For couples · Gold Coast · Australia
Romantic things to do in Gold Coast
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Shiftchange, CC0
Quick answer
Beyond the high-rises, the Gold Coast has quiet beaches at dawn, rainforest retreats in the hinterland and sunset dining on the Broadwater. Couples tend to stay in Broadbeach.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 4
- Couple-friendly sights
- 1
- Area for couples
- Broadbeach
- Best months
- May and October
Romantic ideas
1.Sunrise walk at Burleigh
Watch the sun rise over the ocean from the Burleigh headland track, then breakfast on James Street.
2.Hinterland retreat
Stay in a rainforest lodge or cabin on Tamborine Mountain or at Springbrook.
3.Sunset at SkyPoint
Drinks at the top of Q1 as the coastline turns gold.
4.Glow-worms at Natural Bridge
Walk the rainforest track at Springbrook after dark to see the glow-worm cave.
Sights couples love
Experience · Main Beach
Whale-watching cruise
Choose a morning trip in calm seas, and take seasickness tablets if you are prone to it.
- Time needed
- 2.5–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Couples
- Outdoors
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for families, couples, shopping and food lovers
Broadbeach
Just south of Surfers, Broadbeach is calmer and smarter, with restaurants and bars around Surf Parade and Victoria Avenue, Kurrawa Park on the beach, The Star casino and the large Pacific Fair shopping centre. The light rail links it to Surfers in about ten minutes. It is the most balanced base for families and couples.
- Good
- Good restaurants and quieter nights; Light rail connections; Patrolled beach and parkland
- Watch out
- Fewer budget options; Busy around big convention events
- Nearby
- Kurrawa Beach, Pacific Fair, Surfers Paradise
Romantic day trips
- Springbrook National Park (About 1 hour by car) — 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.
- Tamborine Mountain (About 45 minutes by car) — A rainforest plateau with short waterfall walks, a treetop skywalk, wineries, a distillery and the craft shops of Gallery Walk.
- Lamington National Park (About 1.5 hours by car) — Ancient rainforest with more than 150 km of walking tracks.
- Byron Bay (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — 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.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Moreton Bay bugs and King prawns. BYO is allowed at some casual restaurants for a small corkage fee.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Gold Coast romantic?
Beyond the high-rises, the Gold Coast has quiet beaches at dawn, rainforest retreats in the hinterland and sunset dining on the Broadwater.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Gold Coast?
Sunrise walk at Burleigh: Watch the sun rise over the ocean from the Burleigh headland track, then breakfast on James Street.
+Where should couples stay in Gold Coast?
Broadbeach: Polished dining precinct with a patrolled beach, the convention centre and Pacific Fair.