When is the best time to fly to the Gold Coast?
Peak Season:
High season is generally between October and March and flights to the Gold Coast tend to be more expensive during this time. Late November to early December is Schoolies time in Surfers Paradise. It's a fortnight of parties and general merriment for school leavers. Christmas until the third week in January is busy due to school holidays, as are the weeks on either side of Easter. The first three weeks of July are also very busy and Indy race week (the third week of October) is another time when prices for accommodation and flights to the Gold Coat will be at their highest.
Off Season:
February, March, May, June, late July to mid-September, and November are low season times on the Gold Coast. There are usually more cheap flights to the Gold Coast available during this season.
Although this is a quieter period, there is still a lot going on.
The Wintersun Festival takes place in Coolangatta and Tweed Heads every June. It's a two-week nostalgia fest that will spin you back into the 1950s and 60s. Hot Rods, custom and classic cars cruise the streets, there are more than 100 bands and performers, old movies are shown and there are fun competitions.
The Gold Coast Marathon, Australia's largest marathon event, is held in July, attracting 24,000 runners from around Australia and 42 different countries.
Every year in March the Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast is home to one of the most prestigious surfing events on the planet, The Quicksilver and Roxy Pro. Both competitions are events comprising the ASP’s Men’s world tour, and the Roxy Prop is one of the seven events of the ASP women’s World Tour. Thousands of spectators and media outlets flock to the famous Snapper rocks to watch world-class athletes take on some of the very best waves on the ASP world tour.
Keep in mind airfares and accommodation may experience an increase when popular events take place.
City overview
A land of theme parks, fabulous beaches, endless sun and excellent nightlife, restaurants and shopping, it's little wonder that ten million tourists take flights to the Gold Coast each year.
The Gold Coast rocks in October during Indy Week and in November/December when the “Schoolies” (students celebrating the end of class) arrive to kick up their heels. While Surfers Paradise might be synonymous with the celebrations of the high-school graduates, the bars of Main Beach and Broadbeach can be fun too. Families will head for the Gold Coast's many theme parks, which include Dreamworld, Australia's largest theme park, Sea World, the GC's oldest theme park, Warner Brothers Movie World, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Australian Outback Spectacular and Paradise Country.
To experience the green behind the gold, head off into the hinterland. The hinterland contrasts beautifully with the coast, swapping the sand and sparkling sea with vineyards, farms and rural plantations, not to mention National Parks and reserves that stretch for 247 acres.