In july we are planning to stay at the gold coast for 3 weeks and do all the tourist attractions. We are a family or 3 kids (all under 7) and cannot decide where to stay. We are thinking of either renting a 3 bedroom apartment in q1 or rent a villa in sovereign islands. Any idea how far the sovereign island is from surfers paradise? Will it be too quiet in the winter? If any of you had to make a choice which would you go with?

3 weeks seems a bit long in a place where you can't really do the beach, it's winter. Not real winter like in the southern States, average temperatures from the high forties to the high sixties (in Fahrenheit), not arctic but still... Then it rains and there's a chilling wind and it's just frustrating with all the sand and beaches in front of you.

There is not too much to do, you have to go north or south, lots of day excursions...

Why not go way further north where it stays warm even at the height of winter? Cairns is at its lowest rainfall at that time, with mean minimum 62 and mean max. 79 temperatures.

You write "If any of you had to make a choice which would you go with?" - I made that choice years ago and regretted it, that's why I'm giving you the heads-up.

Then again, you could split the time between Sydney, not because of the weather but because there is always a lot to do and public transport works well, and Northern Queensland for a lazy chill-out time.

Hi Browning,

Personally, I wouldn't stay at Sovereign Islands. With three young children I am imagining that you would like to take them to the various theme parks - please consider visiting Movie World where my son is one of the drivers in their new show - Hollywood Stunt Driver! Now back to serious matters. I think Q1 the better option as it is quite residential at that northern end of the coast where the Sovereign Islands are located.

At least at Q1 you are within walking distance of the heart of Surfers Paradise with shops, restaurants, beach etc.

Bear in mind that our winters are usually very pleasant and depending on where you hail from some people even find our winters quite warm!

It's my belief that the Gold Coast is never quiet! Whilst, the Gold Coast isn't everyone's cup of tea I have to be honest and admit that I quite like it although I usually prefer the southern end of the coast down Coolangatta way.

The theme parks will delight your young children I'm sure and three of the parks - Wet N Wild, Movie World and Sea World offer a special 3 park pass.

Dreamworld and Sea World in particular I think would appeal to your children considering their age.

I hope you have a great holiday and let us know if you need any further help and please, please, please remember to 'always bathe between the flags'.

Browning,
I can see we'll between the DL having a giggle on his pending retirement and somewhere else here, but look the DL's weatherforecast could come from a different ball to mine but avergae of high 40s to high 60s does need some moderation.

You can get down to a low 40 overnight on occasion and going inland a couple of km. it is not unknown to have some years with a crisp frost and you know then you can expect to get some beautiful clear sky days of about 60 to mid sixties, and high sixtiesF or 20C is about max for July, usually a period of little wind and virtually no rain to be expected - but then we do have GW! and cyclic variations.

I doubt somehow you'll find it warm enough to be swimming in the surf and even between the flags with three under seven would be a handful - The Gold Coast in having such a long beach with no protective headlands along the northern section you're thinking of is one of Australias most dangerous beach stretches - take that from a former Surf Life Saver.

But where to stay, Q1 is certainly more central but I do not know what their situation is with open balconies or how child friendly or protective they are.

Sovereign Island (a drive on gated community) is as far as I know all residential and Palatial residences at that, not much atmosphere and could be quite dead as a lot of such residences are owned by people overseas or rarely there.
There's a small village shopping centre at Paradise Point but you're about 12 km. from main Main Beach/Surfers Paradise/Broadbeach shopping/restaurant hubs and of those areas, I'd recommend the two sandwiching SP rather than SP itself where you're more likely to find grottsville and its inhabitants.

I'd suggest you have a look at a couple of places at the entry to what is called The Spit, just on northern edge of Main Beach - http://www.resortsgoldcoast.com/seaw...ara_resort.htm (right at one of the theme parks, probably the best one for younger children) and across the road back towards main beach http://www.globenettravel.com.au/que...gold_coast.asp

Both of those have lovely spacious grounds great for kids and you have numerous eateries accessible by a foot bridge over the road in the Marina Mirage and adjacent complex, and even Peters Fish and Chips for extra fresh fish, and then not all that long a walk down to Southport Yacht club and a few hundred meters more to Main Beach restaurants.

If you're not planning on hiring a car, buses run from SP out to the area where other theme parks are located, it being quite a distance from the beaches of the GC.

Those places do have various packages but if stretching the budget for a longer stay, they could offer somewhere to stay a few days initially and then in looking for something similar, there are quite a few lower level apartments/resort complexes in the area from south of BroadBeach up through the section between BB and SP and then also quite a few about Main Beach itself.

With the theme parks, there'll posibly be quite a few rides that the children cannot go on for they have a check bar - if you can walk under, it's a no go - danger of not staying in restraint, and then with all die respect to Stormbirds son, some of the stuff at Movie World can be a little scary to younguns and one Browning will be enough whilst on holidays I imagine.

I understand how with younger children you are wanting to stay put, but the Dalai does have something giggling in the robe re other locations, a week up on the Sunshine Coast (a much more layback environ than the GC) would have you closer to the Irwins Australia Zoo and an Underworld World at Moolooabah - arguably best and safest beach in Queensland.

And then a week at either Cairns or in the Whitsundays - see if you can drown the kids of a bare boat yacht hire (just joking), a wonderful place with lots to experience as is the Cairns region (just for Pat and Webboe)

wherever you go along the coast you should be able to enjoy, so have a great trip.

And a little 241 surprise for you - http://www.shop-a-docket.com.au/

I can understand wanting to be somewhere where you can just relax and be at "home". However Sovereign Islands would not be that great for the kids - perhaps you are thinking about Sanctuary Cove - which would be my first choice if you don't want to be on the Gold Coast proper. If you do then an apartment in the Phoenician would be my choice as its on Broadbeach which is close to just about everything and they are nice apartments as well. Broadbeach itself is a great spot and close to the beach and everything else you may want. Water temps at that time of year would be about 20deg Celcius which may or may not be warm enough for you. Other than that you may get a nice place at Royal Pines Resort ( golf community) or at one of the other nice golf communities which I have forgotten the names of. It also depends on whether you have a car- if not then Broadbeach would be 1 and Sanctuary Cove 2

Hi Browning,

I just want to second Lizzy's vote for the Phoenician - it's a good call. I have stayed there myself and it is right in the middle of everything but a better locale than Surfers Paradise, it is just a little further south than Surfers. Lots of restaurants, cafes and shops.

If you like the surfers paradise area, the peninsular apartments is across the road from Q1 and would be a better option for a family with its facilities
http://www.wotif.com/hotel/View?hote...&viewType=

I don't have to hotels direct phone number I'm sorry but you should be able to search on google if you like it.
I have stayed here a few years ago and if you can request a room with an ocean view on an upper floor, you will have a great view looking up the esplanade. I think the wading pool is heated. i do recall one undercover pool being heated.

additional information

http://www.bookdirect2save.com.au/ac...gold-coast.php

The Phoenician is not so bad as older apartments/hotels go but it is a multi story apartment complex and not what I'd consider your best choice with younger children.

If you decide to sttay all three weeks on the GC, and as stated earlier, BB or MB are better than Surfers Paradise and BB has a greater beachfront parkland area and MB has the Spit parkland to the immediate north.

There are plenty of newer apartments and also low rise style ones along the beach front at BB and if looking at an apartment, the BB beachfront ones will mean less traffic and less noise, the area about The Pheonician being sort of BB central with a lot of traffic and also more noise if any construction is going on which seems to be very often whebever I've been there (lived a couple of km away).

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=e...cr%3DcountryAU indicates most of the main players and a larger map will show relative positions, The Pheonician being a good two hundred metres from the beach.

Newer ones with listing on page 2 such as OceanaonBB or Boulevard North will be directly opposite the beach and parklands, and much further away from traffic.