Awesome things to do on the beautiful Gold Coast with kids
I guarantee you will never run out of fun things to do on the Gold Coast with kids. From the laid-back golden beaches to the green behind the gold in the hinterlands, the Gold Coast has long been a popular destination for families.
It used to be all about theme parks but not anymore. These days, this is only a very small part of what the Gold Coast has to offer. Check out these awesome things to do on the Gold Coast with kids.
Picnic with alpacas in a hinterland vineyard
Visit an Alpaca Farm in a vineyard at Mountview Alpaca Farm for a unique alpaca picnic experience. Located in Canungra in the Gold Coast Hinterlands, the alpaca farm offers different experiences to suit your family. Generally, you will get to walk your alpaca around the vineyard and alongside the beautiful creek before relaxing with a gourmet meal picnic style.
This is my favourite experience on the Gold Coast with kids!
Beat the heat at the Gold Coast Aqua Park
I reckon the Gold Coast Aqua Park is the ultimate in summer fun and would even go so far as to say that it’s even better than hitting up the theme parks. Basically, it’s a giant inflatable obstacle course in the ocean beside the beach at Broadwater Parklands. It’s right beside Australia Fair Shopping Centre so you can’t miss it.
Suitable for kids as well as adults, the Gold Coast Aqua Park is as challenging or easy as you like. All participants must wear a lifejacket (these are provided in the ticket price) and once you wade out onto the floating platforms, you are free to go wherever you wish. Balance, swing, slide or bounce your way across or into the water. Either way, it’s a tonne of fun for all ages.
Head out on a walkabout tour with Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre
The Jellurgal Walkabout tour takes around two hours and is an engaging walking tour of the renowned Burleigh Headland. Firstly, the tour starts with an audio/visual presentation which is followed by an Ochre Ceremony.
Visitors will meet a traditional custodian, hear Dreamtime stories on the creation of Jellurgal and discover facts about traditional life.
The Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural centre offers a few different tour options and also has an amazing gift shop on site. This is a great cultural opportunity on the Gold Coast for both kids and parents.
Ride the Aqua Duck
The Aquaduck on the Gold Coast is a bus that’s also a boat once it hits the water. Families book in for a one-hour tour that starts on the land and after a short stint around iconic streets of the Gold Coast, you then drive straight into the water for a cruise around the famed Gold Coast waterways.
You basically just sit back and enjoy the one-hour ride. Don’t worry, it’s far from boring. For the on-road part of the Aquaduck tour, you’ll drive past the Gold Coast’s iconic beaches and local landmarks. The commentary is quite funny and you’ll learn some facts about the region that I bet you didn’t know…like how much particular apartments sold for. We all love to know about the rich and famous right?
Walk among the tree-tops & watch a bird show at O’Reilly’s
Located in the Lamington National Park in the Gold Coast Hinterlands, O’Reilly’s is in a stunning location surrounded by nature.
Walk the iconic Tree Top Walk (it’s free) for a bird’s eye view of the rainforest canopy, including a stroll along a series of suspension bridges 16 metres above the ground. Don’t worry … it’s safe!
Don’t miss O’Reilly’s Birds of Prey Show (pre-book) for a close-up into some of Australia’s most majestic birds of prey. This is a great place to stay a few nights in the Gold Coast Hinterlands with kids as there is plenty more to do here. Accommodation ranges from a brand new campground to villas with mountain views.
Go ice skating at Planet Chill
Located within Paradise Resort at Surfers Paradise, Planet Chill is also open to the general public. It’s worth pre-purchasing tickets to avoid disappointment though.
This is an all-weather attraction that lends itself to family fun. It’s suitable for all kids, big and small from ages three upwards. The ice-skating rink features these great little fibreglass penguins for beginners to hold onto and push around, popular music, a disco ball, under-ice lighting and fun games.
If you’re considering staying at Paradise Resort, we tested it out to see if it lives up to the hype. Check out our experience here.
Ride the mini train to The Lost Valley at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has been conserving native wildlife for over 70 years and is truly at the heart of the Gold Coast’s history.
Ride the mini-train around the park to save tired legs, check out the daily shows and make sure you make your way over to The Lost Valley, our favourite feature of the sanctuary.
Read all about our experience at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary here.
Watch the sunset at Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Heads is a great place to watch the sun go down on the Gold Coast with a laidback vibe and great family-friendly foreshore entertainment. Sitting on the sand watching the sunset behind the skyscrapers off in the distance is blissful!
We were surprised to find fire twirlers, hula hoopers and drummers providing free entertainment for all that were happy to spread out a picnic rug and watch and listen.
Explore Springbrook National Park
Visit the beautiful Springbrook National Park for some great family-friendly walks featuring waterfalls, lush rainforest and impressive views.
Don’t miss the easy-peasy Natural Bridge walk which features glow worms inside the cave at night time from around December through to March. The Twin Falls Circuit is also another great walk with great views and a waterfall or two!
Read our post on the fantastic Springbrook National Park walks for more information. If looking for things to do in the Gold Coast hinterland with kids, this is a great choice!
Let the kids loose on the Tree Top Junior Challenge course at Thunderbird Park
Located at Mt Tamborine in the Gold Coast Hinterlands, the Tree Top Challenge Juniors course at Thunderbird Park is an amazing experience for kids aged 3 – 7 years.
Completely harnessed in with an overhead cable that remains clipped on the entire time, kids can balance their way across planks, nets, zig-zag bridges and much more between the rainforest trees before zip-lining to the finish line of every challenge.
No experience is necessary and there is also an adventure park for older kids aged 7 years and up which is designed for the whole family.
Mine thundereggs and pan for crystals at Thunderbird Park
Also at Thunderbird Park in the Gold Hinterlands is the opportunity to pan for pretty crystals and mine for Thundereggs. What is a Thunderegg you ask? Well, Thundereggs are a 200 million-year-old mystery!
The theory is that millions of years ago during a volcanic upheaval, bubbles formed in the silica-rich rock. As it cooled off, shrinkage of the material produced a star-shaped cavity which was eventually filled with minerals such as jasper, quartz, agate and more.
Thunderbird Park is home to the world’s largest Thunderegg mine and they are really easy to dig up! Families can also set up at the crystal panning station with a bag of sand guaranteed to contain beautiful crystals. This is a great Gold Coast activity for both kids and parents.
Have some fun at King Tutts Putt Putt
Located at Surfers Paradise, King Tutts Putt Putt is one of the best-themed mini-golf courses on the Gold Coast.
There are three courses on offer, two indoors and one outdoors. The indoor Ancient Egyptian themed course features glow-in-the-dark caves and glow-in-the-dark balls.
The other indoor course, Jurassic Putt features a dinosaur theme with a seemingly random King Kong thrown in for good measure. This course has some great photo opps!
The third outdoor course is called Tutt’s challenge and is the most challenging of the three with a few surprises along the way. Read more about our experience at King Tutts Putt Putt here. Both adults and kids will enjoy this Gold Coast activity.
Swim and play at Palm Beach, Tallebudgera Creek
Tallebudgera Creek is a family-friendly, picturesque swimming spot at Burleigh Heads. Palm Beach sits on one side and the Burleigh Heads National Park sits on the other, making it a popular spot for swimming kayaking, SUPboards and more.
The water is fairly calm in the creek but for those seeking surf, you only need to walk to nearby Tallebudgera Beach.
Buy hand-crafted goods on The Gallery Walk
Located at Tamborine Mountain, The Gallery Walk is a must for first time visitors and features over 70 specialty shops in one stretch. Offering everything from locally-made gifts to antiques through to a shop dedicated to cinnamon buns, this is a fun street to explore.
Although adults will probably enjoy this Gold Coast hinterland activity more than the kids, it’s not hard to keep the little ones happy by ducking into one of the many cafes or sweet shops.
If you’re looking for a gift for someone or even yourself, you will have no problems finding something here!
Hit up the theme parks
What can I say, the Gold Coast is your gateway to the theme parks! Choose between Sea World, Wet’nWild, Movie World, Dream World, Paradise Country and more.
Looking for more Gold Coast family holiday inspiration?
Head on back to our Gold Coast page for more inspiration on family holidays and activities in and around the Gold Coast. Explore our home page for more Australian and worldwide inspiration.
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Gold Coast family holiday resources
Best time to visit the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is really an all-year-round holiday destination. However, it gets pretty busy during the summer school holidays.
December to February sees tropical weather with more chance of rain. Many tout April and May as a great time to visit due to lower rainfall, but I personally find the ocean a bit too chilly at this time.
Where to stay
If staying in Burleigh Heads, Swell Resort is a fantastic option for families with roomy apartment-style offerings. The resort is set close to restaurants, only 100 metres from the beach. This is my top pick for the Gold Coast.
If staying in the Gold Coast Hinterlands, you can’t go past Binna Burra Lodge or O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. Both offer a range of accommodations.
If you’re looking for a family resort with everything to occupy the kids, NRMA Treasure Island and Paradise Resort are top choices.
Those seeking luxury will love the Gold Coast Marriott or The Star.
Getting to the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is located one hour south of Brisbane on the East Coast of Australia.
Both domestic and international flights service the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta. Find a great deal on Trip.com
The Gold Coast is connected by rail to Brisbane’s Roma Street and Central stations. There is also an AirTrain that runs a regular rail service taking around 90 minutes.
Getting around the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast has an extensive bus service with over 60 routes within the city. If venturing to the Gold Coast Hinterlands, hiring a car is an excellent option if you don’t have your own.
