Top Things To Do on the Gold Coast With Kids

Planning your next family holiday? Here’s how to play and have fun together.

One of Australia’s most popular holiday destinations, the Gold Coast has long been a family favourite — and for good reason, as it’s almost impossible to run out of things to do with kids. Whether your brood is counting down the days for sunny coast days, nature adventures, or adrenaline highs, there’s something for children big and small in this vibrant playground.

From animal encounters to theme park crawls, Indigenous culture tours, and hanging out on the city’s best beaches, here are our top spots to visit on your next family getaway to the Gold Coast.

Family-friendly beaches on the Gold Coast

Boasting around 300 days of sunshine per year, the Gold Coast’s entire persona was built around beach holidays for the obvious reason that its 52 kilometres of coastline is magnificent. Pile the kids into the hire car and splash around at one of the best beaches on the Gold Coast.

a family hanging out on the beach under a huge umbrella at Rainbow Bay, Gold Coast

Chill out beneath a beach umbrella at Rainbow Bay. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Need some inspiration? Tallebudgera Creek is a dream destination for families — it’s perfect to hunker down for the day. A sweeping ribbon of blue flanked by lush greenery, some might say. Those with young kids or less confident swimmers should set up camp on the Palm Beach side of the creek with its shallow banks and lifeguards on duty.

Take a dip in the refreshingly blue-green waters of Tallebudgera Creek.

And best of all, Custard Canteen is just a few yards away dishing out strong coffee, Portuguese custard tarts, and hot chips. If you’re looking for somewhere to lay your head, head to Tallebudgera Tourist Park just across the road and choose between a family budget room or waterfront cabins, along with a playground, swimming pools, go-karts, and a tennis court.

a father and child on a paddleboard at Currumbin Beach

Hop on a paddleboard with your kid. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Another popular kid-friendly beach is Rainbow Bay, a golden crescent of sand lapped by Tiffany Blue waters. Its protected location and typically low waves make this beach a safe spot to take the whole family. Moreover, it’s patrolled between 8am and 5pm every day, all year round.

Hop your way around Currumbin Rock Pools. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Lastly, you can’t go wrong with Currumbin Beach. Regularly voted as Queensland’s cleanest beach, here you’ll find sheltered calm waters for swimming and entertaining the kids. On that thread, a short drive away is Currumbin Rock Pools where kids can paddle by the rocks, leap off ledges and swing on rope swings. It’s as wholesome and idyllic as it sounds.

a scenic view of Currumbin Beach in Gold Coast

Soak up the sun at Currumbin Beach. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Of course, it’s not a family holiday to the Gold Coast without learning how to surf. Burleigh Beach is the perfect spot to do this as it has a relaxed vibe, the headland provides the beach with a gentle swell and there are a couple of surf schools there to choose from.

Gold Coast theme parks

Known as the ‘Theme park capital’ of Australia’, it would be remiss not to pencil in at least one day at the Gold Coast’s seven theme parks — and your travel companions would never forgive you either!

children enjoying the Spongebob Boating School Blast ride at Nickelodeon Land, Sea World, Gold Coast

Conquer the Spongebob Boating School Blast ride at Nickelodeon Land, Sea World. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Big kids with a need for speed should hit Warner Bros. Movie World, home to the superlative DC Rivals HyperCoaster. Littler ones might be better suited to Dreamworld, which has several family-friendly rides, plus a water park and animal enclosures.

Family seeing sharks at Sea World Gold Coast

Wow kids with the sealife at Sea World. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

Sea World is the other heavy hitter, known for its shows and animal presentations as much as it is for its rides. If you’re searching for somewhere to stay, Paradise Country offers a farm-stay experience where you can perch up at the onsite camp and van sites or stay in one of the beautifully decked-out Eco Tents. Either way, you’ll be surrounded by animals and spectacular scenery during your stay.

a family sitting on the grassy grounds of Paradise Country

Get a chance to live with farm animals at Paradise Country. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Indigenous cultural tours on the Gold Coast

The Goldie isn’t all sun, sand, sky rises, and glamour. Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre peels back the curtain on the history of the Yugambeh/Kombumerri people and the Burleigh area, offering kids and adults alike a very different take on what may seem a familiar destination. It’s the only dedicated Aboriginal cultural centre on the Gold Coast, and it’s fully owned and operated by the local Aboriginal community.

an indigenous member of Yugambeh/Kombumerri people applying white face paint on a kid at Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre

Immerse your kids in the vibrant culture of the Yugambeh/Kombumerri people at Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Meet a traditional custodian, hear Dreamtime stories associated with the creation of Jellurgal (Burleigh Headland), and learn about local bush foods and fishing and hunting practices on the two-hour Jellurgal Walkabout tour.

Animal encounters on the Gold Coast

Get up close to some of Australia’s most iconic creatures with a visit to one of the Gold Coast’s wildlife parks. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is hugely popular and is a wonderful family trip to learn more about Australia’s native wildlife. Little ones will love the Breakfast with the Koalas experience which includes a scenic brekkie in the company of koalas, plus a chat with keepers where you can learn all about these furry marsupials and even have a cuddle with one of them. Throughout your day there, the sanctuary has plenty of daily presentations about its resident animals and every dollar spent there goes towards funding its wildlife hospital.

Get up close to the animals at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.(Image: Destination Gold Coast)

The David Fleay Wildlife Park is also well worth a visit. Home to rainforest and bushland, this park is managed and run by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Park Rangers who share their vast knowledge at daily wildlife shows, talks, and encounters. Expect to meet barn owls, pythons, platypuses, bilbies, tree kangaroos, emus, and more.

a family entering the David Fleay Wildlife Park

Step into the wilderness at David Fleay Wildlife Park. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

For something a little more ‘out-there’, drive to Mountview Alpaca Farm and take a resident alpaca out for a walk. Better still, the farm is located within a vineyard, so hard-working parents can enjoy a well-earned glass of estate red, white, rosé, or sparkling wine too.

a woman taking an alpaca for a walk at Mountview Alpaca Farm

Take one of the resident alpacas out for a walk. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

And if you’re on the Gold Coast between May and November for whale season, you’re in for a treat. An estimated 35,000 humpback whales visit the Gold Coast each year so the odds of seeing them are in your favour! The best way to see them is on a whale watching tour, with the Sea World Cruises being particularly family friendly.

Nature-based experiences on the Gold Coast

At first glance, the Gold Coast can appear to be all glittering high rises and foamy surf but venture towards the hinterland and there’s a whole world of nature out there filled with outdoor adventures.

Spend the day among the trees at Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

Try the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk, made up of forest floor trails and a steel bridge that rises to 30 metres high, offering panoramic views of the upper canopies of the forest and lazy creek. Or for kids who have their eyes on more adrenaline-packed action, visit Tamborine Mountain’s Thunderbird Park, which has a high ropes course and rainforest ziplining, or you can even fossick for thundereggs, play mini-golf or go hunting for glow worms.

a rustic signage of the Thunderegg Crystal Mine inside Thunderbird Park

Unearth the hidden gems at the Thunderegg Crystal Mine. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Further up the mountain, nestled high above the World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park is O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, filled with family-friendly activities including the free O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk which consists of nine suspension bridges up to 16-metres above ground. On this short walk, stroll through a canopy of trees and observe wildlife and birds in the rainforest at close range. Stay for the night at one of the rainforest villas or set up camp at O’Reilly’s campground.

Stay for the night at O’Reilly’s. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Closer to the city lights is the stunning Burleigh Head National Park. Follow the 2.3-kilometre Rainforest Circuit that winds its way along the wild headland through rocky foreshore and rainforest.

Events and attractions for kids on the Gold Coast

On top of the incredible beaches, theme parks, and nature and wildlife experiences on the Gold Coast, the reason why this region is known as Australia’s largest playground is that there is just so much fun to be had around every corner.

See the movie and music stars at The Wax Museum, explore the multiple playgrounds at Broadwater Parklands, discover a hole world of fun with three themed 18-hole courses at Putt Putt Mermaid Beach, or check out the cinema, theatre and gallery events calendar at the iconic Home of the Arts (HOMA).

Activate your kid’s imagination at Home of the Arts (HOTA). (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

Speaking of events, on the Gold Coast you’ll find a long list of world-class events at your fingertips. From joyful festivals and incredible art exhibitions to hearing the roar of the crowd at an action-packed sporting event, feel the compelling energy of the Gold Coast. Family favourites include Pacific Airshow, the largest Airshow to ever take place in Australia, and the Pho3nix Gold Coast Triathlon which has its very own kid race.

guests line up outside Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

Looking for an experience that’s a little bit strange and unlike anything you’ve done before? Ripley’s Believe It or Not! attraction is for you. With illusions and exhibits from the worlds of science, as well as hands-on interactive displays and state-of-the-art special effects, prepared to feel overwhelmed but in the most amazing way. If you’ve got older kids to entertain, they’ll love the mind-blowing 30-minute journey into a futuristic maze-like world of wonder at Infinity Attraction filled with 20 multi-sensual play environments.

kids having a fun time inside Infinity Attraction

Get ready for a mind-blowing experience at Infinity Attraction. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Family-friendly restaurants on the Gold Coast

Every family is on the lookout for a relaxed, no-rules restaurant with an easy food experience, and we know the one. With a cool, rustic vibe, Willow Dining mixes a feast of Mediterranean, European, Modern Australian, and Spanish cuisine, along with a fusion of Asian favourites together in Tapas style, so there’s something enticing for everyone sitting at the table.

The Collective is another excellent food option. Taking the concept of street markets and food trucks and amping them up with one joint menu and table service, allows you to conveniently choose what you want to eat from five kitchens. Offering the best of Mexican, Greek, Asian, American, and Italian cuisines, take your pick from pizzas, tacos to baos, and chicken ‘n’ waffles to margaritas and jugs of Pimm’s.

For an extra special on-the-go experience, head to the much-loved Miami Marketta night stalls and taste street food from the back streets of Thailand, Barcelona, or New York City. The mix of vendors can change nightly but expect a generous smattering of all your favourite cuisines from wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta to fried chicken, pad Thai, gyros, tacos, doughnuts, and more.

Bon appétit at The Collective. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

What’s a family holiday without indulging in some sweet treats? Make sure to eat your way around some of the best desserts on the Gold Coast.

The unique tranquillity of Japanese bathing culture can now be experienced in a Queensland rainforest.

I’m the first official guest at SOL Elements, an elemental bathhouse located in Mt Tamborine, roughly 50 minutes inland from the Gold Coast beaches. The town is already a calm-inducing hinterland heaven as birdsong echoes over rolling hills and roadside avocado shacks pop up around many corners. But with the arrival of SOL Elements, Mt Tamborine evolves into a wellness destination. Let me take you through the experience.

The new bathhouse is set in the calming hinterland. (Image: Timothy Birch)

First impressions

The exterior of the new SOL Elements Bathhouse in the Gold Coast hinterland

The setting delivers maximum serenity. (Image: Timothy Birch)

Given the jaw-dropping rendered photography released by the team in January 2025, I wondered if SOL Elements could meet the hype. Additionally, the location is at the end of a large car park at Tamborine Mountain Glades’ Thunderbird Park, an iconic kid-friendly hinterland attraction, so I was curious as to how they’d bring the Zen.

Surprisingly, no shrieking children are heard as I approach one architecturally magnificent facade. Positioned off a small lake dubbed Lotus Lake, swimming with turtles and ducks, it features thin timber boards that gradually fan out via meticulous three-millimetre increments. More than 2000 metres of hand-charred wood, burnt personally by Russ Raven, who founded SOL Elements with his wife Shae Raven, make up the entrance and much of the interior walls, channelling the ancient Japanese art of wood preservation, Yakisugi. It’s an aesthetic that pops amid bushland without ever jarring. It’s dramatic yet graceful, bold yet grounded – a lot like what’s going on inside, really…

Communal bathhouse

The communal bathhouse is circular with treatment rooms branching off from a garden. (Image: Timothy Birch)

Positioned to take in the entire breadth of that fairytale lake, three small outdoor thermal mineral pools are the cornerstone of SOL Elements’ communal bathhouse, which caters to just 30 people at a time. While the warm pools bubble at a toasty 38 degrees, the cold plunge drops to an icy 12 degrees.

There are two ways to soak up some hot and cold therapy. The first starts inside SOL’s Cedar Wood Sauna, fitted with bench seating and extensive windows that let in more Lotus Lake views, before I go 90 full seconds in the cold (I’m aiming for two minutes, but it’s still winter). The sauna is small, and I’m grateful to be in there alone, but six or so people could fit in here comfortably.

Sit around the sunken fire pit at SOL Elements Bathhouse

Sit around the sunken fire pit. (Image: Timothy Birch)

The second way to hop between hot and cold is via the showstopping submerged outdoor fire pit. I take a seat on its curved bench seating and watch the flames flicker against my serene view. Sitting in wet cozzies, I feel reinvigorated, ready to dip in and out all over again.

Then there’s the communal Earth Lab, a mind-blowing alchemy station. Before I hit the showers, I’m invited to spoon out two ingredients from a bar filled with salts, flowers and powders. Utterly delighted to personalise my sensory journey, I go for the ground coffee and hibiscus flower petals before pumping body wash into my palm and creating an exfoliating polish. It’s hard to ignore the likes of raw brown sugar, chamomile flowers, rose petals and spirulina powder (there are 10 options in total), but my blend is straight-up delicious.

The Earth Lab features an alchemy station for guests to create a personalised sensory journey that suits their mood. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

Himalayan Salt Sanctuary

The Himalayan Salt Sanctuary at SOL Elements. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

There’s one other communal element at SOL: the Himalayan Salt Sanctuary, featuring a gasp-worthy design (and gasps are welcomed, given the respiratory benefits salt therapy is famed for).

Built with illuminated salt bricks that morph between sunrise shades, pale pink and clear white, the room radiates as I breathe in negative ionised air. Bench seating wraps the entire space while three stunning pendant lights glisten, dialling up the drama. It feels as though I’m sitting inside a lantern, all while my lungs are high-fiving me as I attempt further breathwork.

Floatation caves

For the ultimate sensory deprivation experience, two Floatation Caves are calling. Located right next to the Himalayan Salt Sanctuary, the rooms open to beautiful all-black stone fit-outs. Magnesium salt water is heated to complement your unique body temperature. Epsom salt and Dead Sea salt are expertly utilised to create the most extensively filtered water in Queensland. This is magnesium magic on steroids.

Once the doors shut, it’s completely dark. I float blissfully unaware of my surroundings; waterproof headphones ensure total immersion.

Secluded Suites

an outdoor mineral plunge at SOL Elements

The onsite accommodation features a heated private mineral plunge. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

I step up my SOL Elements visit by booking one of its two Secluded Suites, and the experience is end-to-end luxurious. Facility-wise, the suite (which caters for groups of up to five) gives me my own infrared sauna, single-person cold plunge, shower, private Earth lab with four ingredients, mini-bar with mocktails, tea station and clay mask, all while floor-to-ceiling glass windows throw up more of those soothing views.

The cherry on top? An outdoor private warm mineral plunge right by the lake. I sip on an organic, caffeine-free lemon myrtle and ginger root tea as the afternoon slips by. But before I go, there’s one more unmissable element to indulge in.

Massages and treatments

Inside the treatment rooms at SOL Elements Bathhouse

Up the ante with a rejuvenating massage at one of the two onsite treatment rooms. (Image: Timothy Birch)

I dress in a plush black waffle robe and stroll a couple of doors down to one of SOL Element’s two treatment rooms. I’m booked in for the Earthing Immersion as I love hot stone massages, and this features stones gathered with permission from Indigenous elders right around Australia. How special is that?

For so many reasons, but mainly the skills flexed by therapist Milena (who specialises in stretching), this is a massage like no other. I’m asked about my mood and lifestyle before Milena tells me she’s reading my energy. I’m not typically partial to energy readings, but I can’t deny that my limbs surrender under the hands of Milena, who uses Synthesis Organics’ essential oils that smell divine.

The stones differ in size and shape, heated and rolled across me like Café de Paris butter. 90 minutes later, I feel weightless as I return to my Secluded Suite to shower again and, begrudgingly, depart. I’m truly transformed into jelly. It took Shae and Russ four long years, but SOL Elements manages to live up to every expectation before soaring far beyond.

Details

Address: Cedar Creek Falls Rd and Tamborine Mountain Rd, Tamborine Mountain (within Tamborine Mountain Glades)

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 8 pm, Friday to Sunday, 8 am to 10 pm

Prices:

Communal Bathhouse: $95 for 90 minutes
Floatation Cave: $90 per person for 60 minutes (2 guests maximum)
Secluded Suite: From $360 for two people, for 90 minutes
Earthing Immersion: $300 for 90 minutes
Other massages, facials and treatments: View the spa menu

Accessibility: SOL Elements welcomes guests with access needs. The building features wide pathways, accessible for wheelchairs, throughout. A pool hoist can also be arranged if requested in advance.

Please note: All guests must be over 18.

Incredible things to do with kids on the Gold Coast