If you are coming to the Gold Coast just for a couple of days and you want to do lots it pays to be a bit organized. Booking your Gold Coast Accommodation can be a bit full on as there is so much choice. The good thing now though is when you’re searching online you can enter what your nightly budget is, what end of the coast you want to be and the style of accommodation ie hotel room, backpackers, studio or serviced apartment. If you are looking for good value self contained holiday apartments on the north end of the Gold Coast then Aqualine Apartments represents very good value. Another useful tip is go to Trip Advisor www.tripadvisor.com.au and search accommodation type (apartments come under Specialty Accommodation) and then you can find out what guests have thought about their accommodation. If you search Southport Accommodation you will find Aqualine Apartments ranked as the number 1 Specialty Accommodation provider in Southport. Often ringing the resort directly leads to getting the best deal and you can always check where the room is located in the resort ie – water views, overlooking the pool etc.
Now that your accommodation is sorted it’s time to work on the itinerary. Here’s some suggestions if you base yourself at Aqualine Apartments in Southport.
Day 1
Take a leisurely stroll south along the Broadwater through the Broadwater Parklands until you get to the Rockpools Cafe. They do a great breakfast and it’s a lovely location. From there meander back along the beach and walk way to get ready for your day. Pack the towel and swimming gear and just a short drive (5 mins) away is one of the nicest stretches of beach on the Gold Coast called Main Beach. In front of the Southport Surf Life Saving Club you’ll find the flagged area which is patrolled every day by a professional life guard. You can get some great surf here but be mindful of the conditions and definitely swim between the flags. If you’re a bit of a beachcomber then you’ll be in paradise as the stretch of beach from Main Beach north to The Spit is one of the quietest and most unspoilt stretches of beach on the Gold Coast.
After a morning on the beach you’ve probably worked up an appetite in which case you have a number of dining choices to choose from. The closest option and with the best view would be the Southport Surf Life Saving Club. Also close by you have the reknowned restaurant strip of Tedder Avenue – if you can’t find a restaurant to your liking here then there is something wrong. If you still want a water view and some retail distractions then a short drive or walk up the Spit road will take you to the wonderful Mariner Mirage. At Mariner Mirage you have real quality in both the dining and shopping options. If you’re chasing just a casual meal with a spectacular outlook over the marina then just beside Mariner Mirage you will find Mariners Cove and Fishermans Tavern. A very famous watering hole and a great place to chill out for a couple of hours.
With the couple of hours you have left before dark you could: a) Head to Surfers Paradise and stroll along the glitter strip. The foreshore has been redeveloped and the mall is currently being upgraded which is tremendous OR b) Go to Harbour Town which is a shoppers not surfers paradise. This is the home of the retail outlet centers and bargains abound. The Harbour Town Readings Cinemas provides an alternative activity for the non shopping focussed. c) Catch a couple of shows and rides at Seaworld. The beauty of all these choices is that none of them are more than 10 minutes away which means you can maximise your time.
For the evening it really depends if you want to a)head out and sample the club scene in Surfers Paradise, b) go to a local restaurant many of which are within easy walking distance- Vinnies (Italian), Cavs Steakhouse (obvious), Montezumas (Mexican) or The Lazy Lobster (guess) and there are quite a few more as well OR c) kick back in your apartment order takeaway and watch a movie on Austar.
Day 2
If you’re chasing breakfast again why not head north along the Broadwater to the Beach Cafe. An easy walk and you get an excellent value breakfast and they do good coffee as well. If you’re happy to drive 5 minutes then it’s hard to go past Concubines located on Stevens Street in Chirn Park.
Those looking for an action packed day should do the WORLDS. There are plenty of ticket options available now forWet and Wild, Sea World, Movie World and White Water World so it’s best to do a bit of online research and we can certainly help you out with ticket purchase. There’s a bus just 200m from Aqualine Apartments that takes you to the Worlds. The only problem with a day at the worlds is that a day is not enough. Don’t worry with a season pass you can come back anytime.
For those needing a more relaxed day then a day trip up to Tamborine Mountain is a perfect choice. There are some lovely non taxing rainforest walks, a miriad of dining choices and some excellent craft shops not to mention a number a wineries as well. A day up in the mountain air does wonders for the spirit.
If you have more than 2 days on the Gold Coast (lucky you) then there is plenty more to see and do. Just give us a call and we can certainly put together a list of excellent tours, day trips, attractions etc.
