Broadbeach & Southern Beaches - Surfers Paradise - Gold Coast Accommodation
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Gold Coast beaches are renowned worldwide for their soft golden sand, pristine rolling waves and endless foreshore walkways – and with over 70kms of coastline and 21 patrolled beaches to choose from, you’ll find the perfect beach whether you’re looking for a safe swimming beach for the kids or the best surf breaks.
Stretching from the Broadwater in the north to Coolangatta in the south, below is a guide to the Gold Coast’s most popular beaches, and a list of the Gold Coast’s best surfing beaches.
- The Gold Coast Beaches
The Broadwater
Stretching from Southport in the north, the Broadwater is a large estuary of calm water encompassing The Spit foreshore to the south [home to Seaworld, Marina Mirage and Palazzo Versace Hotel] and South Stradbroke Island to the east. Popular for fishing, boating and other watersports, The Broadwater features a wonderful waterfront promenade with a number of parks.
Main Beach
North of Surfers Paradise, Main Beach is situated along one of the coast’s best foreshore walkways and features a historic bathing pavilion, surf life saving club and great beach snack bar. Head down to the sand pumping jetty, hire a variety of water equipment including surf boards and wake boards, or stroll to Tedder Avenue, the heart of Main Beach.
Budds Beach
Budds Beach is a quiet beach at the northern end of Surfers Paradise, about 10 minutes from Cavill Avenue. Perfect for families, there’s a small park that leads onto the beach and also wharf access to the canals. Bumbles café just opposite the beach is a favourite with the locals.
Surfers Paradise
The famous Surfers Paradise beach is a great spot for families, extending for almost three km’s. Featuring a pristine swimming beach, soft rolling waves and free beach volleyball, Surfers Paradise is a busy beach featuring a hum of activity, with dozens of cafes and Cavill Avenue Mall just a short stroll away.
Broadbeach
Broadbeach offers something for everyone, and is well known for its beautiful beach, adjoining parklands with several playground areas and duck pond, Kurrawa Surf Club and cosmopolitan café and dining precinct. Enjoy the coast’s monthly art and craft markets at Kurrawa Park or shop in the designer boutiques just a short stroll from the beach.
Mermaid Beach
Perfect for the family, Mermaid Beach is an open beach with gentle swell, featuring sheltered picnic areas, bike tracks and a children’s playground. Just south of Broadbeach, Mermaid is a more tranquil option to the more populated northern beaches.
Miami & Nobby Beach
With a peaceful and relaxing beachfront and picturesque beachside walkway, the stretch from Nobby to Miami features many BBQ and picnic areas and a children’s playground. Enjoy a drink or snack at either of the surf clubs or stroll up to the cliff top to take in the magnificent views up and down the coast.
Burleigh
Burleigh Heads is world renowned for its great surf, and is a venue for international surfing tournaments. Enjoy the spectacular view from the headland cliff which incorporates the National Park, where walking paths guide you around the headland and south to Tallebudgera. Relax on Burleigh Beach, pack a picnic or enjoy the surf club and numerous cafés close by.
Tallebudgera
Tallebudgera Creek is a favourite for families, with a calm inlet and playground. Tallebudgera Beach further south is also a popular open beach, featuring an off-leash dog area at its northern end and the Tallebudgera Surf Club.
Palm Beach
Palm Beach is a great open beach with a boardwalk and numerous picnic tables along the beachfront. Enjoy the beach or the children’s playground, or have a bite at the Palm Beach Surf Club.
Currumbin
Currumbin is known for its clean beaches, gentle surf and rock pools,
which are enjoyed by young families and surfers alike. Enjoy a drink or
meal at the Currumbin Surf Club at Elephant Rock, or stroll along the
foreshore for a variety of gourmet cafes. Tugun
Tugun is an open beach featuring BBQ and picnic areas and the Tugun Surf
Club, making it a great beach for families.
Kirra
Kirra Beach is a popular surfing beach for beginners to champions. Featuring an endless stretch of sand and home to Queensland’s first surf club, Kirra is popular with locals and tourists alike.
Coolangatta
Coolangatta boasts some of the Coast’s best family beaches. Greenmount Beach and Rainbow Bay are the only north facing beaches on the coast, providing sheltered swimming conditions, gentle surf and nearby picnic areas. Take a walk up to Point Danger to enjoy the magnificent views and catch a glimpse of the whales on their annual migration or stroll to Coolangatta’s nearby cafes and surf clubs for a snack.
- The Best Surf Beaches
South Stradbroke - The Spit - Narrowneck - Burleigh Heads - Currumbin
Alley - Snapper Rocks - Duranbah