Movies come to life for adults and children alike at Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast. Movie themed rides like the Arkham Asylum looping coaster, Wild West Falls and the DC Rivals HyperCoaster which is a very popular ride and Australia’s tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster. It holds two annual events, Fright Nights during the month of Halloween and White Christmas during December. Since it’s part of the Village Roadshow Group, you can get some good deals on passes that allows access to Seaworld, Wet ‘n’ Wild, Australian Outback Spectacular and Paradise Country.

Dreamworld is one of the biggest and best theme parks on the Gold Coast and is usually a favourite with families for its plethora of rides and attractions that cater to all ages. It offers hectares of thrill rides, shows, water park fun and animal interactions all in one theme park. Tiger Island is especially popular where you can take a tour with a keeper and even have a 15-minute feeding experience. Take the ultimate plunge on the Giant Drop, the tallest free-fall ride in Australia or take a ride on the tallest inversion ride in the Southern Hemisphere, the Buzzsaw. Take full advantage of your Dreamworld ticket and head on over to Whitewater World for some more aquatic fun with slides, rides and swimming pools galore.

Seaworld is definitely the theme park for you if animal interaction is your jam. You can get up close and personal with all types of marine life from dolphins, penguins, seals, polar bears and even the odd shark. It’s not just about the marine mammals though, there are awesome rides like the Storm Coaster, Jet Rescue roller coaster and Battle Boats. Visit Polar Bear Shores to see Australia’s only Polar Bear exhibit, see the Dolphin Nursery Pool, or visit shark bay for the world’s largest man-made lagoon system for sharks.

Adjacent to Warner Bros. Movie World, one of the best water theme parks on the Gold Coast, Wet ‘n’ Wild offers a cool dip and wild water fun for when the temperatures are heating up. It’s three times bigger than any water park in Australia and has fun activities for just about every age. Race your friends on the Super 8 Aqua Racer, mellow out at Calypso Beach, take a dip in the giant wave pool, test your surfing skills on the FlowRider or try one of the many other awesome water slides like the Aqua Loop, Blackhole and Kamikaze.

Australian Outback Spectacular brings new meaning to dinner and a show, with its advanced technology and projection mapping used in their storytelling. The Australiana themed dinner and show package is a great way to spend an evening, especially for tourists to Australia. New productions are always in the works, so there’s always something new. You’ll get a delicious three-course meal including drinks throughout the show, plus live music at The Outback Bar as pre-show entertainment.

It’s not a theme park per se, but it is a lot of fun for the family and given it’s focus on animal conservation, is an important institution that does a great deal of good. If you do need a little thrill though, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary offers some pretty fun activities for the family. There is the TreeTop Challenge which consists of 11 ziplines and high ropes plus 80 different challenges to get the adrenaline pumping. Not only that, you can feed the lorikeets and kangaroos, hold a cute koala and take a tour of the wildlife hospital.

Located in the heart of beautiful Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, iFly is another way to get your thrills and kicks. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never skydived before, it’s safe and accessible to everyone. You can expect a basic orientation, flight gear including suit and helmet, and a guide by your side as you enter the wind tunnel. Prices start from as little as $73 for first time flyers or you can alternatively do a group booking and bring along your friends and family.