Families

The Gold Coast has long been a popular destination for families and choosing the right base is key to your stay. Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach are popular options as they are beachside, offer an array of activities and have accommodation options to suit all budgets.

Look for one of the high-rise apartments in these areas. Many of them are self-contained and a lot of the high-rise resorts have a great choice in pools and games rooms for the kids. Having a reception or front office can be very handy for families too, just to have someone on hand to help with those myriad of little questions that pop up.

Further south, Coolangatta is a family favourite for those keen on spending plenty of time at the beach and remaining a short drive from the city's main airport.

Couples

If a lazy breakfast with coffee and newspapers in the morning, followed by lounging on the beach/by the pool, a little shopping, and wining and dining in the evenings are what you have in mind, then Broadbeach and Main Beach are great options. Check out some of the top resorts or high-rise apartments in these areas.

Newlyweds planning on spending a bit of time in their room (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) may want to splash out on something special - Main Beach is home to Palazzo Versace, Sheraton Mirage Resort, Pacific Views Resort and Sea World Resort.

Book your Main Beach accommodation

Party people

The Gold Coast is well known for its nightlife and for good reason. By night, Surfers Paradise is party central with an abundance of bars, clubs and pubs concentrated within stumbling distance of one another. There are plenty of high and low-rise units in the heart of Surfers or within a short walk of the main drinking haunts. These will also put you in good stead for sleeping off your hangover on the beach the next day.

For nightlife that's a little more tame, Broadbeach has plenty to offer. Hop your way along the classy strip of bars on Surf Parade, hang with the hip and wannabe famous at Alto or catch a live band at Liars at the top of Broadbeach mall. Jump on the monorail over to Conrad Jupiters Casino to Atrium and Prince Albert bars then onto one of the nightclubs for a boogey and a nightcap.

Time your visit to coincide with a major event on the Coast - such as the annual motor-racing carnival in October - and you'll be blessed with an instant party atmosphere and plenty of like-minded playmates.

Beach bums

If your Gold Coast holiday is all about sun, surf and sand, then head for the southern suburbs. In general, the southern beaches offer better swimming and surfing conditions and a more relaxed pace of life. Burleigh Heads, Currumbin and Coolangatta are the bigger hubs with a smattering of equally good beachside suburbs in between.

Nature lovers

The Gold Coast Hinterland is a haven for nature-lovers, with loads of B&Bs, farmstays and even resorts for those keen to get away from it all and rejuvenate in natural surrounds. Bushwalkers and bird watchers may want to base themselves in or around one of the national parks - Lamington, Springbrook or Tamborine - while Tamborine Mountain is a tourist favourite with shops and restaurants nearby. The oldest guesthouse in the Hinterland remains one of the best - O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat is set high in Lamington National Park and offers everything from camping through to mountain villas. There are several excellent rainforest walks starting from here.

Book your Hinterland accommodation

Campers and campervaners

A warm climate and a fair share of sunshine make camping and campervanning a popular way to stay on the Gold Coast. Some of the Coast's parks enjoy prime locations with beach frontage and central access to shops and attractions.

At the northern end of the Coast, the Broadwater Tourist Park at Southport is set on the Broadwater and offers good access to the highway for visiting Gold Coast theme parks. The Main Beach Tourist Park is in a top location and offers the only camping and campervan accommodation along the Coast until you hit Burleigh Beach Tourist Park to the south. The Tallebudgera Creek Tourist Park is a great option for families with easy access to Tallebudgera Creek and a short walk around Burleigh Headland to reach Burleigh Heads and its beaches.