You do not need to spend a cent to fill a winter day at Palm Beach. Within a short walk or drive of Royal Palm there are six genuinely free things to do: creek swims, the Pirate Park, whale watching, a coastal walk and more. Here they are, with honest notes on parking, so a mild sunny winter day costs you nothing but the time to enjoy it.
The Pirate Park and Palm Beach Parklands
Distance: about a five-minute walk south.
Directions: follow the beachfront path towards Currumbin Creek; the parklands start at 945 Gold Coast Highway, next door.
What is free: everything. The Palm Beach Parklands and its Pirate Treasure Island Playground cost nothing, and so does the car park off the highway if you drive. The wooden pirate ship, the slides and the suspension bridge keep children busy for hours, and there are free electric barbecues, shade and public toilets on site. Best time of day is mid-morning in winter, when the sun is on the grass and the wind stays down. Pack a picnic or fire up a barbecue and you have a whole outing for the price of the food.
A winter swim at the beach out front
Distance: about a two-minute walk.
Directions: straight out the back of the resort onto the sand.
What is free: the beach and the swim. The stretch out front, known to surfers as Laceys, has a flagged, lifeguard-patrolled section during daylight hours, so there is a supervised place to get in even in winter. The water sits around 21 degrees in June, cooler than summer but still swimmable, and plenty of locals go in, some in a spring suit. Best time is the middle of a sunny day when the air has warmed. It suits everyone from a quick dip to a long beach walk, and it costs nothing but a towel.
A calm morning on Currumbin Creek
Distance: about a ten-minute walk south.
Directions: through the parklands to the Currumbin Creek inlet behind the playground.
What is free: the water and the sand. The Currumbin Creek estuary is calm, shallow and protected, with no surf, which makes it the gentlest free swim within walking distance and a soft spot for a wade or a paddle. It is also a fine, free place to teach the kids to fish off the bank with a hand line. Best time is a morning low-to-mid tide, when the sandbanks are exposed and the water is glassy. There are toilets and shade back at the parklands, so it pairs neatly with the Pirate Park.
Whale watching from Elephant Rock
Distance: about a fifteen-minute walk or a few-minute drive south.
Directions: continue past Currumbin Creek to Elephant Rock at the southern end of Currumbin Beach.
What is free: the lookout and the show. From late May to early November, humpback whales pass close to shore on their migration, and Elephant Rock at Currumbin is one of the best free vantage points on the coast. Climb the stairs to the platform and you get the whole coastline, from Coolangatta to the Surfers skyline. Bring your own binoculars, or feed a coin into the ones up top. Best time is a calm winter morning. One logistics note: the lookout is reached by stairs, so it is not wheelchair or pram accessible.
A winter-sun walk along the Oceanway
Distance: from the front door.
Directions: pick up the coastal path in either direction along the beachfront.
What is free: the path and the view. The sealed Oceanway coastal path runs along the beachfront past the resort, and it is made for a winter stroll, a run or a bike ride when the sun is out and the summer heat is gone. Push a pram, ride a scooter or just walk off breakfast with the ocean on one side the whole way. Best time is late morning, when the winter sun is high and warm. There is no cost, no ticket and no parking to worry about, because you start and finish at our door.
Currumbin Rock Pools up the valley
Distance: about a twenty-minute drive west.
Directions: head up Currumbin Creek Road into Currumbin Valley to the rock pools.
What is free: the swimming holes and the bush. The Currumbin Rock Pools are a string of natural swimming holes in the creek, free to visit, set among rainforest a short drive inland. In winter the water is genuinely cold, so June is better for a scenic bushwalk and a picnic than a long swim, though the hardy still dip. Best time is a sunny weekday morning. The honest catch is parking: the car park is free but small and fills fast, so arrive early or you will be circling. Bring water and closed shoes for the rocks.
FAQs
What free things can you do at Palm Beach with kids?
Plenty. The Pirate Park and Palm Beach Parklands, a swim in the calm Currumbin Creek inlet, whale watching from Elephant Rock, and a walk along the coastal Oceanway are all free. Parking at the parklands is free too, which keeps a whole day out at zero cost.
Can you see whales for free near Royal Palm?
Yes. The Gold Coast whale season runs from late May to early November, and Elephant Rock at Currumbin is a free clifftop lookout a few minutes south of us. Bring your own binoculars, or feed a coin into the ones on the platform, and watch the humpbacks pass.
Is the water warm enough to swim in June?
It is cooler but still swimmable. Gold Coast winter sea temperatures sit around 21 degrees, so plenty of locals still swim, some with a spring suit. The calm Currumbin Creek inlet is the most sheltered option, and the middle of a sunny winter day is the time to try it.
Is parking free at Palm Beach Parklands?
Yes, parking at Palm Beach Parklands is free, with a car park off the Gold Coast Highway near the Pirate Park. It fills on sunny weekends, so arrive before mid-morning. The Currumbin Rock Pools up the valley are also free but have limited parking, so get there early.
Winter is quietly the best-value season on this stretch of coast: mild sun, whales offshore and a run of free things to do a short walk from the door. When you are ready to plan a winter escape, browse what surrounds us and book direct with us for the best rate on your stay.
Image credit: City of Gold Coast