Beyond the beach: The best of Surfers Paradise for kids
One of Australia’s best loved family holiday destinations still passes the kid test, in thrilling new ways.
QLD
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD. Followed categories will be added to My News.
VISITING Surfers Paradise it is wise to expect the unexpected; doubly so if you’re the parent of small children.
With tempers frayed from being caught in traffic on the Friday afternoon drive from Brisbane, first sight of the Hilton Surfers Paradise soaring in front of us was a sheer vision of loveliness.
My two boys, aged 8 and 6, were so excited to be staying somewhere so new (“Four pools, mum!”), so high (“36th floor! Look at all the lights!”), so close to the wonders of the famous beach and Cavill Mall.
And therein is the joy of travelling with children: seeing the world afresh through their eyes and being swept away by their enthusiasm and wonder.
See more: 6 tips for a Gold Coast family holiday
See more: Best resorts on the Gold Coast
Ever since the construction of Surfers Paradise’s first highrise Kinkabool in 1959, the region has exploded to become one of Queensland’s most popular family holiday destinations.
Cavill Mall is a mecca of family friendly shopping, restaurants and attractions (we never escape without a visit to Timezone), with a constantly revolving cast of colourful characters – from the live silver cowboy statue busking alongside the top-hatted leather-vested rocker singing Slim Dusty and the Latin American guitar duo – to astound and amuse. Not to mention the bustling hordes of tourists keen to snag part of the action, unintentionally becoming an attraction in themselves for keen people watchers.
Also, there is a considerable year-round schedule of events to add sparkle to any weekend away.
Our trip coincided with February’s Sand Safari, a free pop-up art event featuring a trail of huge DreamWorks-inspired sand sculptures, inflatable jellyfish floating above the mall and giant green tentacles emerging from a unit block, as well as sea and sand-inspired photographic and art exhibitions.
Alas our attempts to replicate these sand monoliths on the beach were sabotaged by the fresh wind, sprinkles of rain and a lack of implements (not to mention skills).
Luckily, unruly bouts of sand wrestling are all-weather events.
Another very popular first for us was a visit to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, where stairs led down into 16 rooms, more than 400 exhibits and artefacts, interactive games and movie footage of all things strange and wonderful from around the world.
Based on the explorations and radio and television of American cartoonist, entrepreneur and amateur anthropologist Robert Ripley, this collection of all things odd, weird and wonderful captivated the already fertile imaginations of two little boys.
Life-size mannequins of the world’s tallest, smallest and fattest men, a woman born with a peculiar pronounced nose and upper lip, edible crickets painted to replicate Michael Jackson, the landscape crafted entirely from human hair, penis gourds from New Guinea, daggers and swords and primitive masks … it is a feast for the senses.
The one exhibit that held my adventurous pair captive, and desperate for a return visit, was the new Ripley’s Impossible LaseRace, which had them contorting themselves under and over lasers to beat the clock – and each other – over and over and over again. Tom Cruise has nothing on these two, for determination and staying power at least.
Still the mini-break wasn’t all about the boys, with the highlight for the parents being an early St Valentine’s Day family dinner at Luke Mangan’s fantastic Salt Grill at the Hilton.
Welcomed with a delicious fig martini and strawberry, watermelon and lychee mocktails for “zee little gentlemens”, we feasted on entrees of steamed bun with tempura soft shell crab and tempura prawns with coleslaw, followed by char siu glazed pork belly with cucumber and young coconut salad, and tamarind jus, and barbecue spiced Barossa Valley chicken with grilled corn, capsicum, asparagus and smoky barbecue sauce.
The boys were well sated with garlic bread, spaghetti napoli and bolognese respectively, and kept occupied with a colouring in and activity pages thoughtfully provided.
It was a fine dining experience that comfortably encompassed the whole family. It pays to expect the unexpected.
The writer was a guest of the Surfers Paradise Alliance, surfersparadise.com
HOW TO GET TO SURFERS PARADISE?
Hilton Surfers Paradise, hiltonsurfersparadise.com.au, from $260 per night, Hilton Surfers Paradise has 169 guest rooms in the Orchid Tower, next to Cavill Mall and a short walk from the beachfront. There are also 250 apartments from $369 a night, with access to five-star services such as Luke Mangan’s in room dining menu, valet parking, 24-hour reception and daily housekeeping.
WHERE TO EAT AT SURFERS PARADISE?
Salt Grill by Luke Mangan, 6-10pm seven days a week; Vapiano’s, Soul Boardwalk, Cavill Ave, 11am-11pm seven days a week, vapiano.com.au; Hard Rock Cafe, noon till late, seven days a week, hardrock.com
RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! SURFERS PARADISE
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, Soul Boardwalk, Cavill Mall, 9am till late, seven days, ripleys.com/surfersparadise; Timezone, Cavill Mall, 9am-midnight, timezonegoldcoast.com.au
See more:
Surfers Paradise: What to see & do
5 top tips for Gold Coast theme parks
How to stay fit on a Gold Coast holiday
Gold Coast best food spots, from wineries to restaurants
50 best things to do in Queensland
Want regular travel updates? Follow us on Facebook
Originally published as Beyond the beach: The best of Surfers Paradise for kids
The Aussie island that’s totally unrecognisable
It was a cyclone-ravaged mess, a scene of pure destruction, but after spotting an ad in the paper this Australian couple began an epic transformation.
The new face of Noosa
Noosa’s long engagement between great food and tourism has gone next level, backed by produce we’ve never even heard of - here’s what’s happening in this coastal town.