6 beaches near Gold Coast: Where to go for sun, sand, and surf

Beach destinations don't come much more iconic than Australia's Gold Coast. Easily reached from Brisbane Airport, The Gold Coast is famous around the world for its lively towns like Surfers Paradise and, of course, its incredible beaches. The eastern coast of Australia offers some of the best beaches in the country, and whatever you like to do during a beach vacation, you'll find that the beaches in Gold Coast make the perfect place to do it.

If you're looking for the best Gold Coast beaches, you've come to the right place. But before you head off to enjoy the waters of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, don't forget to drop off your things at a Bounce luggage storage in Gold Coast. With locations throughout the Gold Coast, not to mention over a thousand cities around the world, Bounce makes sure you'll never get caught with heavy bags so that you can enjoy the best Gold Coast beaches unencumbered.

Gold Coast Beach

Gold Coast itself is a coastal town, so you don't need to leave the city to see one of the best beaches in Gold Coast. Head to this popular location to enjoy sand, sea, sun, and everything that makes this such a popular town with Australian holidaymakers.

Travel distance from Gold Coast

It's less than a 10-minute drive from Gold Coast Central Business District to Gold Coast Beach. It doesn't take much longer to get here on public transport, either, so you may want to make this your first stop as you explore the best Gold Coast beaches.

Activity recommendations

Surfing: Surfing may not have been invented in Australia, but it has become a part of Aussie culture all the same. The extensive shoreline of the Gold Coast, which stretches for more than 70 km at the edge of the city, offers tons of incredible places for surfing, whether you're a veteran or a novice. There are several surf clubs on Gold Coast Beach where you can rent equipment or take a class to learn how to enjoy this thrilling sport.

Beach BBQ: Another great Australian tradition is the beach barbecue, or barbie. Although this well-developed stretch of coastline has tons of incredible restaurants, there's nothing quite like cooking for yourself in the open air and enjoying a meal with a view of the waves. You'll find public barbecue facilities all along Gold Coast Beach, so pick up supplies at one of the many grocery stores nearby and cook up a great Australian meal for yourself.

Surfers Paradise Beach

Easily one of the most iconic towns on the Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise may be the party capital of the whole region. It's also the best place to find great restaurants, awesome shopping, and anything else you need for a memorable coastal trip. But Surfers Paradise wouldn't be the town it is today without its popular beach, and it's well worth visiting this iconic location to see it for yourself.

Travel distance from Gold Coast

Surfers Paradise is located just outside Gold Coast itself, so you can reach this beach with a drive of less than 10 minutes. Bus route 705 also runs along the waterfront, connecting several Gold Coast beaches to one another. Surfers Paradise Beach is basically an extension of Gold Coast Beach, so you can easily walk from one to the other.

More than 100,000 visitors come to Surfers Paradise beach every year, but with 16 km of sand to share, it doesn't always feel crowded, even when it is.

Activity recommendations

Surfing: Like neighboring Gold Coast Beach, Surfers Paradise Beach is one of the most iconic Gold Coast beaches for surfing. In fact, the world-class surf breaks here are known throughout Australia, and the beach also hosts the Surf Life Saving annual contest. Highly trained lifeguards patrol this beach all year round, so it's a great place to try out surfing for yourself and brave the waves.

Dining: Whatever else you could say about Surfers Paradise, you couldn't call it a hidden gem. This town is well known throughout Australia and beyond for having some of the best dining in Queensland. The hotels and restaurants along this well-developed beach serve up cuisine from around the world, from Australian classics to the flavors of Asia. And, of course, there's tons of fresh seafood on offer, so you can sample the produce of the fertile waters off the coast.

Nightlife: When the sun sets, the restaurants and bars of Surfers Paradise come to life. This town, with its heavy tourist population, is a great place to party and meet other people, and the festivities spill out onto this beautiful beach every night of the week. If you're looking for the liveliest nightlife in Queensland, this is where you'll find it.

Miami Beach

Also part of the long stretch of coastline outside Gold Coast, Miami Beach resembles its United States namesake with inviting water, a long stretch of sand, and plenty of restaurants and nightclubs along the promenade behind the beach itself. One of the best Gold Coast beaches for enjoying ample amenities, this is another Gold Coast urban beach that is well worth exploring.

Travel distance from Gold Coast

Just 10 km from central Gold Coast itself, Miami Beach can be reached by car in about 15 minutes. You can also get here by bus in around 45 minutes.

Activity recommendations

Swimming: Miami Beach is another of the popular Gold Coast beaches for surfing, but it also provides a good place for a swim. The white sand of the beach is incredibly inviting after you've bathed, and although the surf breaks extend the full length of the beach, the headland to the south of the beach protects the water a little bit and makes it a better place for swimming than Gold Coast beaches further to the north. There are also lifeguards on duty here, so you can swim in safety - just remember to stay between the flags.

Fishing: As is the case with other Gold Coast beaches, there are tons of restaurants serving fresh seafood along Miami Beach. If you'd prefer to try your hand at catching dinner for yourself, this is a great place to do it. Nerang Jetty is a perfect place to drop a line and see what you can catch, and you'll also find plenty of tackle shops in the area that can advise you on the best equipment and spots to use.

Currumbin Beach

Heading further south, Currumbin Beach offers the same ample sand and great surf breaks you'll find on many Gold Coast beaches. With views of the city towers in the distance, it's hardly an unspoiled wilderness, but it is a great place to enjoy some time on the coast and participate in fun activities.

Travel distance from Gold Coast

At a little over 20 km from Gold Coast, Currumbin Beach is reachable with a drive of about half an hour. You can also take bus route 700 from the city, which will take about an hour to reach the beach, or you can bike here in around the same amount of time if you're feeling energetic.

Activity recommendations

Water sports: Although there is a surf break here, just like there is along virtually the whole Gold Coast, Currumbin Beach provides calmer waters than many other local beaches, which makes it a great place for water sports like kayaking and standup paddle boarding. Rent equipment from a nearby business and head out to explore the waters here while enjoying incredible views of the Gold Coast.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary: Located just behind the beach itself, this wildlife hospital and sanctuary is the perfect place to encounter Australia's famous wildlife. The rehabilitation center allows visits from the public to help fund its efforts to preserve Australian wildlife, and you can meet animals like koalas, kangaroos, dingoes, parakeets, kookaburras, and other species here. It's a great activity for families or anybody who wants to encounter native Australian wildlife on their trip.

Honeyworld Gold Coast: Gold Coast is a major center of honey production, and you can learn more about that part of the local culture at this interesting attraction. You can try a huge variety of honey here and pick up some bee-related souvenirs in the gift shop, making it a good place to kill an hour or so when you've had enough of the beach.

Burleigh Head National Park

Not far from the Gold Coast, this national park protects the Burleigh Headlands and is sometimes known as Burleigh Heads National Park. But whatever you call it, it's a beautiful place to visit in this stunning area and offers incredible views out over the coastline of Queensland. Home to some incredible beaches, viewpoints, and forest hiking trails, this is a place that no lover of the outdoors can afford to ignore while they're in the area.

Travel distance from Gold Coast

Although it can often feel a lot further away from the city, Burleigh Head National Park is only a 20-minute drive from the center of Gold Coast.

Activity recommendations

Hiking: This park is blessed with some beautiful forest trails where you can explore another side of the natural riches of the Gold Coast. The Rainforest Track takes you through a protected Queensland rainforest, while the Ocean View Track takes you closer to the cliffs to admire incredible views of the best beaches in the area. If you're feeling energetic, you can even hike several of these tracks to spend all day among the trees.

Burleigh Heads Rock Pools: These famous rock pools are well known to local families as a great place to encounter marine wildlife. Explore the rock pools at low tide to encounter starfish, sea urchins, crabs, and other coastal animals. Buy or download a guide to local wildlife and see how many different species you can find in this rich environment.

Kirra Beach

Protected by an offshore reef, this popular beach, like many others on the Gold Coast, offers a great range of restaurants, hotels, and things to do. But it also offers that scenic splendor that the Gold Coast is known for. Located right next to other legendary beaches like Rainbow Bay Beach and Coolangatta Beach, this is a great place to come to explore some of the best beaches in the area.

Travel distance from Gold Coast

It takes about 30 minutes to reach Kirra Beach from Gold Coast. You can also make the journey in around an hour by public transit.

Activity recommendations

Swimming: The more protected waters of Kirra Beach and Rainbow Bay Beach make this one of the best beaches in the area for swimming. The crystal clear water here is almost impossibly inviting, so take a dip to cool off from a game of beach volleyball or just from lying in the sun and enjoy this beautiful beach.

Snapper Rocks: Just on the other side of Rainbow Bay Beach, this coastal rock formation forms a unique natural pool that makes a fantastic place to swim and explore. Swimming in this protected water with the waves crashing just beyond the rocks is an experience not to be missed on the southern Gold Coast.

Conclusion

As you can tell, the Gold Coast beaches in this guide make exceptional places to spend some time. There are so many great beaches within reach of Gold Coast that no list can hope to include them all. Along with these great beaches, there is also Palm Beach, Mermaid Beach, and Tallebudgera Creek, for instance. And while these beaches are all close enough to the city to visit for the day, there are other beaches in Queensland that are ideal destinations for the best weekend trips from Gold Coast.

Visiting the beach is not only a good way to enjoy yourself when seeing Gold Coast on a budget. It's also an essential part of Australian culture, so don't miss out on spending some time on some famous beaches while you're in this area. After all, that's what Gold Coast is all about.