6 Family-Friendly Activities to Do on Your Gold Coast Holiday
Written by Johanna Cider
The Gold Coast is one of the most popular travel destinations in Australia for families. Throughout the region, there are loads of kid-friendly places to explore and fun activities to try, from observing Australian wildlife to riding water slides at one of the Gold Coast’s exciting water parks. No matter what age your kids are, you can find plenty of things to do that the whole family can enjoy together. Here are 6 examples of Gold Coast holiday family activities to do on your trip.
Visit the Carrara Markets
The Carrara Markets are the Gold Coast’s biggest permanent markets and have remained a popular tourist destination for over 30 years. The markets cover a total of 10 acres and have over 500 stalls, with plenty of cafes around that serve a range of delicious food. There are also loads of fun kid-friendly activities available, including pony rides, merry go rounds, face painters and trampolines.
Go to Wet’n’Wild
The Gold Coast is well known for its incredible theme parks and water parks like Wet’n’Wild. Wet’n’Wild is one of Queensland’s most popular family attractions. Here there is something everyone can enjoy, whether you’re an adult or a young child. In addition to the many thrilling rides and attractions for adventure seekers, there is an entire zone designed for family fun. This section of the park is perfect for families with little ones who want to splash around in gentle waters and play on the beach.
Wet n Wild Gold Coast
Hit the Gold Coast Play Grounds and Parks
One of the best free things to do on the gold coast with kids is taking a visit to the playground. There are plenty of fun playgrounds throughout the Gold Coast region that the kids will have a blast at. Some favourite spots amongst tourists and locals include Kurrawa Pratten Park on Broadbeach, Pirate Park on Palm Beach and Pacific Pines in Central Park.
Camp at Thunderbird Park
Thunderbird Park is located on Mount Tamborine, which is within 50 minutes of the Gold Coast. The park boasts a variety of unique attractions and activities for people of all ages to enjoy, such as adventure mini golf, bird feeding, treetop challenges and courses, horse riding, bushwalking and glow worm tours. The rainforest property is shared with Cedar Creek lodges where there is a variety of accommodation styles to choose from. You can also choose to camp at the caravan park and camping grounds at the northern end of the park. The park’s pristine rock pools and breathtaking surrounding forests and landscapes have made it one of the top caravan parks on the Gold Coast.
Currumbin, Gold Coast Australia
A Day at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is the perfect place to visit on a relaxing holiday with the kids. This world-renowned zoological garden regularly hosts a variety of family-friendly events, attractions and shows, including free bird shows, dingo encounters and feedings of the park’s saltwater crocodile. A visit to the garden is a great way to learn all about Australia’s natural and historical heritage and culture.
Visit Southport Rockpools
If you’re looking for fun gold coast toddler activities to do on your trip, make sure to take a visit to the Southport rockpools. This attraction is ideal for toddlers and kids up to 8 years old. Located at the Broadwater Parklands on Marine Parade, the pools offer a bunch of water activities for children, like different fountains and water jets, artificial waterfalls, a man-made creek and more. The pools are carefully monitored by lifeguards all day to ensure your children’s safety.
Johanna Cider is a New Zealand-based writer who is deeply passionate about adventure and plans to do great white shark cage diving in Australia’s most famous diving spots. She loves discussing travel and lifestyle topics and has written for Australian sites such as Jumpflex. See more of her work here.