Palm Beach

If the Gold Coast had a middle child it would possibly be Palm Beach, nestled between Tallebudgera Creek on one side and Currumbin Creek on the other. But don't for one minute think this destination is dull. Similar to its Florida namesake - which was named America's best place to live in 2013 - Australia's Palm Beach has thrice been crowned Queensland's cleanest beach.

In another US link, borrowing from New York in this instance, Palm Beach's avenues are also numbered, in this case from first to 28th, making navigating this corner of the coast a cinch. But that's possibly where the similarities with the Big Apple exist. For their Palm Beach is one of laid-back living and is one of the best examples of where rambling beach shacks still survive, perched petulantly on million-dollar blocks.

Surfers and sunbakers flock to Palm Beach for its wide, sandy and spectacular beach. There's also a variety of eating options here and you can't go past the Palm Beach Surf Club for a feast. Accommodation options consist of everything up to the top end of town, but they reckon you can't go past a beach shack for a bit of coastal character.