r/GoldCoast • u/sunshiney158 • 12d ago
January trip
We’re a family with 3 teens who are staying on the Gold Coast for a week in January. We’re looking for some fun activities, aside from swimming at the beach. We’re not really theme park people - but interested to hear if there’s one which you’d recommend for teens above the rest?
We’re also interested in visiting one of the national parks - which would you recommend visiting for rainforests and waterholes?
And last question, I read to expect a lot of rain, is this continuous days of rain or afternoon downpours?
Thanks!!
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u/DrunkenDuck68 12d ago
Tamborine Mountain is a great day trip. All the theme parks are packed but I'd do Dreamworld if I had to choose one. If it rains it might be for 4 minutes or 4 weeks so don't worry about the weather. And there's a tram running all the way to Burleigh now which is only 50c each. Bloody paradise (although I'd avoid Surfers Paradise because it ain't so).
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u/activelyresting 12d ago
Take a day trip - head south to Fingal Head. There's a cute little lighthouse up on the headland that hides a really incredible "giants causeway" hexagonal basalt crystal columns that go out into the sea. There's really great climbing and exploring, especially at low tide a lot of rock pools and you can climb out onto a little island outcropping. Very fun mini adventure and there's gorgeous beach just to the south of it that will be the most pristine and "empty" in the area.
From there head to Murwillumbah for lunch, it's a cute little town with a surprisingly thriving historic main street with a lot of really nice cafes and restaurants to choose from (totally disproportionate to the size of the town).
This is then the gateway to drive up the back way to the hinterland, go through Crystal Creek, which is another cute little village you can stop in - there's actually a couple of quaint little villages along the way with stuff you can check out.
Then you get up to the top of the ranges, it's a really beautiful drive, and one of the first spots you get to is Natural Bridge national park. Natural Bridge is a must see, very short, easy hike (about 20 minutes round trip with stairs) but spectacular waterfall in the middle of a cave that you can go in. If you time it to arrive just before sunset you can see the grandeur of it during daylight and hang about to see glow worms after dark. (Bring torches but do NOT shine them in the cave as it disturbs the glow worms)
From there you continue on the hinterland road and it goes past Springbrook (multiple options to go for a hike if you take this path during daylight hours) and then pops you back on the Gold Coast, just a short hop back to where you're staying.
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u/Kiiiileeee 12d ago
Where are you based?
Do you have transport?
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u/JovialMahogany59 12d ago
rain is mostly afternoon storms, not whole days so you still get good beach time in the morning
for a park with waterholes i always say Springbrook, the natural bridge is pretty cool and there is a few spots to swim if the weather is good
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u/Zetorstonk 12d ago
Currumbin rock pools/ Cougal Cascades worth a trip only 30 mins drive from Burleigh
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u/Tallygirl007 9d ago
We had two young visitors last week, English couple. They did the following and enjoyed their time here: Twin waterfalls circuit in Lamington national park Whale watching with SeaWorld (prob not option in Jan, but there’s other boating options) Outside climb and viewing at Q1, pass allows entry all day so they did the climb, whale watching, then came back to Q1 for sunset drinks on viewing deck. Used the G and busses to travel this day, borrowed my car the other days. Surf lesson at Currumbin alley Another day at burleigh enjoying the beach.
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u/Tallygirl007 9d ago
Oh and Fleays wildlife park or Currumbin wildlife sanctuary are both great spots. I actually like Fleays more, and there’s a fabulous circuit walk you can do From their carpark, around the tally creek circuit. If you search walking the Gold Coast on FB you’ll find other great walks, many aren’t that busy and nice
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u/Tallygirl007 9d ago
If you have a car a trip up Currumbin valley, and circuit over Tomewin down into tweed valley and Murwullimbah is lovely. Husk rum distillery, Tumbulgum cafe and pub on the river, Mbah itself, across to coast up via Cudgen, Kingscliff, Fingal, out to the lighthouse. Then home on M1, or on old GCHwy through tweed heads, outlook at rainbow Bay. And froggies beach is lovely.
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u/GiftedGambler 12d ago
any of the escape rooms in surfers are really good and there is axe throwing next to timezone
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u/ConstructionOk5682 12d ago
Twin falls - a lovely hike and you can swim at the base of the falls. If you like high ropes courses there is one at Thunderbird park on mt tamborine or their canyon flyer zip line course.
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u/Ultimatelee C'Bah 11d ago
Dreamworld, Pacific Fair if it’s raining (heaps of varied shops, places to eat and the IMAX) Tambourine Mountain and the look out on a clear day to watch the paragliders or Eagle Heights pub to look back down over the coast.
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u/zedder1994 11d ago
El Nino this year so likely will be dry and (if the experts are right) very hot.
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u/Anxious-Row-7455 9d ago
skate park pizzey park. maybe worth bringing skate boards? not sure about hiring. HOTA
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u/Smolvampiregirl 7d ago
I am a Gold Coast local and I love visiting all of the National Parks.
O'Reilly's at Lamington National Park is a great option if your family likes birds. You can feed the wild king parrots and Rosellas. They also have a nice cafe with a beautiful view.
For walks in Lamington NP starting from O'Reilly's they have:
- Tree Tops walk - only 800m a good warm up for some of the other walks and it is pretty spectacular. However I will note don't do this walk if you aren't a fan of suspension bridges or heights.
-Moran Falls - a nice walk with a waterfall. It's 4.6km so not too long of a walk and I didn't find it crazy difficult when I did the walk a few years back.
It really depends on what you and your family are into so I would recommend looking at the Queensland Parks website for the Gold Coast Region. It has all the information about the National Parks. Parks Queensland Website
As others have said the weather is really unstable in January so always check the forecast before going out and if the weather is really bad you can always change plans.
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u/Notmynameagaiin 12d ago
I live where you’ll be staying.
Weather that time of year is unpredictable but can be stunning.
All theme parks will be packed so if you do choose one, go to dreamworld and buy express passes. A day there is less than half the price the others and will include white water world so you can do both theme park and water park in one location. Wouldn’t stress if you miss it.
On a rubbish weather day, do a day trip into surfers. Catch the tram. Do some touristy things (hijinx hotel, escape room, infinity etc). Have some lunch. Tram home. Q1 is always worth a trip up.
National parks. Tamborine day trip and Curtis falls can be good. But I’d recommend Purlingbrook falls and twin falls in that order. Both are just outstanding.
There’s a lot of fun to be had here, hope you have the best time :)