Gold Coast

This stretch of coast is the reason most people come. An almost unbroken line of golden sand runs south from Main Beach through Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads to Currumbin and the twin towns of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads, with surf lifesaving clubs and flagged, patrolled areas along the way. The water reaches about 26°C in late summer and rarely drops below 20°C, so swimming goes on year round.

The beaches have different characters. Surfers Paradise is wide and backed by towers. Burleigh is more relaxed, with a grassy headland and picnic lawns. The southern point beaches such as Greenmount, Rainbow Bay and Kirra are more sheltered and the gentlest for a swim. This is open Pacific surf, so swim between the flags and treat the rips with respect. For calm water, families head to the Broadwater lagoon at Southport or the creek mouths at Tallebudgera and Currumbin.

Eating here is relaxed and outdoor rather than distinctive. Burleigh Heads and Mermaid Beach have the most interesting cafés and modern Australian dining, and the brunch culture is strong. Broadbeach has a dense run of restaurants near the casino and convention centre. Local prawns, Moreton Bay bugs and fish and chips eaten on the sand are the closest the coast has to a signature. Craft breweries in the light-industrial estates behind the beaches and the weekend twilight food markets add some variety. Surfers Paradise itself is mostly chains and tourist menus. Expect solid Australian quality rather than a food scene worth travelling for.

This is a young resort city built for the beach, and sightseeing in the conventional sense is thin. The arts precinct HOTA, Home of the Arts, beside the Nerang River has the city's main gallery, with Australian art in a striking modern building. The SkyPoint observation deck high in the Surfers Paradise skyline gives a good sense of the coast's long ribbon of towers, sand and canals. Beyond that there are small surf and local history displays. A visitor wanting museums and heritage takes the train to Brisbane.

Going out has two faces. Surfers Paradise, around Cavill Avenue and Orchid Avenue, is the party strip: big clubs, bars with drink deals, crowds of young Australians and backpackers, and nights that run into the small hours, particularly at weekends and during the end-of-school celebrations each November. It is loud and unpolished rather than stylish. Broadbeach has more grown-up wine and cocktail bars around the casino, while Burleigh Heads and Miami have relaxed bars, rooftop terraces and brewery taprooms that suit a sunset drink more than a late night. Away from those pockets the coast is quiet early.

Behind the beaches lies some of the richest landscape in Australia. The hinterland ranges hold World Heritage subtropical rainforest at Springbrook, with waterfalls and the glow-worm cave at Natural Bridge, and in Lamington National Park, with long walks among ancient trees and abundant bird life. Both are an hour to an hour and a half by car. Tamborine Mountain, a little nearer, adds easy rainforest tracks and lookouts over the coast. Closer in, the small Burleigh Head National Park has a coastal walk around the headland.

The sea is the other playground. The point breaks at Snapper Rocks, Kirra and Burleigh are among the most famous surf waves anywhere, and surf schools work the gentler beaches. Humpback whales pass close offshore from about June to November, and the Broadwater suits kayaking, paddleboarding and boating.

The obvious outing is Brisbane, about an hour and a quarter by train, with its riverside cultural precinct, galleries and South Bank parklands. Heading south across the New South Wales border, Byron Bay is about an hour's drive, with its lighthouse, laid-back town and the hinterland villages of Bangalow and Mullumbimby nearby. Tamborine Mountain combines a village of galleries and cafés with small wineries and distilleries. North Stradbroke Island, reached by ferry from the Brisbane bayside, makes a longer day. Beyond these the choice thins quickly, and much of what lies within reach is rainforest and coast rather than towns.

Few places are built so completely around a family vacation. The northern Gold Coast is a cluster of theme parks: Dreamworld with its rides and Australian animals, Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World on the Spit, and the water parks Wet'n'Wild and WhiteWater World. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in the south lets children meet koalas, kangaroos and lorikeets, and the beaches have patrolled flags, calm creek mouths and big foreshore playgrounds.

Accommodation suits families too, with self-catering apartments and pool resorts everywhere. The parks are spread out between Coomera and the Spit, so plan days around them, and the strong subtropical sun calls for hats, shade and early starts in summer.

The Gold Coast is a long, thin city stretched along the shore, and how easy it is depends on where you stay. The G:link light rail runs along the coastal strip through Southport, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, connecting with the train to Brisbane at Helensvale, and buses fill in the rest of the coast as far as Coolangatta and the airport. Within Surfers, Broadbeach or Burleigh the beachfront is flat and pleasant to walk or cycle. The theme parks are reached by bus or park shuttles, but the rainforest hinterland and the towns over the border really need a hire car.

Shopping is mall-based and practical. Pacific Fair at Broadbeach is a large open-air centre with the main Australian and international chains, and Harbour Town near Biggera Waters is an outlet centre popular for discounted brands. Surfwear is the local speciality, with board and surf-label shops all along the coast. Beachfront night markets at Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta, and the large weekend market at Carrara, add stalls and local makers. There is little in the way of luxury streets, design boutiques or crafts with deep local roots.

Australia is not a cheap country to travel in, and the Gold Coast follows suit, though it is easier on the budget than the big southern cities. The sheer number of vacation apartments keeps rooms reasonable outside school breaks and the peak summer weeks, and self-catering helps families a great deal. Eating out, alcohol and attractions are where costs mount: restaurant meals and drinks carry full Australian prices, and theme-park tickets add up fast for a family. The beaches, coastal paths and national parks cost nothing.

The performing arts are modest. HOTA, the arts centre on the Nerang River, has theatres and an outdoor stage that host touring productions, comedy and concerts, and it is the cultural anchor of the city. Live music happens mostly in pubs, surf clubs and brewery venues, with local bands and touring acts. The calendar brightens around festival weekends such as Blues on Broadbeach. For opera, orchestral concerts or serious theatre, visitors go to Brisbane.

There is no bathing tradition here, but plenty of ways to unwind. The resorts in Main Beach, Surfers and Broadbeach have day spas, and massage studios are easy to find. The hinterland around Tamborine Mountain and Currumbin Valley is known for health retreats with yoga, walking and spa treatments in quiet rainforest settings. The coast's pace changes along its length: the southern suburbs around Burleigh, Palm Beach and Coolangatta feel slow and easygoing, with dawn yoga on the grass and long walks, while Surfers Paradise is noisy and busy and not a place to rest.