The Gold Coast is principally a beach destination, and the beaches are genuinely excellent — 35 kilometres of white sand, consistent waves, and subtropical sunshine most of the year. But there is more to it than lying down. Surfers Paradise has an observation deck at the top of the Q1 tower, a performing arts centre, and a waterfront that comes to life at night. Theme parks — Sea World, Movie World, Dreamworld — occupy the strip between the coast and the hinterland and are well-maintained by global standards. And the hinterland itself, reached by a 30–40 minute drive inland, is a different world: ancient rainforest, waterfalls, and walks through Springbrook National Park.
The surf culture that made the Gold Coast famous is alive in Burleigh Heads and Coolangatta, where the surf breaks are world-class and the local surf shops and cafes maintain a character the more commercial northern strip has largely lost. Coolangatta, just north of the New South Wales border, is where the best surfers still come, and the point breaks at Kirra and Snapper Rocks are legendary.
For something that is neither beach nor theme park, the canals and waterways behind the coast are worth exploring by kayak or stand-up paddle board. The Broadwater, a large shallow bay north of Surfers Paradise, is good for beginners, and operators run SUP tours through the inland waterways. Marine life — dolphins, rays, sea turtles — is regularly seen.