When a town is named after a beach, it’s probably going to be a good one. Main Beach is a slice of white sand a little north of Surfers Paradise that lends itself well to a quick weekend getaway. If you’re craving some sun and sea but only have a couple of days, here’s how to make the most of a short stay in Main Beach.
Stay: Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast
A hotel should be more than just a place to lay your head after a busy day. The beachfront five-star resort has multiple pools, a lagoon and tropical gardens with quick access to Marina Mirage. Staying here will put you in striking distance of central Main Beach and its surrounds, but if you’re staying in, you can head for one of the half-dozen in-house bars and eateries, including seafood buffet restaurant Terraces.
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SUBSCRIBE NOWGo for a morning walk down to Surfers Paradise and you’ll find cafe Bumbles Cafe on River Drive. The all-day eatery is split into a series of rooms with nicknames like “the library and “the blue room”. Come for coffee and hearty breakfast favourites – such as savoury mince with tortilla chips and poached eggs, or sweet potato and feta rosti – while lunch options include a prawn sandwich (no crusts here) and miso salmon with sesame noodles. There are also cocktails on offer from 10.30am each day – it is a holiday, after all.
Hota stands for Home of the Arts, and it really does live up to its name. The centre includes a theatre, gallery, chapel, two cinemas and a couple of other performance spaces, and you’re as likely to find local jazz performers or underground photography exhibitions as the big names. This year Hota is hosting the Pop Masters Exhibition, which takes a look at the influence of pop culture on contemporary art – particularly the works of Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. Plus you can always refuel after all the art at the rooftop bar, cafe or fine diner Palette.
A bar that you can swim right up to is possibly the most holiday-affirming venue. Cool off in a palm tree-lined pool with ocean views at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast before floating up to the attached bar for poolside cocktails and a lunch menu. Just make sure you enjoy your cocktail on your poolside lounge rather than while you’re in the water. Spend the day by the pool, with food ranging from lighter options like salads and prawns to a more substantial offering in burgers, sandwiches and fish and chips.
After more than just a typical dinner out? Try dining on a floating pontoon among moored superyachts. Head to La Luna Beach Club, where one side features marina-side sunbeds and cabanas to sip Lychee Martinis on, while the other is home to Mare. The broadly Mediterranean diner from chef Meyjitte Boughenout features an extensive menu with plenty of nods to the ocean, including an upscale seafood cocktail topped with caviar, grilled lobster as well as a prawn, lobster and pink pepper risotto.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast.
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