Most things to see on the Gold Coast involve the outdoors, from the fantastic surfing beaches in and around Surfers Paradise to the mountains of the spectacular McPherson ranges. The Gold Coast also has loads of buzzing theme parks to try out as well as some interesting museums and galleries, and is within proximity to the late Steve Irwin’s outstanding Australia Zoo.

Australia Zoo
Originally opened by legendary zoologist Steve Irwin’s parents in the 1970s, Australia Zoo is a big hit in Australia. Although ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin sadly passed away in 2006 after being stung by a stingray while filming, the zoo continues to operate and is still a major attraction along the Sunshine Coast, a two-hour drive from the Gold Coast. Among the animals on show are huge saltwater crocodiles, massive pythons, and lizards, camels, and koalas. The zoo can be found on Glasshouse Mountains road in Beerwah. Phone: +61 7 5494 8604; website: www.australiazoo.com.au/.

Beaches
The Gold Coast is famed for its white sandy beaches and there are literally dozens of them running for 35 miles all the way along the coast. All the main beaches are flagged and patrolled with good access from Rainbow Bay, south of Coolangatta, to Spit, north of Surfers Paradise. Among the best year-round patrolled beaches are Main, Surfers Paradise, Surfers North, Elkhorn Avenue, Burleigh Heads, Mermaid, Coolangatta, and Greenmount.

David Fleay Wildlife Park
As part of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Dr David Fleay’s Wildlife Park takes an educational look at Australian fauna. The park was founded by the doctor in the 1950s and protects rare species in a fantastic environment accessible by a circular boardwalk. The tranquil setting features bilbies, cassowaries, dingoes, gliders, kangaroos, koalas, kowaris, and numerous stunning birds. The park is located at Burleigh Heads. Website: www.epa.qld.gov.au; phone: +61 7 5576 2411.

Gold Coast City Art Gallery
There are several noteworthy art galleries on the Gold Coast with the Gold Coast City Art Gallery in Surfers Paradise being the best and most visited by tourists. It is renowned as being one of Australia's foremost regional galleries with its quality historical works encompassing the character of the Gold Coast and especially the fantastic contemporary City Collection. The Gold Coast City Art Gallery is on Bundall road next to the Council Chambers in Surfers Paradise. Phone: +61 7 5581 6521.

McPherson Ranges
Walkers and hikers will love this part of the Gold Coast which marks the Queensland/New South Wales border and harbours the Lamington and Springbrook national parks. More than 100 miles of correctly graded walking tracks traverse rainforest, volcanic caves and rock pools. Make sure you bring a camera as the views from the many lookouts are awesome.

North Stradbroke Island
This beautiful little sand island has fine beaches and some of the best scuba diving in the region. Whale watching is very popular here, as is four-wheel driving and, of course, surfing. North Stradbroke Island is easily accessed from the Gold Coast via the Stradbroke Flyer, Sea Spirit ferry, or private charter yacht.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum
The Gold Coast has several really good museums. The Gold Coast Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum is much like any other Ripley’s venue around the world and is lots of fun with its 12 themed galleries and their unreal exhibits. Ripley’s Believe it or Not can be found in Cavill Mall at Surfers Paradise. Website: www.ripleys.com.au; phone: +61 7 5582 0040.

Theme Parks
There are many theme parks on the Gold Coast that mainly lie to the north of Surfers Paradise on the Pacific Highway. Apart from SeaWorld, which is right in the centre of town, the two main parks are Dreamworld and Warner Bros Movie World, while Wet 'n' Wild Water World is also a big hit in the summer months. If you plan on visiting more than one park or have a family, then the three park super pass allows entry to SeaWorld, Warner Bros Movie World, and Wet 'n' Wild Water World for the price of one ticket. You also get to return to the park of your choice for free and the only catch is that you visit them all in within a 14-day period. The Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle and Surfside Buslines buses provide access for those without cars.

Be amazed at Ripley's Believe It or Not. The unbelievable exhibits in this air-conditioned museum with 12 galleries featuring magic, mystery, interactive displays and movies will blow your mind.

Check out the theme parks to the north of Surfers Paradise. Ride the Tower of Terror at Dreamworld; see the animal shows at SeaWorld; watch a movie being made at Warner Bros Movie World; or get wet at Wet 'n' Wild Water World.

Go shopping. Surfers Paradise has glittering malls and unique boutiques featuring designer gear and produce of the Gold Coast region. Alternatively, take in a beachfront or country market and shop for fine handcrafted and homemade goods inland.

Get up close with Australian native wildlife. The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary south of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast Highway has a rare collection of Australian native wildlife awaiting visitors.

Relax on a beach. The main attraction of the Gold Coast is the dozens of fine beaches that stretch along the coastline and feature some of the world’s best surfing spots. There are also some heavily built-up family beaches with every conceivable facility. Main, Surfers Paradise, Surfers North, and Mermaid beaches are among the best.

See the Tweed region by horseback. Numbinbah Valley Adventure Trails have quality horses that will take you through the beautiful Tweed area, in the unspoilt Numbinbah Valley between Nerang and Natural Bridge, while several other horse centres in the Gold Coast region offer similar adventures elsewhere.

Take on the Gold Coast surf. Sample the beach breaks all along the Gold Coast as well as the excellent point breaks at Burleigh Headland, Greenmount, Kirra, Seaway and Snapper Rocks. Waterskiing, parasailing, jet-skiing and sailing are also highly popular.

Taste some local beer at the Carlton and United Brewery in Yatala. This is where Australia's leading beers are brewed and bottled, and where tourists get the chance to see the process, play with interactive exhibits and - most importantly - taste the results.