There are always fun things happening in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but during the school holidays the two cities turn it up with events that will entertain and delight children of all ages. From educational experiences, to sports and adventure, to arts and crafts activities – there’s something for everyone.
Make these school holidays a time to remember with a mix of free and paid activities to keep your family entertained. Airtrain will help you get to your destination – and then all that’s left is to make the most of it.
Brisbane Events
With so many rich natural resources and fantastic public facilities, you’ll never be bored in Brisbane. Whether you’d like to spend some money or keep the day low budget, there are plenty of options to entertain everyone in your family.
Check out Mt Coot-Tha, a beautiful lookout spot with panoramic views across Brisbane. Stop at the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens on the way up, and you might even plan to spend some time at the planetarium for an educational experience that will delight your kids.
Southbank offers endless opportunities to keep kids entertained. With green open spaces, playgrounds, beautiful walkways, a free open-air pool and lots of places to stop for lunch, you can happily spend hours exploring and playing.
The cultural centre is also located in Southbank. The Queensland Museum and the Gallery of Modern Art are particularly good options to check out these holidays, and they always host a range of holiday special events.
Brisbane council also offers many free holiday programs you can sign up to participate in. Libraries across Brisbane offer holiday programs as well that are free and well worth checking out. And for a truly magical event hosted by the council, book in to see the lights at The Enchanted Garden, which is located at the Roma Street Botanic Gardens.
For reviews and tips on resources for kids, Brisbane Kids have a comprehensive rundown of parks, attractions, and events, making it an excellent resource when you’re running out of ideas. You can check out their playground reviews to find a great place near you.
Gold Coast Events
The Gold Coast is perfect for families. With the beach on one side and bushland on the other, you can spend long, sunny days on the golden sand and then walk shady tracks through tropical green rainforest.
The Broadwater Parklands are a must-see destination, with walking tracks, calm waters and the Rockpools swimming area for water play, and a massive park. For a retreat to the rainforest, check out O’Reilly’s Rainforest walk, where they also offer a treetop walk for an even more memorable experience.
The school holidays often feature travelling exhibitions visiting the Gold Coast. This year, the Jurassic Creatures event will feature moving, realistic dinosaurs with a carnival atmosphere and plenty of dinosaur-themed activities.
While the Gold Coast is famous for its sun, if the skies do turn grey you might consider heading to an indoor retreat. Mini-golf courses like King Tutt’s Putt Putt are indoors and feature themed courses that make it extra fun.
Or, you might like to try a bit of sky-diving – without the sky. iFly is an all-ages experience that offers indoor sky-diving for people of all ability levels.
Of course, if you’re on the Gold Coast you can’t miss the theme parks. Dreamworld, Movie World, Seaworld, Wet ‘n Wild – there’s a theme park for everyone, and your kids will be talking about their time for years to come.
If you’d choose animals over adrenaline, the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has beautiful parklands with many different events and attractions, as well as plenty of Australian and international animals.
Airtrain offer tickets for Dreamworld, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, and many other attractions at any Airtrain station or desk, so you can save time by purchasing them all at once.
Getting Around
Brisbane and the Gold Coast are connected by an extensive network of trains, buses, and trams. All Brisbane public transport uses a smart card for travel, or you can purchase a paper ticket.
Short term visitors should check out the go seeQ card, which allows you unlimited travel for 3 or 5 consecutive days on buses, trains, ferries and trams. It also includes 2 Airtrain journeys to/from the Brisbane Airport.
For longer stays, travel like the locals with a go card – just touch on at your station of departure and touch off when you arrive at your destination.
If you’re visiting Brisbane or the Gold Coast and are still stuck for ideas, check out our tips on some must-see destinations in South East Queensland.
Travelling with Airtrain
There’s plenty to do in Brisbane and the Gold Coast these school holidays, and Airtrain can help you get there. With journeys from the Airport to Brisbane City and the Gold Coast departing every 15 minutes during on-peak travel, you’ll be at your destination before you know it – and ready to join in on the holiday fun.
