What you should know before hiring a car in Gold Coast
| Gold Coast city centre | ||
| Gold Coast Airport (OOL): 8 mi from city centre | ||
Car hires in the Gold Coast: practical information
Where to rent a car in the Gold Coast
Is the gorgeous Gold Coast of Australia calling your name? This region of Oz is best explored by car hire so make sure you check out the rental offers after booking your flights to the Gold Coast. The best place to pick up a Gold Coast rental car is from the airport. Choose from Avis, Hertz, Thrifty, Budget, Europcar and Redspot.
You can also pick up a Gold Coast rent car from the city centre. Most car hire companies have offices in Coolangatta, like Hertz, Allimo, Costless Car Rental, among others.
Driving in the Gold Coast: parking and other tips
All of the Gold Coast attractions are easily accessible via car hire and there are plenty of car parks available. In places like Surfers Paradise and Southport, street parking is more common with a pay-per-hour metre. Usually you can find free parking only couple blocks away from main attractions. Parking is around $1/hour.
The great thing about the Gold Coast is that is has several business districts so the city never suffers from grid-lock kind of traffic. Peak traffic times are generally from 7am to 8:30am and from 3:30pm to 5pm.
Road trips from the Gold Coast: what to do, what to see
Brisbane
Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, is only one hour’s drive north of the Gold Coast and makes a great day trip. Don’t miss a trip to the Museum of Brisbane, Queensland Cultural Centre, Alma Park Zoo, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and a drive down Scenic Rim.
Byron Bay
To the south of the Gold Coast is Byron Bay, about an hour away. Byron Bay is famous for its surfing, scuba diving spots and it’s also a great place to go whale watching. For surfing, try Byron Main Bach, Watego’s Beach and Tallow’s Beach. For whale watching, September and October are the best months to visit.
Lamington National Park
Head west for 30 minutes from the Gold Coast and you’ll run into Lamington National Park. This park is known for its rain forests, birdlife, ancient trees and waterfalls… what more could you want on a holiday in the Gold Coast? There are more than 150km of market trails to explore os make sure you bring your hiking shoes along!