Golden Backpack Awards and the best of the Gold Coast

If you've been following our Instagram story or Facebook page, you'll know we were up on the sunny Gold Coast last week for the annual Golden Backpack Awards! While most of our time was spent meeting fellow merchants, travellers and tour operators, we still managed to do plenty of exploring... here are some of the awesome activities and exciting places we discovered in the Gold Coast. Check them out on your next QLD trip.

Miami Marketta

This market happens every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and is full of delicious street food, decadent desserts and some funky live music. We spent the night wandering the many stalls and carefully choosing tasty treats to try.There were some great bars and a whole section dedicated to desserts - giant lamingtons and gourmet waffles to name a few! Just before leaving, we headed to the front stage to check out Vaudeville Smash who was the live band performing that night. They were full of energy and had some incredible music that got the whole crowd dancing.
This market is definitely the place to check out next time you're on the Gold Coast and after some good food and live entertainment!

Miami Marketta
23 Hillcrest Parade, Miami QLD
Open Wednesday 5pm - 9pm
Friday 5pm - 11pm
Saturday 4pm - 11pm

Soho Place

Nestled along the highway, the bright red door of Soho Place caught our eye. It was recommended to us by our Uber driver, a Gold Coast local, so we knew this place would be worth checking out. Inside was a speakeasy-style bar, with wall art and decorations with a London theme. The menu featured an array of local spirits and a killer cocktail list. We tried a concoction with Gin Mare and popcorn syrup that was delicious!

>Soho Place
4/2713 Gold Coast Hwy, Broadbeach
Open 7 days, 5pm-12am

Skypoint Observation Deck

77 floor

A post shared by Rémi Marcilhac (@remimar) on Nov 13, 2017 at 5:08pm PST

230 metres off the ground on level 77 of the Q1 Building is the Skypoint Observation Deck. From here, you can catch 360-degree views of Surfers Paradise and beyond.
This was where the Golden Backpack Awards were held, so we able to spend our night admiring the glittering lights of the city from above.
Head up here for unrivalled city views and a great atmosphere. It's a fun way to pass a few hours and get a look at Surfers Paradise from a different perspective.

Skypoint Q1 Building
9 Hamilton Ave, Surfers Paradise
Open Monday-Thursday 7:30am–7pm
Friday-Saturday 7:30am–8pm
Sunday 7:30am–7pm

7D Cinema

3D……頑張れば4Dまでは理解できるけど「7D」ってどういうこと？

A post shared by P.K.サンジュン (@p.k.sanjun) on Oct 24, 2015 at 1:35am PDT

Half theme park ride, half movie experience, this was a great activity to pass half an hour as we wandered the Surfers Paradise streets. Choose from 1, 2 or 3 show packages then enter the theatre, strap yourself in and get ready for a crazy ride! You wear 3D glasses, and there are effects like bubbles, wind and smoke machines that add to the atmosphere.

7D Cinema
Corner 17 Cavill Avenue & Orchid Avenue Surfers Paradise
Open 7 days, 9am-10pm

Bus and Boat Tour

Just spotted Johnny Depp on the Pirates of the Carribean film set #johnnydepp #piratesofthecarribean #duckbus #goldcoast #surfersparadise

A post shared by QUACK'RDUCK (@quackrduck) on Jun 19, 2015 at 8:28pm PDT

There are a few of these dotted around the Surfers Paradise streets, so pick any that take your fancy! Your day starts off with a bus tour around the Gold Coast streets before you take to the water for views of the city skyscrapers from the sea. It's a good way to pack in all the Gold Coast sites in a few hours.
We loved the excitement of bobbing in the ocean, it was a fun way to see the city a little differently.

So there you have it! The best of our Gold Coast adventures and some things to add to your bucket list next time you visit. For more cool things to do in QLD, have a look at our incredible deals on jet boating, kayaking and whale watching. Want more to read on the Gold Coast? Check out our blog on hiking through the Hinterland.