Gold Coast

The Gold Coast has always been Australia’s darling in the sun - a place of escape and escapism, a place that boasts an eternal summer and shines when the rest of Australia shivers, freezes or hibernates for the winter.

With 300 days of sunshine every year, the brilliant weather is a cornerstone of the Gold Coast’s massive appeal - and everyone loves the sun. From north to south, drop-dead fabulous beaches with creamy sand and the bluest, warm water stretch along a seemingly endless slice of the Pacific Rim.

In the south east corner of the state and wedged between the Queensland Coast and Tablelands to the west, the striking high-rise city finds a unique balance between thumping metropolis and casual holiday hot spot. The mood is totally relaxed, and dictated by the climate. You’ll quickly to swap your usual formal dress code for the “uniform” of the coast – ‘boardies and thongs’ (swimming trunks and rubber sandals). When you’re staying on the Gold Coast there’s no place for formality.

The heart of the Gold Coast city is Surfer’s Paradise, and it’s everything the name implies. “Surfer’s” is the original Mecca for surf-loving board riders in search of the perfect wave and has a magnetic pull that’s drawn millions of visitors for decades.

At its centre is Cavill Mall, lined with shops, bars and restaurants, with funky open air places to sit, shake the sand from your feet and sip on a cool drink. It buzzes during the day as people move from the beach to their hotels and back again.

Surrounding Cavill Mall in Surfer’s Paradise, the streets are a tempting playground built for the serious shopper where the alphabet of world class shopping is reflected in the classy stores selling everything from Armani to Zegna.

Shopping isn’t the only street pastime on the Gold Coast. Hundreds of restaurants, cafes and bars push the limits in a dynamic clash of cultural cuisines.

But the fun really starts when the sun rises and the attractions open up for the day.

The Gold Coast is a world of worlds. Seaworld, Dreamworld, Movieworld and a galaxy of other theme park worlds that ensures your fun never ends. A trip to the Gold Coast is hardly complete without at least a day at one of the major attractions – one world at a time.

The Gold Coast has been a source of adoration by sun lovers and visitors for decades and for good reason. It basks in the magnificent weather and like every world class resort city, it keeps on reinventing itself.

The city just keeps getting better and better.

Please visit the Gold Coast Tourism website for further information on the Gold Coast.