Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is one of those places where you arrive expecting paradise and eventually realise that somebody has built a rather large holiday resort on top of it.
Don't get me wrong. The Gold Coast is perfectly pleasant.
It has glorious beaches, sunshine, palm trees, a warm climate, plenty of restaurants, theme parks, shopping centres and enough hotels to accommodate what appears to be half of Australia.
It is just that it is very, very busy.
And rather overhyped.
The name itself tells you what you are supposed to think.
The Gold Coast.
Not the Slightly Shiny Coast.
Not the Quite Nice Coast.
The Gold Coast.
And it certainly isn't short of confidence or is it arrogance?
Surfers Paradise
If there is one place that sums up the Gold Coast, it is Surfers Paradise.The name is slightly misleading because the area is about as close to paradise as a busy seaside resort can be.
There is a magnificent stretch of golden sand, an impressive skyline of apartment towers and hotels, a huge number of restaurants, bars and shops and enough tourists wandering around that you can sometimes struggle to see the beach for the people.
The beach itself is undoubtedly excellent, there is no arguing with that.
The sand is broad, the ocean is beautiful and, on a sunny day, it looks exactly like the sort of Australian beach you have seen in photographs.
But then you turn around.
And there is the skyline - tower block after tower block.
It isn't ugly, exactly - it is just not what I would describe as natural beauty.
Surfers Paradise has effectively taken a magnificent beach and decided that what it really needed was a wall of high-rise buildings behind it.
Apparently somebody thought this was an improvement.
The Beach
The Gold Coast beaches are the real reason to come here.There are miles of them, and they are genuinely impressive. Broad, sandy and backed by the Pacific Ocean, they provide plenty of space even when the area is busy.
The waves are also a major attraction, which is why surfers have been coming here for decades.
But there is a slight problem.
The ocean doesn't care whether you are a confident swimmer. Rip currents are a genuine danger and the beaches can be deceptively powerful.
So do what you are told - swim between the flags.
You have travelled halfway around the world and somebody is now telling you where you are allowed to swim. But the alternative is getting rescued by a lifeguard while a crowd of Australians watches from the beach.
And nobody wants that.
The Gold Coast Skyline
One of the strangest things about the Gold Coast is just how much development has taken place along the coast.The skyline looks more like Miami than Queensland.
There are enormous apartment buildings, luxury hotels and holiday developments stretching along the beachfront.
And they keep building.
The result is a rather peculiar mixture of spectacular natural scenery and very substantial amounts of concrete. There are certainly worse places to have a high-rise apartment.
You can wake up, look out of the window and see the Pacific Ocean.
I just can't help wondering what the coastline looked like before somebody decided it needed 40-storey apartment blocks.
Broadbeach
If Surfers Paradise becomes too much, head south to Broadbeach. It is still a major tourist destination, but it feels a little less frantic.
There are restaurants, cafés, hotels and shopping, as well as a pleasant beach and parks.
It is probably the part of the Gold Coast I would choose if I actually had to stay here for a while.
You get all the conveniences without quite so much of the "LOOK AT ME, I'M ON HOLIDAY!" atmosphere.
Burleigh Heads
Further south is Burleigh Heads, which is considerably more appealing.The headland provides magnificent views along the coastline and the surrounding area has a more relaxed atmosphere. Burleigh Heads National Park is particularly attractive, with walking trails through subtropical vegetation and some excellent viewpoints.
And this is where the Gold Coast starts to remind you that there is a very good reason why people come here.
The natural scenery really is beautiful.
You just have to get away from the busiest parts to appreciate it properly.
The Hinterland
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Gold Coast is that there is an entirely different world just inland.
The Gold Coast hinterland contains mountains, rainforest, waterfalls and national parks. The Lamington National Park and surrounding areas provide some spectacular scenery and walking opportunities.
This is the side of the Gold Coast that I think deserves much more attention.
It is green, peaceful and genuinely beautiful. You can spend the morning surrounded by skyscrapers and tourists and the afternoon walking through ancient rainforest.
That contrast is rather wonderful.
It also gives you somewhere to escape when the Gold Coast itself starts to get on your nerves.
Theme Parks
Then we come to the theme parks.
The Gold Coast has several of Australia's best-known theme parks, including Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Dreamworld.
If you enjoy theme parks, you are going to be very happy here.
If you don't, you can safely ignore them.
Personally, I have never quite understood the attraction of travelling thousands of miles to Australia only to spend the day standing in a queue for a roller coaster. But clearly I am in the minority because plenty of people seem to love it.
Families in particular will find plenty to keep children occupied. Just remember that queues are still queues, even when they are in Australia.
The Weather
The Gold Coast has an enormous advantage over many holiday destinations.
The weather is generally very good.It is warm, sunny and subtropical, although summer can also bring considerable humidity and heavy rainfall.
This is one of those places where you can genuinely spend days outdoors.
The downside is that everybody else knows this too.
Shopping and Eating
If lying on a beach isn't enough, there is plenty of shopping.The Gold Coast has enormous shopping centres and countless restaurants, cafés and bars. The dining scene is actually rather good, particularly away from the most touristy areas.
There is also a considerable nightlife scene.
Surfers Paradise in particular becomes considerably more lively after dark.
If that sounds like your idea of fun, excellent.
If your idea of a good evening is a quiet meal followed by a peaceful walk, you may want to stay elsewhere.
The Gold Coast's Biggest Problem
And this brings me to my main problem with the Gold Coast.
It is trying too hard.
There is nothing wrong with being a holiday resort. There is nothing wrong with having theme parks, enormous hotels and lots of nightlife. But sometimes it feels as though the Gold Coast is constantly shouting:
"LOOK HOW MUCH FUN YOU COULD BE HAVING!"
And after a while, it becomes exhausting.
The natural attractions are actually good enough without all the hype.
You don't need somebody trying to convince you that you are having the time of your life.
Just let me sit on the beach.
I'll decide for myself.
So, Is the Gold Coast Worth Visiting?
Yes - but with a qualification.
Don't make Surfers Paradise your entire experience of the Gold Coast.
If you do, you may come away thinking that the place is nothing more than a giant holiday resort full of high-rise buildings, tourists, traffic and expensive entertainment.
And you'd be missing the best bits.
The Gold Coast is undoubtedly beautiful. It is also undoubtedly overdeveloped. And it is certainly overhyped.
But underneath all the concrete, high-rise apartments, theme parks and tourist tat is a genuinely spectacular piece of coastline.
Prices correct as at August 2026
Return to Australia Home Page