25 Great Gold Coast Dates

Sure, Paris is pretty romantic but if you're loved up and looking for a dreamy destination where the chemistry is sure to spark, then you can't go past the Gold Coast. Feel the love with beachside sunsets, pretty picnic locations and different date ideas that encourage playfulness, affection and connection. Whether you want to bask in the sun, dine under the stars, cruise the waterways or float above it all in a hot air balloon, the Gold Coast is ready to woo you.

1.SkyPoint

If you want to shout your love from the rooftops, this is the place to do it! Stunning views accrue extra brownie points when it comes to dating, so take your date to Q1 SkyPoint Observation Deck. Keep things chilled and enjoy the 360-degree views over a bite to eat and cocktails from Seventy7 Cafe & Bar, or go on an open-air adventure and take on the SkyPoint Climb, rewarding yourselves with a cocktail afterwards! 

2. A Pair of Paddle Boards

Take your pick of either Tallebudgera or Currumbin Creek and hire a pair of paddleboards for a cruisy but fun activity with your date. The beautiful natural surrounds set the scene for romance and you’ll be able to forget about the rest of the world for a moment.

You’ll find SUP equipment hire available on Currumbin Creek at Currumbin Boatshed and Tallebudgera Creek with All Coast Paddle Board Hire. All that’s left for you and your date to do is grab your swimmers and watch the world float on by.

3. Wander Through a Winery

While we’re blessed beaches and incredible attractions, the Gold Coast hinterland hosts a scattering of wineries that provide the perfect way to spend a day. Apart from sampling vibrant wines made right on-site, you can explore the premises, wander through the vineyards and find a secluded spot and enjoy each other’s company with a glass in hand. Find the pick of the bunch wineries here.

4. Play a Round

No matter how old you are, a visit to Putt Putt Golf Mermaid Beach for a game of mini golf is always going to be a good time. There are three themed 18-hole courses to test your skill, including a glow in the dark course at night time. They’re open until 10pm, so you can play a round before or after you dine.

Should you feel like upping the ante a little and getting competitive, then Top Golf is the destination for a date to remember. Your date will be a winner with at this state-of-the-art and super fun entertainment-style driving range.

5. Soak Up a Sunset on Burleigh Hill

Burleigh Heads is one of the Gold Coast’s most popular spots and for good reason. And apart from exceptional dining options and famous beach, it also has a fantastic spot for you to grab some delicious  takeaway fare, set up an impromptu picnic and gaze out on the endless Pacific Ocean (or into each other’s eyes). John Laws Park on Burleigh Hill is a renowned place to watch the late afternoon disappear into dusk; with an uncompromised view of the city skyline and the last light of the day shimmering across the hinterland. If that’s not romantic, we don’t know what is!

6. On the Market

If you’re looking for a morning activity to do on your date, may we suggest wandering some of Gold Coast’s markets. The Village Markets at Burleigh State School is a firm favourite. Browse the stalls and shop for clothing, homewares, jewellery and plants - fresh flowers for your date too! Once you’ve had a good wander, grab a coffee, feast from food trucks and enjoy some live tunes in the sunshine. The Village Markets are held first and third Sunday of each month from 8.30am - 1pm.

7. Food Tour

These multi-stop foodie adventures with Gold Coast Food and Wine Tours hit four or more restaurants on a carefully curated tour of Burleigh Heads and Broadbeach, showcasing fresh new and local cuisine. You’ll meet the chefs, owners, and people behind the scenes in each venue and taste some sublime dishes. Think of it as a moveable feast as entertaining as it is delicious. A good one if it’s a first date as there are interactive elements, lots to talk about and heaps of fun to be had.

8. A Musical Moment

Gold Coast’s live music scene is alive and well, and there’s nothing like some good tunes to create a connection. Vinnie’s Dive Bar and Mo’s Desert Clubhouse are rustic and foot-stomping style venues, whereas Currumbin’s Soundlounge and the Coolangatta Hotel have stellar national lineups and a more relaxed atmosphere.

9. Romance on the Rooftops

Grab your special someone and make a beeline for one of the many rooftop bars scattered across our beautiful city. Live music is easy to find, as are fantastic grazing-style menus and delicious night bites. With a cocktail in hand and dusk fast approaching, you can enjoy the views and get lost in the moment.

Ever popular Justin Lane is the place to head for the southern end of the Gold Coast, whilst the Aviary Rooftop Bar at Mantra Southport Sharks has captivating views of our cityscape to the north.

10. Drive-In

Steam up your windows with your date at the only drive-in movie theatre left on the Gold Coast, Yatala Drive-In Theatre. If it’s a warm night, pack a picnic rug so you can spread out under the stars, otherwise fill the car with blankets and pillows. There’s even a 50s-style American diner where you can grab a hotdog and choc top, or fill a picnic basket with delicious snacks and drinks.

11.Take a Road Trip

Load up the car, create an awesome road trip playlist and escape to the heart of the hinterland for a scenic drive (holding hands on the way obviously). Stop along the way for coffees, baked goods, roadside fruit and vegetable stands, wine tasting, quaint retail  and antiques stores. Explore waterfalls, walking trails and stunning lookouts as well. Time it to catch a sunset over the rolling hills on the way home for ultimate romance factor.

12. Watch the Sunrise

With over 50 kilometres of coastline, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to romantic spots to watch the sunrise over the Pacific. Our picks for the best spots for #coupleselfies are the jetty at Southport Spit, Broadbeach, Burleigh, Nobby’s Beach and Currumbin. Grab some fresh juices and acai bowls and enjoy the fresh salty air and sound of crashing waves. Plus the early morning ocean breeze will give you a great excuse to snuggle closer.

13. Visit HOTA

The Home of the Arts or HOTA offers up a veritable feast of options with everything from comedy shows to concerts, live theatre to the latest movies, which means you’re bound to find something to tickle your fancy. HOTA is also home to the country’s biggest art gallery outside of a state capital. Work your way through the regularly changing art installations and find yourself at their rooftop bar, The Exhibitionist, before enjoying a cocktail overlooking the nearby Surfers Paradise skyline.

14. Rise Above It All

Take your love to new heights and float like a cloud as you witness the sunrise climbing over the unforgettable panorama of the Gold Coast skyline. Check out Hot Air Balloon, Go Ballooning Gold Coast or Balloon Aloft for hot air balloon flights over the Gold Coast.

15. Feast on Street Food at Miami Marketta

Miami Marketta is the perfect place to take a date as there are so many options on what types of street food you can choose from the plethora of food trucks there. No awkward staring at the menu situations here. The food is for sharing, there is always live music  and you can choose a tipple from the bar too.  Swing by every Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday evening from 5 pm till late.

16. Plan a Picnic

There are few things quite as romantic (or as easy to organise) as a picnic on the Gold Coast  - we're blessed with an abundance of beautiful spots to do so. Just add sunshine, a picnic blanket and a few snacks. Keep it simple with the weekend papers, a couple of croissants and a picnic blanket; or fill a bag with a breadboard, knife, cheese, crackers, prosciutto, dip, two glasses and a bottle of wine or even a couple of ciders. To get away from the hustle and bustle, head to O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyard where you can buy a ready-made gourmet picnic basket which includes wine and a big rug so you can sit by the picturesque creek and enjoy your alfresco spread.

17. Bathhouse Bliss

A visit to Soak Bathhouse in Mermaid Beach is an excellent date activity. Disconnect from the daily grind and reconnect with each other as the stress and tension melt away. Rotating between open-air hot spas, mineral baths, a cold plunge pool, steam room and sauna will have you feeling reinvigorated, relaxed and in synch.  Treat yourselves to a massage, LED facial or private infrared sauna for some extra TLC. 

18. Love Boat

Drifting the canals of Venice on a gondola may be some people’s idea of a flawless romantic date, but right here on the Gold Coast, you can replicate the experience — if not surpass it — with Duffy Down Under boat hire. With our endless waterways, lakes, canals and Broadwater, you can drift around our enthralling city at your own pace — and no license is required!  Bring your own Champagne and nibbles or opt for a skippered boat if you prefer, and let these guys take care of that for you.

19. Hands On

Getting creative and hands-on at a ceramics workshop will certainly set you apart from the crowd! Put your inhibitions aside, don an apron and prepare to get your hands dirty at Pot Studios beautiful space in Tugun. Try your luck at making your own fruit bowl, coffee cups or bowls and you’ll both have a memento you can cherish forever. If you’re really feeling it, you could recreate the scene from Ghost.

20. Great Escape

Show your date what an intelligent and quick-thinking individual you are by figuring way out of an escape room! These puzzling and entertaining attractions are bags of fun and you’ll quickly overcome any awkwardness by as you focus on solving the clues together. Padlockd is the premier escape room destination – they offer a range of scenarios for two or more players so why not get friends together for a fun group date?

21.Craft Brew For Two

If you didn’t already know, the Gold Coast has fostered a reputation as one of Australia’s top-notch regions for craft beers. And it’s little wonder when you have the likes of highly awarded Black Hops in Burleigh Heads and Balter Brewery in Currumbin Waters. Both venues offer tasting paddles which are the ideal way to sample a few different styles and break the ice. Cheers to that!

22. Bowl Them Over

Ten-pin bowling is always a great date idea because you can talk while you play, have a drink and engage in a bit of cheeky competition. Head to Strike Bowling Bar to bowl over your date with a couple of friendly games in their glow in the dark lanes before heading out to Walburgers, Vapianos or Hyde Paradiso for dinner. 

23. Watch Whales Frolic

Each year, humpback whales undertake their annual migration from Antarctica to babymoon along the East coast of Australia, passing through the Gold Coast in their thousands. A whale watching tour makes an unforgettable date. As well as seeing these majestic creatures up close, you can feel the wind in your hair, salty air in your lungs and recreate the king of the world scene from The Titanic. Don’t forget to take a camera to catch the whales and those windswept couple shots! Click here to see a list of the Coast’s best whale watching locations and operators. (This one is seasonal. Whale season here is between June and October so plan accordingly.)

24. Go Glamping

Picture yourself relaxing by the creek, telling stories by the campfire and slowly waking to sounds of the country around you. Camping isn’t for everyone, but glamping (glamourous camping) can be! There are some magical spots where you can glamp on the Gold Coast and really get away from it all for a romantic stay.

25. Get to the Gondola

Last but certainly not least, our pick for a Gold Coast date to remember is romantic ride with Gold Coast Gondolas. You’ll enjoy the sights and serenity as you glide through the waterways and enjoy a romantic evening aboard your very own luxury Gondola (with Gondolier included to get you around). If you really want to impress your date, have a main meal served during your journey.