The Ultimate Travel Guide to Gold Coast: A Complete Itinerary
Known for amazing weather all year round with 300 days of sunshine, the Gold Coast has long been one of Australia’s premier travel destinations, even for Australians.
With stunning hillside coastal treks, endless waves to surf on, and a host of great cafes and restaurants; if you’re in Queensland, you should absolutely visit this bit of the state— which provides a different ‘typical Aussie city experience’ you’ll find in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth or Melbourne.
Read: Must Visit Places in Brisbane— The Full City Guide!
Read: Places to Visit in Melbourne— The Ultimate Travel Guide
Not forgetting it’s a wonderful base to travel up to Sunshine Coast or even into New South Wales’ hippie beach town haven of Byron Bay, the Gold Coast has plenty to offer a visitor.
In this guide, you’ll find a decent amount of ‘city life’ but this is definitely an area best suited for the outdoors!
Day 1 - Surfer’s Paradise
If you’re staying anywhere in Gold Coast, you’ll likely find yourself on Surfer’s Paradise, as that’s where most of the mainstream hotel brands are located. Mind, travelling in Australia isn’t cheap, and especially not on Gold Coast, but if you’re looking for a decently priced hotel, I thought voco was really great value for the convenience, location and accessibility.
Being completely honest though, the Southern part of Gold Coast was more my style, it’s a bit younger, more fun yet easygoing, and with truly stunning beaches and scenic lookouts. I’ll get to them below but here’s what there is to do in Surfer’s Paradise.
SkyPoint Observation Deck
If you fancy getting a bird’s eye view of the coast, SkyPoint Observation Deck has to be one of the most famous landmarks on the coast.
Highly recommended would be to arrive just for the sunset.
Currently, one day tickets cost AUD29 for entry to the Observation Deck.
While the notion of it is nice, this feels like something I would visit in a place like Dubai or New York City.
And as aforementioned, there are quite a lot of natural scenic lookout points along the coast with beautiful views of the skyline (for free!), which I vastly preferred.
WHERE | LEVEL 77, Q1 BUILDING/9 HAMILTON AVE, SURFERS PARADISE
Surfer’s Paradise Beachfront Markets
It certainly won’t be Australia without a farmer’s market.
Happening every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night from 4pm to 9pm, you’ll see a range of stalls selling your typical market fare like soaps, drinks, clothing, handmade wares and other local goods.
It definitely gets quite crowded here, but the selection of stalls do feel a smidge touristy.
WHERE | THE FORESHORE, SURFERS PARADISE
HOTA, Home of the Arts
Perhaps a little unconventional for GC, but definitely something to do if you enjoy a cultured day out or museums— or if it’s raining, head to HOTA aka Home of the Arts.
They often have different exhibitions ongoing in this multi-storey compound, and as a performing arts venue, they do also have gigs you can check out from time to time.
Head to their website to find out what’s on.
On level 5, you’ll find a viewing terrace.
While it won’t be as high up as what you’ll get from the SkyPoint Observation Deck, this one’s completely free!
And if you’re looking for a bustling market, there’s one right here at HOTA every Sunday from 6am to 11:30am.
The market grounds here are huge, and truly draws in a large crowd.
With plenty of market stalls and food trucks selling street food from all around the world, from Japanese to French to Greek, I much preferred the vibe and selection of these markets compared to the one at Surfers Paradise Beachfront.
WHERE | 135 BUNDALL RD, SURFERS PARADISE
Day 2 - Burleigh, Miami & Broadbeach
Burleigh Head National Park
Next, begin your morning bright and early at Burleigh Head National Park.
Head up the easy hiking trail from Burleigh Hill and up to Tumgun Lookout, where you’ll find a stunning view of the surrounds seen above.
Hiking trails here are, as ever, exceptionally maintained and well-demarcated, with plenty of rest stops and beautiful views.
WHERE | GOODWIN TERRACE, BURLEIGH HEADS
Tarte Bakery & Cafe
After working up a sweat, head back into town for breakfast at Tarte Bakery & Cafe.
If I could choose any area to live in along the Gold Coast, I definitely wouldn’t be far from Burleigh.
The town has a laidback, coastal beach bum vibe not unlike the famed Byron Bay, and Tarte Bakery has to be one of the most popular places here in Burleigh if the weekend crowds are anything to go by.
While you might have to wait a bit for a table, service is usually quite quick so turnaround is no issue.
Though it should be mentioned that there isn’t a queue system of sorts, so there’ll be quite a few parties standing around waiting for a table as well— and whoever gets one first is purely down to luck if it’s near where you’re waiting.
I thoroughly enjoyed the bakes here.
WHERE | 1748 GOLD COAST HWY, BURLEIGH HEADS
Burleigh Market
If you’re in town on a Saturday, be sure to head over to Burleigh Heads State School, just across the road from Tarte Bakery, for the Burleigh Farmer’s Market.
Open from 7am to 12pm, this is a Burleigh must-do.
Free parking is available on the school grounds, and there’s a nice mix of retail and F&B, though I would say this has more of an emphasis on fresh produce to take home rather than a street food market like the one at HOTA.
WHERE | BURLEIGH HEADS STATE SCHOOL, LOWER GOLD COAST HWY, CORNER OF WEST BURLEIGH RD
Social Brew
After exploring the grounds of the market, you might want something heavier for lunch.
Head back into town and brunch at Social Brew, another very popular cafe along James St.
WHERE | 34-36 JAMES ST, BURLEIGH HEADS
Currumbin Rock Pools
Drive about 20 minutes out of Burleigh down south to Currumbin Rock Pools, an incredibly popular outpost for families and groups of friends, so expect this swimming spot to be busy!
It’s a great place for a swim to get some respite from the afternoon heat, as the beautiful emerald green of the pools glisten in the sunshine.
Decent amount of parking, but it does get quite full on the weekends.
Another thing to note is that phone reception here was really spotty. It might be nice for some to ‘switch off from digital life,’ but for a tourist relying on Google Maps it can get a little annoying.
So load up your maps in and out before you go just in case!
WHERE | CURRUMBIN CREEK RD, CURRUMBIN VALLEY
Point Danger and Snapper Rocks
If you’ve spent all afternoon at the Currumbin Rock Pools, you might want somewhere beautiful to enjoy the sunset.
And you certainly can’t go wrong with Point Danger, an elevated lookout point with sweeping ocean views, right on the border of Queensland and New South Wales.
From Point Danger, you can easily take in the sunset by going on a coastal walk towards Snapper Rocks and Rainbow Bay.
WHERE | TWEED TERRACE / SNAPPER ROCKS RD, COOLANGATTA
Miami Marketta
In town on Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday?
You won’t want to miss Miami Marketta, a drive back up north on the coast.
This night market offers a nice selection of street food!
The vibes here are quite lovely, and the crowds actually add to the atmosphere here. There’s live music too, but that seemed to be ticketed in a small theatre behind closed doors.
Because it’s so busy though, parking here might be a bit of a challenge.
I had to circle round the streets for a few minutes before I could find a spot.
WHERE | 23 HILLCREST PARADE, MIAMI
Hail Mary
If your Gold Coast visit doesn’t tie in with the days of the Miami Marketta, you will never have to worry about going hungry.
If you’d like to spend a bit more time in Burleigh, Hail Mary is a very popular Mexican restaurant washed in shades of pink.
This vibrant interior brings to mind the best of Mexican cantinas, and is definitely a nice place to wind down for the night.
WHERE | 26 JAMES ST, BURLEIGH HEADS
Day 3 - Springbrook National Park
The Milkman’s Daughter
While this day might be more focused on going inland to enjoy some trekking and hiking, you might want to fuel up at a cafe along the Gold Coast Highway, and opening bright and early at 7am daily is The Milkman’s Daughter at Mermaid Beach.
One of the most aesthetically pleasing cafes in GC, this place is known to be great for vegetarians.
The menu is also interesting enough to provide a different take on your usual brunch staples.
The Charcoal Vanilla Iced Latte was certainly interesting, and didn’t taste that smokey, and you can even find things like Mango Tacos on the food menu.
WHERE | 2/43 ALFRED ST, MERMAID BEACH
Twin Falls (Springbrook National Park)
If there’s one thing about the Gold Coast, it’s that it’s not entirely about bumming around on a beach.
Drive inland and you’ll find there are many national parks and hiking trails to discover, and one of the easiest and most popular has to be Twin Falls.
There are two hiking trails at Twin Falls (you start at either the Tallanbana picnic area or the Canyon lookout), and they’ll pass behind two waterfalls.
The first bit of the trail is relatively flat and easy, but once you start to descend down towards the waterfall, it does get quite steep.
You can either choose the 4km or 16km hiking trail.
WHERE | 2761 SPRINGBROOK RD, SPRINGBROOK (TALLANBANA PICNIC AREA)
Canyon Lookout
A short drive away from the carpark of Tallanbana Picnic Area is Canyon Lookout, a lovely lookout with sweeping views of the rainforest, as well as the falls from a distance.
On a clear day, you can even see out to the Gold Coast city skyline and the shore.
WHERE | CANYON PARADE, SPRINGBROOK
Purling Brook Falls
If you’re up for another hike, the Purling Brook Falls circuit will take around 2 hours or less.
The track is a 4km loop, but you can zip straight to the lookouts for the Falls as well.
Many also recommend to do the circuit clockwise as there are more stairs on the come up anti-clockwise.
WHERE | FORESTRY RD, SPRINGBROOK
Fig and Frankie’s
After a big day at Springbrook National Park, head back towards the coast and wind down at Fig and Frankie’s for dinner.
A beautiful restaurant located at Broadbeach, parking can be quite scarce around these streets as it does get busy in town.
Tucked away in a little alley, Fig and Frankie’s is an unassuming joint with tapas-style sharing dishes.
Prices are relatively expensive considering the portion sizes, but the food here was genuinely beautiful and I enjoyed all the dishes we had.
WHERE | 4/2707 GOLD COAST HWY, BROADBEACH
Day 4 - Mt Tamborine
Palm Springs Burleigh
It’ll be another day of driving out of the main strip inland to the mountains, so stop by Palm Springs Burleigh to get a heavy brekkie before your mountain hikes.
Palm Springs Burleigh is a truly stunning cafe located along the Gold Coast Highway.
With soothing shades of sage and lime green in the stunning all-white interior, Palm Springs takes inspiration from the typical Americana aesthetic, thus making it look like an oasis in a desert— transporting one out of Australia for a minute.
They do actually have limited parking on site below the café, but you’ll find cars parked all along the streets around so finding a lot shouldn’t be much of an issue.
Expect the usual Aussie brunch favourites here on the menu.
WHERE | 1878 GOLD COAST HWY, BURLEIGH HEADS
Curtis Falls Walking Track (Mt Tamborine)
Head into the mountains and begin your hike with the Curtis Falls Walking Track.
It’s a short and easy 30 minute trek through the foliage to get down to Curtis Falls.
Mind, if you’re going just after the rain, it does get very muddy so bring appropriate shoes.
WHERE | 14-18 DAPSANG DR, EAGLE HEIGHTS
Tamborine Mountain State School Markets
Around on the last Sunday of a month?
You might want to check out Mt Tamborine’s very own farmer’s market.
Find up to 125 stalls selling all the usual suspects, as well as live music to enjoy.
The markets open from 7am to 1pm, but do check their socials before going to ensure they’re open.
WHERE | CORNER OF LONG ROAD AND CURTIS ROAD, TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
Gallery Walk
If you’re not able to time your visit to market day, you can always pop over to Gallery Walk, a thoroughfare with over 70 specialty shops located all along Long Rd.
This is the place to go to if you’re looking to buy souvenirs.
Of particular interest, though touristy, include Fudge Heaven (a humble fudge store, but Granny Macs Confectionary Store just down the road is rated higher by visitors), as well as the German Cuckoo Clock Nest, with architecture that looks like it was plucked directly from a German village.
There are also quite a few cafes and restaurants here so take your pick and enjoy a leisurely lunch in the mountains while you’re at it.
WHERE | LONG RD, TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
Glow Worm Caves
This may not be up everyone’s alley, but it is one of Mt Tamborine’s most popular tourist attractions.
The Glow Worm Cave was set up to protect the local species of glow worms, due to climate change and human impact decreasing the rainforest habitats in Australia.
Currently, tours cost AUD17 for an adult.
WHERE | CEDAR CREEK ESTATE, 104-144 HARTLEY RD
Visit Wineries
While Queensland may not be the most reputed region for wine growing, Mt Tamborine is an easy alternative near Brisbane/Gold Coast as compared to the Granite Belt.
Some of the top rated wineries in this region include Witches Falls Winery and Hampton Estate Wines.
If you’re more into spirits, you can check out Tamborine Mountain Distillery.
WHERE | VARIOUS LOCATIONS
Hang Glider Launch and Lookout
Be sure to head to Hang Glider Launch and Lookout for a stunning view of the sunset.
This spot in particular offers sweeping views of the rolling hills further afield, and there’s nowhere you can find such an unobstructed vantage point than from this elevated lookout.
Like the name states, here’s where you can also spot paragliders.
WHERE | 294-298 MAIN WESTERN RD, TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
Frida Sol
At the end of the day, head back into town to Frida Sol for another night of Mexican for dinner.
There’s a great atmosphere here, and cocktails and tacos here are fantastic.
WHERE | 1176 GOLD COAST HWY, PALM BEACH
Day 5 and Beyond
Of course, you might very well end up spending a lot more time on the Gold Coast just soaking up the rays and enjoying the sunsets.
Something else I particularly loved was Tallebudgera Beach, a little white sand beach at the end of the creek.
It’s truly beautiful, and very peaceful.
If you find yourself trapped in bad weather, you might want to head to Pacific Fair, known by Aussies as Pac Fair— a huge shopping mall featuring all the big international brands.
Honestly, as someone who grew up in a country of endless malls, shopping malls generally don’t interest me when I travel.
But I did find Pac Fair to be a beautiful mall in terms of architecture.
The beautiful retail shopfronts combined with some very liveable spaces to relax and chill, like lounge chairs in the sunshine were impressive.
Other bakeries and cafes I would recommend in GC include Custard Canteen (known for their Portuguese custard tarts), Paddock Bakery and Common Ground at Burleigh Heads, Goya and No Name Lane Cafe & Bar at Broadbeach.
If you’re looking to get out of GC, Brisbane is just an hour away by car, though I’d recommend spending at least 2 nights in Brisbane to make the most of it rather than a rushed day trip.
Read: Must Visit Places in Brisbane— The Full City Guide!
Read: Most Instagram-Worthy Cafes in Brisbane
Further up north includes Sunshine Coast and Noosa, which I throroughly enjoyed as well on a day trip.
If not, you can always head to the hippie haven of Byron Bay, also about an hour drive down south across the border in New South Wales. Byron Bay can also be easily done in a day.
