Gold Coast
Car Hire Gold Coast, Queensland
If you’re traveling to sunny southeast Queensland and would like to enjoy a mix of nature and adrenalin for the whole family, pickup a discount hire car on the Gold Coast and explore the many things to do in this popular holiday destination.
Search our site now to compare low rates on rentals from companies like Avis, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty and Europcar.
Drive away with a deal on a Kia, Holden, Toyota, Ford, Hyundai, VW or others in a small, mid-size or large vehicle such as a mini van or 4WD.
Billed as the Florida of Australia, Gold Coast in southeast Queensland (itself called the Sunshine State) entices the visitor with 35 kilometres of golden sand, 300 sunshiny days out of a year, theme parks, enormous shopping malls, thumping nightlife and glitzy dining options.
Not to mention lush hinterlands that promise easy nature walks, stunning views, and numerous wine trails less than an hour to the west.
Explore the Gold Coast by car
The Gold Coast is big on beaches. There are over 30 of them stretched in its 70-kilometer coastline.
Surfers Paradise, just 5 minutes north of the central business district, is easily the most favourite as it has plenty of swimmable white-sand beaches and enticing waves.
If you find Surfers Paradise too crowded, Broadbeach, just a few minutes south has similar surf conditions albeit less friendly swimming spots.
But this is where you can view Humpback Whales in June.
Another crowd-pleaser is Burleigh Heads, 15 minutes to the south which offers a bustling beach scene but calmer waters when southerly winds make Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach vulnerable.
Popular attractions on the Gold Coast
Of course, when the beaches are altogether unwelcoming, you can hit the Orchard, Cavill and Elkhorn Avenues in Surfers Paradise for a day of retail therapy, or the Robina and Harbor Town Centres in Harbor Town for your favourite brands.
If shopping is too sedate, prepare to scream aboard a corkscrew roller coaster in Sea World or the Giant Drop at Dreamworld.
A trip to Warner Bros. Movie World lets you peek into the behind-the-scenes of movie-making.
Consider getting multi-day, multi-park passes, as several theme parks are owned by the same companies and offer reasonable bundles.
When you want to escape to cooler outdoors especially during the hot summer, drive west to the Gold Coast Hinterland, less than an hour from the coast.
Tamborine Mountain is noted not only for its thick canopies but also for its well-maintained walkways, both friendly to beginners, heavy walkers and birders.
An hour directly south is Numinbah Valley, home to Queensland’s picturesque waterfalls and natural arches.
In between is the Gold Coast’s wine circuit, so a drive south will take you along a 50-kilometer trail filled with white wines, red wines and aged ports, to say nothing of cheeses, fudges and craft beer.
Alternatively, an hour north of the Gold Coast is Queensland’s capital city of Brisbane which has many popular attractions including a stunning artificial beach complete with palm trees, along with the nearby museum and performance centre.
Before you head down to the airport at Coolangatta and return the keys to your hire car, be sure to check out its surf spots for world pros riding the waves.
If you come in February, you may want to linger a bit and watch seaside action as the Quiksilver/Roxy surfing championships take place off the coast.
