Gold Coast

Sun, Surf and Adventure

Gold Coast in Australia is a coastal city known for its long sandy beaches and consistent surf breaks. The area has grown from a quiet beach town into a busy destination with modern attractions, theme parks and shopping centers. Visitors can explore lush rainforests nearby or enjoy the vibrant nightlife along Surfers Paradise. The climate supports outdoor activities year-round, making it popular for swimming, cycling and water sports. Its transport links connect to Brisbane, offering easy access to both city life and relaxed coastal living.

Add to list Map view

City in Australia

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

See price details

Safety: 8.9

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	8
Tap water:	9

Read details

5/5

English is the main language, and most locals, businesses, and tourist spots have excellent English support. Signage and public transport information are also available in English.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

* We earn a commission from some links on this page.

Gold Coast Summary

These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.

‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.

‘Your personal’ scores:
This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.

‘Suited for’ badges:
These give you a quick overview of how well a destination suits specific types of travellers, to help you find the places that match your lifestyle, preferences or travel situation.

Read how our scores work

World-class for surfing and beach life. Ride ocean waves, relax on long sandy beaches, visit theme parks and enjoy coastal nightlife.

Place score

8.6

Best at:

Sea

Surfing

Beaches

Theme parks

Large cities

Personal score

Suited for

👶 9

Families

🧓 7

Seniors

🛡️ 8

Travel Beginners

👩 8

Solo

Australia – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type I Type I: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Australian Dollar (AUD) £1 ≈ A$1.89
Cashless info:	Rating 5/5 Cashless payment is widely accepted, even in rural areas. Digital wallets are commonly used. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not mandatory in Australia. Rounding up or 10% is appreciated in high-end restaurants.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is regulated and often prohibited, except in designated areas.
Public smoking:	Smoking is banned in public indoor spaces and most outdoor public areas.

Australia Day (January)	Public events and celebrations occur nationwide.
ANZAC Day (April)	Commemorations and closures happen.
Christmas (December)	Festive events and closures occur.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 000 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, 13cabs, Ola
Other:	Australia's vast size requires careful planning for travel between regions. Be aware of wildlife and sun exposure.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Gold Coast, Australia

🌤️

Jan

🌤️

Feb

🌤️

Mar

☀️

Apr

☀️

May

☀️

Jun

☀️

Jul

☀️

Aug

☀️

Sep

☀️

Oct

☀️

Nov

🌤️

Dec

High season:	Jan. - April, Sep. - Oct., Dec.
Shoulder season:	May - Aug., Nov.
Crowdedness:	8 (Very crowded)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Mid December to January: peak school holidays, theme parks and beaches busiest and accommodation prices at their highest

Humpback whales pass June to November; whale-watching cruises run in this period

Thunderstorm and cyclone-related heavy rain season roughly November to April; surf lifesavers may close beaches after storms

Don't miss

🏄‍♂️ Surf the legendary waves at Surfers Paradise Beach
🎢 Ride thrilling roller coasters at Warner Bros. Movie World
🌇 Climb the Q1 SkyPoint for sweeping coastal views
🛥️ Cruise the canals and waterfront mansions of the Gold Coast
🐋 Spot whales off the coast during migration season
🍤 Feast on fresh seafood at Broadbeach’s lively dining scene

You've been here?

Why travel to Gold Coast?

The Gold Coast is a dream for beach lovers and adventure seekers alike. With golden sands, world-class surf and exciting theme parks, it’s a great spot for families, couples and solo travelers. The hinterland offers hiking trails and waterfalls for a nature escape. Keep in mind that during peak seasons, it can get quite crowded and the nightlife in Surfers Paradise might not be for everyone.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
2 Tamborine Mountain
3 Lamington National Park
4 Sea World
5 Warner Bros. Movie World
6 Dreamworld
7 Surfers Paradise Beach
8 Burleigh Heads National Park
9 Home of the Arts

🎡Places for activities

1 Movie World

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk
2 Natural Bridge
3 Springbrook National Park
4 South Nobby Headland
5 Currumbin Rock Pools
6 Purling Brook Falls Circuit
7 Cougal Cascades
8 Tallebudgera Valley
9 Nerang National Park
10 Hinze Dam

🛍️Shopping

1 Marina Mirage
2 Cavill Avenue
3 Robina Town Centre
4 Carrara Markets
5 Starbucks
6 Beachfront markets
7 The Oasis Apartments

🎈Events

Gold Coast 600 (October)
Bleach Festival (April)
Quiksilver Pro Surfing Event (March)
Gold Coast Film Festival (April)
Blues on Broadbeach (May)

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Surfers Paradise beach offers world-class waves and vibrant beachfront energy.
Book theme park passes early for Sea World, Dreamworld and Warner Bros. Movie World.
Explore hinterland parks like Springbrook for waterfalls and rainforest canopy walks.
Catch whale watching cruises in winter from key beaches for migratory humpback sightings.

How to travel to Gold Coast

The Gold Coast Airport (OOL) offers domestic and some international flights. Brisbane Airport (BNE) is about an hour away with more international options. Trains and shuttles connect both airports to the Gold Coast.

Access summary

From Gold Coast Airport (OOL): Bus 777 + tram or taxi, about 45–70 minutes.
From Brisbane: Airtrain/rail or driving south, typically around 1.5–2 hours.
From Sydney: Frequent direct flights to OOL, flight time about 1.3 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Gold Coast

Accommodation ranges from budget hostels to luxury beachfront resorts. Surfers Paradise is lively and central, while Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads offer more relaxed vibes.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Novotel Surfers Paradise

8.5

voco Gold Coast By IHG

The Star Grand at The Star Gold Coast

8.8

Mantra On View Surfers Paradise

8.2

Meriton Suites Surfers Paradise

9.0

Hilton Surfers Paradise

8.7

Peppers Soul Surfers Paradise

9.1

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Gold Coast

Public transport includes trams, buses and trains. The G:link tram is great for coastal travel and buses connect to most attractions. Ridesharing services and taxis are also widely available.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

+14 %

Daily expenses in Gold Coast are around 14% higher than the average across United States. That means you'll spend more on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-2 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to AUD) is 2% better than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£69	£169	£463
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£30	£75	£188
🍝 Food per day	£31	£86	£250
🚕 Transportation per day	£8	£8	£25

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£41
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£15
🍟 Fast food combo	£8
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£11
☕ Cappuccino	£2.90
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£5.50

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£2.10
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£14
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.95

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£10.50
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£43
🤧 Cold medication	£3.80
💇 Basic haircut	£12.50

Safety information overview

General safety

The Gold Coast is generally safe, but standard precautions apply, especially in crowded nightlife areas. Keep an eye on belongings at busy beaches and public spots.

Health & Medical

Healthcare facilities are modern and accessible. Pharmacies are widespread and emergency services are reliable. No particular health risks for tourists.

Accessibility

Public areas and transport are well-equipped for accessibility. Many attractions and beaches have good accessibility features, though some hiking trails might not be suitable for all visitors.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink and public drinking fountains are widely available. Staying hydrated is important, especially during hot days at the beach.