Hi all,
Traveling to Gold Coast for 5 nights ( afterwards Sydney for 2 nights) during the upcoming school holiday with 12 & 9 year old boys for the first time from Melbourne.
Please advise must visit places/activities during our trip and any tips to save money on tickets etc. Thank you.
We just came back from there, the theme parks are obviously great and will take out 2-3 days of your 5 day trip. We loved Pacific fair as a shopping destination.
We also loved Mt tambourine as a small little village to visit. it takes only an hour or less to go to Brisbane if you wanted to go there. Also if wife or yourself love shopping harbour town has great outlet shops at really cheap prices
PAC fair is a bloody nice shopping centre after the refurbs
Has it got any different and cool shops or just more of the same like everywhere else?
Depends what you’re comparing it to. Best to check shop listing.
Been a while since I went, but I used to love crumpler and spent a heap of time in the shop there when I went last. Don’t think it’s there anymore.
Also enjoyed culture kings, not that I bought anything but I’ve always liked the selection. So sad I slept on the purple huaraches like Jerry Seinfeld wore on the episode ‘the subway’ (1992)
Its good from a designer shop scene, but also the outside area is just a really nice sitting area with all the water visuals. we had Japanese for dinner (Kamikaze) and the food equally as great.
Its just laid out very pretty.
Thank you. This is a very good start for us initiate planning. Missus would love to visit harbour town 🙂
Give the kids a surfing lesson, unless they are totally anti water. They wont have to go out very far, just paddle around where they can stand in the white water.
It's a little bit chilly but the kids might be OK with it if they provide wetsuits.
yeah, you will get wetsuits. My experience is that 75% of kids have a great time and the rest, well, dont or get dunked and thats it…
@brendanm - any suggestions?
Your kids like roller coasters?
They haven't been on one yet 🙂
Some less well trodden options (suitable for 9 years and up) : GC Wake Park, Treetop Challenge at Thunderbird Park, junior electric kart racing at Game Over GC, Topgolf GC
I saw Game over while i passed Movie world, it piqued our interest, is it good for all ages or only young kids, was wanting to go somewhere where its fun for parents with kids.
Some of my household attended a party there which I missed. I gather they have Electric Go-Karts, Clip'n Climb, Lazer Tag, Mini Golf, Games Arcade
and a Zip Coaster so should be ok for a family group.
Road trip to Brisbane and visit 1up Arcade.
The bongos at burliegh park sunday evening!
Paid: Hopo Ferry Service, High Jinx Hotel, SkyWalk - Mount Tamborine, escape rooms, timezone
Free entry: Purlingbrook Falls, Hinze Dam, Dreamworld Lego store, Historic River Mill (pay for turtle &/or animal feed if desired)
If you have a spare 3 hours in the morning. Attend a TimeShare talk, get some pressure sales, avoid signing any contract, get half price tickets to theme parks. Profit.
Timeshare hard-sell survivors I've met would in hindsight have preferred to pay double at the theme parks…
Nah, I've done them multiple times. Worth it for some free accommodation. Just stay strong!
the best strategy to exit timeshare pressure talk is, when you walk in just say you are pressured to attend as you have just signed the mortgage 3 months back and this trip was planned a long time before hence you are not in a position to spare any change currently. will certainly return after a few years back.
They will just let you go with the voucher that they had promised after showing their video. We did this in QLD, and they just asked what is your dream vacation and everyone said backpacking or under the stars nothing luxury The boss said just give them a voucher and let them go as I don't want to waste time with this group.
Never show any enthusiasm or eagerness to their spill talk.
Lots of discounts in the Entertainment App.
I'll suggest an unusual and virtually empty place to visit and enjoy: the beach.
In particular try the walk along the beach, on cushy wet sand from Burleigh Heads up to the Spit.
Check for low tide to make it perfect. Bring hats, sunglasses and sunscreen … slip slap slop
Gold Coast beaches, that is unique.
Parks, shopping malls, restaurants, shops, nightclubs, etc, etc, all OK but just about the same as everywhere else.
Dream World or Movie World OR both?
Thank you for all the recommendations :)
Try to stay away from surfer paradise and accommodation cost will drop down.
Say Labrador or Burleigh head, Maimi beach. they are all on the same coast line just 3-5 km away from the main drag.
-take the walk from tallebudgera to Burleigh around the hill. You can go up to the look out as well.
-go to the lorrikeet feeding at currumbin bird sanctuary. You don't have to pay entrance fee but is a small amount for the feeding.
-Check out fleays.
-have lunch at one of the surf clubs on the beach. Vikings at currumbin has a great view.
- if you are planning on theme parks check out the maintenace schedules. Lines can be very long on holidays.
- a trip up to o'reillys and do the tree walk.
- whale watching trip
- surf lesson or stand up paddle board
- spend time at the beach
- there are some good playgrounds around. Broadbeach and opposite Australia fair are two.
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