Gold Coast Car Rental Comparison

Booking a rental vehicle with carhire.com.au is the perfect way to explore the Gold Coast and its famous Hinterland. Not only will you save time and money (both of which are better spent on your holiday) but you can rest assured you're booking with major, reliable car hire companies such as Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Europcar, Hertz and Redspot.

Once you are mobile with access to your own rental car there are no boundaries to the fun and relaxation on offer on Queensland's Gold Coast. If you run out of things to do here you're simply not trying hard enough!

Queensland is known as the Sunshine State for good reason and the Gold Coast is anticipating warm temperatures and plenty of golden sunshine to match its golden sands. If you're renting a car from carhire.com.au you can consider flying into Brisbane or to the Gold Coast because, either way, your rental car can be waiting for you at the airport.

No matter what your age or occupation if you run out of things to do and see on the Gold Coast then you're just not trying hard enough. The Gold Coast really has something to offer every traveller.

Things to do in your Gold Coast car rental:

Besides special events there are always plenty of restaurants and bars to keep you well fed and entertained. Best of all this area of Queensland is littered with things to keep the kids busy. From mini-golf and wax museums to hot air balloon rides or trips to the fabulous beaches. Or even a trip to Movie World (known as Hollywood on the Gold Coast) or other theme and adventure parks like Wet N Wild Waterworld, Seaworld or Dreamworld.

No exaggeration is necessary when you consider that the Gold Coast is Australia's favourite holiday playground. Theme Parks, brilliant restaurants & hotels, night life, the beaches and the lush hinterland. All of this waiting for you to explore.

Being the tourism capital of Australia the list of things to do on the Gold Coast is endless. We really want to make sure you use your time wisely while you are there and booking a hire car will give you the convenience of enjoying paradise at your own pace. So if you are racing to get to everything before your holiday ends, then don't panic, you don't have to wait for shuttles or taxis to take you places. Just jump in your hire car and get to where you want to be. Or if you decide that a relaxing holiday is what you need, a hire car will be perfect as well. That way you can relax and not stress about timetables or schedules.

First things first: Queensland is a huge place so only travellers who have a rental vehicle at their disposal are going to see more than a tiny sliver of this gorgeous State...and even then you'll need a fair bit of time up your sleeve.

Nevertheless, travellers who have hired a Gold Coast rental vehicle can expect to be rewarded with some of the best scenic drives in Australia. The Gold Coast hinterland has drives right up there with the Great Ocean Road and the Snowy Mountains Highway. Spending a day behind the wheel will show you some gorgeous sights and take you to fantastic views and secret mountain cafes. However there are also short scenic routes if you are on a time budget.

Here are a few car rental road trip ideas:

45 minutes - About fifteen kilometres southwest from central Nerang you'll find a very pleasant spot to stop and park the hire car. The Hinze Dam area offers a mixture of Native bushland, State Forests and National Parks as well as beef and cattle properties in the Lumina Valley.

3.5 hours - Nerang to Murwillumbah via Springbrook and Natural Arch. Head south in your rental car, onto the Pacific Highway from Nerang until you see the Mudgeeraba turnoff. Follow the signs to Springbrook. This drive has plenty of sharp corners, narrow bridges and hairpins so it's a fun, exciting drive but not for thefaint hearted. You can take an easy stroll along the short 700 meterts to the highest lookout on Springbrook Plateau at the National Park and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views across Mount Warning to Byron Bay and Coolangatta.

2 hours - Surfers Paradise to Mount Tamborine. Mount Tamborine has very lush surroundings with waterfalls and walking tracks to explore. Head to the goldCoast Highway then go north. You could take a moment to enjoyMain Beach or to explore the Broadwater through Southport.There's usually a little traffic in the area on Saturday mornings but usually no major traffic snarls. Watch the roads, especially if your still getting use to driving the hire car, they are quite windy heading up and down the mountain ranges.

1 hour - Coolangatta to Surfers Paradise. Grab an ice cream at Coolangatta then follow the coastline. You'll drive by some of the best surf breaks in the world including Kirra Beach, Snapper Rocks and Greenmount. Get out of the rental car and enjoy the sea air.

For an action-packed day of unique activities drive your rental car out to Mount Tamborine and visit the Adventure Parc. And, yes, it is spelled Adventure Parc and not Park. There are 68 elevated challenges that take you through the treetops up to 18 metres above the ground. These are great team building experiences and fun for the whole family as every skill level is catered for. Allow at least three hours to full enjoy all the park has to offer and make no mistake, you'll feel like you've had a pretty tough work out afterwards.

A great story about the Gold Coast from someone who has hired a car.

The Goldy has been a holiday playground ever since the famous Surfers Paradise was established in the 1950s at Broadbeach. Flying into Coolangatta Airport always makes me feel like I am on holidays even when I do it for work. There is something in the air on the Gold Coast that makes you feel relaxed. My first trip to the Gold Coast was amazing. I fell in love with the Coast while on the Broad Water at Marina Mirage sitting on the deck on a Sunday Afternoon drinking White Wine and eating some amazing seafood. This is the way to spend a Sunday.

A Tiger Moth Rainforest flight allows you to see the wilderness of the hinterland from the air and provides an amazing, authentic experience.
Recently the Tastes of Gold festival has been setting taste buds on fire. It's a 17 day event that showcases the city's chefs and food producers and it includes wine tastings, celebrity-chef cooking classes, lavish banquets and outdoor festivities.

At the Gold Coast you can see the wilderness from the air in a helicopter or see the humpback whales from the sea in a whale watching tour. These are particularly popular this time of year. By day you can get your thrills by booking a jet boating experience and by night you can party hard at the many bustling night clubs.

For something a little off beat try out the Juggle jam interactive workshops which are taking place on the 4th of October. Basic juggling techniques and diabolo, flip sticks nad poi/staff twirling are all on offer and all ages are welcome. Best of all no booking is required.
Whatever you do, don't forget to check out the famous Surfers Paradise strip where you'll find shopping, eateries and fashion just a stone's throw from amazing beaches, surfers and sun bathers.