One of the top family-oriented attractions on the Gold Coast, as a bit of historical trivia Sea World was originally founded in 1958 and known as Surfers Paradise Ski Garden, featuring water ski shows, before being rebranded as Sea World in 1972. While it's not the largest theme park in town, its variety of aquatic sights, shows and experiences is second to none, with more than a dozen rides playing a supplementary role, encouraging repeat visits from locals and visitors on longer stays. The park's inhabitants range from the tiny fairy penguins to polar bears and the largest manmade shark lagoon in the world, with dolphins and seals also amongst the most popular creatures. In addition to just watching the animals frolic, swim or lounge around in their well-maintained enclosures, there are a wide variety of regular shows where they perform, as well as even more Animal Adventures where participants can get up close and personal with their favourites.

When it comes to rides, the child-friendly Nickelodeon Land will likely be the highlight for most young ones, featuring a half dozen rides and international characters like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants. For those interested a some more highflying adventure, the park also operates its own helicopter service, with rides ranging from 5-minute trips above the park to 30-minute tours covering most of the Gold Coast. Prior to planning your trip you'll definitely want to spend a few hours or more exploring all there is to see and do on the official website, however, even if you opt for a three-day pass, it will be impossible to cover everything. Operated by Village Roadshow Theme Parks, which also owns Warner Bros Movie World, Wet 'n' Wild and Paradise Country, if you plan on visiting more than one of these the combo passes are a great deal.