Top Gold Coast Driving Experiences

Experience the beauty of Queensland's Gold Coast area during your next driving holiday.

Gold Coast Beaches

The Gold Coast has 35 first-class beaches which are all patrolled by volunteer lifeguards. There are also picnic facilities, playgrounds and public toilets nearby to help you enjoy your visit. The busiest stretch of coastline is undoubtedly Surfers Paradise. This stretch of coastline offers perfect swimming, free beach volleyball and games and rides at the nearby Paradise Centre. Below the cliffs of Burleigh Heads lies Echo Beach, a great place for a picnic. The cliff tops offer hectares of national park and the walking trails make it a popular place for both locals and visitors to explore. Meanwhile, Kirra Beach is the coast's most famous surfing beach and offers both challenging waves for experienced surfers and smaller waves for young grommets.

The Hinterland

The Hinterland provides the chance to experience impressive views, bushwalks and a range of adventure activities and tours, all within a 30-minute drive of the coastal heart of the Gold Coast. There are lots of treasures worth exploring, especially the magnificent ecological reserves. These include the Burleigh Heads National Park; as well the World Heritage listed Lamington National Park, the largest Australian preserved subtropical rainforest.

Tamborine Mountain

At Tamborine Mountain you can enjoy cosy tearooms, beautiful art galleries and antique shops, charming accommodation and even award wining wines. There are nine National Parks on Tamborine Mountain, all with walking tracks and picnic facilities. Springbrook National Park is one of the best-kept secrets in the hinterland area, offering beautiful waterfalls and ancient Antarctic beech trees. Purling Brook Falls within Springbrook is the Gold Coast's largest waterfall. Another great place to immerse yourself in the rainforest is O'Reilly's Plateau, within Lamington National Park. In the hinterland townships of Canungra, Beaudesert, Rathdowney and Jimboona you can enjoy country shows, rodeos, weekend markets and other family entertainment.

Theme Parks

The Gold Coast is justifiably regarded as Australia's theme park capital and when you've had your fill of sun and surf, nothing beats the fun and excitement of some of the biggest and best theme parks in the world.

DREAMWORLD

Australia's favourite family theme park has 11 different "worlds" to explore. The excitement begins with the 38-storey high Tower Of Terror ride, which reaches speeds of 160km per hour. Another ride, Wipeout, has been compared to riding a tidal wave strapped into an armchair. Other rides at Dreamworld include the Stingray, a double loop rollercoaster, a Gravitron and the latest in high-tech electronic games. If you prefer your entertainment a little more grounded, there is a magnificent tiger park featuring five rare Bengal tigers, a koala sanctuary, a gold mining town and the three-dimensional IMAX theatre.

MOVIE WORLD

Warner Bros. Movie World has transported the lights, camera and action of Hollywood to Queensland. Movie World involves audiences in the total film and special effects experience, with strolling Looney Tunes and Superheroes adding to the fun-filled atmosphere. Behind-the-scenes action, comedy stunts, favourite characters, animatronics, pyrotechnics and fun combine to make this an unforgettable day out. Don't miss the Wild Wild West Adventure Ride, the Lethal Weapon looping coaster or the Batman adventure - a simulated thrill ride through the streets of Gotham City. Movie World is an actual film studio, where movies such as The Phantom and Streetfighter were filmed. Don't miss the opportunity to explore the film sets on the Studio Tour.

WET'N'WILD

The Southern Hemisphere's largest wave pool is one of the big attractions at the Gold Coast's Wet'n'Wild Water Park. Located in a shady sub-tropical park, some of the world's latest water slides and leisure pools combine to make a brilliant day's entertainment for the whole family. If lazing in the shallows of the Wave Pool is not your style, you can plunge down a seven-storey Speed Slide, enjoy the thrills of the Terror Canyon or race your friends at the heart-stopping speed of the Super 8 Aqua Racer. By night, you can catch the latest release movies at the cinema screen at the back of the Wave Pool from the comfort of a floating tube or one of the deck lounges surrounding the pool.

SEA WORLD

Sea World is the largest marine park in the Southern Hemisphere, offering both excitement and discovery, as you learn about the wonders of the marine environment. Along with playful dolphin, whale, polar bear and sea lion shows, a spectacular ski show and an Endeavour replica, there are thrill rides like the Corkscrew roller coaster and the Bermuda Triangle.

CURRUMBIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

The largest collection of Australian wildlife roams free in the 27 hectares of lush garden of Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. With more than 1,400 mammals, birds and reptiles, the Sanctuary offers visitors a unique opportunity to meet Aussie native fauna face to face in a natural setting. The Sanctuary is also recognised worldwide as a quality research and conservation facility.

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