Our full itinerary and tips for the ultimate Gold Coast girls’ trip – so there’s no extra stress or planning required!
Travelling is one of life’s greatest pleasures – but sometimes, unless you’re THAT gal, the organisation of said travel is an absolute headache (God bless those of you who froth research and a spreadsheet!). But if you’re NOT one of them and you just want someone who knows what they’re on about to tell you where to be and when, then welcome to this Capsule Travel series – The Itineraries!
For each location we’ll break down our favourite parts of our travels into each day, with our recommendations, observations and tips interwoven, so you don’t need to take up any more of your already insane mental load planning.
And if you’re planning on heading over based on one of these itineraries, feel free to reach out to us at hello@capsulenz.com and we’re happy to help with any questions!
Also, click here for our hero travel story about our time in the Gold Coast, where we get the European and Hawaiian holiday experience, but just with a quick jaunt across the ditch!
So, after our own experiences on the Goldie, here’s our ultimate Gold Coast Girls’ Trip itinerary:
DAY ONE
FLY STRAIGHT INTO THE GOLD COAST – we flew Air New Zealand from Auckland straight into the Gold Coast, eliminating the hour and a half drive from Brisbane (other airlines offer direct flights too). Fly in and pick up a rental car (we used Avis) – you’ll most definitely need one!
POP TO PACIFIC FAIR – start the girls’ trip the way all girls’ trips SHOULD start with some shopping up front. Pacific Fair Mall (Pac Fair to the locals) has more than 400 stores (including, for this excited basic B, a Dissh boutique and a huge Uniqlo – just come to New Zealand already) including your favourite high street finds and luxe labels.
HEAD TO BURLEIGH HEADS – if we could move to any spot on the GC, it would be Burleigh Heads. Twenty minutes away from the main Broadbeach, life in Burleigh is a little slower and a little more beachy and it’s the perfect backdrop for a girls’ trip. The beach is stunning, the people are chill and the town centre has heaps of cute boutiques and cute food options (don’t miss Finn Poke – they do awesome poke bowls and tacos and it’s the perfect lunch option after an early morning flight).
ACCOMODATION RECCOMENDATION: BUJERUM APARTMENTS ON BURLEIGH – a two bedroom apartment right across the road from the beach, these apartments are a great base that gives you a bit of space for your group while maximising value.
DINNER AT BURLEIGH PAVILLION – start as you mean to go on with your Gold Coast girls’ trip with dinner at Burleigh Pavilion, a gorgeous complex right on the beach that is PERFECT for the ‘gram but also offers the best kai and cocktails. Either head to the more casual Burleigh Pavilion side, or fancy it up at The Tropic – both have sweeping ocean-front decks with endless summer vibes.
DAY TWO
SUNRISE COFFEE AND WALK AROUND BURLEIGH – here’s the thing you need to know about Burleigh Heads (and Queensland as a whole, we guess?) there’s no daylight savings which means the sun is OUT at 5am, which means everyone is up and at’em. Thankfully, this works out fantastically for our time difference, so you might as well enjoy the earlybird vibes. Grab a coffee from the kiosk at the pavilion acrpss the road and then walk a few hundred metres to the GORGEOUS Burleigh Head National Park coastal walk. The sunrise views are astounding and I genuinely can’t think of a better way to start your day. If you’re a beach baby, finish off with a dip in the ocean because, as I love to say to anyone who’ll listen, you never regret a swim.
HEAD OUT TO TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN – were you thinking that your GC trip would just be beaches? We’re here to tell you to NOT sleep on Tamborine Mountain because it truly is the best day trip you can take. There’s so many activities and sights to see – here are the highlights (you CAN fit this into one day but fair warning, it’ll be a busy AF one, so you might want to pick and choose):
- Don’t miss the Picnic Real Food Bar – it’s situated in an architecturally designed, sustainable precinct that has this amazing café (trust me and get the fried chicken burger even if it’s 10.30 in the morning, you won’t regret it) and if it’s open, head down the back and pop into LOBORN, a cute tasting bar that specialises in amaro (Tom’s biggest dream is to craft the world’s perfect negroni, so he now makes both amaro and gin (yes, vermouth is next!). It’s open 11-7 Friday and Saturday, and Sunday 11-3.
- Take the short Curtis Falls hiking track – there’s two tracks to pick from depending on your available time and fitness level, but it’s worth the visit – is enchanting walk begins in wet eucalypt forest beneath towering flooded gums, before merging into lush rainforest and finally, the falls themselves. We even saw huge lizards on our walk – keep your eyes out! (no snakes thank God).
- Pop into Witches Falls Winery for a tasting and platter – there’s real Practical Magic meets vineyard vibes here and you can customise your own platter.
- Make some time to walk around the cute town centre – there’s some quirky shops and bakeries including a year-round Christmas shop!
- Don’t miss the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk – The entire walk totals 1.5 kms and is a combination of forest floor trails, 300 metres of high-tech steel bridges through the highest points of the upper canopy, and a 40- metre cantilever bridge that soars a breathtaking 30 metres above the creek and rainforest.
- And finally, one of the highlights of our trip (and it will be for you too if you’re a gin lover!) finish the day off at Cauldron Estate and Distillery with a Private Gin Blending Class – in a 45-minute session, you will engage in Gin Compounding at the renowned Stillhouse. Guided by the distilling team, you blend individually-distilled botanicals to craft a personalized, balanced gin.
DINNER AT LUCIA TAPAS – Stepping into their expansive sun garden, you really do feel as if you’ve been whisked away to the balmy shores of Spain. The spacious sundeck, with its warm colours and lush greenery, is a fabulous environment for a few tapas and margs (go for the coconut chilli!).
DAY THREE
BREAKFAST AT PALM SPRINGS – On your way to Broadbeach stop off for one the best breakfasts you’ll ever have (bold call but we stand by it) at Palm Springs Café. Everything from the aesthetic to the food is Southern California-inspired and it’ll make you feel wholesome and vibrant – go for the bowls or else a classic avo on toast (and check out the merch on the way out, I was THIS close to buying one of the custom ceramic mugs and I regret deeply that I didn’t).
EXPLORE BROADBEACH – the heart of the Gold Coast, meander through Broadbeach for shopping, people watching and sightseeing, or choose to chill on the beach with a book and a bevvie.
ACCOMDATION RECCOMENDATION: THE IMPERIAL HOTEL – Formerly the Versace Hotel, The Imperial Hotel is old-school in a great way. The rooms still invoke that classic Versace feel, there’s a lot of gold and gilt and marble around and hey, it’s a nice change from the classic modern fitouts of hotels. It’s also right by the water which is super-handy and provides things such as hi tea (not a spelling mistake!) and pizza & pinot session with live music. You can also reserve cabanas poolside for a futher luxury experience and a guaranteed great spot – a great way to spend an afternoon.
GOLD GOAST GONDOLAS – We can’t explain this, but Gold Coast Gondolas was our shared girls’ trip highlight because it was WILD – but if you lean into it, you’ ll enjoy an incredible hour or two out on the water with your besties. Glide smoothly through the canals of Main Beach and Surfers Paradise and take in the stunning views of the city skyline and past the waterfront mansions of the rich and famous (we even spotted one proudly waving a Warriors flag – up the Wahs). But the true fun is the cheesy romantic playlists (think Ed Sheeran, Michael Bublé or anything your mum would love on The Breeze) the delightfully gaudy gondola itself, the cherry crew and the option to either buy a bottle of wine, or simply bring your own. And bonus, it’s right next to the Imperial Hotel.
DINNER: LA LUNA MARE – La Luna Dining at the Marina Mirage – where Mykonos luxury meets bohemian heaven (um sign us up!). Days here are spent ocean gazing and grazing on modern Mediterranean cuisine at Gold Coast’s iconic waterfront. Dinner is equally stunning and you feel fancy but relaxed, our favourite combo.
END THE TRIP THERE, OR IF YOU AND THE GIRLS ARE REALLY WANTING TO TREAT YOURSELVES…
DAY FOUR AND FIVE
GWINGANNA WELLNESS WEEKEND – Heard of Gwinganna? It’s the place celebs go to detox and focus on wellness and health and yes, she faaaancy. But if you’ve ever dreamed of doing a luxe wellness retreat with your girls, this is the one you want to do. Immerse yourself in Gwinganna’s wonderful natural surroundings with the support of our wellness professionals in this beautiful digital detox and spa retreat.
On the Gwinganna Wellness Weekend, your stay is fully inclusive with all organic meals, a wellness seminar and a diverse range of activities including Qi Gong each morning. An ideal short break to help you step back, switch off and refocus on your health. A massage is included, as well as all meals, two nights’ accommodation, access to all the facilities (the pool is mind-blowing) and gorgeous surroundings. This retreat is best suited for people who arewanting to try a short stay first to see what a health retreat is like, looking for an easy respite from the busy world, seeking a healthy weekend to relax and enjoy nature or a parent or carer that is in desperate need of some ‘me time’ (who isn’t?!).
Honestly, it really was the ultimate girls’ trip!
Kelly and Alice from Capsule travelled to the Gold Coast courtesy of Experience Gold Coast but all opinions are very much our own!
