The Surfer's Guide to visiting the Gold Coast

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It's no secret that the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise are amongst some of Australia's most top-rated surfing destinations. Surf enthusiasts from all over the world are inspired to travel to Brisbane and surrounding coastal towns every year in order to ride the waves that call this part of the ocean home.

Whilst interstate travellers are at an advantage over international surfers, there is still naturally plenty of planning behind an ideal surf holiday in the Gold Coast.

Here's everything that Aussie surfers will need to consider when planning their own surf holiday at the Gold Coast.

Ideally, surfers should aim to find accommodation that's as close to their favourite surf spots as possible. Doing so will ensure that they won't have to travel too far in order to catch the best early morning waves before or at dawn.

You don't necessarily even have to stay in a surf hotel either. For instance, if you're planning your trip well ahead of time, you could snag some great accommodation deals on luxury hotels like the Sheraton Mirage on the Gold Coast, which will allow you to experience total rest and relaxation in your downtime and help ensure that you're better prepared physically to ride some waves when you're out in the water.

If you're planning your trip to fall within the Gold Coast's peak travel season, then it is well worth booking your accommodation nice and early to ensure that you can take advantage of the best deals, alongside minimising your risks of not being able to find accommodation that's just a stone's throw from your favourite surf spots. It's common for beachside accommodation to book up a lot faster than inland accommodation, especially during the summer holiday season in Australia.

Although tourist activity in the Gold Coast tends to come to a peak in the summer holidays, the best time to travel for many surfers tends to fall between March and May during autumn.

That being said, if you can't schedule a trip to fall within these later months when the weather starts to cool, surfers can be rest assured that they will be able to experience the best surf conditions from anywhere between January and April. This means that you don't necessarily need to book your holiday to fall within the summer holiday period here in Australia, and that you can feel free to beat the crowds by waiting until after February and March.

The reason for this wider window is simply because the period of time stretching from mid summer to autumn also happens to be cyclone season in tropical Queensland, with fluctuations in atmospheric pressure encouraging the growth of pretty decent ground swells across the length of the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise.

With all of this considered, it's actually pretty easy to plan an ideal surf holiday in the Gold Coast, because you don't particularly need to worry about heading over at any specific point of time throughout summer or autumn.

This wide window for optimal surf conditions is just yet another reason why the Gold Coast is considered to be one of the world's premier surf destinations.

Of course, there are so many fantastic surf spots all over the Coral Sea, with the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast being just the tip of the iceberg. Surfers truly are spoilt for choice when it comes to surfing in and around the Gold Coast, which is precisely why it's well worth hiring a car and doing a little bit of road tripping along the Queensland coastline in order to hit up all the best surf spots in the region.

Some spots that you absolutely won't want to miss include Burleigh Heads to the south of the Gold Coast, Kings Beach in Caloundra, and the iconic Noosa Heads. For those extra adventurous types with a little time to spare on the road, we highly recommend making the drive up to the iconic shores of Double Island Point, where surfers can enjoy secluded waters and a wide, unbroken swell that comes in from the north and south thanks to the area's affinity for expansive takeoff zones.

If you have time to spare in your trip itinerary, then we also highly recommend booking a boat trip to the islands surrounding Moreton Bay and overlooking the Coral Sea. These include Bribie Island, Moreton Island, and North Stradbroke Island or Minjerribah. Surfers can enjoy consistently good surf conditions across the eastern coastlines of these islands year-round.

Finally, there's no denying that actually planning your trip is only just half the equation when it comes mapping out a surf holiday. Any veteran surfers know all too well that packing for a surf getaway can be an ordeal to say the very least.

Wrapping up your boards so that they don't get damaged during transport always requires a bit of extra care and planning, not to mention having to foot the bill for oversized baggage if you're bringing a quiver of boards.

It's well worth considering how many boards you'd like to bring with you, and whether or not you'll need to allocate any of your trip budget to renting boards in Queensland during your stay.

Surfers will also need to consider how much suitcase space they have for their wetties or wetsuits, rash vests, and all other personal surf gear that they anticipate they may need. If your trip revolves around surfing, then it may be beneficial to pack an entirely separate suitcase that's just for all your surf, swim, and snorkelling gear, so you won't have to worry too much about renting additional gear during your time away.

Be sure to also pack plenty of sunscreen and additional sun protection too, as the sun can get pretty harsh out on the open water!

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Planning out the perfect surf holiday at the Gold Coast is really all about figuring out just which of the region's many iconic surf spots you'd like to experience and when. So long as your trip itinerary covers all the beaches and stretches of coastline that you've got on your bucket list, chances are you're likely to return from your trip feeling pretty stoked to say the very least.