Gold Coast for Kids : Top 12 Attractions

Gold Coast for kids

If you had been following us on Instagram, you would have seen our escapades to Gold Coast attractions during our July holidays. That was our 3rd consecutive year in Australia and our official first self drive trip. Being a free and easy tour, we managed to cover a wider region in Gold Coast to bring you this list of activities for kids in Gold Coast.

If you had missed our earlier editions of Holidays for kids in Australia, simply click on the following links to catch up.

Sydney for Kids

Melbourne for Kids

Without further ado, we bring you the top 12 activities in Gold Coast as experienced by us.

1 See the DC Heros at Movie World

DC Heros at Gold Coast

Gold Coast is synonymous with theme parks, thus it is a no brainer to include them on the list. Movie World is a must go if you have the following

• Fans of DC comics
• Fans of Warner Brothers
• Kids!

Home to DC rides and characters, it is a hit with both adults and kids alike. From the famed Superman Escape ad Arkham Asylum rides to the new Justice League 3D ride, there is something for young and old alike. Kids have their own dedicated WB Fun Zone where they can try a smaller size road runner rollercoaster.

Fun Factor : 5/5

Location : Pacific Motorway, Oxenford QLD 4210, Australia

Get your discounted (30% off) Movie World Tickets from Klook here

Warner B

2 Faceoff with the Sharks at Seaworld

Boy vs Shark

The theme parks adventure continues with Seaworld. Watched the popular dolphin shows, have a close encounter with sharks at Shark Bay or ride the Viking Flume ride for a fun filled day. Do note the kiddy section is currently under renovation and will reopen in late 2015 with Nickelodean land.

Fun Factor : 3.5 / 5

Location : Sea World Dr, Main Beach QLD 4217, Australia

Get your discounted Seaworld Tickets from Klook here

Dolphin show

3 Hug a Koala at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Cuddle a Koala

Fancy going to the great outdoor to cuddle a Koala?

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is the place to go for a taste of Australia outdoors. There are plenty of Koalas to see, Kangeroos to feed and even playgrounds to explore. We like the walk in the mini forest as well as the choo choo trains that took us from different areas of the park. There are also Bird shows, crocodile feeding, aboriginal dance and sheep shearing shows. Our only regret is that we did not spend a whole day there!

Fun Factor : 4.5/5

Location : 28 Tomewin St, Currumbin QLD 4223, Australia

Add caption

4 Ride the Waves to WHALE WATCH

Whale watch

If you at Gold Coast between May and November, do go and experience Whale Watching. This once is a lifetime experience is simply breathtaking especially when the whale swims along the ship or does a breech. There are several whale watching companies operating during this season. We had taken the Whales in Paradise on previous trips and Seaworld Whale Watch for the last trip. In comparison, Seaworld whale watch has a bigger boat and is more stable in the choppy waters of Gold Coast. It is a better recommendation if you are travelling with families.

The other bonus for getting out to the sea is the seaview of Gold Coast skyline.

Fun Factor : 3.5 / 5

Location :

Seaworld Whale Watch -130 Seaworld Dr, Main Beach QLD 4215, Australia

Whales in Paradise - 23 Ferny Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217, Australia

Gold Coast Skyline

5 Feed a Kangeroo at Paradise Country

Paradise Country

For a glimpse of Australia Farm, Paradise country would be a good introduction in Gold Coast. There are kangeroo feeds, a small farm for kids and other (paid) activities such as Gold and Opal Mining . It is quite similar to Currumbin Wildlife but on a much smaller scale. Choose the latter if you are making a choice between each other. This destination is good for a half day tour.

Farm animals

Fun Factor : 2.5 / 5

Location : Entertainment Rd, Oxenford QLD 4210, Australia

Get your discounted Paradise Country Tickets from Klook here

6 Head to the Beach for a surf

Beach run

Gold Coast is well known for its long and beautiful beaches. There are at least 21 beaches on the stretch of Gold Coast. From the 3 km long popular Surfer's paradise to the clean white sands of Currumbin beach, you will be spotlit for choice for a day out in the sun.

Surf's up!

Even when it was winter, we still see surfers on the beach. Other than surfing, you might like to look down on the sand for the numerous beautiful seashells.

Fun Factor : 3.5/5 ( 5/5 during Summer)

Sand under my feet

7 Experience the 'Glow' of Tamborine Mountain

Glow Worms at Tamborine Mountain (NOT!)

Spend a day self drive to Tamborine Mountain. Take the Nerang route for some breathtaking views of Gold Coast along the way. There are plenty to do at the Mountains so plan your itinerary before the trip.

Activities include glow worm caves, skywalk, waterfalls trek and even a high rope course at Tunderbird park.

View from Tamborine Mountain

Activities include glow worm caves, skywalk, waterfalls trek and even a high rope course at Tunderbird park. Do make a stop at Gallery Walk for breakfast or lunch during the trip.

Want to do a night tour?
Book your Nature Bridge Glow Worm Night Tour from Klook here


Fun Factor : 4/5

Waterfall Trek

8 Head to the Outbacks with High Country Legends

For a unique Australia performance, the Australia Outback Spectacular is a must do when you are in Gold Coast. This Dinner and show is certainly an eye opener for us. The shows varies over time but the main focus would be stunt riders on horses from the Outback. We watched the High Country Legends and am suitability impressed.

Fun Factor : 4/5

Location : Entertainment Drive, Oxenford QLD 4210, Australia

9 Explore the many (FREE) beach playgrounds

Playground at Boardbeach

The Gold Coast has numerous outdoor playgrounds along the coast. We had seen large playgrounds at Boardbeach and Southport. Some of the playgrounds even comes with flying fox rides. Best of all , it is free and you probably can spend an hour or more there with kids.

Fun Factor : 4/5

Location :

Pratten Park, Broadbeach, Brisbane

Washington Waters Park , Southport, opposite Australian Fair

Mermaid found!

10 See to believe at Ripley's believe it or not

Ripley's Believe it or Not Surfer's Paradise

Welcome to the world of oddities in Ripley's Believe it or Not at Surfer's Paradise. There are interesting oddities for you to explore at Ripley's. Otehr than that , you can also have a go at their Ripley's impossible laser race. With several interactive exhibits, this would make an interesting addition to your trip.

Believe it!

Fun Factor : 4/5

Location : Cavill Mall, Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217, Australia

Who is taller?

11 Catch a toy at TimeZone

Spidey is Free!

If you had been following us, it would not surprise to learn that we are avid fans of UFO or Claw Catchers. We even wrote a post on tips on UFO Catching . It is awfully hard to resist a visit to the largest indoor arcade in Gold Coast , Timezone. The Timezone at Surfers is 10 times bigger than what we have in Singapore. There are arcade games, bumper cars and even claw catcher machines that works. We even caught a Spidey while we were there!

Fun Factor : 4/5

Location : Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217, Australia

12 LEGO hunting at Department Stores

Roar , LEGO Time!

This is added to the list because we found a really sweet deal in Myer's Pacific Fair. With the attractive exchange rate of 1.035 from SGD to AUD at the time of writing, we found a LEGO Detective set for about 40% off Singapore retail price after tax.
Resistance is futile. Join the Dark side.

Cheap LEGOs in Gold Coast

We like shopping in the toy department, there are interesting toys that you will chance upon that are not available in Singapore. We particularly like the old school games found in vintage looking boxes.
Cool heh?

Fun Factor : 1 /5 ( 5/5 if you found a toy you like for 40% discount!)

Childhood games

Tips for travelling with family

Lastly here are some tips that you might find it useful if you are travelling with family

Self Drive

Self Drive

Cabs are far and few in Gold Coast. Public Transportation can also be limited. In order to maximize your time on the trip, we recommend self drive in Gold Coast. Most of the shopping malls and parking zones allow free parking for a certain period. The GPS unit is reliable enough to get you to most places. Furthermore, self drive can save you alot of money from organised trips. If you are travelling in a large group of 6 to 8, we recommend the Hyundai iMax. It is big enough to fit 8 adults and 6 large luggage!

Save with online tickets

Go online for tickets

Go online for your tickets to attractions. Better still choose bundle attractions deal. We got a 4 in one unlimited entry pass comprising of entrance to Movie World, Sea World, Wet and Wild and Paradise Country from Experience OZ for AUD 89. For the record an adult fee to Movie world itself cost AUD 79 at the door. We went Movie World twice during our trip, so that itself pays for the tickets.

Pick up a guide at the airport

A guide is useful for you to choose the attractions to go to. The bonus are the coupons in the guide that allows you addition discount. A must have if you ask us.

Stay in an Apartment

Meriton Board Beach

If you are travelling in a group of 5 and above, an apartment would be a wiser and cheaper option. We stayed at Meriton Boardbeach during the trip and was delighted with the space and affordability. It was less than AUD 300 per night for a 3 bedroom apartment. Try to book these apartments during special promotions online for a better rate!

Hope you enjoy the guide. G'Day mates!