We were so excited to have another trip to Australia, and waited a long time for this. It was such a long time since we made a visit down under (check out our Melbourne trip diary). This trip will include visits to Gold Coast, Sydney, and the Hunter region near Newcastle. The article will focus on Gold Coast.
We got off the plane at Brisbane Airport early in the morning, after getting past the customs and pick up our luggage. Our first mission was to get to the car hire. Consistent with our Europe trip last year at Munich, we rented our car from Sixt again.
Few months ago, I tried to compare different car hire company, it seems that the Sixt still provide the most competitive price. The biggest bonus was their counter was right beside the arrival exit area, which was very convenient. We rented an 8-seater Kia Carnival, the car was only driven 1000km, a pleasant surprise as it is just like a new car.
Accommodation
We decided to book a place at Surfers Paradise, which is on the northern side of the Gold Coast, around 1 hour drive from Brisbane airport. Getting to the theme parks will be an easy 30 minutes drive from Surfers Paradise.
We managed to find a beach front accommodation, it was beautiful and amazing, especially during morning sunrise on the eastern side.
Places to Visit
1. Surfers Paradise Night Market
The night market is located on the pedestrian pavement besides the Surfers Paradise beach. The market opens every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night from 4pm to 9pm. There are many different types of stalls featuring handmade arts, boutique fashion, jewellery, souvenirs, as well as snacks and beverages. It is worthwhile to have a stroll through the market, with many stores and supermarkets also closes late at night.
It is also a good idea to have a walk at the beach before sunset and take pictures. We didn’t get a chance to have a swim or even have a dip in the ocean waves as the water was too cold in winter.
During night time, if you head along Cavill Ave, there are live music and street performances which made the environment feel incredibly vibrant.
2. Yo-Chi
I have never heard of the name before I came to Australia. It’s not until I saw so many people lined up even late at night, I realised that I need to give it a try. It’s basically serves frozen yogurts, by giving customers to DIY and mix n match different flavours and toppings into the cup. Of course, they were delicious as expected.
3. Ashmore Factory Outlets
If you are looking for good discounts on Australian products, this would be the best place to shop around. You will be able to find clothing brands such as Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, and a sports store will many Australian footy codes. There is also a sunglasses warehouse, along with a pharmacy warehouse. I purchased a few jeans and pants at Billabong as they have some good discounts on clothes. There are only several shops that is worthwhile to shop around, so it should only take 2 hours max. to visit most of the stores.
4. Harbour Town Premium Outlets
If you are looking for international brands at a discount price, this outlet would be the one to hang around. It is one of the largest outlet shopping center I seen in Australia, and has more than 200 brand-direct outlet and clearance stores. Most of the stores offer very good discounts at an attractive price.
I bought a couple of running shoes at ASICS, as the prices are really good value. My daughter’s favourite is at Jay Jays, where some of the apparel prices were exceptionally low. You can check out their stores via this link.
5. Skypoint Observation Deck
As we purchased a 2-day ticket which includes a complementary pass to Skypoint, it is definitely worthwhile to give it a visit, and it didn’t disappoint.
As long as you have a valid ticket for the visit, free parking is available on-site. After parking the car, catch the lift to the ground floor, walk out and there is a BWS Liquor Store nearby, you should find the entrance from there. After the ticket is scanned, the staff will bring you to the lift and travel up to Level 77.
Note that if you purchased a multi-day ticket, it is best to visit Skypoint on the same day. If you visit Dreamworld and Skypoint on different days, you would have used up 2 days of your ticket. This is why we were only able to visit the tower at night time right after leaving Dreamworld theme park.
The view from the tower was simply stunning. Note that there is a bistro and dining lounge for food and beverages. During the night, the area will have live music or DJ sessions.
6. Country Paradise
Our 5-day ticket to Warner Bros. Movie World also include free passage to the Country Paradise. Therefore we wouldn’t pass the opportunity to give it a visit. If you try to get there by car, after leaving M1 Motorway, instead of turning right towards Helensvale Road, you have to turn left instead to Roadshow Way, and follow the small road towards the destination.
It only took us around 2 hours to get through the park. The best part was probably able to have close interaction with the goats, we spent around 30 minutes there. However, there was no chance to get close to the kangaroos and dingoes, there were fenced away and we hardly able to see them.
Fortunately we were able to get a closer view of the Koalas and Meerkets, which we were able to take good photos. There was also opportunity for visitors to get a Koala cuddle photo at a cost of AU$99, but it was way too pricey. We decided to take the photo at Dreamworld instead as it was way cheaper at AU$40.
Otherwise there weren’t many other attractions for us in the park, I don’t think it’s worthwhile to purchase a standalone ticket for Paradise Country. I originally planned to spend the whole day there. Instead, we opted to head next door to Warners Bro. Movie World in the afternoon. This is why it’s worthwhile to purchase a multi-day, multi-park ticket to increase your scheduling options.
7. Warner Bros. Movie World
This is definitely the highlights of our Gold Coast trip, the kids will definitely love it. The park blends thrill rides with entertainments themed around the DC Universe, Looney Tunes, and other beloved cinematic franchises such as Scooby-Doo and the Wizard of Oz. For more information on the theme park, I have written a dedicated post under this link.
8. Dreamworld
This is another large theme park in Gold Coast. It combines world-class thrill rides, family entertainment, and a wildlife conversation park. For me, the main highlight is the wildlife park, as it provide more closer interaction with the animals compare to other wildlife parks in Australia. As mentioned above, getting a cuddle photo with the Koala cost only AU$40, which is definitely a highlight for the children.
Towards the end of the day, the park also provide some local food trucks and live entertainment, which is worthwhile to stay around. I have written a post dedicated to Dreamworld on this link.
