5 Things to Do in Gold Coast
What is the best time to visit Gold Coast?
Gold Coast is incredible to visit almost any time of the year, with its 300 days of annual sunshine guaranteeing plenty of sun, sand, and sea all year round.
However, there are two main seasons – December to February, when the Aussie summer kicks in, although humidity might be a tad bit high for some folks, and there’ll be rainfall too.
And the other season is May to October – think of gloriously warm weather that isn’t too hot, ideal for beach bumming, boat, and outdoor activities.
Getting to Gold Coast
Flights aside, getting to Gold Coast from the rest of Australia is easy. Train travel is always a great option. The only train running directly into Gold Coast is from Brisbane.
If you are from Sydney, hop on a train to Roma Street Station in Brisbane, and take the direct train to Gold Coast. There’s also the Tilt Train to Roma Street Station for those arriving from northern Queensland.
Plus, there are services from Cairns, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane for long-distance bus rides.
Travellers who prefer road trips can expect drive times of 21 hours from Melbourne, 10 hours from Sydney, 1.5 hours from Brisbane, 15 hours from Canberra, and a whopping 48 hours from Perth.
Awesome non-theme park things to do in Gold Coast
Glowworm caves tour
Hot air balloon flight
Tweed River cruise
Wildflower Distillery gin tour
Lamington National Park
Like bread and butter, or chicken and rice, the Gold Coast and theme parks are a match made in heaven. With parks like Dreamworld and Movie World to choose from, travellers are spoilt for choice here.
And any Singaporean looking for what to do in Gold Coast will have their Google search engine peppered with results of tickets and multi-day passes of theme parks to visit.
But if you’ve covered everything already and would like to see Goldie in a different light, here are some epic adventures for you to embark on:
1. Go on a glowworm caves tour
Give your holiday the ultimate glow-up with a glowworm tour in the vast expanse of Springbrook National Park.
Beyond the spectacular waterfalls, lush rainforests, and ancient trees, you’ll find caves with tiny larvae lighting up the dark, creating a breathtaking galaxy of light in the cave’s otherwise rugged interior, an alien-like spectacle reminiscent of the world of Pandora from Avatar.
2. Ride a hot air balloon in Gold Coast
Who says you’ve got to ride a rollercoaster for adrenaline in Gold Coast? There’s always the option of hopping on a hot air balloon ride.
Wake up early to experience an exhilarating balloon flight over sunrise. Snap away as you capture epic shots for the gram’, but don’t forget to enjoy the moment as you get drenched in the golden glow of the morning sun.
Photo credit: @tahliawalls
3. Catch fish and crabs at the Tweed River
Forget fishing for likes on your Instagram or TikTok feed with yet another trip down to a theme park. Get your hands dirty with some real fishing underway on an Aussie crab-catching cruise along the Tweed River and Terranora Lakes mangroves.
Famed for its mud crabs, explore the river’s water banks, and learn how to get things done the old-school way, like pumping for Yabbies, pulling up crab pots, and eating delicious seafood from pot-to-plate.
4. Craft gin at Wildflower Distillery
One of most fun things you can do in Gold Coast is to craft gin. And the best place to do that is at Wildflower Distillery. Here, learn all about the history of gin, what native botanicals are like, and the distillation process of this well-loved spirit.
Once done, create your blend by choosing from your favourite botanicals, and take home your custom-made bottle as the perfect souvenir.
5. Explore Lamington National Park
Known for its section of the ancient Gondwana Rainforests, the World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park is the perfect place to soak in incredible views of the Gold Coast to Tamborine Mountain.
A great way to explore this natural paradise is to go on the treetop canopy walk to discover historic logging tracks. And if you’re in the mood, there’s always the option of sampling delicious Queensland-made wines and fresh local produce.