Beach morning
The Spit at Labrador is the main off-leash sand; Palm Beach's dog zone is the locals' quiet stretch.
The Spit Dog BeachDestination
Dog-friendly Gold Coast
Gold Coast dog life runs from the surf beaches to the hinterland: off-leash sand at Palm Beach and Currumbin, the creek swimming holes of the hinterland, and cafe strips in every suburb that keep water bowls by the tables.
QLD·1 hour from Brisbane·Best Apr-Oct (dry, cooler); summer is beach season with early morning walks
Beaches · 5
All 5 beaches in Gold Coast
beach The Spit Dog Beach
Dog-friendly beach in Labrador, QLD — off-leash area
Labrador, QLD 4.7 (1,003)
beach Dogs welcomePalm Beach Dog Off-Leash Beach
Dog-friendly beach in Palm Beach, QLD — off-leash area
Palm Beach, QLD 4.7 (881)
beach Dogs welcomeTallebudgera Offleash Dog Beach - No Fence
Dog-friendly beach in Palm Beach, QLD — off-leash area
Palm Beach, QLD 4.7 (403)
beach Dogs welcomeParadise Point Foreshore Dog Off Leash Area
Dog-friendly beach in Paradise Point, QLD — off-leash area
Paradise Point, QLD 4.5 (6)
Paradise Point Dog beach
Dog-friendly beach in Paradise Point, QLD — off-leash area
Paradise Point, QLD 5.0 (1)
Parks · 56
All 56 parks in Gold Coast
park Dogs welcomeCabana Offleash Dog Area
Dog-friendly off-leash park in Benowa, QLD
Benowa, QLD 4.8 (331)
park Musgrave Offleash Agility Dog Park
Dog-friendly off-leash park in Labrador, QLD
Labrador, QLD 4.8 (194)
Pizzey Offleash Dog Area
Dog-friendly off-leash park in Mermaid Waters, QLD
Mermaid Waters, QLD 4.7 (167)
park Dogs welcomeTallebudgera Island Dog Off Leash Area
Dog-friendly off-leash park in Elanora, QLD
Elanora, QLD 4.7 (147)
Pizzey Park Fenced Dog Park
Dog-friendly fenced park in Mermaid Waters, QLD
Mermaid Waters, QLD 4.7 (92)
Musgrave Park Dog Off Leash Area
Dog-friendly off-leash park in Southport, QLD
Southport, QLD 4.7 (91)
park Dogs welcomeAlbert Park
Broadbeach Waters, QLD 4.6 (361)
Scenic Park Fenced Dog Park
Dog-friendly fenced park in Benowa, QLD
Benowa, QLD 4.6 (144)
park Dogs welcomeDamian Leeding Memorial Park Fenced Dog Park
Dog-friendly fenced park in Oxenford, QLD
Oxenford, QLD 4.6 (135)
Davenport Park
Bonogin, QLD 4.8 (21)
park Dogs welcomeFrascott Park Fenced Dog Park
Dog-friendly fenced park in Varsity Lakes, QLD
Varsity Lakes, QLD 4.5 (354)
park Dogs welcomeReedy Creek Fenced Dog Park
Dog-friendly fenced park in Reedy Creek, QLD
Reedy Creek, QLD 4.5 (127)
Trails · 39
All 39 trails in Gold CoastLabrador Foreshore
Labrador, QLD 4.8 (165)
Emerald Lakes Circuit
6.1 km, easy walk
Carrara, QLD 4.6 (368)
Point Danger Lookout to Currumbin Alley
19 km, easy walk
Coolangatta, QLD 4.6 (324)
Tallowwood Lake Walk
Upper Coomera, QLD 4.6 (288)
Oxenford Lake
4 km, easy walk
Upper Coomera, QLD 4.5 (353)
Jabiru Island Park
Paradise Point, QLD 4.6 (44)
trail Dogs welcomeWillow Vale Recreational Trail
Willow Vale, QLD 4.5 (44)
Lake Orr
Varsity Lakes, QLD 4.6 (19)
The Spit via Federation Trail
8.2 km, easy walk
Main Beach, QLD 4.4 (342)
Burleigh Esplanade
4.3 km, easy walk
Miami, QLD 4.4 (178)
Norfolk Park
Ormeau, QLD 4.6 (16)
trail Dogs welcomeEvandale Parklands
Surfers Paradise, QLD 4.7 (9)
Cafes · 178
All 178 cafes in Gold Coast
cafe Dogs welcomeRealty & Beans Cafe
Upper Coomera, QLD 5.0 (107)
cafe Dogs welcomeJ's Brunchette
Mermaid Beach, QLD 4.9 (220)
cafe Dogs welcomeLeisas Cafe
Southport, QLD 5.0 (81)
cafe Dogs welcomeSpresso
Oxenford, QLD 4.9 (208)
cafe Dogs welcomeVegepatch Studios
Palm Beach, QLD 4.9 (144)
cafe Dogs welcomePurrfect Catch Cafe
Hope Island, QLD 5.0 (66)
cafe Dogs welcomeUE Bagels - Varsity Lakes
Varsity Lakes, QLD 4.9 (141)
cafe Dogs welcomeLlamas to the Sky - Burleigh
Burleigh Heads, QLD 4.9 (115)
cafe Dogs welcomeCaramel Cafe
Helensvale, QLD 4.9 (107)
cafe Dogs welcomeIron and Resin Garage
Currumbin Waters, QLD 4.8 (969)
cafe Dogs welcomeThe Fresh Pantry
Oxenford, QLD 4.8 (610)
cafe Dogs welcomeHazel Espresso
Southport, QLD 4.8 (544)
Pubs · 5
All 5 pubs in Gold CoastRestaurants · 44
All 44 restaurants in Gold Coast
restaurant Dogs welcomeBridges MD - Belgian dining
Currumbin, QLD 5.0 (225)
restaurant Dogs welcomeIzakaya Midori
Reedy Creek, QLD 4.9 (912)
restaurant Dogs welcomeJoan’s Kitchen
Southport, QLD 4.9 (189)
restaurant Dogs welcomeRasa Italian Kitchen and Bar
Surfers Paradise, QLD 4.8 (486)
restaurant Dogs welcomeBite Me Gourmet
Robina, QLD 4.9 (85)
restaurant Dogs welcomeThe Brooklyn Wine + Tapas
Varsity Lakes, QLD 4.8 (308)
restaurant Dogs welcomeBurleigh Bites & Açaí
Burleigh Heads, QLD 5.0 (35)
restaurant Dogs welcomeKasbah Moroccan Flavour
Ashmore, QLD 5.0 (34)
restaurant Dogs welcomeLa Jordania Restaurant And Shisha Lounge
Surfers Paradise, QLD 4.7 (3,406)
restaurant Dogs welcomeHot Shott
Main Beach, QLD 4.7 (1,726)
restaurant Dogs welcomeLe Jardin Cafe Restaurant
Main Beach, QLD 4.7 (1,219)
restaurant Dogs welcomeDen Devine Restaurant & Music Lounge
Broadbeach, QLD 4.7 (659)
Stays · 25
All 25 stays in Gold Coast
stay Dogs welcomeBIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park
Helensvale, QLD 4.7 (6,739)
stay Dogs welcomeqtQT Cabins
Surfers Paradise, QLD 4.9 (36)
stay Dogs welcomeHamptons Hinterland Retreat
Worongary, QLD 4.9 (25)
stay Dogs welcomeQuest Robina
Robina, QLD 4.6 (397)
stay Dogs welcomeCoastal Runaway
Runaway Bay, QLD 4.9 (17)
stay Dogs welcomeNRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort, Gold Coast
Biggera Waters, QLD 4.5 (1,882)
stay Dogs welcomeRidge Campaway
Bonogin, QLD 4.6 (54)
stay Dogs welcomeJadran Motel & El Jays Holiday Lodge
Labrador, QLD 4.5 (302)
stay Dogs welcomeGarasu Lodge
Mudgeeraba, QLD 4.7 (22)
stay Dogs welcomeBurleigh Break Apartments
Burleigh Heads, QLD 4.5 (76)
stay Dogs welcomeThe Langham Gold Coast
Surfers Paradise, QLD 4.4 (1,352)
stay Dogs welcomeKirra Beach Tourist Park
Coolangatta, QLD 4.4 (874)
Suburbs & towns in Gold Coast · 53
- Southport· 19
- Labrador· 17
- Coolangatta· 16
- Upper Coomera· 16
- Burleigh Heads· 15
- Palm Beach· 14
- Surfers Paradise· 14
- Robina· 13
- Helensvale· 12
- Paradise Point· 12
- Miami· 10
- Mudgeeraba· 10
- Pimpama· 10
- Ormeau· 9
- Oxenford· 9
- Varsity Lakes· 9
- Currumbin Waters· 8
- Hope Island· 8
- Mermaid Beach· 8
- Biggera Waters· 7
- Burleigh Waters· 7
- Carrara· 7
- Currumbin· 7
- Jacobs Well· 7
- Nerang· 7
- Coomera· 6
- Mermaid Waters· 6
- Broadbeach· 5
- Main Beach· 5
- Runaway Bay· 5
- Arundel· 4
- Ashmore· 4
- Benowa· 4
- Worongary· 4
- Bonogin· 3
- Broadbeach Waters· 3
- Coombabah· 3
- Ormeau Hills· 3
- Reedy Creek· 3
- Tugun· 3
- Bilinga· 2
- Bundall· 2
- Cedar Creek· 2
- Clear Island Waters· 2
- Elanora· 2
- Lower Beechmont· 2
- Mount Nathan· 2
- Highland Park
- Maudsland
- Molendinar
- Steiglitz
- Willow Vale
- Yatala
Surf city that keeps the bowl out
Gold Coast dog life runs beach-first.
The Spit's off-leash sand at Labrador, Palm Beach's dog zone at the quiet end, canal-side cafe strips everywhere, and the hinterland creek swims 40 minutes inland.
A Gold Coast day, dog included
Beach, bakery, canal loop.
Bakery brunch
Paddock Bakery in Burleigh is the institution - queue for the pastries, dogs hold the courtyard.
Paddock BakeryPark finish
Frascott Park's fenced run covers the afternoon; Albert Park does the calm canal-side lap.
Frascott Park Fenced Dog ParSniff-tested picks
Beaches + the bakeries after
Salt, pastries, fetch - the Gold Coast order.
beach The Spit Dog Beach
Dog-friendly beach in Labrador, QLD — off-leash area
Labrador, QLD 4.7 (1,003)
beach Dogs welcomePalm Beach Dog Off-Leash Beach
Dog-friendly beach in Palm Beach, QLD — off-leash area
Palm Beach, QLD 4.7 (881)
beach Dogs welcomeTallebudgera Offleash Dog Beach - No Fence
Dog-friendly beach in Palm Beach, QLD — off-leash area
Palm Beach, QLD 4.7 (403)
cafe Dogs welcomePaddock Bakery
Burleigh Heads, QLD 4.5 (4,058)
cafe Dogs welcomeCastaway Coffee Bar
Surfers Paradise, QLD 4.4 (1,998)
park Dogs welcomeAlbert Park
Broadbeach Waters, QLD 4.6 (361)
Dogs on the Gold Coast, the short version
Which Gold Coast beaches are off-leash?
The Spit Dog Beach at Labrador and Palm Beach's off-leash zone are the two designated stretches. Tallebudgera allows dogs on-lead in the southern section.
Is Surfers Paradise dog-friendly?
The beach strip itself is on-lead, but the canal suburbs around it (Broadbeach Waters, Surfers' backstreets) are where the dog-friendly cafes cluster.
What about the hinterland?
Springbrook and Currumbin Valley creeks are 40 minutes inland - on-lead trails mostly, but the swimming holes are worth it in summer.
Out and about?
Find off-leash areas near you
The off-leash tool locates dog areas near your current spot.