away by road. For older families, or those wanting something more difficult, Mount Warning presents a fitting challenge.
Mount Tamborine is one of the hinterland’s most popular spots. Its quaint village offers boutiques and food and beverage outlets with quality local produce, while Thunderbird Park and its thundereggs are sure to be a hit with young children. The older ones are sure to enjoy a range of high ropes challenges and zipline courses zigzagging across the forested slopes.
House in the Sky, situated in Tallai, is the closest Elite Holiday Home to the hinterland’s attractions. This home features multiple outdoor entertainment areas offering incredible views of the Gold Coast, a private cinema and games room with adjoining bar, a playground and tree house for children, and modern conveniences like air conditioning throughout.
3. Gold Coast beaches
The city’s beaches are continually rated among the best in Australia. In this year’s Tourism Australia Top 20, Burleigh Heads Beach achieved national recognition by coming in at number five.
Burleigh Heads is a great spot for surfing, and local surf schools can give families their first taste riding waves or a quick refresher course. Tallebudgera Creek, just down the road, is a perfect spot for the less extreme stand up paddle boarding, kayaking or canoeing.
Point Break is situated just steps from Burleigh Beach, elevated on Burleigh Hill, with multiple outdoor areas offering incredible ocean views. The Elite Holiday home has five bedrooms, a pool, pool table and table tennis table, along with a galley style kitchen.
And don’t forget that surfboards, kayaks and stand up paddle boards are all available for hire through My Holiday Concierge!
4. Gold Coast Broadwater
Main Beach’s Broadwater is the Gold Coast’s marine playground. A sheltered area near where the Nerang River meets the ocean, a whole series of operators offer water sports opportunities over the vast areas.
Families who love to get their adrenaline racing can try jet boating, jet skiing, fly boarding or parasailing on the Broadwater area, while operators also take people out scuba diving at Wavebreak Island, where the Broadwater meets the ocean. Of course, families can also hire a boat and spend the day on the Broadwater without guidance, or go for a swim at the Broadwater parklands.
Eutopia and La Luna are the closest Elite Holiday Homes and are only few minutes from the Broadwater by car. The 10-bedroom Eutopia is perfect for a large family – or one with family friends – as it includes a gourmet kitchen, cinema room, pool, entertainment room, and multiple outdoor living areas. La Luna has six bedrooms, also with multiple living areas, indoor and outdoor kitchens, a swimming pool and a fireplace.
5. Surfers Paradise
Surfers Paradise is the home of activity-based fun on the Gold Coast. Families can enjoy video gaming fun or laser hunt at Timezone, try sky diving in a safe environment with the new indoor sky diving attraction, or walk through mind-bending corridors and mirror halls at Infinity. Or there’s ten pin bowling at the Paradise Centre and Circle on Cavill.
Visits to all these sites can be arranged using My Holiday Concierge, a service available to Elite Holiday Home guests designed to make life easier and help maximise their time enjoying their holiday. Main River Magic is the closest Elite Holiday Home to the Surfers Paradise attractions, within walking distance from Cavill Mall. The home features a swimming pool, entertainment room, theatre room, multiple living areas and a jetty that can be utilised for fishing.
To see check the availability of Elite Holiday Home properties, click here.
For more information about Elite Holiday Homes or My Holiday Concierge, you can contact us today on +61 7 5592 3881 or info@eliteholidayhomes.com.au.