Top 10 Main Beach Treasures

Main Beach effortlessly combines the glamour, culture, history and natural beauty of the Gold Coast.

Aptly named due to its popularity with surfers throughout the decades, our breathtaking beach is home to an old bathing pavilion, which brings plenty of charm to the foreshore, while just a short stroll away, the area is alive with quality restaurants, bars and boutiques. At Xanadu Main Beach, we are committed to ensuring our guests experience all that Main Beach has to offer, which is why we have compiled a list of the top 10 Main Beach treasures.

Best Main Beach Outdoor / Family Activities

Take a unique tour - Take in the high-energy atmosphere of the Gold Coast with a tour of the glistening waterways. Located in Main Beach, Jet Ski Safaris allows you to hire and ride your own jet ski along the coastline, through the canals and around the hidden islands of Surfers Paradise! From your unique vantage point, you may even get to meet some of the local wildlife, including dolphins, turtles and wallabies. Jet Ski Safaris is located at 7A 60-70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach.

Master a surfboard – No matter whether you are young or young at heart, it’s never too late to learn to surf. Surfing is a Gold Coast institution, so there is simply no better place to grab your family or friends and hit the water for some professional instruction. Get Wet Surf School takes advantage of Main Beach’s great waves and less populated beaches to deliver high quality lessons to all ages. With the lowest student to coach ratio of any Gold Coast surf school, Get Wet are so confident they can get you standing up in your first lesson, that they offer a second lesson free! All equipment is supplied as part of your lesson, so there really is no excuse not to dive in and secure yourself a souvenir that will keep on giving! Private, group and children’s sessions are available. Get Wet Surf School is at Shop 22 Mariners Cove, Gold Coast.

Picnic at the beach / park – Pack the picnic basket or grab some fish and chips on your way to Hollindale Park for a quintessential Queensland day out. Nestled just behind the sandy shores of the spectacular Main Beach, Hollidale Park boasts great amenities including picnic shelters, barbecues, bathrooms and playgrounds and is the ideal location to share a casual meal and kick a football after a relaxing swim in the ocean. Better yet, you can finish off with a delicious ice cream served fresh from the iconic Main Beach Pavilion.

Best Main Beach Eats

Best Main Beach breakfast - With an unbeatable five star rating, Hot Shott serves up the freshest flavours with a side serve of creativity. Fusing modern and traditional cooking techniques, the result is a breakfast menu that is inspired by classic favourites, but served with a modern (and delicious) twist. Best of all, all meals are created using fresh, in season local produce. Hot Shott is located at 3/17 Tedder Avenue, Main Beach.

Best Main Beach lunch - There is something to please all tastes and hungers at the bright and casual lunch spot; Local & Co. This classic, coastal café offers healthy, organic, paleo and gluten free options, seven days a week. Tempt your tastebuds with share plates, superfood salads, burgers, pastas and classic mains. Local & Co is located at 6/20 Tedder Avenue, Main Beach.

Best Main Beach dinner – The impeccable Bistro Chico menu takes inspiration from Mediterranean and Asian cultures and delivers high quality food that packs a punch. Named as one of the Gold Coast’s top 10 restaurants, Bistro Chico introduces diners to a number of creative preparation methods, including charcuterie, pickling, fermenting and curing. In addition to a mouth-watering selection of tapas, mains and bar snacks, this popular restaurant also serves an impressive selection of quality cocktails, wines and spirits. Find Bistro Chico at 9/26 Tedder Avenue, Main Beach.

Best Main Beach Day Trips

Sea World - Just a short way up the road, Main Beach’s famous Sea World is one of the Gold Coast’s top attractions. The marine mammal park is home to penguins, seals, polar bears, dolphins, sharks and many more creatures from oceans across the globe. The park also boasts an impressive array of rides for all ages, and is open every day of the year. Sea World is located in Seaworld Drive, Main Beach.

Get active on Stradbroke Island – Not far from Mains beach’s sandy shores lies another idyllic Queensland holiday destination. Explore the beauty of South Stradbroke Island on a half day adventure tour with Gold Coast Island Buggy Tours. After enjoying a luxury boat cruise from Main Beach, you can get your adrenaline pumping as you drive your own four wheel drive buggy over then sand dunes, along the beaches and through the bush before some sand boarding. Back at the resort, you can collect your own segway for a bush course challenge, and finish off your day with a refreshing drink and a relaxing swim in the pool before returning to Main Beach by luxury boat. Gold Coast Island Buggy Tours are at 5A, 60-70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach.

Day trip to Springbrook National Park -Just a one hour drive from your Xanadu Main Beach accommodation you can discover some of the region’s most spectacular landscapes. In addition to breathtaking views of the coastline and local islands, the Gold Coast hinterland is home to Springbrook National Park, Gondwana Rainforest and the spectacular Natural Arch waterfalls. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even explore the region by night and meet some truly unique hinterland residents! Australia’s largest population of Glow Worms inhabit Natural Arch and, by night, these illuminated critters resemble a magnificent starry sky. So, whether you pack your picnic and escape to the hinterland by day, or arrange a guided tour to get acquainted with the wonderful nightlife, be sure to plan for a trip to the Gold Coast hinterland.

Best Main Beach Spot For A Holiday Happy Snap

The Spit – Looking to take a photo that captures the beauty of the Gold Coast’s breathtaking beaches and natural surrounds? Just a short walk from your Xanadu Main Beach accommodation you will discover The Spit - one of the Gold Coast’s most pristine and popular locations for happy holiday snaps. Sunset views from the jetty are truly unbeatable, as the soft shades of gold, peach and pink set the scene for the perfect selfie!