The Gold Coast is full of great spots to picnic all up and down the coast. You can pull up anywhere on the coast and find a great picnic spot, but where are the hidden gems that most people won’t know are there?
Read through my list of favourite picnic spots that my family and I love to eat and play at.
Burleigh Hill, Burleigh
With a great view of the popular surf beach at Burleigh Heads, Burleigh Hill is a great spot to have a family picnic with a million-dollar view. Bring your picnic with you and a blanket to sit on, or if you don’t have time to make your own picnic just grab some takeaway from some of the restaurants nearby (Burleigh Pavilion, Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC or just take a short walk to James St or Justin Lane and find a bakery, pizza shop or whatever there).
To keep the kids busy there are rock pools they can play in at low tide, there is a kids playground right there to keep the kids busy and there is also a callisthenics gym across the road which also provides a fun playground as well.
Historic Rivermill, Mount Nathan
Just a 30-minute drive from the Gold Coast is the Historic Rivermill.
I first heard about this place when our kids were invited here for a birthday party. It is a great place for this kids as there is plenty of space to run around and kick a ball, they can feed turtles and eels in the Coomera River, and there are donkey rides and alpacas to feed.
There is also a fantastic onsite restaurant if you don’t want to make up a picnic before you leave.
A must-do for any family looking for a day in the sun.
Directions to the Historic River Mill, Mt Nathan.
Entrance to Historic Rivermill 
Feed the turtles and eels 
The Coomera River 
Long-neck freshwater turtles waiting to be fed 
The running Coomera River 
Historic museum 
Onsite Cafe/restaurant 
Alpacas and deer waiting to be fed
Mountview Alpaca Farm/O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards, Canungra
Inbetween the Gold Coast and Lamington National Park is a great picnic spot at O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards.
There is more space than there will ever be people to fill it here, there is heaps of room to find your own space in the sun or shade of the trees and relax and enjoy your day.
One of the drawcards for this picnic spot is being able to walk the Alpacas on a lead. The cheapest rates of $25 for 15 minutes lets you (try to) lead your alpaca around the picnic grounds. If you want you can just buy a bag of feed and just hand feed the ones that aren’t walking around.
It is unfortunately discouraged to bring your own food as they want you to purchase food from O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyard. They do offer a good range of picnic and meal options that can be pre-brought from their website.
Directions to Mountview Alpaca Farm, Canungra.
Table with a view of the Canungra Creek 
Entrance to O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards
Alpacas Storm and Thor 
Huge space for park games to be played 
Mountview Alpaca Farm 
Walking the alpacas
Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens, Benowa
With lots of footpaths around the lake, a playground, and huge empty field and BBQ facilities, this is a great place to come to spend the day with the family. Bring your bikes, scooters and soccer and footballs.
There is also an onsite cafe if the parents need to get a proper barista coffee during the day.
Directions to Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens, Benowa.
Round Boat Hire, Main Beach
If you want to try something different you have a picnic in a round boat.
Don’t worry if you don’t have your skippers ticket, anyone is able to drive this boat after being trained on how to operate the motor. It can sit up to 10 people and the minimum hire of 2 hours costs more than $200.
You can bring your own food, drinks, ice and music for your great day out on the water.
Directions to Coasting Around Boat Hire, Main Beach.
Picnic At The Beach, Anywhere On The Gold Coast
And of course if driving inland to any of the previous picnic spot gems is too much hassle, you can always stay closer to the coast line and picnic anywhere near the beach.
Most parks that are along the Gold Coast beaches have BBQs and kids playgrounds, and of course easy access to the surf beach.