Activities guide
Southern Gold Coast Without a Car: A Burleigh-Based Holiday
By the ParadiseGrove editorial team · Last checked 19 September 2026
A car-free holiday can work well along this stretch of coast. Stay near the beach, food and a useful bus stop in Burleigh, then take the 700 south for easy days in Palm Beach, Currumbin and Coolangatta. Your exact address matters. Starting each morning with a short walk makes the whole trip feel easier.
Choose a base that makes everyday holiday life easy
In central Burleigh, a well-placed stay puts coffee, James Street, the foreshore and dinner within walking distance. That is a full, relaxed day before you board a bus. Check the actual address of an apartment or hotel and trace the walk to the beach and your departure stop; broad descriptions such as “Burleigh area” reveal very little.
If most of your plans sit farther south, Palm Beach or Currumbin may suit you better. Our Burleigh, Palm Beach and Currumbin comparison explains how the three bases differ. Test a possible address in Translink’s journey planner with two outings you care about. Look at the return walk as well as the morning one.
Use the 700 for the coast and the tram for the north
The network changed on 7 September 2026. Route 700 now runs from Stockland Burleigh Heads to Tweed Heads, passing through Burleigh, Palm Beach, Currumbin and Coolangatta. Heading north to Broadbeach? Change to the tram at Burleigh Heads instead of waiting for a through bus.
Route 777 serves a different purpose: it is the limited-stop airport bus. Once you have arrived and dropped your bags, the 700 offers the local stops used for the days below. Translink’s network-change notice has the official route summary, and our airport transfer guide helps with that first trip.
Three easy outings from Burleigh
To make the choices tangible, we checked a southbound 700 leaving Burleigh Heads station at 1pm on Saturday 19 September 2026. The ride times below begin at the station, so add your walk and wait. Use them to compare the outings, then check your own date before setting off.
| Outing | Example bus ride | Build the day around |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach | 10 minutes to Palm Beach stop | Lunch and beach time near your chosen stop |
| Currumbin | 17 minutes to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary stop | A wildlife day, or a separately planned creek-and-coast outing |
| Coolangatta | 30 minutes to Coolangatta Central | Greenmount, Rainbow Bay and an unhurried lunch |
Check the current route 700 timetable for the day you travel, especially during school holidays. A few minutes spent on the return trip now can save a long wait later.
Palm Beach: lunch, sand and an easy afternoon
Palm Beach is the shortest of these three bus outings. Pick the part of the suburb you want first: the central dining area for a café-and-beach visit, or the southern parklands near Currumbin Creek for more time outdoors. Route 700 serves several avenue stops, so the right one can spare you an unnecessary walk.
Our Palm Beach guide separates those two versions of the day. Once you arrive, keep the pace loose. A long lunch or another hour by the water is often a better use of the afternoon than adding a second suburb.
Currumbin: choose your version of the day
Currumbin can fill a day in two quite different ways. For the wildlife sanctuary, the named bus stop gives you a clear destination and our sanctuary planning guide covers the visit. The creek, coast and Currumbin Alley require their own route and stop.
Enter the specific beach access or meeting point into the planner. If a surf lesson has a fixed start, leave room for the final walk and equipment check-in. Our Currumbin day guide joins the creek, coast and food choices, while the surfing guide compares lesson options. Pack lightly and enjoy the day you chose.
Coolangatta: save half a day for the bays
The longest ride brings you to a satisfying coastal outing. From Coolangatta Central, walk through Greenmount towards Rainbow Bay, stop for lunch and follow the water at your own pace before returning to Burleigh.
Our Coolangatta and Rainbow Bay guide covers the beach-level walk. If the group still feels energetic, continue uphill to the Point Danger lookout; otherwise, linger around the bays. In the northbound sample checked on 19 September, the bus took 31 minutes from Coolangatta Central to Burleigh Heads station. Add time to reach the stop and walk home.
The fare is simple; use one payment method
Translink journeys cost 50 cents on local buses and trams under the normal transfer rules. The South East Queensland network is cashless, and Brisbane Airtrain sits outside the 50-cent scheme.
You can use contactless payment across SEQ buses, trams, trains and ferries. Tap on and off with the same card or device, including transfers. A plastic card and its phone-wallet version are treated as different payment methods. If you miss a tap, Translink’s contactless guide explains what happens next.
Check the trip home before you head out
Plan the return for roughly the time you expect to finish. Save the stop, allow for the walk and keep a taxi in reserve for a late dinner, tired children or a sudden downpour. That small backup can be more useful than hiring a car for an entire beach holiday.
Car-free travel suits these coastal days because each one has a natural centre. Choose one place, give it time and stay for lunch. Inland excursions and tightly timed bookings deserve a separate journey check before you commit.