Traveling
the Gold Coast by car is a delight. The roads are very good
and
the traffic is comparatively light. parking within Surfers Paradise can
be a problem, especially at night. Local Tip:
Park your car
in the free 'Jupitors Casino' car park - take the lift to the 1st floor
and catch a bus or taxi from the main entrance into Surfers Paradise.
Your taxi fare will be less expensive than the parking fees in Surfers
Paradise and you will reach your destination faster than if you take
the car into Surfers Paradise. Check out the casino whilst you are
there - the restaurants, shops and entertainment are subsidized by the
casino activities and are first class. If you have any foreign currency
you want to exchange, the casino usually has the best exchange rates.
Traveling
by car has the advantage of being able to stop where ever or when ever
you want. Also it enables you to travel routes that are not
part of tour programs.
You
can hire cars with
drivers or self drive. When hiring a car in summer make sure that it
has an air conditioner. A normal drive car is adequate for the Gold
Coast, you do not need a 4 wheel drive unless you intend to travel into
the outback from the Gold Coast, or further than Cairns in
the
North.
Oodles is a
tool that allows you to compare rates from rental car companies from
across Australia including Avis, Thrifty, Hertz, Europcar and Budget.
If you've got frequent flyer cards with Virgin or Qantas they'll also
give you rewards.