Having lived on the Gold Coast for close to nine years, I came to think that I ‘knew’ the Gold Coast. Well, let’s just say that was before kids. Truth be told, I have actually never been, or done, the Gold Coast with my kids before. We have always travelled to Noosa {about a 2-hour drive north} for our family getaways. However, we decided we needed a little change.
And it was a great change!
The thing about the gold Coast is that there is always something to do. Having two days of ‘not so nice weather’, we were forced to find indoors activities. With Noosa, if the weather is crap, you are literally stuck in your room. Not with the GC! It was an opportunity to go to Timezone {I don’t know who was more excited, me or the kids}
Over the six nights we were there, we meandered between indoor activities, parks, beach life, indoor swimming pools and the heated spa. My darling daughter experienced her first ‘bubbly spa’, and it was fabulous! She practised her swimming, her ‘breath taking’ and her ‘helicopters’, and the little man… well he just did what he does.
And it was on this holiday that I finally, and truly, understood what a ‘family holiday’ really is. When my mum asked on the phone “are you relaxing”, my husband and I just looked at each other, laughed, smiled and said, “Ha, as much as what relaxing is with a three and five year old”. Because truth be told, it really isn’t relaxing, but rather just enjoying. And we did just that; enjoyed!
It was fabulous!
There are a dime a dozen places to stay on the GC. We stayed at Q1, which was just fabulous as it was a self-contained two bedroom apartment. Views over the ocean also help with the whole experience too. ha! Is Surfers Paradise is not your thing {it can get very touristy}, Broadbeach is also another lovely spot to stay.
A few extra tips:
1. We hired scooters, and that was the BEST! The kids scooted from the apartment to the main shopping strip, to the beach, and the best thing was we had no complaints. None! Do yourself a favour and hire scooters.
2. If you are able to have an adult only night out, try Etsu Izakaya, the most fabulous Japanese {non touristy} restaurant around. It is the kind of restaurant that does not feel like a Gold Coast restaurant, but rather a hip Melbourne restaurant {Melbourne peeps will understand this one} :)
3. Don’t go crazy with the theme parks – they are ridiculously expensive and can be tiresome for young kids. You want to enjoy some downtime too {at least attempt to}
I never thought I would be that person to enjoy and want to experience the Gold Coast, but I did. I loved it! And I want to go back. It was the kind of holiday that just worked.It was the kind of holiday that everyone enjoyed, relaxed {ha!} and had fun. So we have vowed to ourselves that we will return…. to enjoy it once again.
