Coolangatta’s Guide to the Best Local Playgrounds and Parks

What makes a great playground or park?

Ask any parent and the answer will differ…

“It should feature lots of trees and nothing manmade. It should be safe, fun, have a broad range of activities for building physical and emotional skills.”

“It should be a stage for imaginative play – a place where kids can be kids and run wild. It should help them make friends easy and tire them out even easier.”

“It should have age appropriate equipment, bike racks for locking up the family bikes, picnic tables and barbecues and a great cafe for the adults.”

Ask a child and the answer will differ again…

“It should have swings, a slide, a spinney thing and monkey bars.”

“It should have a cubby house and a flying fox.”

“It should have a tunnel, a tree house and flowers that smell nice.”

Ask us and we’ll tell you the best parks are the local ones…

1. Coolangatta Beach/Queen Elizabeth Park

This beach playground of rubber rope nets, climbers and a slide is located in easy proximity to the patrolled surf beaches of Greenmount and Coolangatta. There’s a two-person spring rocker, a foreshore for cycling, rollerblading and strolling and another playground just around the corner in Rainbow Bay. Head to Coolangatta Beach Park on the second Sunday of the month and you can also enjoy the markets that run along the foreshore. If you prefer stores to market stalls, the park is just down the road from the Strand at Coolangatta too.

2. Kirra Beach Playground

Another good beach park just along the way is Kirra Beach Playground. It’s only small but it’s ideal for toddlers with plenty of shade to break from the beach. There are also picnic tables, a BBQ and toilets and again you can tie a park excursion into a shopping trip at The Strand.

3. Pat Fagan Park

Pat Fagan Park is all about the photo opportunities. It’s a beautiful beachside location boasts views all the way to Surfers Paradise making it a popular wedding ceremony location with green leafy tree surrounds. The beautiful Coolangatta Beach is just steps away for more photo opportunities which you can then have printed on canvas at Sun & Sea.

4. Kurrawa Pratten Park

The ‘All Abilities Playground’ at Kurrawa Pratten Park, Broadbeach is a popular, innovative, unique and entertaining space for kids of all ages and abilities. A collaboration between the City of Gold Coast and Disability Services Queensland, it’s one of the newest playgrounds in the region and certainly one of the best. Find an accessible submarine, a mermaid, a diver and fish in this sea-themed playground.

5. Coolangatta Skatepark

The Coolangatta Skatepark was built in 1998 and is a much loved section of Memorial Park. Situated just off Gordon Lanham Street a few blocks back from the beach, it’s free from wind and sand – a refreshing change for many of the region’s skateparks. The gentle slopes make it great for beginners and there’s plenty of shade too.

6. Chris Cunningham Park

Chris Cunningham Park is a lovely park that sits on the edge of Jack Evans Boat Harbour. There are lots of picnic tables and barbeques and a playground with plenty to do for the kids. Take a stroll down to the harbour and there’s a gorgeous sandy beach for the kids to play on too. After the beach, be sure to check out the ANZAC Memorial Fountain in honour of our fallen soldiers.

7. Don Baxton Park

If you love to take your dog to the park with you, Don Paxton Park is leash-free and lots of fun for both your furry kids and your actual kids. There are barbeques, picnic tables and a full-size basketball court plus plenty of space to run and ride bikes. There’s also a fully fenced children’s playground with a slide and swings, a climbing tunnel and a 2-person spring rocket.

8. RT Peak Memorial Park

RT Peak Memorial Park, otherwise known as Kirra Hill Lookout, is perched high atop Kirra Hill giving sweeping views on the entire Gold Coast. On a clear day you can see the coastline from Main Beach in the north to Snapper Rocks in the south. Get there early and claim some space on the grassy hill that slopes down towards the heart of Coolangatta. Your kids will love rolling down the hill, until they get dizzy that is!

Looking for other great activities to do with kids in Coolangatta? Read our guide here.

Working up an appetite

Parks and playgrounds are a lot of fun but all that play time works up an appetite. If you’ve worked up an appetite at one of the parks or playgrounds above why not come and grab a bite at the Strand Coolangatta? Step back in time and find your favourite jaffles at Jaffles HQ, share a bowl of nachos at Beach Burrito, or enjoy a decadent high tea at Passiontree Velvet. With so many dining options to choose from, the Strand at Coolangatta is the best playground yet!