Day trips · Gold Coast · Australia
5 best day trips from Gold Coast
Where to go when you want a day away from Gold Coast, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jordan Gellie jordan_gellie, CC0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Gold Coast is Springbrook National Park (About 1 hour by car). The closest option is Tamborine Mountain, about 40 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 5
- Closest
- Tamborine Mountain (40 km)
- Most popular
- Springbrook National Park
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springbrook National Park | 45 km | About 1 hour by car | Car or organised tour | Families, Couples, Quiet stays |
| Tamborine Mountain | 40 km | About 45 minutes by car | Car or tour | Couples, Food lovers, Families |
| Lamington National Park | 80 km | About 1.5 hours by car | Car | Families, Quiet stays, Couples |
| Byron Bay | 100 km | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car | Car or coach | Couples, Beach, Solo travellers |
| Brisbane | 80 km | About 1–1.5 hours by train | G:link to Helensvale, then train to Brisbane | Culture, Families |
The day trips
45 km · About 1 hour by car
1.Springbrook National Park
Part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests, Springbrook has the Natural Bridge rock arch where glow-worms light the cave at night, Purling Brook Falls and the Best of All Lookout over the coast.
- Getting there
- Car or organised tour
- Best for
- Families, Couples, Quiet stays
40 km · About 45 minutes by car
2.Tamborine Mountain
A rainforest plateau with short waterfall walks, a treetop skywalk, wineries, a distillery and the craft shops of Gallery Walk.
- Getting there
- Car or tour
- Best for
- Couples, Food lovers, Families
80 km · About 1.5 hours by car
3.Lamington National Park
Ancient rainforest with more than 150 km of walking tracks. The Green Mountains section at O'Reilly's has a treetop walk, and crimson rosellas and king parrots are common around the clearings.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Families, Quiet stays, Couples
100 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car
4.Byron Bay
Across the New South Wales border, Byron Bay has the Cape Byron lighthouse walk to mainland Australia's most easterly point, surf beaches and a relaxed café and boutique town centre.
- Getting there
- Car or coach
- Best for
- Couples, Beach, Solo travellers
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80 km · About 1–1.5 hours by train
5.Brisbane
Queensland's capital has free art galleries and the Queensland Museum at South Bank, CityCat river ferries and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
- Getting there
- G:link to Helensvale, then train to Brisbane
- Best for
- Culture, Families
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Translink buses run along the Gold Coast Highway to Burleigh, Palm Beach, Coolangatta and the airport, and to the theme parks.
- Trains on the Gold Coast line run from Varsity Lakes, Robina, Nerang, Coomera and Helensvale to Brisbane, taking about 75–90 minutes to the city.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Gold Coast?
Springbrook National Park. Part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests, Springbrook has the Natural Bridge rock arch where glow-worms light the cave at night, Purling Brook Falls and the Best of All Lookout over the coast.
+How long does it take to get from Gold Coast to Springbrook National Park?
About 1 hour by car — Car or organised tour, about 45 km.
+How long does it take to get from Gold Coast to Tamborine Mountain?
About 45 minutes by car — Car or tour, about 40 km.