Gold Coast

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Gold Coast Sea World
2026 Global 100 - Family-friendly Attractions

Gold Coast Sea World

8.2
4.6/5
1k reviews
Gold Coast Sea World is a long-established marine theme park in Australia, located along the coastal area in the northern part of the Gold Coast. It combines marine animal exhibits, animal shows, and amusement rides into one park, offering both wildlife viewing and thrilling attractions. Animal encounters are the main highlight here: the penguin exhibit houses king penguins and gentoo penguins, where visitors can watch them waddle or dive into the water through viewing glass set against an icy landscape. The polar bear shores recreate the rocky coasts and pools of the Arctic summer, providing a rare chance to see polar bears in Australia. Shark Bay teems with sharks and rays, while the nearby ray reef allows hands-on interaction with rays. At seal harbor, Australian sea lions and fur seals bask on the shore or playfully chase each other in the water. The park hosts multiple daily dolphin shows and sea lion educational presentations—it's recommended to check the day's time slots upon arrival to plan your itinerary, and arrive early to secure seats for popular shows. Families with children shouldn't miss Nickelodeon Land, where animated characters like SpongeBob, Patrick Star, Dora, and PAW Patrol's Chase and Marshall meet travelers for photos. Thrill-seekers can tackle the wooden coaster Leviathan, the motorbike-style Jet Rescue coaster, and the splash-filled Storm Coaster. △ Meet your favorite animation characters △ Get close to marine life △ Experience thrilling amusement itemsMain Beach · 642m from downtown
Dreamworld
No. 5 of Best Things to Do in South East Queensland

Dreamworld

7.5
4.5/5
632 reviews
Dreamworld is located on the Gold Coast of Australia, and the park is divided into multiple themed areas, covering a variety of experiences such as thrilling rides, wildlife encounters, and children's play areas. Riverside Town is one of the park's newer themed areas, set against a jungle adventure storyline. Its centerpiece attraction, the Jungle Rush roller coaster, features a unique tilting triple-turn design, weaving through ancient temples and jungle scenery; Murrissippi Motors is a sightseeing drive suitable for the whole family, passing ancient ruins and hidden treasures along the way. Main Street is the heart of the park, home to attractions such as the Steel Taipan roller coaster, the high-altitude flying ride Dreamworld Flyer, and the immersive flying experience Sky Voyager. Kenny and Belinda's Dreamland is designed especially for children, themed around classic characters from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's children's channel, and features rides such as The Wiggles Big Red Boat roller coaster and the Bananas in Pyjamas carousel, with regular live performances at the Dreamworld Theatre. Tiger Island is home to Sumatran tigers and Bengal tigers, where visitors can observe the tigers almost face to face through close-up viewing passages and watch them swim gracefully underwater from the splash pool. The WILD wildlife world area, created in partnership with Australian Geographic, is the park's native animal exhibit area, where visitors can hold koalas, touch dingoes, and observe crocodiles up close, and also experience "Our Country," a panoramic film experience that presents Australia's natural scenery with an ultra-large screen and surround sound. The ocean cruise area is themed around Gold Coast surfing culture and features thrilling rides such as The Gold Coaster roller coaster and King Claw.Coomera · 3.2km from downtown
Paradise Country
No. 6 of Best Things to Do in South East Queensland

Paradise Country

7.5
4.2/5
414 reviews
Paradise Country is the home of the ultimate Australian farm experience! Here you can watch various performances, feed kangaroos, and take pictures with koalas. Visit the brand new Shaun the Sheep Park, face-to-face with cute pets such as koalas and kangaroos, and experience the real Australian farm life. You can also enjoy delicious Aussie BBQ. 1. There are a lot of performance items Tourists can experience many shows at Paradise Country Farm. Upon entry, you can obtain a visitor guide listing the show times for each attraction, allowing you to plan your visit accordingly. Recommended activities include sheepdog herding and Australian darts. Here, you'll experience authentic Australian farm life, especially witnessing how farmers and sheepdogs drive and control their flocks. You can also watch them perform boomerang throwing and whip cracking demonstrations. 2. Interact with animal kangaroos and koalas up close You can also see kangaroos and koalas here. These two animals can be said to be Australia's "national treasures". Visitors can hand-feed the kangaroos near the bushes where the kangaroos live, and pay to take pictures of the cute koalas in the arms of the koala village. 3. Visiting Australian-style residences Here, you can also see traditional Australian residences, and there are souvenir shops for you to choose and buy cheap and special products as souvenirs.Oxenford · 1.5km from downtown

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Experiences you can't miss in Gold Coast

Featured Food & drink in Gold Coast

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Gold Coast cruise seafood buffet [Round-trip boat ticket + lunch/dinner + round-trip to Sea World/Surfers Paradise]
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Lamington National Park & O'Reilly's Vineyard Tour
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Duration: 2.4 hrs
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Tastes of Tamborine Mountain
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Duration: 4.6 hrs
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Lamington National Park, O'Reilly's & Vineyard Tour
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4.9/5
· 36 reviews
Duration: 6–7 hrs
Free cancellation
97.2% of travelers recommend
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Gold Coast: Tamborine Mountain Local Winery Tour with Lunch
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4.6/5
· 27 reviews
Duration: 8 hrs
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Gold Coast: Hop on Hop off Wine Tasting Tour to Mt Tamborine
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5.0/5
· 3 reviews
Duration: 6 hrs
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FromUS$ 119.89US$ 126.2

Featured Culture & history in Gold Coast

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Southport Audio Tour: Southport Landmarks Audio Adventure
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Duration: 1.5 hrs
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Gold Coast: Jellurgal Cultural Guided Walking Tour
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5.0/5
· 5 reviews
Duration: 2 hrs
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Full-Day Aruba History and Must-See Landmarks Tour
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Brisbane north island 1-day tour small group in English #North Stradbroke
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Tropical Fruit World Farm Full Tour
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4.7/5
· 40 reviews
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FromUS$ 55.82
Experience up-close wildlife observation at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
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Duration: 3 hrs
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Best of Brisbane Walking Tour: All Sights & Hidden Gems
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5.0/5
· 23 reviews
Duration: 3 hrs
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23 consecutive positive reviews
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Cape Byron Aboriginal Tour
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5.0/5
· 1 review
Duration: 1.5 hrs
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FromUS$ 49.89US$ 52.52

Featured Outdoor & sports in Gold Coast

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Evening Rainforest & Glow Worm Tour
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Duration: 2.3 hrs
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Brisbane Moreton Island adventure 1-day tour [optional snorkeling with fish feeding/sandboarding/canoeing at Dolphin Island]
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FromUS$ 113.90
Gold Coast Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park half-day tour [Purling Brook Falls, Springbrook National Park + rainforest hike]
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5.0/5
· 4 reviews· 64 booked
Duration: 5.5 hrs
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Gold Coast surfing 2 hr beginner lesson [Surfers Paradise surfing + group/private lesson]
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4.7/5
· 12 reviews· 417 booked
Duration: 2 hrs
English
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Byron Bay skydiving [ocean view skydiving + Brisbane/Gold Coast pick-up and drop-off]
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4.6/5
· 11 reviews· 186 booked
Duration: 1 hr
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FromUS$ 254.78
Gold Coast Broadwater kayaking + Wave Break Island snorkeling
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4.9/5
· 7 reviews· 109 booked
Duration: 2 hrs
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Learn to Surf at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast
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4.9/5
· 132 reviews· 30 booked
Duration: 2 hrs
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34 consecutive positive reviews
FromUS$ 70.67
Gold Coast Paradise Jet Boating
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21 booked
Duration: 50 mins
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Featured Day tours in Gold Coast

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Gold Coast Glow Worm Night Tour [Optional Tamborine/Springbrook National Park with Transfers]
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4.8/5
· 4 reviews· 138 booked
Duration: 4 mins
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Gold Coast: SkyPoint Climb Experience
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4.5/5
· 6 reviews
Duration: 1.5 hrs
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Gold Coast Tamborine Glow Worm Night Tour [English Service, City Transfers, No Gratuities]
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5.0/5
· 1 review
Duration: 1 hr
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Half-day tour to tropical fruit world [tractor/cruise/fruit tasting + optional lunch]
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Duration: 2.2 hrs
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Natural bridge and Springbrook Falls tour (half-day tour)
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Duration: 1.7 hrs
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Free things to do in Gold Coast

What travellers say about Gold Coast

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Travel.coffee.donuts26 February 2026
5.0
describe gold coast beachesBest Beaches On The Gold Coast to Visit | QueenslandGold Coast beaches feature 57km of stunning, white-sand coastline along the Pacific Ocean, offering world-renowned surf breaks, patrolled swimming areas, and vibrant, developed shorelines. Key spots include the bustling Surfers Paradise, the surfing mecca of Snapper Rocks, and serene spots like Currumbin and Burleigh Heads.

Gold Coast beach

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Thinh03047 October 2026
5.0
My friends and I had a fantastic time visiting the SkyPoint Observation Deck. Everything about the experience was absolutely excellent, from the breathtaking scenery and environment to our overall enjoyment. We also felt it provided exceptional service and value for money. It’s a perfect spot to visit with friends, and we highly recommend it!

SkyPoint Observation Deck

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焚書坑儒26 October 2026
5.0
No tickets are needed; simply scan the QR code to enter the park, which is significantly cheaper than buying tickets on the official website. Most rides have no queues, making for an extremely enjoyable experience. Even the most popular roller coasters only have queues of about 20 minutes. Transportation is convenient; take the Surfers Paradise light rail to the northernmost station and then transfer to a bus; the entire journey takes only one hour.

Warner Bros. Movie World

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Anonymous user13 October 2026
5.0
It was so much fun, much better than Tokyo DisneySea! The lines for the rides were shorter, and there were shows and interactions with manta rays. It's a shame we arrived a bit late in the morning and missed out on so many rides. The only downside was that the daily operating hours were too short. It's perfect for the whole family (the worst part is that adults aren't allowed to ride the carousel because they're tall; they can only ride in small cars, ugh).

Gold Coast Sea World

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IrisSK22 June 2026
4.0
The rides and attractions are good. However, most of the rides got only one staff operating the process. Even though not many people were queuing (maybe around 30), we had to wait for at least 30 mins or more. Therefore we didn’t have enough time to play.

Dreamworld

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YoYo_1I8Q7O5O6 July 2025
5.0
Paradise Farm is a treasure trove for experiencing the Australian countryside! As soon as you enter the farm, you can smell the natural scent of hay and soil. The fluffy sheep, cute kangaroos and emus are wandering on the grass, which is very immersive. The most important thing you can't miss is the wool shearing performance! The farm workers skillfully "transform" the sheep. After the fluffy thick hair is shed, the sheep instantly becomes "skinny". You can also touch the wool on the spot, which is soft and healing. There is also a sheepdog show, where the dogs flexibly shuttle among the sheep, which is super smart! By the way, you can also feed the kangaroos by hand. They look super cute holding the feed bags. Remember to touch their backs gently. There is also a traditional Billy Tea brewing performance in the farm. Tea is boiled on the campfire with a tin kettle and paired with Australian toast. One bite is the authentic country taste. If you want to take photos, put on the cowboy clothes provided by the farm, stand in front of the red barn, and take photos that look like a western movie in minutes. It is a great place to immerse yourself in the Australian farming and pastoral life.

Paradise Country

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_TI***gh13 August 2026
5.0
Great fun way to see Gold coast in a short time for both adults and children!

Aquaduck Gold Coast

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知了Chan16 October 2026
5.0
We went straight to the zoo after getting off the plane. We arrived quite late, but we were lucky enough to see most of the animals, including wombats, Tasmanian devils, and smiling rats. A great zoo, highly recommended. The coffee at the entrance was delicious, and feeding the parrots was also very interesting. Feeding starts at 4 PM, and even when we left at 5 PM, there were still parrots to feed.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

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IceMoonTea23 June 2024
5.0
We had an unforgettable experience on the Sea World Cruise Whale Watching tour! The crew was knowledgeable and friendly, providing fascinating insights about the whales and their behavior. The boat was comfortable and offered excellent viewing spots. We were fortunate to see several whales up close, making the trip truly magical. I highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to experience the beauty of marine life in their natural habitat. A must-do adventure!

Sea World Cruises

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M48***3212 April 2026
5.0
Very good and exciting

Jet Boat Extreme

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Frequently asked questions

What are the must-do things in Gold Coast?

Don't miss these attractions in Gold Coast: Gold Coast beach, SkyPoint Observation Deck, and Warner Bros. Movie World. If you like Food & drink, try Gold Coast cruise seafood buffet [Round-trip boat ticket + lunch/dinner + round-trip to Sea World/Surfers Paradise]. If you enjoy Culture & history, try Southport Audio Tour: Southport Landmarks Audio Adventure.

You can give Gold Coast cruise seafood buffet [Round-trip boat ticket + lunch/dinner + round-trip to Sea World/Surfers Paradise] and Lamington National Park & O'Reilly's Vineyard Tour a try. Before you go, please check their opening hours and menus online. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak hours.

When choosing a tour, start with how much time you have and the kind of experience you're looking for. Trending options right now include Gold Coast Glow Worm Night Tour [Optional Tamborine/Springbrook National Park with Transfers], Gold Coast: SkyPoint Climb Experience, and Gold Coast Tamborine Glow Worm Night Tour [English Service, City Transfers, No Gratuities]. Check the real-time availability and itinerary before you book.

As of 4 November 2026, the reference price for day tours and activities in Gold Coast is around USD 50.96 – USD 89.18. Rates vary by duration, group size, transport, tickets, meals, and any special admission requirements. Before you book, please confirm the billing currency and whether the price is quoted per person or per group.

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