Gold Coast long weekend with teens: 3 days of fun for everyone

Looking for ideas on how to entertain the older kids on your next getaway to the Gold Coast?

Pack your sense of adventure and get ready for fun with these great places to stay, must-do activities, and delicious dining options for families with teens.

Day One

Morning

With so much accommodation to choose from, your biggest challenge on the Gold Coast is deciding where to stay. At Peppers Soul Surfers Paradise or nearby Meriton Suites, it’s all about luxury and ocean views with a choice of multi-bedroom apartments opposite the Gold Coast’s most famous beach.

A few kilometres down the road, upmarket Broadbeach has an equally beautiful beach, an impressive array of dining venues, and great accommodation options like the AVANI Broadbeach Gold Coast Residences. If you can’t decide whether to stay at Broadbeach or Surfers Paradise, the Oaks Gold Coast Hotel is an easy 20 minute walk from both.

At the Gold Coast’s chilled out southern end, Mantra Twin Towns offers affordable hotel rooms and apartments one street back from Coolangatta's beachfront.

Afternoon

After a casual lunch at the surf club closest to your accommodation, it’s time to swap the beach for the clouds on the SkyPoint Climb atop the Gold Coast skyscraper Q1. This is Australia's highest external building adventure.

Following the safety briefing, you’ll be clipped to a specially designed harness system and taken outside to marvel at the jaw-dropping ocean view. After your climb, grab a pre-dinner drink at the SkyPoint Bistro + Bar which sits more than 200m above the beach.

Evening

Jump in your car or catch the tram to Broadbeach which has more restaurants than you can poke a fork at. Mario’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria serves classic Italian dishes just like Nonna used to make and has a lovely indoor/outdoor dining area, generous servings, and friendly staff. You can’t go wrong with any of the meals here, but those featuring Queensland’s famous seafood are especially good. 

Social Eating House lives up to its name with classy share plates and a lively atmosphere that lends itself to good times, or for a more casual bite make your way to Costa Taco, a cult-favourite Gold Coast Mexican restaurant that recently opened a new location in Broadbeach. 

For more options, check out this guide to the best Gold Coast restaurants, by precinct. 

Day Two

Morning 

Enjoy a sleep in then head out for brunch at Bam Bam Bakehouse, a Mermaid Beach haunt which has more in common with a hip cafe than a suburban bakery. Down the road at Broadbeach, you won’t have trouble finding No Name Lane at The Oracle shopping precinct. Just look for the long takeaway coffee queue. Meals are simple but done well – think poached eggs on sourdough –and the specialty coffee will put a spring in your step.

Afternoon

After you’ve fuelled up, it’s time to hit the beach for a surf lesson or a swim. Wherever you’re staying, there is sure to be a beautiful stretch of sand nearby. Or, for some serious fun, the Gold Coast is Australia’s theme park capital with endless different ‘worlds’ to explore: Dreamworld, Sea World, and Warner Bros. Movie World being the biggest.

Not sure which theme park to visit? Take our quiz to find your match. 

Evening

Head to the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets which take place under the famous Surfers Paradise sign on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights from 4pm. Live entertainment and the market’s central location creates a lively, upbeat vibe. After you’ve browsed the markets, walk down the Cavill Mall and pick up some takeaway to enjoy on one of the seats overlooking the beach so you can soak up the atmosphere.

Day Three

Morning

It takes pretty something special to get a teenager out of bed at 4am. Come to think of it, it takes something pretty special to get most adults out of bed then too. However, soaring over the Gold Coast hinterland in a hot air balloon is impossible to resist.

If you’re not keen on an early start, the Gold Coast is home to Australia’s longest whale season which runs from June to November. Join a whale watching tour with Whales in Paradise or spot whales from the walkways at Burleigh Headland or Point Danger. Prefer high speeds? Take off on an exhilarating jet boat ride instead.

Afternoon

Want to end your Gold Coast long weekend with teens on a relaxed note? Head south to Coolangatta where the beach - and beachside cafes - will keep the whole gang occupied.

 Don’t forget to head across the road for a selfie under the cutting-edge lighthouse which was the first in the world to experiment with lasers (unsuccessfully, as it turned out). The view from the base of the lighthouse is superb and the states’ borders are marked for ‘one-foot-in-each-state’ selfies. From here, it’s a quick 10 minute drive to Gold Coast Airport for the flight home.

If you’ve got more time to spare and the weather isn’t on your side for a stroll around the headland, hit the arcades at Timezone, with 3000sqm of games, rides, attractions, and things that light up and go ‘bing’. Even if you aren’t into video games, it’s loads of fun playing alongside your teen before the drive home. Pro tip: you’ll probably beat them at pinball or Space Invaders.