The Gold Coast in Queensland Australia is often compared to Miami, Florida in America because of its sunny, beach friendly weather and for large high-rise hotels, resorts and apartments right on the beach. The Gold Coast has wonderful golden sand beaches, hundreds of kilometers of canals and waterways, a lush hinterland backdrop and several world-class theme parks half an hour away.

A getaway holiday to the gold coast is filled with sun, sand, surf and shopping. Surfers Paradise is the center of the coast and has several malls filled with boutique shops, arcade and gaming lounges, pubs, restaurants, and take-away outlets. Often buzzing with tourists, Surfers also has duty free shopping and Conrad Jupiters Casino just down the road beside the Gold Coast’s biggest shopping complex.

Accommodation on the Gold Coast is almost endless. Most of the high-rise accommodation is found at Surfers Paradise and spreading north and south from there. At the northern and southern ends of the Gold Coast, places like Coolangatta, Miami, Labradore and Kirra run at quieter pace and although big resorts and hotels can be found, visitors can find smaller more affordable accommodation.

What are you waiting for? Now is the best time for a getaway to the Gold Coast.

Planning where to stay is half the fun. Gold Coast Accommodation stretches from Southport all the way down to Coolangatta on the New South Wales border. Choose a high rise apartment right on the beach at Surfers or head south for more laid back areas with less tourists and more accommodation Styles. Some visitors like staying at the Gold Coast Hinterland in mountain cabins or large fireplace lodges.

Pacific Fair shopping complex has over 300 shops catering to fashion, food, souvenirs and toys. If you want to buy it, then you will find it at Pacific Fair. Located right beside Jupiters Casino and just five minutes south from Surfers Paradise it would take at least a day to check out all the shops properly. Surfers Paradise too has become a shopping focal point over the last few years. Cavill Avenue has long been a ‘be seen’ shopping area that now has competition from the Chevron Renaissance Shopping Centre for boutique shopping and Centro Surfers Paradise with over 100 shops right on the beach.

Coolangatta Beach has plenty of clean white sand and for a surf beach the waves aren’t usually very big or rough. A few hundred metres further along the sand you come to Greenmount Beach which is sheltered, it has a calm water inlet and is perfect for families with young children. Many of the resorts along the beach have pools suitable for kids providing features like water slides, shallow pools and heated pools and spas. Just 10 minutes drive north of Coolangatta is the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, packed with birds, kangaroos, koalas, emus, crocodiles, tassie devils, turtles and eels.

There are plenty of reasons why the whole family will enjoy a holiday at Coolangatta on the Gold Coast.