The Aussie getaway that parents will enjoy, too

WE’VE found Australia’s best holiday destination. Bonus: Your kids will have fun, too.

WE’VE found Australia’s best holiday destination. Bonus: Your kids will have fun, too.

Broad, bronzed and open-skied, the Gold Coast is possibly Australia’s most iconic family-friendly destination. Not just a winner in the nostalgia stakes, this magnificent stretch of coastline has matured into a place that practically dedicates itself to making sure everyone in the family has a blast. No longer regarded as the juvenile “Goldie”; the Gold Coast now boasts boutique hotels, a variety of tasty food, and activities that will impress the parents, too. The kid-friendly theme parks, beaches, fish n’ chips, and souvenir shops are all still there -- but an explosion of trendy cafes, fine dining restaurants and luxe resorts has added some new elements that will excite parents too. Here’s the best way to spend a family-friendly break, as recommended by the locals. Consider this guide like a holiday sandwich – cut, crusts off, into the perfect kid-approved triangle or square shape. We'll be amazed if you hear the words "I'm bored…”

Head to the beachCue eye roll (probably from your tween). But the loooong stretch of sand and lazy, rumbling surf is what you’re there for, right? Touch down on the Gold Coast, and mentally you’re already on the beach with your towel, and have ordered the kids to run themselves silly in the sand. You’ll need to honour those instincts.

Local tip: “Grab an umbrella or beach tent, park yourself somewhere close to a cafe that can make a mean Acai bowl and relax while the kids run wild. It's the best and cheapest way to entertain everyone,” Angela Simson, The Gratitude Project

The Gold Coast is full to the brim with many postcard-perfect beaches, complete with golden shore and turquoise waters. The trick for families is to find the patrolled beaches with gentle waves. While Surfers Paradise is the poster child, the lovely little sheltered Rainbow Bay in the Coolangatta region is worth checking out, or Currumbin Creek for young children and less confident swimmers.

Tallebudgera Creek is another peacefully calm water spot to take small children to splash around to their heart’s content. Parents can enjoy the crystal waters from within a kayak or on a stand up paddleboard, which are available for hire. While not always suitable for little kids, the somewhat exposed Burleigh Beach is the perfect beach for beginner bodyboarders or surfers. Fringed by majestic Norfolk pines, the beach has a distinctly bohemian-slash-surfy Byron Bay vibe and will win your heart in the cool stakes. A short 3.5km circuit walk in the nearby Burleigh Heads National Park is a perfect little section of bushland for families to explore.

Older kids can learn to take on the legendary surf breaks at Get Wet Surf School, which will see them standing up -- even if only for a split second -- during their first lesson.

Make all of your little one’s dreams come true at a theme parkIf your version of a theme park holiday means chaos, long waits, and too many chicken nuggets, you’re doing it all wrong. Visit one of the five humongous theme parks here: Dreamworld, Sea World, Movie World, Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast and WhiteWater World and feel your grown-up cynicism melt away. Cool off on a muggy Queensland afternoon atop a water slide; meet a friendly dolphin or two; lose your stomach on a roller coaster: this is the place to embrace your inner child.

Local tip: “Over the years, we have bought the VIP tickets (worth the investment) to Movie World, Sea World and Wet'n Wild, and have thoroughly enjoyed our experiences at each of these parks. An early start will save a long walk across the car park. Our family (the kids in particular) also love to visit Timezone,” Mum-of-four and Mischievous Mum[www.mischieviousmum.com/] blogger Sarah Keetley.

Rollercoasters, stunt shows and Wonder Woman. At Movie World your kids will meet all their favourite characters. Within the gates of Dreamworld & WhiteWater World families will find equal parts adventure, adrenaline and cute koala cuddles. Here are The Big 9 thrill rides; The Wiggles and Shrek for the kids; tigers, wombat cuddles and croc-feeding shows; and cooled off with waterslides and a wave pool. Pack your towel and sunscreen and mentally prepare yourself for Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast’s lineup of stomach turning pools and slides including the terrifying “Constrictor”.

Feed your thirst for adventureThe lush and wild hinterland that hugs the coast is the perfect place to keep cool on a typical Queensland scorcher. There is over 260km of bush walking tracks, many which criss cross through world heritage-listed rainforest. You’re likely to come across mystical waterfalls and swimming holes, and you’ll find there’s #nofilter required.

Local tip: “Get up to the hinterland. All the coastal stuff is quite obvious, and people do it anyway, but the hinterland is very special. I love to stay at O'Reilly's: they’ve got a great property and bushwalks and waterfalls. I love Mount Tambourine as well and I really love the Natural Bridge which is in Springbook National Park,” Lauren Bath, Professional Instagrammer

Family holiday snaps are taken up a notch at the “Best of All” lookout in Springbook National Park, a platform offering a panoramic view of Mount Warning and all the way to Byron Bay. Accessible via the 15-minute walking track through ancient Antarctic beech rainforest, it’s an easy trek for little legs. Also in Springbook National Park is a waterfall that leads to glow-worm cave, sure to enthral mini waterfall chasers. The path to the cave isn’t suitable for prams, but the trail is easy enough that confident walkers would be able to manage.

Deep within Lamington National Park is O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk: 180 metres of boardwalk suspended 15 metres above the ground in a canopy of flowering and fruiting trees. Kids will have a great time spying birds, goannas, and even snakes, atop the rainforest. If you don’t want to trek too far from the coastline, Burleigh Head National Park offers epic views from the rocky headland.

Shop for some treasuresDotted all along the Gold Coast you’ll find market after market offering everything from local produce to handmade knick-knacks, and some truly odd trinkets.

Miami Marketta [http://www.miamimarketta.com/] is a bustling street food market set to the soundtrack of live music. The theme is more trendy laneway than bog-standard food trucks, and the vibe is decidedly cool. Adults can look forward to a Sicilian meatball panini, Venezuelan mix plate, chimichanga or Yakisoba stir-fried noodles, while kids might be more impressed with gourmet pizza or tacos.

It’s also worth dropping in on Queensland’s largest permanent market, the Carrara Markets which is a part warehouse and part regional show: here you will find face painting, pony rides, buskers and treats. Some of the stalls are wonderfully weird and odd.

From vintage treasures to tropical homewares, and fashionable local apparel, The Village Markets is full of trendy and stylish products.

Yes, you can have another ice creamAs any weary parent will know, there’s an art to fitting in a relaxing coffee break when the kids are in tow. Good news: there are plenty of kid-friendly cafes that have playgrounds and butchers paper ready to go.

Local tip: “Most of our time is spent in kid friendly areas, so we usually take the kids to Movie World, Seaworld and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. There are many amazing children’s parks in Palm Beach, Miami, Burleigh Southport. We take the kids to Bounce a fair bit too,” foodie Adam Dundas-Taylor

The Royal Queensland Food and Wine show doesn’t hand out awards willy nilly, they’ll have you know. The Gelato Shop in Broadbeach has been a gold, silver, and bronze medal winner, since 2011. Treat your kiddos to sme award-winning ice cream, maybe even two. There are plenty of playgrounds nearby where they can burn off that sugar high.

Local tip: “Head to The Collective at Palm Beach! There are five different kitchens to choose from, so there is literally something for everyone. And if you're child free then you can set yourself up at the rooftop bar to enjoy our fantastic weather and some pretty incredible food,” BSKT Cafe at Nobby Beach – or Nobbies, as the locals say – offers some healthy cafe bites with the view of the beach. The kids can play out the back while you sip coffee, gaze at the ocean and people watching. Surrounded by the beach, a creek, a dog park and a pirate playground, the 1 Dune Café at Palm Beach can only be described as a kids’ paradise. This cafe offers nearly every healthy food option, plus some indulgent sweets that you’re allowed to have while on holidays.

Hire a bikeTake your pick from the many bike trails to explore the coastline via a cruiser bike. These pastel retro style bikes offer themselves as pretty holiday snap props. Smaller kids might not survive a long bike ride, but there are plenty of mangroves, lookouts, beaches, and headlands, to stop at along the way. Feeling more adventurous? Explore the hinterland on two wheels on the mountain bike paths that zig-zag the ancient Gondwana Rainforest and rolling cattle properties.

If biking isn’t your thing, the broad, paved boulevard lines that stretch along Surfers Paradise are ideal for walking, biking, skateboarding, or rollerblading.

Take a break from the kidsMany accommodation and resorts have been designed with families in mind. Maybe you vowed never to be one of those families that use a kids club, but the truth is, they’re so handy. Sea World Resort, Turtle Beach Resort and Paradise Resort, for example, have kids’ clubs that cater to ages four to 12 and offer big screen interactive games, creative art and craft sessions, Xbox’s for the game players, as well as movie screenings and evening dance and discos. Meanwhile, parents can retreat to a nearby day spa, laze around the adults-only pool with cocktail in-hand or head to upmarket Mermaid Beach. Book a local babysitter to experience some of the hottest new restaurants that have popped up in the last couple of years: Hellenika, Etsu, Cambus Wallace, Little Truffle and Sparrow Eating House… take your pick.

Originally published as The Aussie getaway that parents will enjoy, too