Seek and You Shall Find: These are the Gold Coast’s Best Secret Hangouts

The Australia Gold Coast offers sun, sand, seafood and much more. Enjoy these three local favorites on your next visit.

Gold Coast Fishermen’s Co-Op

If you love seafood, you’ll love this—the Gold Coast Fishermen’s Co-Op has been operating since 1970, with fishermen selling the freshest seafood money can buy directly off their boats.

Every morning prawn trawlers, tuna longliners and a spanner crab vessel return from the sea, loaded up with fresh catch from the previous night.

Gold Coast folks’ favorite family day out involves bagging seafood before a picnic in one of the nearby parks or at the beach.

Hit the pier early if you want to snag the best catch. The friendly fishermen are always up for a chat and will throw in a few seafood tips for free. You’ll feel like a local!

Federation Walk

A great opportunity to explore nature without having to venture too far, Federation Walk is a network of established paths and walkways close to Main Beach.

Sample a bit of the Gold Coast’s wild side on 230 acres of coastal dunes—the walk begins at a fig tree in the parking lot opposite Sea World and continues through patches of rainforest.

After emerging from the forest, continue under the sand bypass jetty to the southern training wall of the Gold Coast Seaway.

On the way you can hear the sounds of the ocean, witness native Australian wildlife, and observe a unique fusion of native trees and dunes.

Gold Coast Oceanway

Gold Coast Oceanway runs along the coastline and while Surfside buses service the entire 22-mile network of pathways, a fun and slower way to see everything is to get on a bicycle.

From Main Beach, pedal south along the Esplanade to the bustling Surfers Paradise (pause for a photo op at the sign on the beach or with the bikini-clad meter maids).

South of Surfers Paradise is Broadbeach, home to Kurrawa Surf Club and a great spot to stop for a quick bite served up with beautiful beach views.

Further along the pathway is Mermaid Beach, where you can take in the fresh ocean air or go for a dip. The ride is pleasant any time of day as trees shield much of the Esplanade from the harsh Gold Coast sun.