The Gold Coast Guide: How to get more out of your Queensland adventure

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For many Australians, a trip to the Gold Coast is the ultimate domestic holiday experience.

With Surfers Paradise and all of Brisbane's other idyllic beaches to explore, as well as the Gold Coast's signature theme park experiences, a Queensland adventure provides a little something for every member of your family.

Naturally, you'll want to ensure that you and your fellow travellers are getting as much enjoyment and enrichment from your time in Queensland as you possibly can.

That's why we've taken it upon ourselves to put together this little guide for holidaying in Brisbane, Cairns, and their stunning surroundings.

Here's all that you'll need to consider when preparing for your next family trip to the glittering Gold Coast.

First and foremost, you'll want to do some research and find a getaway package. Flights and accommodation packages for Gold Coast getaways tend to be quite comprehensive, so there's guaranteed to be a package that aligns best with not only your family's interests but your combined budget as well.

A good rule of thumb is to select a few destinations where you'd like to stay or specific experiences that you'd like to have and then find packages that include these particular locations or activities. For instance, if you are looking to spend a few days at Movie World and other theme parks, then packages that include accommodation near these attractions as well as entry to the attractions themselves, may save you and your family a fair chunk of time and money as well.

Naturally, it's always best to make the most of off-season deals if you can, especially if your family is looking to enjoy Queensland's more built-up attractions, like the theme parks. Planning your trip to fall in the off season may also limit the time you'll spend queuing up for rides quite significantly, alongside also ensuring that you and your family can enjoy all the other sights of wider Queensland without having to deal with crowds of tourists. When you consider all of this, planning your family Gold Coast trip to fall within the region's off-peak season really becomes a no-brainer.

More often than not, vacationers head to the Gold Coast just to stay by the water, soaking in some coastal sun and bearing witness to the majesty of the wider Pacific Ocean. Whilst the coast itself is a more than ideal destination for your next getaway, there's a lot more to see and do in Queensland than just lounging by the sea. In fact, if you go off the beaten path, you may find yourself in some of Australia's most spectacular hidden gems.

One of these must-see locations that genuinely doesn't get as much attention as it deserves is the Boodjamulla National Park situated in Northern Queensland. Formerly known as the Lawn Hill National Park, Boodjamulla is home to the break-taking Lawn Hill Gorge and its surrounding creek. The contrast of bright red rocks with the cool waters of Lawn Hill Creek make Boodjamulla National Park an absolute favourite destination for avid hikers and campers. With an abundance of swimming spots, tracks and trails, and a number of shady camping spots, a trip to Boodjamulla National Park will more than satisfy your itch to explore the great Queensland hinterlands.

Speaking of exploring the great Queensland outback, it's no secret that Queensland is home to some of Australia's most biodiverse rainforests, including the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest. Despite one of the globe's oldest living rainforests being accessible to all of us living on this happy island continent, more Aussie families have visited the Gold Coast's built-up attractions over these mesmerising natural landscapes.

A trip to the Gold Coast would simply be incomplete without witnessing the sheer size and majesty of the Daintree and its surroundings. As this rainforest is home to over 500 different species of animals and insects and over 2800 different types of plants, there's no shortage to what you can learn when walking through this truly timeless rainforest.

For first-time visitors, exploring the rainforest by following its elevated boardwalks is the best way to begin your journey into the Daintree. From these platforms, you'll be able to take in all the tree ferns and towering oaks and mahogany trees that call the rainforest home without disturbing the Daintree's largely untouched beauty.

Once you've explored the forest floor, it's time to travel up into the canopies with the Daintree Forest Skywalk. An aerial walkway that stretches for over 125 metres of verdant forest, the Daintree Forest Skywalk is an absolute essential for all Gold Coast itineraries. The bulk of this aerial walkway will have you exploring at a height of 11 metres, allowing you to come up close with the tops of King Ferns and other towering flora that's endemic to this tropical region. The Skywalk also links up to the Daintree Rainforest Canopy Tower which is nestled atop the uppermost canopy of the rainforest at a whopping 23 metres high.

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There's a lot to see and do in Queensland, with exploring the Gold Coast itself being just the tip of the iceberg. Be sure to take some time to soak in all the rich surroundings of wider Queensland, including the Daintree, and the region's other highly unique and biodiverse national parklands. Maintaining a healthy mix of tourist attractions with cultural and environmental enrichment will undoubtedly allow you and your family to truly immerse yourself in your next Gold Coast getaway!