Welcome to Surfers Paradise – Heart of the Gold Coast
Surfers Paradise doesn’t whisper its charms to the world. This is a place that quite literally shouts them in equal measure from the shoreline and the rooftops. Ok, let me explain. Think golden sand that stretches into infinity. Think waves that beg you to grab a board and get paddling. Think high-rises that gleam in the sun. Surfers Paradise is equal parts glamour and grit: a place where dawn surfers share the stage with midnight revellers, and where “paradise” might just mean something different depending on whether you are holding a surfboard, a cocktail, or both.
This is a place that thrives on contrasts. There is no black and white here. During the day, visitors are charmed by the sunshine, surf schools and getting sand between the toes! By night, those same visitors find themselves with a cocktail in hand, listening to the music pumping out from the rooftop bars and marvelling at the neon landscape that holds a thousand stories. And yet, Surfers Paradise is not just about spectacle—there is an underlying heartbeat that runs through it. Whether you come for the adrenaline, the nightlife, or simply the promise of a morning swim followed by the world’s best people-watching, Surfers Paradise delivers exactly what it says on the tin—no fine print required.
Location, Location, Location
Just under 200km from my home and about three hours away from the Sunshine Coast, lies the Gold Coast. People have nicknamed it ‘The Goldy’ and ‘The Glitter Strip’ but to me, it is simply Surfers. Distance wise, it’s not deemed a long trip, but when the trip takes you on the M1 through Brisbane, you know that traffic is going to be a big part of your day. Still, we did not have to check in until 2pm so whether it took us 3 hours or longer to get there, it wasn’t a hardship.
Weather: Rain or Shine?
Surfers weather was estimated to be around the 24-degree mark through the day throughout the week. Closer to the time of leaving, that changed. We ended up with 26-28 degrees all week.
Meet and Greet
Come on, you all know me by now. I am Joanne and Madhatterpress is my website. Accompanying me on the trip to Q1 is my dad, Barry. You will know Barry from his website
Why are we here?
My late husband Mark and I shared many short trips to Q1 over the years, both alone and with friends and family. There are many fond memories of holidays with my mother-in-law and trips with my brother and his partner. My brother, sister-in-law, husband, and I even climbed Q1 when it opened to the public.
This is the 4th time in 5 years that dad and I have been. We are here as it ticks the boxes. It is that simple. We have an ocean fronted apartment. Food and drink are all local and we have the hinterland accessible if we want to go out for the day. Plus a few breweries dotted here and there adds the finishing touches!
Diary of a trip to the beach
Monday 15th September
Time to leave home. We had decided that we would be leaving home at about 10am. We had two pit stops to make on the way. We wanted to go to Brisbane Camperland in Tingalpa to look at caravans, and also a place to get some new buttons to open the garage door. The garage door buttons were a no – they had none in stock. A bit frustrating but we decided to order them online. As for caravans, this second trip to the showroom made it abundantly clear that caravanning was ‘off the table.’
Then it was time for lunch before we got to Q1. I had a brainwave and suggested The Fox & Hounds at Wongawallan. This is a UK style pub about 20 minutes from the Bruce Highway, heading towards Tamborine Mountain. So, we headed there. You know those ideas that you have, and you hope to pan out well? This did not disappoint at all. While dad had ribs, I spotted something on the menu I hadn’t had in many years. Toad in the hole, mash, peas, and gravy. Wow, was it good!
Then off to Q1. We checked in to discover that we had been put in apartment 4504. The ’45…’ apartments run at the front with double doors to enter and 240-degree views of the hinterland, city, and the open ocean. It was perfect. There was also a bottle of Prosecco, chocolates and a card welcoming us back. A quick walk to Woolworths for me and an afternoon sleep for dad and we had settled in.
Spicy Cajun chicken and vodka cocktails at https://longboardsbar.com.au ended the night perfectly. It was a good day, finished with a movie on the in-room tv.
Tuesday 16th September
Awoke to sunshine, sea, and sand. Welcome to the first full day of the Surfers Paradise trip. Each morning when we’re away starts with coffee and this morning was no different. Toast, 2 coffees and a shower, and we were heading out of the door for a drive out. We started our drive heading out to Clagiraba & from there we headed up to Mount Tambourine. We stopped at Coffee Plantation Cafe for dad to have coffee and cake. I ordered an orange juice, but they forgot to bring it out. They had not even put it on the order despite dad asking if they had. We then drove out towards Beaudesert with a plan to drive to Woodenbong, Kyogle and then back to Q1. Once dad realised that his drive out was starting to become more like an expedition, we started to head back via Canungra and Nerang.
A strawberry caprioska vodka cocktail, a burger and an evening drinking and eating while the music plays around us is not a bad finish to the day.
Wednesday 17th September
Welcome to the second full day of the trip. Wednesday started with a SkyPoint Restaurant Buffet Breakfast. Now, a small cooked breakfast was my plate of choice, but I will admit going back for a second helping. Ok, I will also confess the orange juice, the coffee, and the double chocolate muffin too!!!
Following breakfast, there was a need for a walk. Just to walk off that breakfast! So, a couple of kilometres along the seafront was in order. A restful morning gazing out over the ocean while I finished my latest read was in order. For those who are wondering, the book is by Lee Child and is called, “Reacher: The Stories behind the stories.” I highly recommend it if you enjoy the Reacher Amazon series and books. My hardest decision this morning is choosing my next book to read.
This afternoon we headed out for a jaunt. That jaunt was well planned, with us ending up at Black Hops Brewery A couple of beers and a lemonade for the driver and that was all we needed. A late afternoon walk to the market was on the cards for me, I didn’t buy anything but racked up another few kilometres for the day. The only other ‘must do’ job that had to be done for today was to pack to go home.
An evening snack and cocktail at Longboards and the night was done.
Thursday 18th September
Welcome to home day. Why is it, no matter where you go, where you stay and no matter what you do, coming home is a feeling that cannot be topped. An early awakening at 7am for me and morning coffee to start the day.
We had a peaceful drive home with a McDonalds breakfast stop thrown in. As it was such a lovely day, it seemed silly not to get the washing done straight away and out to dry! So that’s all been done.
Home sweet home…. until the next trip.
Time to wrap it up
I usually ask myself three questions after each trip but since this is year 4 out of 5, and to the same accomodation, those questions really are null and void.
Q1 is always somewhere I will come back to. It is one of those hotels and locations that meets every need. We have stayed high enough in Q1 that F18 interceptors flew past our window lower than our floor. We have stayed in Q1 when the weather was so rainy that all we could do was to log into Netflix and watch something. We have been here when I have stumbled across a $5 bookshop and thought I was in heaven!
From an ocean front apartment, the views are perfect. Surfers itself is like a picture postcard and can be delightfully over-the-top. It is unapologetic. It’s designed for those who want a bit of everything, and it delivers. Every single time.
