Easter holidays on the Gold Coast are set to be entertaining, adventurous and eggsellent fun! Check out the exceptional array of holiday activities from creative workshops, wildlife programs and outdoor fun to Easter Egg hunts, playgrounds and nature-based games.
Artcation at HOTA
All kids are creative at HOTA’s holiday workshops, they can explore many different ways to express their inner artist. Arcation is a 5-day celebration of arts and culture where kids can drop in for a day or attend different workshops all week.
Explore creative design, acting workshops, hip hop song writing workshops to learn about recording and production, writing lyrics and making beats, or a digital creator program where kids will acquire skills in content creation, production and brand development. Watch budding artists blossom from the creative stimulation.
Date: April 8 - 12, 2024. Suitable for kids aged 8 - 12.
Location: HOTA (Home of the Arts), 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise
Pat a T-Rex
The Jurassic era is coming to the Gold Coast this Easter holidays! Step back in time to an age where dinosaurs roamed the earth and come face to face with very lifelike and life size Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus and Carnotaurus, plus lots of adorable baby dinosaurs. Kids can take part in a dino dig and get to touch a real dinosaur fossil and learn some cool paleontology facts along the way.
An awesome outdoor experience, Dinofest is ideal for families with kids 8 years old and younger (free for under 2s). Allow 45 minutes to experience everything on offer, and since it’s located at the picturesque Country Paradise Parklands, combine your visit with a picnic and play for the ultimate school holiday fun. Bookings essential.
Date: March 23 - April 14, 2024
Location: Country Paradise Parklands, 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road Nerang
Magic Show in Surfers
There’s an exciting new addition to the entertainment precinct of Surfer’s Paradise to check out these Easter holidays - the Illusions Magic Show by world famous illusionist, Matt Hollywood. Roll up to the purpose-built magic theatre in Cavill Lane for an electrifying performance of mind blowing magic, stunning showmanship and illusions that will shock, stun and amaze!
While inspired by Las Vegas style shows, Matt Hollywood brings his own brand of magic that has to be seen to be believed. Experience the magic for yourself on Fridays at 6pm, or Saturdays, 4pm and 6.30pm. Tickets from $69 for kids aged 4-15.
Location: 3113 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
Imaginator
This intriguing new Surfers Paradise attraction will transport you to a different dimension. Imaginator is a multi-sensory audio-visual play experience that takes you through a series of immersive installations, created through a fusion of imagination, technology and wonder. The mesmersising visual illusions include shimmering waves of light and sound, sensor triggered LED waves and marvellous illuminated landscapes to explore. An excellent rainy day activity and a good one to visit with grandparents as all ages will be enthralled by Imaginator.
Location: 3241 Surfers Paradise Boulevarde, Surfers Paradise
Go Wild
Do your kids dream of becoming a wildlife ranger or just love animals? Give them the best school holidays ever, by signing them up to be Ranger For a Day at Paradise Country. They’ll need to be aged 6 - 13 to enlist, but can expect to find out what it's actually like to be a Wildlife Keeper for a day with duties including animal feeding, handling and park preparation for animals such as kangaroos, wombats, Tasmanian devils, dingoes, koalas, marmosets and meerkats. How cool is that?
Date: April 2 - 13, 2024.
Location: Paradise Country, Production Dr, Oxenford
Ready, Set, Roll…
If you haven’t already heard, the Gold Coast is home to a brand new self-guided art trail - aptly named - Art Roll. All you need is to bring the kids, some wheels (skates, bikes, wheelchairs or scooters will do), put on their comfiest kicks and roll. Following a free downloadable map, you can decide how much distance you want to cover. With the trail stretching from Southport to Coolangatta, there are over 100 colourful and contemplative street art murals created by local artists to admire. There’s also plenty of places to stop, play, swim and fuel up on food and treats along the trail.
Little Nature Lovers
From April 1st to 15th, City of Gold Coast’s Naturally GC Kids School Holidays Program is set to inspire budding Attenboroughs with workshops spanning locations from Upper Coomera to Currumbin and some are even free. With a focus on nature based learning while exploring the Gold Coast’s natural environment, kids can meet our curious creatures residing in waterways, discover Indigenous culture and art, beach comb along our coastlines and learn more about recycling. Sessions are designed to engage, connect and cultivate in kids a greater understanding of where we live, and how to love and conserve it.
Celebrations at Sanctuary Cove
The Easter celebrations at Sanctuary Cove bring an egg-citing lineup of family friendly entertainment. Meet the Easter Bunny himself and join in craft activities, face painting, a petting zoo and interactive stage show. Register the kids for the special scavenger hunts where they can follow clues for the chance to win a huge Easter hamper.
After all the excitement, enjoy a relaxed lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants and perhaps pop into French bakery, Rise, for some decadent Easter treats.
Date: Sunday, March 31 from 10am – 3pm
Location: Masthead Way, Sanctuary Cove
The Golden Egg
If you were thinking of an Easter long weekend at JW Marriott Resort & Spa, here’s some extra incentive. The luxury hotel holds an Easter Hunt of epic proportions with 2500 eggs hidden throughout the resort. Among them, in a special golden egg, the lucky kid who finds it wins an incredible 4kg golden egg made especially by the Marriott’s pastry team. This Easter Egg hunt is for resort guests and diners at in-house restaurant, Citrique.
Date: Sunday, March 31st, 2024, 11:30am – 2pm
Location: JW Marriott Resort & Spa, 158 Ferny Ave, Surfers Paradise
Let Them Eat Cake
Bring the kids to Oasis Shopping Centre for some Easter holiday activities, where they can decorate their cake and eat it too. Don’t miss out on the Madison’s Café & Patisserie cupcake decorating where kids can get creative with coloured icing, sprinkles and more and make beautiful treats to celebrate the special occasion. Cost is $15 per child and bookings are essential.
Date: March 27 - 28, 2024, 2.00pm
Location: Madison’s Café & Patisserie, Oasis Shopping Centre, Broadbeach
Art for Heart & Soul
For something a little special these school holidays, treat the kids to a session creative play at The Craft Parlour. Get hands on in workshops like mama and cubs clay play, pottery classes, kids craft days and sessions expecially for teens. Classes are held in a beautifully inspired space alongside a team dedicated to encouraging creativity. Prices and times vary per workshop - see classes for details.
Say Hi to Hijinx Hotel
If your kids think they have done it all before - check them (and you) into the Hijinx Hotel where an immersive playhouse full of fun awaits. Ten rooms host between two to six players who will need to work together to solve challenges, engage in tasks, play games and score points. From candy coloured ball pits, mini basketball courts, giant scrabble and more. We won’t give it all away but you can add bowling, mini-golf, arcade games and dodgem cars to the school holiday fun card too - so the kids will be stoked!
Park Life
Give the kids a spin on the brand new $5 million playground at Broadwater Parklands, complete with four level spiral tower, glockenspiel, binoculars, telescopes, suspended nets, rope tunnels, enclosed slide, jumping mats, a carousel and more. Or if pirates are more your tribes pace, Pirate Park at Palm Beach Parklands recent $1 million refurb has added more spaces to climb, swing, slide and even walk the plank on a playground resembling a giant Pirate Ship. Fuel up at Dune Cafe nearby and bring your swimmers as the sparkling waters of Currumbin Creek are right alongside.
Image: The Pirate Park, Palm Beach
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Destination Gold Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout Southeast Queensland.