Things to do in Gold coast on a budget

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21+ Things to do in Gold coast on a budget- The Ultimate Guide

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Are you curious about the activities that are available on the Gold Coast and in Surfers Paradise?
If you’re looking for simple, low-cost, and entertaining things to do during your trip, then look no further.

Whether you are just passing through or planning to make the Gold Coast your permanent home, this exhaustive list will point you in the direction of the best activities, both free and for a fee, that the city has to offer.

Make arrangements for your visit to the Gold Coast.
Since we travel quite frequently and have been doing so for the past ten years, we have come to rely on a handful of reliable websites that help us save both money and time when we book lodging, flights, and car rentals. The following companies are among our top recommendations:

Hotel & Accommodation Bookings:

  • Booking.com -With 700,000+ hotels, apartments and hostels worldwide offered for your holidays. You get free cancellation on most rooms and the best price guarantee. 

Flights Bookings:

Car Rental Bookings

  • RentalCars.com is the world’s biggest car rental booking service that compares all the major brands like Hertz, Avis, Alamo, and Europcar.
  • For transport to and from the airport and various locations try Con-x-ion shuttles. We use them all the time to go to Gold coast airport and they’re great. Book your tickets here

Activities Bookings:

  • Viator– Use Reserve Now & Pay Later to secure the activities you don’t want to miss without being locked in.
  • Get your Guide – Discover unforgettable travel experiences

1.Get in to Farmers Markets

Burleigh Farmers Markets are held every Saturday at Burleigh Heads State School and feature a gourmet food market with locally grown fruits and vegetables, a bakery, meat, fish, and deli, in addition, to live entertainment and a wonderful atmosphere.

The Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets take place every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday night along the esplanade that runs parallel to the beach in Surfers. As you make your way down the Esplanade, you can choose from one of the approximately one hundred different stalls that are set up there.

Every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night, the Miami area on the Gold Coast comes to life with delectable street food from around the world at the Miami Market. The general public is welcome to come, check it out, and enjoy themselves at no cost.

The Village Markets are held at Burleigh Heads State School on the first and third Sunday of every month. This is the first boutique fashion and lifestyle market, and it also features live local music and cuisine from all over the world, courtesy of a lineup of food trucks.

The world-famous Beachfront Markets are held every Sunday in a different beachside location, ranging from Broadbeach to Burleigh to Coolangatta.

The Marina Mirage Farmers Market is open on Saturdays throughout the year. Located directly across the street from the Sheraton Mirage Resort on Seaworld Drive on Main Beach’s Broadwater Spit.

Every Friday and Saturday from 4pm to 10pm, the Night Quarter Markets are open. Food stalls, market stalls, three different bars, and three different stages for live music can all be found here.

The Miami Farmers Market is held at the Miami State School on a weekly basis on Sundays. The very first truly Organic Growers Market in the region, located directly on the farm.

The Carrara Markets are a Gold Coast institution with both locals and tourists looking for a good deal, and there are over 500 stalls there. Open both Saturday and Sunday of every week.

COST: Attendance is free, but you may end up spending money on the delicious food or adorable crafts that will be available.


2.Pay a Visit to Some of the Gold Coast’s Finest Beaches

The Gold Coast was given its name for a very good reason, and it is home to a great number of breathtaking beaches where you can enjoy spending time. Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, Kurrawa Beach, Mermaid Beach, Miami Beach, Burleigh Heads, Palm Beach, and Kirra Beach, to name a few, are some of the beaches that we recommend visiting on your beach crawl, going from most popular to least popular.

Just because you’re going to the beach with your boogie board, setting up a beach umbrella, or pulling out your cricket gear doesn’t mean you can forget to slip, slop, and slap!

COST: There is no cost associated with this activity; however, we recommend bringing some spare change so that you can purchase fish and chips by the water.

3.Spend the day on the headlands whale watching.

The months of May through October are traditionally considered to be prime time for whale watching because this is the time of year when thousands of humpback whales migrate north from Antarctica and travel along the coast.

Even though there are tours that you can pay to take, it is not absolutely necessary to do so in order to see them. 

There are many elevated headlands that run parallel to the coast, and if you’re in the right place at the right time, you might be able to spot something. 

Or, if you are staying in a high-rise apartment, it is possible that you will even be able to see them from your apartment! Keep an eye out for the tall, column-shaped spouts of water that are being blown into the air to help you locate them.

Point Danger, Greenmount, Kirra Hill, Currumbin Rocks, and Tumgun Lookout are all located within Burleigh Heads National Park and are among the best naturally elevated viewpoints in the area. The North Burleigh/Miami headland is another great option.

Bring your binoculars or a camera with a powerful zoom lens with you if at all possible so that you can get better views of the subject up close.

FREE to use when departing from the headlands

 Takeaways

  • There is a general downward trend in the cost of flights to the Gold Coast.

  • Keep an eye out for Jetstar’s Friday Fare Frenzy between the hours of 4 and 8 o’clock on most Fridays if you want the chance to score a discount.
  • Travelling during the shoulder seasons, as opposed to the busiest times of the year like the holidays, can result in significant cost savings. And let’s be honest here, the weather on the Gold Coast is almost never going to let you down.
  • In recent times, we have been able to find flights from Sydney to the Gold Coast for as little as $48. Being flexible with your travel dates and the actual time of day that you fly is essential if you want to find affordable flights to any destination.

4.Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is where you should go.

This enormous property encompasses close to 70 acres and is home to a wide variety of animals, including aviaries, crocodiles, dingos, emus, wombats, and more! The sanctuary first opened its doors in 1947 and is now included on the Queensland heritage Register. 

It features a miniature railway that makes it easy to travel around the park and discover new areas. You will be able to observe a large population of free-flying lorikeets, which are colourful parrots, every day. 

You can watch the birds eat and fly around. Adult tickets cost 54.95 AUD, while those for children younger than 13 costs 41.95 AUD.

5.Get some surf lessons.

This is Interesting…There is a good reason why people refer to this place as “Surfers Paradise”! 

You can find some of the best surfing in Australia all along the coast, both north and south. Even if you have never surfed before, you won’t have any trouble finding reasonably priced lessons anywhere along the coast. 

A group lesson lasts for two hours and costs approximately 80 AUD. You can rent a surfboard for about sixty Australian Dollars per day if you don’t need any lessons and just want to surf on your own. 

There are many great places to learn how to surf in this region, but some of the best are Rainbow Bay, Greenmount, and Burleigh Heads.

Surfer Stats:

The number of people who surf on a regular basis is estimated to range anywhere from 17 million to 35 million all over the world by reputable organisations and associations such as the International Surfing Association (ISA), the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA), and Surfing Australia( Source)

  • Europe: 4.5 million surfers
  • America: 13.5 million surfers
  • Oceania: 6.5 million surfers
  • Asia: 6 million surfers
  • Africa: 4.5 million surfers

Travel Related Articles:

6.Participate in the exciting nightlife @ Surfer’s Paradise

One of the most famous and popular party destinations in Australia is known as “The Goldie.” 

This city has an overwhelming number of nightclubs, bars, and pub crawls. The majority of people choose to go out and party in Surfers Paradise because it has the best nightlife, but Coolangatta is equally enjoyable and has fewer tourists (and cheaper).

7.Burleigh Hill Walk

Stretch your legs along Burleigh’s esplanade before heading around the hill like the locals. The track, which runs halfway between Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta, is surrounded on one side by lush rainforest and offers breathtaking views north to Surfers Paradise and south over Tallebudgera Creek. 

The walk takes about 45 minutes (it’s only 2.3 kilometres).

Burleigh Hill Run/Walk is a 1.6-mile (3,500-step) route in Queensland, Australia, near the Gold Coast. This route has a moderate elevation gain of about 269 feet. Pacer App can help you find the best walking trails near you.

8.Explore Infinity in Pacific Fair mall

Check out the Infinity Attraction if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary. This sensory maze features funky music, dazzling lights, sound effects, and mirror illusions. 

With 20 different rooms to explore, it’s similar to a fun carnival maze but much more interactive and high-tech. It’s a fun activity to do with children. 

The admission fee is 28.90 AUD.

INFINITY is a spectacular, interactive, futuristic maze-like world of wonder – an extraordinary series of 20 multi-sensual play environments filled with unique special effects, emotive atmospheric sound fields, sensuous aromas, ultra-groovy music, and amazing illusions that appear to extend all the way to infinity!

It’s a walk-through experience that you can enjoy at your own pace while discovering clues to find your way from one intriguing environment to the next – a fun experience suitable for all ages over the age of eight.

Note: Don’t Pass Up the Ultimate Thrill. INFINITY is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

9. Ride the Tuk Tuk Tri-Cycle Taxi in Surfers Paradise

Green Cabs is a service that provides rides when they are called for. The following details outline where the cabs wait and when you can expect them to be available to transport you.

Every day, but only after 6 o’clock in the evening, we are open at Surfers Paradise. The riders put in a full night’s shift every Friday and Saturday night, as well as the night before a holiday when it falls on a weekend. 

You can ride from six in the evening until ten at night, Sunday through Thursday, and sometimes later.

Bargaining skills and street savvy are essential for these Tuk-tuk rides

BICYCLE-POWERED TAXIS are on the rise in Surfers Paradise, and city leaders have stepped up to recognise them.

The Gold Coast City Council has moved to legitimise the increasingly popular mode of transport as tourism operators prepare to fire the starting gun on what is expected to be one of the busiest peak seasons in years.

To accommodate the increasing number of pedal-powered vehicles, the council has established three pedicab-only taxi ranks in the heart of the Glitter Strip.

Tuk-tuks are a traditional mode of transportation in this part of the world; however, you need to have the ability to bargain and be street-smart in order to avoid getting ripped off very easily.
However, if you are only going a short distance, the drivers are fine. In general, the drivers are friendly, but they are looking to make a buck off of you.

10.See Twin Falls

Twin Falls, which can be found in Springbrook National Park, is widely regarded as one of the most breathtaking waterfalls in the entire region of South East Queensland. Hiking there won’t take more than a quarter of an hour, and the best time to go is immediately following a significant downpour. 

To get to the Twin Falls Circuit, all you have to do is take the route that goes through the Settlement Camping area, continue through Canyon Lookout, and then turn left onto the road that leads to the circuit.

There are some truly spectacular lookouts at Springbrook National Park, as well as some magnificent waterfalls, a dense rainforest, and some ancient Antarctic beech trees. The park is included on the list of World Heritage sites for the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.

Either the Tallanbana picnic location or the Canyon overlook should serve as your starting point for the Twin Falls circuit. 

You will have to go around two waterfalls, through some rock crevices, and amid some palm trees and tree ferns. 

A series of signs posted along the trail will direct you through the many types of the forest; however, you need to exercise caution while approaching cliff edges and the rocky areas near the waterfalls.

Gold Coast Travel Costs 2022-23( Updated)

Prices for dorm rooms in hostels on the Gold Coast range from $42to $55 AUD per night for groups of four to eight people.

There aren’t any dorms that are very large here. Private rooms start at 87 AUD per night. The majority of hostels now offer free Wi-Fi as a regular amenity, in addition to self-catering kitchens where guests can prepare their own meals.

Those who are travelling with a tent should expect to pay approximately 30 Australian Dollars (AUD) per night for a basic plot that does not have power.

Prices for budget hotels begin at 120 Australian Dollars per night, although there are few possibilities for two-star hotels in this price range.

You may anticipate the basic conveniences such as Wi-Fi, TV, and air conditioning. The majority of hotels in the area have at least three stars and have rates that are closer to two hundred Australian Dollars (AUD) a night.

Private rooms on Airbnb start at 80 AUD per night but typically cost closer to 150 AUD for each stay on average. At a minimum, you should budget at least 152 AUD for the entire house or apartment (though prices average triple that so is sure to book early).

Food – There is a wide variety of cuisine available in Australia, and each region has its own distinct specialities. However, because a significant amount of goods must be imported, the cost might be quite high. Traditional favourites in this region include barbecued meat (especially sausages), meat pies, fish and chips, seafood, chicken parmigiana (chicken schnitzel topped with tomato sauce, ham, and melted cheese), and of course the world-famous vegemite on toast. While you can find every type of cuisine imaginable in this region, traditional favourites include:

Most lunches at a restaurant cost 22-34 AUD. You should budget approximately 50 Australian Dollars (AUD) for a lunch that consists of three courses and a drink. 

A combo meal at a fast food restaurant like McDonald’s is about 18 Australian Dollars, while the cost of a medium pizza is about 19 Australian Dollars. 

Main courses at restaurants serving international cuisines, such as Thai, Chinese, or Indian cuisine, cost between 17 and 25 Australian Dollars each.

Beer costs between 9 and 12 Australian Dollars (AUD), while a cappuccino or latte costs 5 AUD. There is a 2.50 AUD charge for each bottle of water.

If you prepare all of your own meals, you should anticipate spending between 75 and 90 Australian Dollars (AUD) per week on necessities such as pasta, veggies, poultry, and other essential commodities.

Prices for dorm rooms in hostels on the Gold Coast range from $40 to $53 AUD per night for groups of four to eight people. There aren’t any dorms that are very large here. Private rooms start at 85 AUD per night. The majority of hostels now offer free Wi-Fi as a regular amenity, in addition to self-catering kitchens where guests can prepare their own meals.

Those who are travelling with a tent should expect to pay approximately 30 Australian Dollars (AUD) per night for a basic plot that does not have power.

Prices for budget hotels begin at 125 Australian Dollars per night, although there are few possibilities for two-star hotels in this price range. You may anticipate the basic conveniences such as Wi-Fi, TV, and air conditioning. The majority of hotels in the area have at least three stars and have rates that are closer to two hundred Australian Dollars (AUD) a night.

Private rooms on Airbnb start at 75 AUD per night but typically cost closer to 155 AUD for each stay on average. At a minimum, you should budget at least 150 AUD for the entire house or apartment (though prices average triple that so is sure to book early).

Food – There is a wide variety of cuisine available in Australia, and each region has its own distinct specialities. However, because a significant amount of goods must be imported, the cost might be quite high. 

Traditional favourites in this region include barbecued meat (especially sausages), meat pies, fish and chips, seafood, chicken parmigiana (chicken schnitzel topped with tomato sauce, ham, and melted cheese), and of course the world-famous vegemite on toast. While you can find every type of cuisine imaginable in this region, traditional favourites include:

Most lunches at a restaurant cost 20-30 AUD. You should budget approximately 50 Australian Dollars (AUD) for a lunch that consists of three courses and a drink. A combo meal at a fast food restaurant like McDonald’s is about 13 Australian Dollars, while the cost of a medium pizza is about 17 Australian Dollars. 

Main courses at restaurants serving international cuisines, such as Thai, Chinese, or Indian cuisine, cost between 15 and 20 Australian Dollars each.

Beer costs between 8 and 9 Australian Dollars (AUD), while a cappuccino or latte costs 5 AUD. There is a 2.50 AUD charge for each bottle of water.

If you prepare all of your own meals, you should anticipate spending between 75 and 90 Australian Dollars (AUD) per week on necessities such as pasta, veggies, poultry, and other essential commodities.