FREE stuff to do on the Gold Coast

It's not all money money money, in fact, there are plenty of fun things to do on the Gold Coast which won't cost you a cent.

The beach is the obvious choice, but if you don't like salt water, you can easily spend a day without getting your feet wet.

Here's a list of fun things to do on the Gold Coast which are free.

Go Swimming at the Beach

Almost all open surf beaches are patrolled by lifeguards and are protected from sharks. In fact, shark attacks are extremely rare on open beaches (just don't go swimming at dawn or dusk with lumps of bloodied raw meat tied to your body).

Make sure you only swim between the flags - read our beach guide for more information. If you're worried about the waves, or the wildlife, there's a protected swimming enclosure in Southport, just opposite Australia Fair in Marine Parade.

Check out O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk

O'Reilly's Tree Top Walk allows you to walk through the canopy to see flowering and fruiting trees and vines, the epiphytic orchids and ferns, and the birds and animals that inhabit the tree tops.

The Tree Top Walk is only 300 metres from the Guesthouse via the Booyong Walk, a rainforest boardwalk that was built by the Green Mountains Natural History Association.

Check out the O'Reilly's Tree Top Walk

Go for a Walk on the Beach at Sunrise, or After Dark

Few views can compare to the sun rising over the Pacific Ocean and the full moon rising over the water at night is so huge you won't believe it's real. Beaches are generally safe places to walk after dark, but use your common sense (don't walk alone in a totally deserted place like The Spit at 3am), but if you stick to populated beaches at reasonable hours (ie. 6am to 12am), you really shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Window Shop

Most of the world's best fashion houses all have dedicated stores in Surfers Paradise or Broadbeach, and there are lots of other shopping centres and boutique shopping to keep you eyes interested and you wallet safe in your pocket. See our guide to Gold Coast shopping for more info.

Visit a National Park in the Hinterland

None of them charge an entry fee and the views and fauna are breathtaking. You can run through an ancient rainforest, walk under a waterfall, and swim in a mountain stream without paying a cent. More about the Gold Coast Hinterland.

Go to a Museum or Art Gallery

For another insight into the Gold Coast visit the Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame in Southport and the Gold Coast City Art Gallery at the Gold Coast Arts Centre in Bundall, there are also plenty of great beachside sculptures in Surfers Paradise and Currumbin.

Gold Coast Multicultural Festival

The Gold Coast Multicultural Festival is held annually and is a great place to take the family for a day out, the entertainment is free however the interesting food and drink from all over the world is not - full details www.goldcoastmulticulturalfestival.org