Living on the Gold Coast must be considered a blessing by all. They are so many things to do Year-round in GC. With the warm weather and calm ocean temperatures that allow winter ocean swimming and surfing are just the tip of the sand dune. The Gold Coast has more things to do and adventures to be had than any other state in Australia. No kidding, we just have it all over Victoria and NSW for climate alone!
From adventures in the sky to encounters below the waves scuba diving. Whether you prefer to tramp across mountain tops, hike the trails, bike the trails or walk the untrodden pathways in the three national parks of the Hinterland that surround the picturesque GC, there is something for everyone. Even the couch potatoes!
Land-based or waterborne, snail’s pace or jet boat, adrenaline junkie or sand-dwelling sun seeker, here is a fraction of the things you can do to tick off that list of things to do on the Gold Coast this summer!
Miami Marketta
From a table for 2 to a table for 6, at $27.00 per person, you can book your seat at the next Drag Queen Bingo event. If you’re not keen on Bingo, check out the Miami Marketta lineup and find something that grabs your fancy. Sign up for a Sip and Clay class and let your risqué side out to play.
Outdoor Sky Diving Experience
Skydiving is one of the most famous and iconic things to do on the Gold Coast. Need the thrill of potential death if everything goes pear-shaped? Well, take yourself on an altitude-high skydive experience. Enjoy the views of endless pristine beaches and myriad of aqua blue to cobalt blue waters lapping the shoreline.
Take in the iconic Surfers Paradise skyline on the way up, then freefall back to terra firma with the perfect tandem landing on beautiful Kirra Beach with your chute master from Gold Coast Skydive. Up your risk level even more and take your skydive straight out of a helicopter instead of a plane. What goes up must come down! Check their respective websites for detailed information, cost and restrictions.
iFLY Indoor Skydiving Gold Coast
If you are afraid to try real outdoor Skydiving, iFLY “the indoor version” of skydiving is where you can boost your confidence. Book your tickets or buy a voucher in advance of your planned adventure. All the thrills of skydiving without the fear of death on impact … well, nothing is 100 % guaranteed, but this version is 99.99% safe.
From Market To Market
There are so many markets on the Gold Coast it is hard to keep track of them all. Thankfully, the Urban List crew is all over it like a rash. We are all about sharing the love, so we highly recommend you peruse their detailed lists of the hip, must-do, markets, and blog pages to find one or more things you can do on the Gold Coast this summer we don’t mention for you to fill your time during your stay on the Gold Coast.
Art Gallery
The Gold Coast art galleries such as Hota, Gallery One, 19 Karen offers a range of international, national, and local artists on display. With a gallery style for everyone, there is always the opportunity to purchase some of the artwork for sale if you seek to take a keepsake piece home as a reminder of your time on the Gold Coast.
Water Sports Equipment Hire
Ever wanted to try testing your balance on a paddleboard or take a leisurely kayak cruise along a tranquil Currumbin River? You can hire a range of water sporting equipment from Currumbin Creek’s Boatshed for just $20 for 1.5 hours. Ideal for anyone who doesn’t have the funds to go out and buy new equipment or people only here for a few days looking to kill time and have fun doing it in sheltered waters. You can add this refreshing delight to your visit after you have checked out the next destination, as they are less than 2km apart.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Come face-to-face with extraordinary wildlife in exciting daily shows such as Wild Skies – Free Flight Bird Show, where you can enjoy hands-on encounters with the wildlife. Cuddle a koala, pat a kangaroo, or book a hospital tour. Discover Lost Valley as you wander your way along elevated walkways where you can experience and interact with exotic species such as Lemurs, Cotton-top Tamarins, Red Panda, Capybaras, and the new addition to the family, the Binturong, along with free-flying birds and exotic reptiles.
Top Golf
Geared towards all ages and abilities, you don’t have to be Tiger Woods to enjoy a putt on this driving range. There is something for everyone with a Top Golf indoor experience. They don’t just cater to golf addicts and novices alike; they also have music and food and are a licensed venue. A great way to spend a few hours during the day or make an evening of it with friends and family.
Ziplines Aplenty
Lose yourself in the treetops as you zipline your way around the park. If you loved flying foxes as a kid, you will love the adult version of the zipline, and this course is on steroids!
SkyPoint Climb
SkyPoint Climb is currently Australia’s highest external building climb. Located at the top of the Gold Coast’s iconic Q1 building, the chance to head outside the observation deck and make the guided climb to the top for a 290-degree view and photo op that will make your social media page buzz is bound to be kept at the front of your memory bank long after your feet are back on solid ground.
Tropical Fruit World
More than 500 fruits from around the globe are grown on this 200-acre family farm, and every season brings exotic, unusual, and delicious fruit varieties for you to discover. You’ll see, taste, and learn about them when you climb aboard a tractor train and explore the plantation on a fully guided park tour. There is free entry to explore the markets and café. Discover the products they make with the fruits. Savour the café menu and shop at the fresh fruit market. Purchase a ticket for their award-winning farm tour.
Gold Coast Wine Tour
Daily tours of award-winning wineries in Mount Tamborine and taste some of Queensland’s best wines, including guided tastings at five destinations, a two-course lunch, cheese tasting and fudge tasting to round out the day of luxury indulgence.
Whale Watching From The Water
This is the GC, and there are plenty of boat hire and cruise tour options that allow you to take to the water in search of the ultimate whale encounter.
Night Adventures In The Mountains
The moon and stars aren’t the only things lighting up the midnight sky on the Gold Coast. The Hinterland and surrounding national parks offer several things to do on the Gold Coast for anyone camping or in the area. Visit the glow worms under the Natural Bridge in Springbrook National Park or book a spot on a guided glow worm tour at the purpose-built and family-owned Glow Worm Cave in Mount Tamborine, where you can learn the truth about this intriguing phenomenon and support the operator’s conservation and breeding programme.
Theme Parks Galore
Brave the hordes of tourists, locals, and teenagers when you set aside a day to visit one or more of the Gold Coast’s theme parks. Find thrills on the Steel Taipan, experience a White Christmas at Movie World or get wet and wild in one of the water parks.
Scout Out Your Favourite Film Locations
Have you ever watched a movie and wanted to see where it was filmed? Go behind the scenes of any blockbuster movie, and there is a good chance some or all of it was filmed here on the Gold Coast. The GC has become a major filmmaking hub with a starring role in everything from the Depp classic The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales to the whimsical tale of The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of Dawn Treader. Throw in some San Andreas, and then add a pinch of Thor: Ragnarok. Lastly, one for the kids, Dora and the Lost City of Gold.
Hire a car or drive your own to check out these shoot locations in the Hinterland, cane fields, along the east coast shorelines, beaches and more when you check out the We Are Gold Coast website.
Pink Flamingo Risqué
Seeking something raunchy, sexy, naughty, and just a little risqué? The Pink Flamingo Spiegel Club in Broadbeach has everything you desire. Relax into the sumptuous velvet booth seats as you watch the saucy antics of cabaret, burlesque and cirque intermingled. Leave having had an abdominal workout as you are left in awe at the powerhouse of talent packed into one venue! Highly recommend it!
Now, where does that leave us on our exploration of things to do on the Gold Coast this summer? Hmmm. Let’s work off some of the calories we have gained eating, drinking, and living the good life with a trip up into the National parks and mountains that comprise the Hinterland.
Hiking, Tramping And Hitting the Trails
“These boots were made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do….” Nancy Sinatra likely sang as she donned a sturdy pair of hiking boots, grabbed a bottle or two of water and some trail mix she tucked into a lightweight daypack after liberally spraying herself with plenty of bug spray to ward off the vampiric critters that love to ruin a hike and suck your blood.
With that out of the way, one of the best ways to get fresh air and exercise as you tick off your list of things to do on the Gold Coast this summer is to head to the Hinterland for a spot of bushwalking and waterfall locating. Try Mount Tamborine or Lamington National Park on the Gold Coast to test your stamina levels with some hardcore hikes, or take yourself for a meandering amble at a gentle pace.
At this point, we need to think about some sustenance and fuel for the body. On your list of things to do on the Gold Coast this summer is venture out to several local food and beverage venues. There are literally thousands of restaurants, bars, clubs, cafes, and street food vendors across the Gold Coast to choose from. Once again, a kudos shout-out goes out to the Urban List for providing all the fiddly details and trending location website links for your convenience.
Fine Dining To Picnic Blankets And Everything In Between
The Gold Coast caters to every budget and every socioeconomic bracket, covering the spread like cold butter on a hot potato pratie. From five-star fine dining in exclusive award-winning restaurants to taking a picnic blanket and grabbing a burger or fish and chips on any of the numerous beaches.
Fine dining restaurants include but are not limited to Palette and the Q1 building.
Plan An Epic BBQ
Are you looking for the best BBQ spots on the Gold Coast? There are approximately 400 free-to-use public barbecues in parks and reserves across the Gold Coast city that are all well maintained.
Having an epic BBQ is another good thing to do on the Gold Coast with family & friends. Even as a tourist, there is no excuse not to grab your BBQ plate space and sizzle some steak, prawns and snags this summer.
Pop the tops off your ice-cold, esky-stashed cruisers, ciders, beers, and premixes. Fire up the BBQ and bring out your slabs of marinated steak, sausages, and the onion rings. Crank up the vibes with some music and kick back for an afternoon of fun, food, and beach cricket with your best mates under the majestic Gold Coast summer sun. Have some dessert at nearby café’s or a cup of hot chocolate to finish the day.
If BBQ is not the thing, do not worry! They are many alternative food options such as tasty Burgers or on the go Pizza to suit the needs. The most important thing is to ENJOY your time.
Try A Craft Beverage
The Gold Coast has a history of turbulence when it comes to the city’s nightlife scene. Thankfully, gentrification has cleaned up a lot of the trouble spots and now more than ever, there is a resurgence to patron the emerging indie craft pubs and clubs. As such, the Gold Coast has become the home base to a huge variety of eclectic hole-in-the-wall bars and Instagram-worthy picturesque hangouts with designer murals inside and out. Sip the finest rum in the dimly lit rum bar Suga. Have your uber or taxi driver swing you over to the laneway bar Fig + Frankies. Not done there, indulge in devouring some Asian fusion share plates and cocktails at Maggie Choo.
Cold Craft Beers
Next on your list of things to do on the Gold Coast this summer involves the Gold Coast’s love affair with craft brews and indie bootleggers. Regardless of your alcohol choices and favourites, there is nothing like slamming back an icy cold brew on a balmy Saturday afternoon and the need to get out of the house and explore.
With a cache of award-winning breweries popping up like mushrooms along the Gold Coast, you’ll be hard-pressed not to discover your perfect pint at any of the corner bars and pubs. Try your luck with Burleigh Brewing Co. and head up to Burleigh hill for a spot of surf or whale watching. Then hit Lost Palms, Black Hops and lastly, Balter. Any order is good, and one or all will see you happily libated.
Margaritas are the first cocktail any adult needs to master. Hone your skills with a gin-making masterclass. Learn the trade tricks from the gin guns at Wildflower Gin or opt for the local favourite over at Granddad Jacks. The stroke of genius is you get to take home your own bottle of lovingly crafted gin to make your next margarita sensational!
In Summary
If you haven’t found one or more things to entertain you or pique your interest on our list, or any of the link web pages attached, then you are on you are simply going to have to explore the city and discover exciting new things as you venture out into the big, wild, amazing Gold Coast world!