Imagine hearing the sounds of crashing waves filling your apartment. A mix of pine trees that you’d find in the Pacific Northwest. The only thing? This is Australia.

Australia’s Gold Coast is something to be admired. The sun, weather, waves and over 70km of sprawling beaches make it one of the hottest surf and travel destinations for tourists. If I had to give a visual, then it’s like a melting pot of Honolulu, HI, San Diego, CA, Westlake Village, CA, Santa Barbara, CA, Bali, Indonesia (minus its black sand beaches), and pine tree of the Pacific Northwest.

How it Started

Ever since I was 16, I’ve wanted to visit the Gold Coast. Back then, in Chicago Heights, IL, I became fascinated with this area. Don’t ask me why, I just saw it on a map and wanted to go. Maybe because it was the name? We (Chicagoans) have a Gold Coast too. Minus the beaches, great weather, and all the breweries.

Fast-forward to present time, Delta Air Lines sent out a press release that it was having an inaugural flight to Australia going to Brisbane. The moment I saw that I snatched up one of the first available tickets. 

I had been wanting to go to Australia for a while and actually wanted to visit Melbourne first. But when I would look at flights from the USA to Australia on Qantas, the prices were staggering. Delta Air Lines not only came in with a good deal entering Brisbane, but it’s also an airline that I fly frequently with and where I maximize my points with Hertz, Uber (they formerly used Lyft), Marriott Hotels, Starbucks, and Airbnb—all creating a flywheel effect that ultimately increases my Delta status and SkyMiles accumulation. So this made it a much sweeter deal. 

How I Got There

Getting to the Gold Coast is easy, but it will require a car rental (car hire) from Brisbane Airport. Simply pick up a rental from any of the major U.S. brands like Hertz (make sure to tie this back into Delta Air Lines) and National Car Rental (tie this back into Delta or ANA–and you can end up in Japan on points!).

From there, make the 70 km / 44 mi journey on the M1 to get there. And now you’re ready to visit the Gold Coast!

Where to Stay

Picking a spot in the Gold Coast is based on personal preference. I wanted something clean, quiet and serene, versus loud, noisy, and somewhat less clean. 

That meant I swapped Gold Coast the city—which had trash in random areas and more people loitering-for Burleigh Heads. 

Now, many people have heard of the Gold Coast. But, if you’re not familiar with Australia, then you hear the name Burleigh Heads, you might think—what is that? And, where is it? Trust me, you will want to visit. Burleigh Heads is a quiet area that’s still bustling with tourism and you’re close enough if you want to entertain the histrionics in the Gold Coast. 

However, finding the right place can be a challenge. You know like Love Is Blind, the Netflix TV show? Finding a place sight unseen in the Gold Coast is actually very, very challenging. That’s because some Airbnb listings oversell their location, or they keyword stuff their listings, which means they try to make it more appealing to gamify search results either on the Airbnb platform or for Google and Bing search. 

So, what I recommend is grabbing the orange Google guy and dropping him in the location you want to visit. From there, face the ocean. See what view you want to wake up in the morning AND also check the location to enter the beach. Do you want to enter Miami Beach–no not the one in Florida–or Main Beach? 

Then rotate your orange guy and see if he stumbles on a location that has rental units. You also want a rental unit that clears the Pacific Northwest (PNW) looking treeline so that you get a visible view of the ocean. 

Tip: When booking a rental unit in the Gold Coast, find out what activities you want to be near. In my case, I wanted to be within walking distance of a jiu jitsu school and several brewery options.

For me—after hours and hours of searching, walking the orange Google dude down the street, and constant zooming in to see the beach access areas—this led me to Solnamara Beachfront Apartments. And then I backtracked to see if there was an Airbnb listing. Lo and behold there was an Airbnb listing. And guess what? It didn’t have keyword stuffing. In fact, it was rather basic ”Solnamara Seaside Escape!” Pretty basic, right? How is anyone supposed to find that?!  

Don’t believe me? Just search. Other Airbnb rentals have titles like “Beachfront Bliss for Two: air-conditioned, parking” or “Luxe Beach Getaway @ Mermaid Beach.” So you better believe I’m taking advantage of that no-SEO option. Hell, the SEO isn’t even good on my own website! You want to make sure the titles are basic instead of the flashy titles that oversell. The basic ones are unsung heroes and could ultimately be your next gem of an apartment, like this one “Classic Beachfront Apartment”

And yes–my unit still came with air conditioning and parking. Plus non noisy tenants and its own private pool. Quadruple win!

Now that we got housing sorted out, let’s explore this area!

Gear Used

Day 1

If you’re driving in, there are two options after you’ve grabbed the keys to your apartment. If you’re grabbing the keys from the Solarna rental area (Burleigh Letting Co), then stop by next door at Tarte Bakery & Cafe to grab a quick coffee. This spot is beaming with people during the main hours (very influencer type of place).

If not, don’t worry, you’re in an even better predicament. Get yourself unpacked and situated in your rental unit. Then, make your way to Paddock Bakery. I couldn’t have gone here more times for their baked goods or coffee if I wanted to. 

In fact, I kept trying to see if I could take some of the bakery items home and see if they’d make the 14hr+ hour Delta flight back home (Yes it’s that long. I even tracked it with Flighty). Instead, I opted for their candles—at least that will survive.

From there, try to explore the area. What better way than to go for a run? 

There are so many beaches around here that you won’t know which one you will like until you get there. And you can find that with a run.

I’ll help solve the details by providing some photos and thoughts—and let you be the judge of which beach meets your preferences and desires—whether it’s surfing, remote work, or just general travel. (Scroll down to see images of the different beaches).

• You want quiet? Burleigh Beach. 
• You want to be close to the action (like Gold Coast, the City), but not really? Nobby Beach or Miami Beach
• You want some quiet and family vibes in between Burleigh and Gold Coast? Mermaid Beach
• You want to be near skyscrapers and surfing, but not quite the city? Broadbeach
• You want to get wasted, a night of debauchery, and hang with other surfers sharing an apartment with 10 people? Surfers Paradise. 
• You want to avoid the whole Gold Coast altogether but be near? Coolangatta Beach

Most of these beaches are accessible by the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Walkway (see more info here)–this path will take you up and down the most scenic stretches of the Gold Coast. 

Note: If you really want to enjoy nature, then check out the nature preserve that’s past Burleigh Heads called Burleigh Head National Park. You will get some great views and when the sky is clear you can see the skyscrapers in the Gold Coast

When you head back to your apartment I would do an “amenities check.” That means—is the fridge stocked? Do you need beer? Do you need toiletries? Did you forget anything from when you packed? Sometimes when you switch countries and enter a different environment you start to realize that you forgot to bring some items. If so, I’d make a pit shop at WoolWorths or JB Hi Fi Burleigh Heads at Stockland Burleigh Heads Shopping Center to get your items. They also have a small Liquorland to stock up on Aussie and Kiwi beers.

In my case, I wanted some fresh fruit and some of my favorite New Zealand soap, Glow Lab*—I just love their soap. And after getting some in Auckland, I wanted to stock up at WoolWorths here in Australia. Note, there’s also a closer WoolWorths that’s smaller. And then I also needed another US to Australia travel adapter, which I got at JB Hi Fi.

*Beg of Mercy: Glow Lab if you are reading this, please send to the USA!!! Head of Marketing or someone! Please, please!!!

After you return to your rental unit, take a while to decompress. Maybe then it’s time to turn on Netflix and learn about the real secretive U.S. base in Australia (located in Pine Gap near Alice Springs) on Netflix called Pine Gap. Ooh Scary!!! You might get paranoid that you’re being tracked though (which you probably are). 

So then, I would turn off the TV and make your way to one of the best breweries in the region, Black Hops Brewery, which even had a Call of Duty partnership beer. I definitely recommend getting the Superdelic Haze. I mean they are all really good. Ask if Scottie is behind the counter—he will definitely hook you up with great brewery recommendations.

Then, I’d wind down and on the way back and grab snacks and water from 7/11 or sneak in some dessert at McDonalds (shh! Don’t tell anyone).

Day 2

Start off with getting some coffee and breakfast and Paddock Bakery. Ask if Tania is there–she offers some amazing recommendations. You can’t go wrong with their crème brûlée donut and Sugarplum coffee. 

Side note: She saw I was chilling for a while and realized I was sheltering from the rain and just on my phone. That’s when she offered an umbrella so that at least I could make it back to my rental in the pouring rain. That type of service is killer. Delta and American Express customer service centers dream of having that kind of service. Oh yea, I did return the umbrella.

Now, head to watch the surfers catch a break at Surfers paradise and walk around the city. The best part of being near the Gold Coast is that it’s accessible, while not being in it.

I’d grab an early snack at this amazing Vietnamese spot, Saigon Baguette & Sugarcane Juice. Amazing baguette! Definitely recommend. I even told the owner that I’d for sure let people know about the spot. Only downside is that it took me a few months to get this blog post up.  

Burn some of those snack calories and grab dinner at Costa Taco Broadbeach. I was actually surprised to get some pretty decent tacos all the way at the bottom of the world (just kidding… but it does feel at the bottom of the world). It’s not the same as 26th Street in Chicago or the taco spot in Dallas,TX–but this still hit the spot. 

Then I’d make your way back to Burleigh and head to Granddad Jack’s Craft Distillery which has some amazing liquor I honestly wanted to bring the one I sampled back home but at several hundred dollars, I had a fear that it was going to break–even though I brought my wine and beer protection packaging.

After you try the drinks out, then head to Roji Cat Brewery—a brand new and yet highly underrated spot. This spot has Japanese rice lagers that are simply delicious. The worst part? I couldn’t even bring these back home. At the time of my visit they didn’t have these to sell outside the brewery. 

What better way to pair this food? Remember how you had the early dinner at Costa Taco? Well it’s a good thing you saved your appetite. The fried chicken burger at Roji Cat was simply amazing—marinated chicken with kimchi and Japanese mayo!  At some point, I actually even told the waitstaff to put one on hold as I ran to and from Black Hops Brewery.

If you want to add another brewery to check out. Then see Precinct Brewing to shake things up and see which brewery you prefer (they are all right next to each other).

Day 3

Start our day off with some coffee! And no, we’re not going to Paddock this time. Instead we’re going to North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Supporters Club to get coffee at Nectar Espresso (it’s inside).

Tip: You will notice that what’s different here is that in Australia there are “Surf Clubs” almost at every beach. Technically they are called Surf Life Saving Clubs. And it’s not what you’re thinking—you join a bunch of sunburnt dudes and hop on some boards and go out on some waves. Instead, it’s like our equivalent of a community center mixed with a Dave and Buster’s. And Vegas. Yes, they have a casino!

That’s right you can pay membership dues which grant you access to certain prices or special events. You can have parties here and you can also wine and dine with your family or your guests. In our case, we can get coffee. And yes, there’s also a true surf “club” or area where you can learn how to surf. But the facility itself is very much a complex geared towards food, entertainment, and relaxation.

Then make your way to grab trinkets at downtown Burleigh—in particular James Street. You will find an assortment of gifts to buy to take back home. If you’re arriving early in the morning as part of your itinerary, then check out Burleigh Baker and Quest Coffee Roasters. 

I’d grab a nice book to read and then pick one of the previous beaches mentioned above. If you want to be next to people and have a “closer” shore line then I recommend Surfers Paradise. If you want a “wider” shoreline with less areas to sit, then try Burleigh Heads, North Burleigh, or Miami.

When it’s closer to dinner time, then I’d make your way to Apres Surf. Sounds like it’s a ski place, right? I mean it’s partly inspired by it. Honestly, it gives me the same ski resort theme vibes I had at the Shoal Creek Saloon—a crawfish restaurant–I visited in Austin, TX.

But what I will tell you is that the burgers were actually fire–meaning really good! And when you come here for the Monday specials (see menu below), these burgers are just $6.50 AUD / $4.19 USD (at time or purchase). I mean can you beat that? Uhh no. This costs more than a McDonalds hamburger, yet these come super fresh. And don’t worry you’re not the only one coming to this joint. 

You will see other hungry visitors start to flood this restaurant and the orders start to mount. So do expect the kitchen to get backed up and possibly experience long wait times. But long wait times really dont matter when there’s good wait staff. I sat at the bar and felt thoroughly entertained.

Now that it’s closer to night time–you know what time it is—Black Hops Brewery time. (Don’t tell my doctor. I hope she’s not reading this). But seriously, I was surprised to see how much Australians can put down.

Note: I was surprised how much Australians can drink. And the more they drink the more profanity they use. In fact, I’m convinced there’s a positive correlation between alcohol consumed and rate of profanity. It should look like Beer Consumption =  Number of times the F-word said.

At this point there’s so many f-words you have to bring science and mathematics in the equation. I mean, I thought New Zealand was bad. Maybe they should have a competition?

Once the alcohol starts flowing the amount of profanity increases more than it already does. In fact, I’m convinced that Australia invented the f-word. I mean it naturally fits in the language so much so that the way you say the f-word indicates if they are cool with you or they’re pissed off. Either way, I definitely met some cool characters here. And would 100% recommend more than one stop here. 

Day 4

Head to North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Supporters Club or O Bagel at Broadbeach and get yourself a coffee.

Head to Broadbeach and get into some surfing lessons at Broadbeach Surf School. You asked if there’re sharks? Oh, wait you didn’t? Well, too bad. The answer is YES–there are sharks. In fact, they have shark nets that are “supposed to” catch the sharks but really don’t improve the situation. In fact, the Queensland government has just increased the investment in shark control management.

Note: This is where I learned some valuable information from Will at Broadbeach Surf School. He explained the more intimate dynamics of wind direction at Broadbeach. For good surfing the wind needs to be offshore—blowing from the land out to the ocean. Offshore winds help hold up the waves, making them smoother and easier to ride. Whereas, in contrast, onshore wind (from the ocean to the beach) makes the waves choppy, messy, and more difficult to surf.

I mean, it’s not fully Shark City–which is the case in the French African Island of Reunion, but I think it can be bad (maybe not as bad as Australia’s West Coast–check out SharkSmart in that area for alerts), but do make sure to check websites if you’re worried. As the surf dude said—it’s just part of nature, you can’t be afraid. You just have to live with it.

Tip: If you want to see if weather conditions are good for surfing then check out live cameras on Surfline.

After you surf, head home and shower up. Then grab some lunch at Franc Jrs Nobbys near Mermaid Beach.

Then head to… Ok, we’re not drinking beer today. In this case, catch the sunset at Surfers Paradise. And then head back to Burleigh to Ze Pickle for dinner.

 

Day 5

It’s time to say goodbye to Gold Coast. Bye Gold Coast! You’ve been great.

From here you can make your way directly to Brisbane to continue your trip before heading back to the States. Or you can make your way down south. I recommend at least stopping by Coolangata if you’re pressed for time considering it’s so close. 

If you got more time to kill, then I would make the drive further south to Byron Bay. I think it’s like Australia’s Bali–just on the Eastern side. 

It’s time to say goodbye to Gold Coast. Bye Gold Coast! You’ve been great.

From here you can make your way directly to Brisbane to continue your trip before heading back to the States. Or you can make your way down south. I recommend at least stopping by Coolangata if you’re pressed for time considering it’s so close. 

If you got more time to kill, then I would make the drive further south to Byron Bay. I think it’s like Australia’s Bali–just on the Eastern side. 

Gold Coast, Queensland (Australia)

Tips, Tricks, and Logistics

• Sort your visa before you fly. Download the Australian ETA app (subclass 601) or apply online for an eVisitor (subclass 651)—both let Americans stay up to 90 days and cost under USD 15. Apply at least a week out to avoid airport panic.
• Consider dropping cash for transport—use a Go Card or Go Explore. These reloadable cards (or even tap-to-pay credit cards) cover tram, bus, Airtrain, and ferry on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
• Driving? Get a tag for your tolls. Queensland’s toll roads bill automatically through Linkt. Ask your rental counter to activate a toll pass or set up a casual Linkt account online—unpaid tolls can stack up fast (but they will appear on your final rental bill). Remember: left-side driving, strict speed cameras.
• For beach safety, swim between the red-and-yellow flags—and check Surfline. Lifeguards mark the safest zone; flags absent means conditions are risky (rip currents, jellyfish, sharks). If you do outside the boundary zone—lifeguards will blow their whistle, yell through their loudspeaker and even drive the beach jeeps down the beach to accost you. Also note that stinger season on Queensland beaches runs roughly Nov–May; wetsuits or stinger suits add protection. Use Surfline cams for live surf and wind direction.
• Pack a Type I adapter and SPF 50+. Australia runs on 230 V/50 Hz with slanted-flat Type I plugs—most modern electronics are dual-voltage, but verify before you plug in. UV levels here hit extreme (11+) with a minimum of 3+ year-round between 10:00am to 4:00pm; reef-safe, broad-spectrum sunscreen is a must have.

Trip Soundtrack

Because every adventure needs a soundtrack, each of my trips comes with a theme song. And for this trip's anthem? Well, it's...

Operator Please - Back And Forth

Conclusion

We’ve just wrapped up our Gold Coast trip and it’s time to say goodbye to the beautiful sunsets, amazing sounds of crashing waves, the awesome beer, and the amazing people you’ll meet along the way.

With Brisbane now directly accessible to the United States by way of LAX–there’s no reason not to add Gold Coast to your planned itinerary. I would definitely recommend coming here during the colder U.S. seasons, since it’s summer here.

If you’re curious or just want to get a taste of the Gold Coast while traveling to New Zealand, maybe you found something in here to make the visit worthwhile. 

See you next time, Gold Coast!