Things to Do in Burleigh Heads

Follow the headland track, try a surf lesson or spend a morning among market stalls. Find an outing that fits the time you have.

What fits your day?

You do not need to turn every holiday day into an itinerary. Pick one anchor—the headland, the creek, wildlife or a surf lesson—then add a meal or beach stop nearby.

A couple of hours

Browse James Street, stop for coffee and walk down to the beach.

Half a day

Pair Tallebudgera Creek with the headland, choosing the bank that suits your plan.

A full outing

Build a Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary visit around the daily programme.

Several days

Use a loose three-day plan that leaves room for weather and slow mornings.

View across a creek mouth and sandy coastline from a wooded headland

Walking Burleigh Head National Park

Choose a coastal walk to Echo Beach or climb through rainforest to Tumgun Lookout.

Learn to Surf: Beaches and Beginner Lessons

Compare lessons at Currumbin Alley, Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise, with prices and family options.

An orange rollercoaster track at a theme park

How to Choose a Gold Coast Theme Park

Choose movie-themed rides, marine attractions or a water-slide day that fits your group.

Burleigh Beach in late-afternoon light; photograph by Misaochan2, CC BY-SA 4.0, credited in guide

Free Things to Do in Burleigh Heads

Enjoy the headland, beach and market stalls without buying an attraction ticket.

Tallebudgera Creek and Burleigh headland; public-domain photograph by Shiftchange

A Half-Day at Tallebudgera Creek

Choose your bank, picnic spot and headland walk, with Echo Beach and Jellurgal along the way.

A Day at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Plan a wildlife day around the lorikeets, miniature train and Lost Valley rainforest animals.

People climbing the SkyPoint tower on the Gold Coast

SkyPoint Climb or Observation Deck?

Step outside high above the coast or enjoy the view from the indoor deck.

Burleigh Markets Compared

Saturday produce or last-Sunday beachfront browsing? Compare locations, schedules and a morning plan.

James Street Shopping Guide

Browse the boutiques, stop for coffee and leave time for a beach walk.

Currumbin Rock Pools with water flowing between rocks beside trees and a paved path — Currumbin Rock Pools, March 2010. Photo: mihitha, CC BY 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP without cropping. A historical view, not evidence of current water or path conditions.

Currumbin Valley: a rainforest morning inland

Walk beside the creek to an old sawmill, make time for a picnic and decide whether the Rock Pools or a valley café belongs in the day.

Plan a Currumbin Valley outing

Waves along Tugun Beach, with coastal buildings and a headland in the distance — Tugun Beach, July 2013. Photo: Orderinchaos, CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP without cropping; these versions retain the same licence. This is a historical view, not evidence of current beach conditions.

Tugun: a beach morning with lunch

Keep the beach and village together, finish with a surf-club lunch, or start earlier for courtyard breakfast and browsing at Cornerstone.

Plan a half-day in Tugun

Rainbow Bay beach and surfers seen from Greenmount — January 2018 photo: Chris Olszewski (Kgbo), CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized/compressed; licence retained. Not current conditions.

Find your coastal walking morning

Forest and creek, a climb to Tumgun, or a picnic at Rainbow Bay: compare three walks by scenery, terrain and the journey back.

Compare the coastal walks

Plan your Burleigh stay

Photo credits: Burleigh Beach (2021), Misaochan2, CC BY-SA 4.0; Tallebudgera Creek (2011), Shiftchange, public domain. Both resized and cropped for cards; the Burleigh photograph retains its licence.