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The Gold Coast is one of the best places to visit in Australia with kids, with so much to see and do, but what about when it’s raining? Luckily there are plenty of indoor activities on the Gold Coast too. We know this well since we’ve spent many rainy days on the Gold Coast and still made it awesome fun.
Don’t let bad weather ruin your adventure-packed Queensland holiday! These Gold Coast rainy day activities are not to be missed!
Don’t miss our mega Gold Coast family bucket list! 100 fun ideas with kids!
Exciting Indoor Activities Gold Coast
We don’t know what it is, but we get wet weather almost every time we visit the Gold Coast.
Crazy because Queensland is sunny more often than not. We simply have a tendency to pick the worst possible times to visit.
Living around an hour from the Gold Coast has its perks though. We get to take regular Gold Coast day trips from Brisbane and it’s often a convenient mini-break destination for us too.
And regardless of whether it is rain or shine, we always manage to have a blast visiting the Gold Coast!
Thankfully there are loads of indoor activities on the Gold Coast to suit all weather – the rainy days and the really hot ones where you just want to escape the heat for a few hours!
We’ve put together our favourite indoor activities and wet weather attractions for the Gold Coast Queensland so you can make the most of your visit, regardless of the time of year!
Fun Rainy Day Activities Gold Coast
When it comes to finding indoor fun on the Gold Coast, the options are just about as endless as the outdoor fun and attractions on offer.
Here are our favourites for visiting the Gold Coast with kids:
1. Infinity
Location: Chevron Renaissance Centre, Surfers Paradise Blvd & Elkhorn Ave, Surfers Paradise
Infinity Gold Coast is a first-of-its-kind interactive attraction for ages 8 and up involving special effects, sound fields and visual illusions.
The effects will send you on an intense sensory experience as you walk through the different zones. The experience takes around 30 minutes to walk through at your own pace.
Note: Although the website recommends children over 8, it does have pricing for younger children but may be overwhelming for them.
For opening times and admission, visit their website.
2. Timezone
Location: Level 1 Paradise Centre, Cavill Mall, Surfers Paradise
Timezone is an indoor game arcade situated in the middle of Cavil Mall in Surfers Paradise.
It has been around since we were kids. Back in those days, it was called Grundys and it was iconic Surfers Paradise.
Not a lot has changed. The games are more modern and there are a few extra attractions located in the arcade now, with laser tag and mini-golf now, but the fun is still the same.
Get a tap card loaded up with gaming credit and score tickets that you can redeem for toys, lollies and other random items in the arcade store.
This is a quick way to blow a bit of cash for not a lot of physical return, however, we spent $50 which got us some extra credit, and ended up with almost 2 hours of fun for the four of us. Loads of laughs and entertainment.
Find out about their current deals on their website.
3. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not
Location: Soul Boardwalk, Cavill Mall, Surfers Paradise
Ever since I was a child I have loved visiting Ripley’s. We have been a few times as adults, before kids and with them and there is always something new and intriguing to see.
Ripley’s museums are home to some of the strangest objects and people in the world, such as your chance to stand next to a statue of the tallest man in the world or the smallest woman.
Each was discovered on Ripley’s travels around the world. The oddity museum is full of strange exhibits and illusions that will have you all entertained and questioning reality a little.
There are plenty of interactive exhibits and new additions being added. A must-visit Gold Coast indoor attraction!
Check the website for current pricing information.
4. Holoverse Gold Coast
Location: 59 Nerang St, Southport
Holoverse is another family-friendly attraction that is perfect for rainy Gold Coast days with kids. The world’s first holographic arcade.
It uses holographic technology to project objects around the room so you feel like you’ve stepped into a whole other universe. There are also holographic arcade games to play.
This indoor theme park is a perfect Gold Coast rainy day activity that will amaze family members of all ages.
Book your Holoverse tickets.
5. Try An Escape Room
There are several escape rooms located on the Gold Coast and many of these offer family-friendly escape scenarios you can do together with your kids.
Escape rooms are hugely popular right now and for good reason.
They give you the chance to challenge the brain while working together to decode the clues and ‘escape’ before time runs out.
We did the Buccaneers Bounty challenge at Escape Hunt and it was loads of fun. My nieces and nephews are escape room obsessed and they always say nothing compares to Padlockd rooms. It has some good cocktails too!
Here are some of the best escape rooms on the Gold Coast:
- Escape Hunt – For ages 7 and up
- Padlockd – For ages 7 and up
- Fusion Escape Rooms – For ages 10 and up
6. iFly Gold Coast Indoor Skydiving
Location: 3084 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
Fancy a bit of skydiving, but not sure if you’re ready to jump out of a plane just yet? iFly is a perfect alternative with their indoor skydiving centres that are popping up all around Australia.
iFly Gold Coast offers indoor skydiving fun for adults and kids. The iFly indoor skydiving is suitable for ages 3 and up and emulates the outdoor skydiving experience in the safety of their indoor wind tunnel.
This is one exhilarating rainy day activity on the Gold Coast the kids will be raving about when they get home.
Find out more on their website.
7. Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast
Location: 10 Spencer Road, Nerang
Go Karting is something older kids and adults are sure to love and a perfect rainy day activity for your Gold Coast visit.
They offer a 3 storey indoor drift track with loads of curves and corners to maneuver. Time to start practising those karting skills.
The best bit – they have cadet karts which means kids can race against mum and dad on the same track, making it a great family activity to do together.
Or for kids who may not be confident driving their own kart, there are also dual karts available too.
For more information, visit the Slideways Website.
8. Bounce Inc Trampoline Centre
Location: 5 Sunlight Dr, Burleigh Waters
We all had loads of fun at Bounce Inc. Trampoline centres are always a winner with kids and this place is massive.
With wall to wall trampoline rooms, basketball hoops, foam pits and climbing walls, it’s a perfect place to let the kids use up some of their energy on rainy days.
They have multiple areas to suit different age groups, including adults. Yes, mum and dad, you can join in too. We did!
And there is an area for younger children to enjoy too in case you are visiting with a toddler or pre-school aged child.
They also offer bubble soccer for something a little different. We did not try it but had plenty of laughs watching others.
Find out opening times and current session pricing on their website.
9. Indoor Mini Golf
There is an abundance of mini-golf courses on the Gold Coast, with some offering rainy day suitable indoor courses.
Mini-golf is a good option for younger children who may need something a little less chaotic, or for parents who want to take it easy during their holiday.
As there tends not to be a minimum age limit, they make perfect Gold Coast rainy day activities for toddlers and big kids alike.
We have played a few of the different Gold Coast mini-golf courses, although I’m the first to admit it’s me that is the bad sport when it comes to golf!
Most recently we did Lilliputt with the kids, who loved the moving dinosaurs in the ice age themed course.
Here are some of the best Gold Coast indoor mini-golf centres:
- Lilliputt – Located at Robina Town Centre with 18 holes
- Holey Moley – Located in 2 locations on the Surfers Paradise with 18 holes
10. Strike Bowling
Location: Upstairs near Timezone, Cavill Avenue Surfers Paradise
Bowling has a reputation for being a popular rainy day activity and Strike Bowling offers a funky, modern bowling experience.
With neon lights and upbeat music, the kids will love their chance to school you in a classic game of ten-pin bowling.
They have bumper bowling available for younger children too, where barriers come up blocking the gutter to help boost their scores.
Find out the latest packages and pricing on their website.
11. Planet Chill Ice Skating
Location: Paradise Resort, Surfers Paradise
There is a good reason why Paradise Resort is one of our favourite family hotels on the Gold Coast.
The resort has so many fun attractions and activities, and one of those happens to be Planet Chill – an indoor ice skating rink.
They offer 2-hour sessions and ice skate hire, with complimentary use of skating aids for younger children who are new to ice skating or still learning.
This is a great way to ‘chill’ out indoors for a couple of hours and forget about the bad weather outside.
12. Visit the LEGO Store
Location: Dreamworld & Robina Town Centre
If you have LEGO fanatics in the family, a visit to the Dreamworld LEGO store may be a perfect way to spend an hour.
The store is accessible to the general public so you don’t need to be visiting Dreamworld to enter. It is also great if you’re looking for free indoor activities on Gold Coast, if you can resist buying something!
Inside you will find several lifesize LEGO sculptures on display plus there are several play tables set up for kids to enjoy building.
It is a store so it’s also a great option if you want to get yourself some hard to find LEGO sets or build your own mini-figures.
There is also a wall of LEGO pieces in case there is a certain piece you need to complete your next build.
There is a second LEGO store at Robina Town Centre too with similar play zones and displays.
13. ArtVo Illusions
Location: Robina Town Centre
ArtVo is Australia’s first immersive trick gallery, allowing you to position yourself into detailed scenes and snap the coolest family photos ever.
The gallery has 8 gallery zones, each with their own theme. There are up to 80 different photo opportunities as you work your way through the gallery, and clearly marked photo markers to help you get the best shots.
For more information and ArtVo tickets.
14. Australian Outback Spectacular
Location: Pacific Motorway, Oxenford
If you are looking for wet weather Gold Coast night activities, Australian Outback Spectacular is suitable for all ages, although best suited to older children who will appreciate the experience.
For the ultimate Australian experience, enjoy a 3 course Aussie menu and beverages while watching the story unfold before you.
With incredible stunts on horseback and an emotionally charged storyline, you will be able to sit back and enjoy your night out in comfort.
For more details visit the website or book tickets for Top Golf.
15. Top golf Gold Coast
Location: Cnr. Roadshow Way and Entertainment Road, Oxenford
Fancy some all-weather golf fun? Top Golf Gold Coast is suitable all year round with their climate-controlled bays and all-ages fun.
Top Golf is a new twist to the driving range, with micro-chipped golf balls that you hit into giant targets on the outfield from your own personal bay.
The micro-chips mean you scoring points automatically. No need to keep tally!
Plus the balls light up, so even if it’s raining or night time, you still get the same fun for the whole family.
Find out more about Top Golf on their website.
16. Game Over Gold Coast
Location: 88 Siganto Drive Helensvale
Visit Australia’s largest indoor theme park, with loads of fun attractions for all ages.
From the state of the art electric indoor go-kart racing, a massive adventure climbing precinct with more than 18 individually themed climbing challenges, a laser tag arena, and a video arcade.
You will also find Australia’s first indoor Zip Coaster ride and loads of Virtual Reality Experiences. Game Over is perfect for Gold Coast rainy days with kids.
Find out more on their website or book online.
16. Gold Coast Wax Museum
Location: 56 Ferny Avenue, Surfers Paradise
While it may have nothing on Madame Tussauds in London, the Gold Coast Wax Museum is certainly indoors.
See your favourite celebrities in wax form and snap some hilarious family photos along the way.
The Gold Coast Wax Museum is the largest wax collection in the Southern Hemisphere.
Aside from the famous faces, there is also a torture chamber exhibit that is better suited to older children and adults.
17. Hijinx Hotel
Location: Galaxy Center, 3197 Surfers Paradise Boulevard
Hijinx Hotel is a new-ish and exciting destination for fun in Australia. They are popping up in many of the big cities and it’s absolutely a fun place for the whole family.
Hijinx Hotel is a funk bar but it’s also the hub for a whole lot of entertainment. Inside you will find game rooms – not quite escape room style but fun challenges you can do in groups as you work your way around the ‘hotel’.
There is also Holey Moley mini golf and Archie Bros retro arcade. You could easily spend a whole lot of hours hiding from the rain here. And it’s fun for all ages – cool drinks at the bar for adults and games to challenge you all!
18. Escape Room
Some of the best escape rooms in Queensland are on the Gold Coast and there are so many that you’re almost always guaranteed to book a room for those rainy days.
The best are Padlockd who have loads of different escape rooms to suit different age groups and experience levels. They even have a ‘Harry Potter’ style wizardry room, plus plenty of puzzles to keep you entertained while you wait for your go.
Other great options are Fox In The Box, Lost Locks and Eclipse Escape but there are heaps more to try. The Padlockd ones just have the best set up, so definitely try those first if you can! Plus you can get a badge if you complete it in time.
Other Fun Things To Do On The Gold Coast When It’s Raining
- Visit an indoor play centre
- See a film at one of the many cinemas
- Rock a funky new style with hair wraps & braids
- Enjoy it & visit Wet’N’Wild or White Water World for water park fun
- Wander the indoor stalls at Carrara Markets
- Taste delicious Aussie honey at Superbee Honeyworld
- Theme parks – while you may get rained on, they each have loads of indoor rides and attractions too
Gold Coast Rainy Day Activities For Adults & Teens
Planning an adult-only escape or visiting the Gold Coast with teenagers? Here are some more great things to do on the Gold Coast when it’s raining, just for grown-ups:
- Draculas Cabaret Restaurant – Horror-themed show and restaurant for ages 16+
- Gold Coast Indoor Paintball – Battle it out in the mammoth indoor paintball area. Suitable for 15+
- The Star Casino – Try your luck at The Star Gold Coast
You will have no end of ideas for how to spend a rainy day on the Gold Coast with all these indoor activities to enjoy. Best of all, they are fun options to beat the heat on hot days too or simply to enjoy a break from the beautiful Gold Coast beaches.
Don’t let wet weather ruin your plans to spend the day in Brisbane! Check out these indoor rainy day ideas for Brisbane and Sunshine Coast rainy day activities. And if you’re visiting Melbourne or Auckland, these wet weather ideas are good to know too!
Need somewhere to stay? Check out the best Gold Coast resorts for families!
We hope these Gold Coast indoor activities help you plan some family fun!
Check out more inspiration for your Gold Coast vacation: