Getting There

By Car -- Access to the Gold Coast Highway, which runs the length of the Coast, is off the Pacific Highway from Sydney or Brisbane. The drive takes about 80 minutes from Brisbane. From Sydney it's an 11-hour trip, sometimes longer, on the crowded, run-down Pacific Highway.

By Plane -- Domestic flights land at Gold Coast Airport, Coolangatta, 25km (16 miles) south of Surfers Paradise. Qantas (tel. 13 13 13) offers direct flights from Sydney. Virgin Blue (tel. 13 67 89) and Jetstar (tel. 13 15 38 in Australia) both fly from Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, and Adelaide. Tiger Airways (tel. 03/9335 3033; www.tigerairways.com) flies direct from Melbourne. The Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle (tel. 1300/655 655 in Australia, or 07/5574 5111) meets every flight and will take you to your accommodations; the fare is A$18 (US$16/£8.10) one-way and A$33 (US$30/£15) round-trip for adults, A$9 (US$8.10/£4.05) one-way or A$17 (US$15/£7.65) round-trip for kids ages 4 to 13, A$45 (US$41/£20) one-way or A$83 (US$75/£37) round-trip for families of four. A better deal, if you are going to use buses a lot, is to buy a Freedom Pass, which includes your airport transfers. A taxi from the airport to Surfers Paradise is about A$30 (US$27/£14) but may be higher if traffic is heavy.

The nearest international gateway is Brisbane International Airport. The Coachtrans Airporter bus meets most flights and makes about 20 trips a day from the domestic and international terminals at Brisbane Airport to Gold Coast accommodations for A$39 (US$35/£18) adults, A$18 (US$16/£8.10) children 4 to 13, or A$96 (US$86/£43) for families of four. The trip takes about 90 minutes to Surfers Paradise. You do not need to book in advance unless you are on an evening flight; if you are, call tel. 1300/664 700 in Queensland, or 07/3358 9700.

AirtrainConnect links Brisbane Airport and the Gold Coast by train and bus for A$37 (US$33/£17) adults, A$19 (US$17/£8.55) children 5 to 14, or A$93 (US$84/£42) for groups of four. Take Airtrain to the Gold Coast, then an air-conditioned coach shuttle to any accommodations between Southport Spit at the northern end of the Gold Coast and Burleigh Heads to the south. Airtrain's SmartPass, for A$118 (US$106/£53) per adult, A$59 (US$53/£27) per child, or A$295 (US$266/£133) for families of four for 3 days, covers AirtrainConnect transfers, as well as unlimited door-to-door theme park transfers on the Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle and use of the local Surfside bus network, 24 hours a day. Passes are also available for 5, 7, 10, and 14 days.

By Bus -- Coachtrans (tel. 1300/664 700 in Queensland, or 07/3358 9700) runs between Brisbane and Gold Coast hotels. The fare is A$28 (US$25/£13) adults one-way, A$20 (US$18/£9) for kids 4 to 13; A$76 (US$68/£34) for families of four.

Greyhound Australia (tel. 1300/473 946) makes daily stops at Surfers Paradise from Sydney and Brisbane. The trip from Sydney takes 14 to 15 hours, and the fare is A$115 (US$104/£52). Trip time from Brisbane is 90 minutes, and the fare is A$25 (US$23/£11).

By Train -- Suburban trains (call Queensland Rail CityTrain; tel. 07/3235 5555) depart Brisbane Central and Roma Street stations every 30 minutes for the 70-minute trip to the Gold Coast suburb of Nerang. The fare is A$25 (US$23/£11) adults, A$12 (US$11/£5.40) children 5 to 14. Numerous local buses meet the trains to take passengers to Surfers Paradise.

If you come by train to Surfers Paradise from Sydney or other southern cities, service is on Countrylink (tel. 1300/131 722 in Australia; www.countrylink.nsw.gov.au), and you will need to transfer to a connecting coach in Casino or Murwillumbah, just south of the Queensland border. The trip from Sydney takes 14 to 15 hours and the fare is A$118 (US$106/£53) for a first-class seat.

Visitor Information

Gold Coast Tourism (tel. 1300/309 440 in Australia, or 07/5538 4419; www.verygc.com) has an information kiosk on Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise. It is stacked with brochures on things to see and do, and the staff will book tours and arrange accommodations. The kiosk is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm, Saturday 8:30am to 5pm, and Sunday and public holidays from 9am to 4pm. A second information booth is at the corner of Griffith and Warner streets in Coolangatta. It is open from 8am to 5pm weekdays, from 8am to 4pm Saturdays, and from 9am to 1pm Sundays and public holidays.

The Secret of the Gold Coast Seasons -- School holidays, especially the Christmas vacation from mid-December to the end of January, are peak season on the Gold Coast. Accommodations are booked months in advance at these times. The rest of the year, occupancy levels plummet -- and so do rates! Packages and deals abound in the off season, so make sure you ask.

Orientation

The heart of the Gold Coast is Surfers Paradise -- "Surfers" to the locals -- a high-rise forest of apartment towers, shops, cheap eateries, taverns, and amusement parlors. The pedestrian-only Cavill Mall, in the center of town, connects the Gold Coast Highway to the Esplanade, which runs along the beach.

The Gold Coast Highway is the main artery that connects the endless beachside suburbs lining the coast. Just north of Surfers is Main Beach, where Tedder Avenue abounds with shops, restaurants, and cafes. Heading south from Surfers, the main beach centers are Broadbeach, where retail complexes and restaurants are mushrooming; family-oriented Burleigh Heads; and the twin towns of Coolangatta in Queensland and Tweed Heads just over the border in New South Wales. Coolangatta still has a sleepy small-town feel that's ideal for families, despite some major development in the past few years. Gold Coast Airport is on the other side of the highway from Coolangatta township.

West of Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach are the affluent suburbs of Ashmore and Nerang, where luxury residential estates and many of the region's championship golf courses have sprung up.

Getting There

Visitor Information

Gold Coast Tourism (tel. 1300/309 440 in Australia, or 07/5569 3380; www.visitgoldcoast.com) has an information kiosk on Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise. The kiosk is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30am to 5pm, and Sunday and public holidays from 9am to 4pm. A second information booth is at the corner of Griffith and Warner streets in Coolangatta. It is open from 8:30am to 5pm weekdays and from 9am to 3pm Saturdays; closed Sundays and public holidays.

Orientation

The heart of the Gold Coast is Surfers Paradise -- "Surfers" to the locals -- a high-rise forest of apartment towers, shops, cheap eateries, taverns, and amusement parlors. The pedestrian-only Cavill Mall connects the Gold Coast Highway to the Esplanade, which runs along the beach.

The Gold Coast Highway is the main artery that connects the endless beachside suburbs lining the coast. Just north of Surfers is Main Beach, where Tedder Avenue abounds with shops, restaurants, and cafes. South of Surfers, the main beach centers are Broadbeach, where retail complexes and restaurants spring up; family-oriented Burleigh Heads; and the twin towns of Coolangatta in Queensland and Tweed Heads just over the border in New South Wales.

When to Go

School holidays, especially the Christmas vacation from mid-December to the end of January, are peak season on the Gold Coast. Accommodations are booked months in advance at these times. The rest of the year, deals abound.

Climate

With sunshine 300 days a year, the subtropical Gold Coast is a year-round holiday destination. Winter is especially ideal, averaging a sunny and cloudless 68°F (20°C), though nights can be crisp with temperatures dropping to 50°F (10°C). Summer temperatures average 77°F (25°C), but the high humidity makes conditions feel warmer. Late summer and autumn are the wettest seasons, with short but dramatic tropical storms creating around a dozen wet weather days per month.

Calendar of Events

Summafieldayze draws 35,000 music lovers and cutting-edge musicians like Scissor Sisters and Moby to the Spit in early January. In late February/early March the world’s top surfers attempt to wrangle Coolangatta’s waves during the Quiksilver & Roxy Pro surfing championships. The music is mellow and regional cuisine feeds the crowds during the Blues on Broadbeach festival in late May. Music, dance, food, and culture from around the globe are highlighted during mid-September’s Multicultural Festival. Surfers Paradise becomes a racetrack for the Gold Coast 600 V8 supercar challenge in mid-October.

Getting Around

By Car

Avis (tel. 07/5539 9388), Budget (tel. 07/5538 5470), Hertz (tel. 07/5538 5366), and Thrifty (tel. 07/5570 9999) have outlets in Surfers Paradise and at Gold Coast Airport. Endless local outfits rent cars at cheap rates.

By Bus

Surfside Buslines (tel. 13 12 30 in Australia, or 07/5571 6555) is the local bus company. Its best deal is the Freedom Pass, which allows you to hop on and off the buses anytime you like. The 3-day pass costs A$58 (US$52/£26) adults and A$29 (US$26/£13) children 4 to 13; 5-, 7- and 10-day passes are also available. The pass gives you door-to-door return Gold Coast Airport transfers, unlimited door-to-door transfers to Dreamworld, Warner Bros. MovieWorld, Sea World, Wet 'n' Wild Water World, and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as unlimited use of the Surfside bus network, 24 hours a day.

By Train

Translink trains run north to central Brisbane from Varsity Lakes, near Burleigh Heads. The inland route stops at Robina, Nerang, Helensvale and Coomera. Translink’s ticketless GoCard calculates fares electronically using a touch-on, touch-off system. Purchase adult or concession GoCards online or from 7-Eleven outlets, tourist offices, train stations, and newsagents. A single-use one-way paper ticket can be purchased at train stations.

By Boat

In 2012 a limited flat-fare ferry service is expected to run from Southport to Surfers Paradise. Broadwater Taxi provides water taxi transport to waterfront locations along the Gold Coast between Moreton Bay and Broadbeach for up to six passengers. Charter catamaran transfers operated by Gold Coast Ferries sail from Surfers Paradise to the Couran Cove resort on South Stradbroke Island, via Main Beach.

Travel Passes

The Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle Freedom Pass provides return airport transfers and unlimited door-to-door theme park transfers from Gold Coast hotels. Transport is by air-conditioned coach. The pass also includes unlimited rides on the local Surfside buses that link the Gold Coast’s towns and beaches 24 hours a day. Adult, child and family passes can be booked online, by phone, or at the airport, and are available for 3, 5, 7, or 10 days. Similar to the Freedom Pass, the cheaper Gold Pass provides theme park transfers and Surfside bus transport, but doesn’t include the return airport transfers.

More Information

Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle Freedom Pass (www.gcshuttle.com.au)

Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle Gold Pass (www.gcshuttle.com.au)

Surfside Buslines (www.surfside.com.au)

Translink (http://translink.com.au)

Broadwater Taxi (www.broadwatertaxi.com.au)

Gold Coast Ferries (www.goldcoastferries.com.au)

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