The Gold Coast is the Workcation You’ve Been Looking For

As remote work has taken off in recent years, so too have people’s attitudes towards where they can work from. You can join the masses from home — with or without pyjamas — at cafes, or ultra-modern co-workspaces. But what about taking a holiday while you’re still on the clock? The Gold Coast needs no introduction as everyone’s favourite getaway, except now you can visit anytime you like. Clear it with your boss first, and you can spend your days between emails, teal water, spreadsheets, and golden sand.

STAY

The QT Gold Coast is a modern and energetic hotel in Surfers Paradise: close enough to everything you want but slightly removed from the busy side of things. Being only a block away from a gorgeous stretch of sand, you might find it hard to concentrate — don’t say you haven’t been warned.

BREAKFAST

Fixx Café or Room Service

Grab your daily dose of caffeine and flaky pastries at QT’s lobby-side café. This is a great spot to start your day between coffee, a dip in the pool, and setting your work schedule for the day. And if you feel like slowing things down and starting the day at your pace, why not get a smoothie — without the hassle — via room service at your fingertips?

Elston

After a morning dip, you’ll need no excuse to replace those calories at this beachside café. Starting from 6.30 am every day, you’ll find colourful plates and piping hot coffee. Sand between your toes at breakfast has never been so good.

Elk Espresso

A Gold Coast institution and a solid reason to visit the suburb of Broadbeach — what these guys don’t know about the art of breakfast dates isn’t worth knowing. There’s plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and they’re perfectly happy if you whip out your laptop.

Bumbles

The breakfast spot that feels like a home away from home. Between mouth-watering house-baked treats and comfortable seating, there’s a high chance you might run into somebody you know at this celebrity haunt.

BEFORE YOUR FIRST ZOOM

Surf Lesson with Surf in Paradise

Hitting the waves has never been easier at the Gold Coast’s Main Beach. This quieter end of the coast is perfect for beginners to get the hang of things and is made all the easier with super-friendly owner Chris and his staff of instructors. If, at first, you don’t succeed, keep at it. And who knows, by the end of the week, you might just have cracked it! 

Pure Aloha‘s SUP Yoga

How does performing yoga floating on a picturesque creek mouth with the sunrise as company sound? It’s an unusual way to start your morning, and that’s what makes it so special. We’re not promising you’ll not fall in, but we are promising you’ll likely feel amazing — and super productive — for the rest of the day.  

BLOCK YOUR CALENDAR

Enjoy a reprieve from packed lunches on your Gold Coast getaway. Turn on your Away status and break up your work day at one of these worthy lunch spots.

BOBs Beer

Tuck into a show-stopping American diner-style menu and wash it all back with freshly brewed tap beers made on-site. The microbrewery prides itself on a cheery atmosphere and is the perfect place to split up your day, recharge, and get the creative juices flowing for an afternoon of work. 

Sandbar

Only steps off the beach, you can transition from the Pacific Ocean to tasty lunch options in seconds. And if you decide to call it an early day, the menu transitions from afternoon to evening with a brilliant cocktail offering making it a tricky spot to leave. 

Surfers Pavilion

Between a dedicated frosé bar, waterside seating, and famous seafood platters, this light and spacious venue is a worthy afternoon hangout spot. Grab a mocktail and knockout those virtual meetings or sip a glass of Champagne and watch the sun sink behind the nearby hinterland.

WHEN YOU CLOCK OFF

Lumber Punks

Axe throwing is an incredible way to relieve a little workday stress and keep your aim in check. If you’ve never done it, it’s a fun and exciting excuse to do something quite out of the ordinary. And if you have — you’ll be no doubt keen to test out your throwing arm.   

Australian Kayaking Adventures

Bookending your day with time in the water is part of the fabric of life on the Gold Coast. So when it comes to powering off or killing some time between projects, paddling out into cerulean waters and finding hidden sandbars should be high on your list. There’s plenty to take in above water but armed with a snorkel and mask; there is so much to see beneath the surface. 

Whiskey Tasting

Round off an enjoyable and industrious day by swinging by the bar at QT Gold Coast’s Japanese restaurant, Yamagen. Their whisky tasting takes four premium spirits and embarks you on a journey through the sense of taste with carefully paired sushi rolls accompanying each drink. A brilliant pre-dinner/late afternoon activity and a chance to meet new friends.

DINNER

Yamagen

A refined izakaya dining experience awaits you with multiple styles of Japanese cuisine and old and new-school flavours to choose from. Walk your way through robata grilled meats and hand-rolled sushi or go on an Omakase adventure of flavour and be guided by multiple steadily served courses. And when mealtime is over, retire to their elegant bar for superb signature cocktails or something from one of the country’s most extensive Japanese whisky collections.    

COAST Kitchen & Bar

Live music, a carefully curated menu, and an extensive drinks menu: what more could you want? This Surfers Paradise favourite admittedly ticks many boxes and is a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike. Either slip by for a late afternoon cocktail and bite from the Beach Bar menu or come in the evening for the Savouring Coast Banquet with some of Australia’s best wines. 

Seascape Restaurant + Bar

A seafood lover’s dream. There’s no looking back once you sample true trawler-to-table eating. Whether you’re into grilled lobster thermidor or deftly created sashimi platters, there’s something for everyone here. And if seafood isn’t your thing, the menu has other satiating options to pick from. Our advice? Sign off a big day — or even week— here with a glass of Champagne and oysters. 

Your own sun-filled workcation awaits. Find out more about the ultimate remote work set up in the beautiful Gold Coast at Destination Gold Coast.