Things To Do On Rainy Gold Coast Days

There are 300 days of beautiful sunshine on the Gold Coast each year. As for the other 65 days… well, there’s no guarantee for perfect beach weather. But fear not… if you encounter a few rainy days during your stay, you don’t have to wait for the sun to come back out. There are loads of activities to keep you entertained rain, hail or shine! Here are some suggestions:

Things to Do on a Rainy Day on the Gold Coast

Hijinx Hotel - Surfers Paradise

If Willy Wonka had a game show, it might look like Hijinx Hotel. Themed like an old school New York hotel, this interactive gaming experience is a truly unique and extremely entertaining activity for older kids (although the minimum age is 5). A series of Challenge Rooms present  a different collaborative problem to solve for your team of 2 - 6 to tackle. From adult ball pits, to giant sized scrabble, work together to collect as many points as possible. It’s in the same complex as Archie Brothers amusement arcade, Holey Moley mini golf and a cool themed restaurant, so there’s a bundle of fun to be had at Hijinx Hotel. 
Location: 3197 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Level 1 Elkhorn Ave, Surfers Paradise

iFly Indoor Skydiving - Surfers Paradise

Most skydiving is weather dependent but your air time will never get postponed due to rain at iFly Indoor Skydiving in Surfers Paradise. Get ready for a rush! The specially constructed vertical wind tunnel provides an exhilarating air borne experience without the plane ride (or the part where you have to jump out of one!). Highly trained flight instructors teach you everything you need to know and are there in the flight chamber to guide you as you take off and perform aerobatic manoeuvres in a safe and controlled environment. It’s thrilling for children, challenging for adults, exciting for teens and available to everyone.
Location: 3084 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise

Soak Bathhouse - Mermaid Beach

Getting caught in a summer storm is one way to get soaked, but this option is far more appealing. Soak is a luxurious modern bathhouse where you can relax, rejuvenate and press the reset button. Make time for a 90-minute casual soak session, which includes use of open-air hot spas, communal mineral baths, cold plunge, steam room and sauna. Indulge in a glass or two of bubbly with a Soak & Sip package or upgrade your experience to include infrared sauna, an LED facial, massage or yoga class. Aaannnd exhale! (For 18+ only.)
Location: Shop 20, 2532/2540 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach

Gold Coast Car Museum - Upper Coomera

A visit to the Gold Coast Motor Museum is a rainy day activity that has something to offer all members of the family from kids to grandparents - even teens will be impressed.  Alongside hundreds of restored cars and motorbikes dating from 1911 - 1988, you can explore an impressive collection of memoriabillia including telephones, toys, tools, and even period fashion.This unique museum is set on 12 acres of lush hinterland alongside Stanley’s Barn Restaurant & Bar, where you can enjoy truly excellent dining in the barn-style venue with views of the bushland. There's a big stretch of lawn to run around on an some farm animals to keep kids entertained. 
Location: 107 Kriedeman Rd, Upper Coomera

Home of the Arts (HOTA) - Surfers Paradise

This creative hub offers plenty of rainy day entertainment options. Wander through five levels of thought provoking and inspiring displays, exhibits and artworks at the incredible HOTA Gallery. There’s a Children’s Gallery on Level 1 where kids can do craft activities and interact with creative displays. After some art appreciation, grown ups can head up to Level 5 to enjoy a cocktail and culinary delights at rooftop bar, The Exhibitionist. The view from up here is unbeatable and you can watch the weather sweep in across the coast - spectacular in every sense.
Location: 135 Bundall Rd, Bundall

Retail Therapy 

When the sun’s not shining, go shopping! Our luxury shopping centres are expansive retail wonderlands where you can spend a day browsing and buying fashion, homewares, accessories, tech and more at hundreds of shops. And when you need a break, refuel at a huge variety of dining, from wine bars to food courts. Head to Pacific Fair in Broadbeach, Robina Town Centre and Harbour Town Premium Outlets in Helensvale for some wet weather shopping.

Things to Do on a Rainy Day with Kids on the Gold Coast

Infinity - Surfers Paradise

Located in the Chevron Renaissance Centre in Surfers Paradise, this futuristic attraction provides you and your family with a unique journey into maze-like worlds of wonder with a series of multi-sensual environments. Each room at Infinity is filled with special effects, atmospheric sound fields, groovy music and spectacular illusions created with lasers, mirrors and more. It’s fun for all ages over 8 – and a great way to forget all about the weather outside.
Location: Chevron Renaissance Centre, 3240 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise

Timezone - Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta

Rain, hail or shine, day and night, you’re guaranteed a good time at Timezone. This family fun entertainment centre has hundreds of epic arcade games for you and your crew to play. Surfers Paradise is home to the biggest Timezone in the world (located in the Paradise Centre), and Timezone Coolangatta features a 3,000 sqm gaming precinct packed with 200 games from car racing games to pinball machines and more. But that’s not all - you can enjoy a bit of bowling, challenge the kids to laser tag or demolish your mates on the dodgem cars. And both have a bar and cafe where you can rest your legs and fuel up on classic American diner eats, like burgers, hotdogs, fried chicken and shakes.
Location: Surfers Paradise - Paradise Centre, Cavill Ave. Coolangatta - The Strand, Marine Parade

Gamer Over - Helensvale 

Game Over ticks all the boxes for rainy day fun with three adventure activities under the one roof. Find the need for speed with indoor karting at the first electric-powered karting centre in Australia; challenge yourself with the Clip ‘n’ Climb artificial climbing walls or battle it out in the 240m2 high-tech laser tag arena. You can have your pick of any one of their awesome activities and still stay dry.
Location:  88 Signato Dr, Helensvale 

Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast - Nerang

Slideways European style indoor Go Karting track is the perfect way to get your adrenaline pumping while staying indoors! The unique track surface is like no other in the Southern Hemisphere, allowing the karts to drift around corners. Up to 14 karts can run on the track at one time in multiple racing formats and Slideways caters for all levels of experience and from individuals to large groups. Challenge the kids to race and put your pedal to the metal!
Location: 10 Spencer Rd, Nerang

Zero Latency - Southport

Immerse yourself in one of the world’s best free roam virtual gaming experiences at Zero Latency. Don your VR headset and backpack, arm yourself with a controller and strap in as you’re transported to other worlds. There are 8 different games to choose from and with crystal clear vision and audio via your headsets, you can interact with your surroundings and other players as you battle zombies, fight killer robots or navigate your way through underground caverns and luminescent woods. In reality, you’re walking around a 200m gaming arena, but technology makes your brain believe otherwise and it’s incredibly convincing! It’s mind bending, adrenaline fueled fun for 13-year-olds and over (10 - 12 year-olds can play with a parent) and an ideal rainy day activity.
Location: 34 Smith St, Southport

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! - Surfers Paradise 

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not offers 15 individually themed galleries of 350 genuine artefacts, remarkable relics and rare treasures from around the world as well as cool and interactive exhibits. Keep out of the rain and embark on a self-guided adventure (across almost 9,00 square feet) filled with amazing stories of history and adventure, mystery, illusions, and life-size figurines of unusual characters that actually lived.
Location: Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise

Holey Moley Mini Golf & Strike Bowling Bar

Strut your putt at Holey Moley – the ultimate mini-golf challenge located in the heart of Surfers Paradise. Tee up 18 unique and crazy holes across a multi-sensory labyrinth of indoor rooms. Forget windmills and castles – putt through shark infested waters, a Monopoly board and a maze among others. There’s also a private karaoke room and over-18s can enjoy a full-service bar. Did we mention it’s also located within Strike Bowling Bar precinct? Equipped with several ten-pin bowling lanes, pool tables and a gourmet food menu to boot.
Location: Level 1 Piazza on the Boulevard, Surfers Paradise

Bounce Inc Trampoline Park - Burleigh Waters

Bounce Inc Gold Coast is a massive adrenaline zone full of wall-to-wall trampolines. Located in Burleigh Heads, there are various zones to suit everyone, including an Australian Ninja style obstacle course (bring lace up shoes for this bit). It’s the perfect place to take restless kids to let off some steam, especially when they’ve been cooped up inside! Parents can join the fun or sit back and watch from the mezzanine level cafe.
Location: 5 Sunlight Dr, Burleigh Waters

Level Up Arcade - Broadbeach

An amusement arcade is the perfect way to pass the time on rainy days. Level Up in the Oasis Shopping Centre is a hit with little kids, teens and grown ups alike. Immerse yourself amongst all the action with state-of-the-art amusement games like 3D ping pong to pinball classics like Donkey Kong, Jurassic Park and more. Level Up Arcade includes a dedicated adult games area with a pool table, limited edition pinballs and Foxtel), which caters to the biggest kids and the licensed bar opens from 10am. 
Location: The Oasis Shopping Centre, 75 Surf Parade, Broadbeach

Escape Rooms

Rainy days inside can make you feel trapped. One alternative is to actually get locked in a room… but for fun! Padlock’d Escape Rooms present 60-minute real life escape games like you’ve never seen before, located right in the heart of Surfers Paradise. You enter the game zone, the clock starts counting down… it’s now up to you and your brain to work out how to unlock clues, solve mysteries and find the answers before it’s too late. There are a variety of rooms catering to kids 10 and up.
3177 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise

The Craft Parlour - Miami

The Craft Parlour is a bright and delightful studio in Miami that hosts cool, creative workshops. You can learn how to make a macrame wall hanging, render a resin artwork, sew a skirt or try your hand or ceramics at this beautiful space where creativity is celebrated and memories are made. Learn a new skill, unleash your creativity and connect with other crafty folk. Check the website for upcoming workshops – kids are well catered for with special craft activities and art classes too.
Location: 27 Lemana Ln, Burleigh Heads