11 October 2019
Reward yourself with a little fun in our Bleisure capital.
Crammed within a busy schedule of meetings and conferences? We hope you can still find a window of opportunity to unwind and enjoy our destination. This city is arguably Australia’s playground of good times – it would be a shame not to kick off your loafers and make the most of this glorious setting.
TAKE A BREATHER AT HOME OF THE ARTS
If a window of down time presents itself during your busy schedule, pop over to HOTA Home of the Arts to catch an art-house movie, stroll through the gallery space and admire the evolution of the city’s cultural side. If your visit falls on a Sunday, you’ll be able to catch the Farmer’s Markets complete with mouth-watering food stalls, fresh juices and plenty of coffee. Gluten free donuts and Japanese-Italian buckwheat crepes may also be on the agenda. This once forgotten Gold Coast structure has had a remarkable rebirth, offering a shining example of business transformation with a little creative thinking and the right people steering the ship.
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3.2kms from GCCEC
135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise
SHOOT FOR AN EAGLE, A BIRDIE OR AN ALBATROSS?
The Gold Coast could easily be called the Golf Coast with over 60 courses within 50kms of the Convention and Exhibition Centre. Sanctuary Cove is a prestigious Gold Coast neighbourhood with two world-class golf courses to choose from; The Palms which stretches over 5904 metres catering to various skills levels and The Pines which curls through 101 hectares of luscious forest challenging even the most experiences of players. If the half-an-hour journey from Broadbeach to Sanctuary Cove isn’t permitted in your schedule, more central greens are offered by Emerald Lakes Golf Club, Surfers Paradise Golf Club and Palm Meadows Gold Club. You know you’ve made the big time when you’re peacocking around a country club and swinging clubs on the Coast.
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SPOT A GOLD COAST LIFEGUARD
With 57km of beach and 300 days of sunshine, a walk along one of the Gold Coast’s beaches is a must. Even the local airport is only a stone’s throw from our sandy coastline. If time allows, take a surfing lesson or chat with a local surf life saver. If waves aren’t your thing, the sparkling waters of Tallebudgera Creek may be the perfect solution. Flowing between Burleigh Heads National Park and Palm Beach, this gem is often included in lists of most instagrammable spots on the GC. Whatever you do, find time to throw down the towel!
Follow @lifesavingqld
MOOCH AT MARINA MIRAGE (AND DREAM ABOUT SHOPPING FOR A SUPER YACHT)
Even if you’re one of the few Australians living in a land-locked part of the country, a spot of super-yacht shopping at Marina Mirage will not be the worst way to kill time. This water-side shopping complex offers an upmarket is home to a plethora of oversized boats complete with all kinds of indulgences – think helicopter landings, on-deck hot tubs, numerous rooms, servants’ quarters and more space than your average Australian home. Even if you can’t yet invest, a little dreaming never hurt everyone.
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6.7kms from GCCEC
74 Sea World Drive, Main Beach
EAT AT ONE OF OUR BEST
With a hefty suite of awards under their belt – not least of all Gold Coast Best Restaurant according to Restaurant and Catering Australia – Moo Moo is a destination all its own. Cooking high-class beef over hot coals and sharing all the paddock details of their meat cuts on their menu, this restaurant attracts business travellers with a carnivorous appetite. It truly is the ideal location for a business meets pleasure lunch affair with plenty of weekday vibe to lift the mood. Feel free to envy the select number of VIP locals who have their very own steak knife waiting for their arrival in a display cabinet within the restaurant.
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300metres from GCCEC
2685 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach
TRY YOUR LUCK AT THE CASINO
If its glamour and style you’re after, a roll at Roulette and a hit of Poker are within spitting distance thanks to the lavish Star Gold Coast Casino. The table games and machines found here will dazzle you into a stupor of joy, with minimum and maximum spends to suit every wallet width. The mammoth seven-acre complex features seven restaurants and eight bars to round out your Casino stint. If only all casino visits could end with fig and gorgonzola pizza from Cucina Vivo or seared scampi with foie gras, apple and shiso leaf at Kiyomi.
500 metres from GCCEC
Casino Drive, Broadbeach
Follow @thestargoldcoast
PICK UP A FEW TREATS FOR THE FAMILY
If returning home with souvenirs is a must from your business trip, you’ll be thankful for the proximity of Pacific Fair and The Oasis. Pac Fair (as called by locals) is a Gold Coast institution and one-stop retail destination for all types of shoppers, boasting high-end designers like Bvlgari and Gucci, all the usual variety stores and bookshops and toy stores aplenty. The Oasis’ self-proclaimed ‘Everyday Escape’ is totally justified by its stunning beachside location and row of al fresco restaurants, combined with stores of local treasures. It’s only a few steps from the Centre. No excuses!
Pacific Fair Shopping Centre
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1.3kms from GCCEC
Hooker Blvd, Broadbeach
The Oasis
Follow @theoasisbroadbeach
400 metres from GCCEC
Charles Avenue, Broadbeach
EXPLORE THE BIG BEAUTIFUL PLAYGROUND
Visitors to the Gold Coast can be overwhelmed by the list of things to do…From thrill seeking, exploring hinterland waterfalls, wildlife sanctuaries, botanic gardens, nature reserves and world-renowned beaches. If time is limited and you want to feel like you’ve seen it all, head to the Q1 observation deck in Surfers Paradise for a 360-degree view of the region and check out https://www.destinationgoldcoast.com/things-to-do
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Q1
9 Hamilton Avenue
Surfers Paradise