Updated January 13, 2020
TOP 5 BEST GOLD COAST BEACHES
Your guide to the top 5 best Gold Coast beaches, from Surfers Paradise to Kirra Point. Here you will find fun family activities ideas and useful informations to keep your kids safe at the beach!
1. Surfers Paradise
Along the busiest stretch of the Gold Coast is Surfers Paradise beach – a great spot for families with its perfect swimming beach and range of other activities. Free beach volleyball offers fun for all ages, while the nearby cafes and shopping areas make it easy to take a break with an ice-cream or a cool drink. The huge Paradise Centre on the main shopping street, Cavill Avenue, has enough games and rides to keep everyone entertained. Every Friday night craft markets are set up along the front esplanade of the beach. A good place to find quality local handicrafts and gifts.
2. Broadbeach
South of Surfers Paradise is Broadbeach, offering a wide pedestrian shopping area just off the beach with children’s play equipment and fairground rides that run all year. With the beach as your backdrop, shopping can become a totally relaxing experience. Broadbeach is home to Kurrawa Surf Life Saving Club, host of the annual Australian Surf Lifesaving Titles. The area also features an exciting cafe precinct with pavement cafes and restaurants offering something to suit every taste. The gourmet pizzas are a healthy favourite. Broadbeach also offers craft markets on the first and third Sunday of every month on the strand.
3. Burleigh Heads
Further south is Burleigh Heads featuring a headland cliff popular with both visitors and locals. The headland incorporates hectares of National Park which visitors are free to explore. Just south of the headland is Echo Beach, a great place for a picnic, otherwise head north to the sheltered beach and barbecue area, where you can have lunch under the Norfolk pines. Walking paths guide you around to the headland and most are easy to manage with small children. Parents should obtain a track guide from the Burleigh Head National Park, which is open seven days a week from 9am to 4pm phone (07) 5535 3032. Burleigh Heads has its own arts and crafts markets on the last Sunday of every month.
4. Coolangatta
At the southern end of the Gold Coast, Coolangatta has some of the Coast’s prettiest beaches. Coolangatta has its own sheltered beach and nearby picnic area and further south, Greenmount beach has gentle surf where small children can play safely. Coolangatta’s bistros and cafes are close by for lunch or a snack. On the second Sunday of the month market stalls are set up along the beachfront where you can browse through a selection of local handicrafts.
5. Kirra Point
A venue for the Billabong Pro surfing competition, Kirra Point is the Gold Coast’s most famous surfing beach. Kirra produces challenging waves for the experienced surfer, as well as smaller waves closer to shore for beginners. It is a great place to watch the experts at work and get some pointers if you are learning to surf. Try hiring a longboard for the day – guaranteed fun for the kids and a great de-stress for mum and dad.
Always swim between the red and yellow flags
The beaches of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads and Coolangatta are patrolled all year from 8am to 5pm. Kirra Point is patrolled every day from November to April and during Queensland school holidays from 8am to 5pm.
