Hello fellow cheapies,
We’re heading to the Gold Coast for 5 days, staying in Surfers Paradise. Big group of 10 (including kids) and planning to visit the theme parks.
Would you recommend renting a car or is public transport easy enough?
Best theme parks to prioritise? Any ticket deals worth looking at?
Also open to budget-friendly tips, kid-friendly activities, and hidden gems we shouldn’t miss.
Appreciate any advice! 😊
We got a rental, just because we (I) was too lazy to try and work out the hassle of public transport, especially with kids. I liked the freedom of being able to go somewhere on a whim when I wanted without having to suss out timetables, tap on cards etc. But you will have to be aware of parking then. Not all the accommodation has parking available. Especially those big towers. From memory parking at the theme parks in GC is free, and OK. We got a rental in Sydney as well but there it was very difficult to get a park anywhere, and you paid A LOT for the privilege. So do check out parking options for the places you intend to go if you decide to get a rental. We found the prices for a rental really cheap. Like $20 a day is not impossible to find.
David Fleay Wildlife Park is a more relaxed natural setting wildlife park that we really enjoyed. We nearly had the place to ourselves. Everyone calls it a "hidden gem" but they were saying that 10 years ago. Maybe it's not so much off the tourist trail anymore.