Once the kids know a Gold Coast holiday is on the cards there’s no way to avoid their pester power – you’re going to the theme parks, Warner Bros Movie World, Dreamworld, Sea World and Wet ‘n’ Wild. During school holidays there’ll be wall-to-wall crowds but if you’ve timed your visit for the off-season, weekdays are likely to be fairly low-key. To plan your day around bathroom breaks and food stops, download maps from the parks’ websites before you set off.

What could make watching the sun rise over the ocean from a gliding hot air balloon even better? The team from Hot Air will pick you up from your accommodation, take you aloft to those views – expect ocean, rainforest and even kangaroos bounding through the pineapple groves – then ferry you to O’Reilly’s Grand Homestead & Vineyard in the hinterland for a champagne brunch. Afterwards, a coach will deliver you back to the coast.

A tranquil 30-minute stroll between Tallebudgera Creek and Burleigh Heads, the Oceanview Walk in the Burleigh Heads National Park trails through a corridor of rainforest, eucalyptus and pandanus groves with Pacific Ocean glimpses at every turn. Tumgun Lookout gives you a front-row seat in whale-watching season (humpbacks migrate from June to October) and the terrestrial wildlife isn’t shy, either – expect diverse birdlife, lizards and maybe even a koala.

Forget zooming across the water on jet-skis and powercraft – Amaroo is a 17-metre luxury yacht that accommodates up to 10 guests for half a day of smooth sailing. With morning or afternoon departures, voyages depart from the marina in Sanctuary Cove and cruise down the Coomera River to Broadwater before dropping anchor.

The six-storey gallery, cinema, theatre and outdoor performance space make HOTA (Home Of The Arts) Australia’s largest regional gallery, its primary-coloured jigsaw façade wrapped around a permanent collection that includes celebrated Aussie artists such as Ben Quilty and William Robinson. In 2024, the gallery will showcase Italian Renaissance Alive – a multi-sensory exhibition that celebrates Italian masters of the arts, spanning Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Caravaggio and more.

The seafood-focused Japanese set menu at Kiyomi, within The Star Gold Coast, is one of the region’s most sumptuous fine-diners. In Burleigh Heads, there’s a very good reason Rick Shores makes every “best restaurants of the Gold Coast” list – the Moreton Bay bug roll is a fixture and its only real competition is the restaurant’s mesmerising beach view.

There’s a time and place for moody, sophisticated cocktails but a Gold Coast getaway isn’t one of them. The beach spirit calls for juicy tropical concoctions – the more festive the better. Sip a rum-soaked Tiki Bastard at Las Palmas Bar & Restaurant in Palm Beach or a classic Piña Colada at Miss Moneypenny’s at Broadbeach.

There are plenty of oceanside cafés with dazzling blue-water views; there are local favourites such as Dune Café on the shores of Currumbin Lagoon and for a weekend extravagance, the Beachside Brunch at Hyde Paradiso includes bottomless Bellinis and Aperol spritzes.

They take the “social” part of their name just as seriously as the “eating” at Social Eating House + Bar, where almost every dish is made to share. The signature slow-cooked lamb shoulder is designed to be pulled apart and divided among a group, while the mixologists behind the bar love to have a friendly fact-finding chat before they create a custom cocktail just for you.

It’s renowned as a dreamy sunrise setting but east-facing Snapper Rocks is an equally beautiful spot to watch the wide sky reflect a vivid ombre haze as the sun goes down behind the hinterland. In-the-know locals grab a group of mates, a rug and a pizza or two from Francie’s and show up early to snag a prime spot.

If your only experience of coastal souvenirs is gaudy starfish artwork and cheesy sunrise photography, the James St precinct in Burleigh Heads will come as a relief. Maison & Maison is a trove of homewares, such as Moroccan-inspired soft furnishings and soy candles, while Emporium on James specialises in upmarket rattan furniture and kitsch décor like brass palm tree door handles and tortoiseshell glass vases.

Sample creative street food like the karaage chicken from Kudo Bros or the 12-hour slow-cooked brisket from Brisket Boss at Miami Marketta night market, which is soundtracked by live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. On Saturday mornings, join the locals at Burleigh Farmers Market to hang out, shop for fresh produce and polish off brekky baked goods while you wander.

A craft brewery has popped up in almost every town from north to south of the Goldie. Balter Brewing in Currumbin, Black Hops Brewery in both Burleigh Heads and Biggera Waters and Precinct Brewing in Miami are a small sample, all of them pouring handcrafted bevvies and serving low-fi eats like pizza and food-truck treats.

Links Hope Island at Sanctuary Cove is considered among the top golf courses in the country and could certainly take honours as the most scenic. Locals love its variety of holes, the care taken with the greens and fairway maintenance and the friendliness of the service in the pro shop. If you’re lucky, you may even share your round with a mob of curious roos.

Springbrook National Park, in the green and gorgeous Gold Coast hinterland, is a little less travelled than its famous neighbour, Lamington National Park, and home to natural wonders including Goomoolahra and Rainbow falls and Purling Brook Falls Circuit. Treat yourself to a no-fuss homestyle lunch or afternoon tea at nearby Dancing Waters Café while you're there.

There’s something about all that fresh air and saltwater that makes wellbeing part of the Gold Coast’s DNA. Dedicate a morning to self-care with a massage and 90 minutes of steam and stress-relief at Soak Bathhouse in Mermaid Beach, followed by a vegetarian brunch nearby Milkman’s Daughter café – the smashed avo with turmeric and almond fetta is radiance on a plate.

Three days work goes into every buttery croissant served at Bam Bam Bakehouse in Mermaid Beach. Order one as it comes – light, flaky and sublime – or amp things up to full-scale indulgence with the “Hey, it’s okay, you’re on holiday” croissant French toast, dipped in vanilla-bean custard and served with maple syrup and Chantilly cream.