A wet day on the southern Gold Coast is no reason to write off the holiday. From Isle of Palms in Elanora there are five easy indoor stops within about fifteen minutes: our own games room, SuperBee Honeyworld, Surf World, The Pines and Miami Marketta. Here is the dry run, from a slow morning to dinner.
Where do you start a rainy morning without leaving the resort?
Distance: at your door. Directions: the games room sits within the resort grounds; your townhouse is your first indoor space. Hours: games room open through the day for guests.
A rainy morning is what the self-contained townhouses are built for. Two levels, a full kitchen and a lounge with the LCD television mean nobody is trapped in one room, and a slow breakfast in your own space is a fine way to let a shower pass. When the kids need moving, the games room has arcade machines and a pool table under cover. It suits every age, prams roll on the flat paths between the units, and it is all included. Budget a whole slow morning here, then time your first outing for the gap between showers.
Is SuperBee Honeyworld a good rainy-day stop?
Distance: about 7 minutes’ drive south. Directions: head out to Guineas Creek Road, cross to Currumbin and turn up Tomewin Street near the Wildlife Sanctuary. Hours: open 10am to 4pm daily, closed Christmas Day and Anzac Day.
SuperBee Honeyworld at 35 Tomewin Street is entirely indoors, so the weather stays at the door. The store is free to walk into and the honey tastings are free too, so you can sample the raw, creamed and infused jars without paying a cent. The one paid extra is the 30-minute live bee show, which runs on the hour and lets kids watch a working glass hive up close. It suits all ages, the floor is flat and pram friendly, and half an hour indoors is exactly what a grey morning wants. Line your visit up with a show time on the hour.
Can you visit a surf museum near Currumbin?
Distance: about 7 minutes’ drive south. Directions: same address as Honeyworld, upstairs on the first floor at 35 Tomewin Street; park free in the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary car park. Hours: open daily 10am to 5pm, closed Anzac Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Surf World Gold Coast sits directly above SuperBee, which makes the two an easy pair on a wet day. It is Queensland’s only surfing museum and holds one of the country’s largest board collections, dating back to 1915, alongside surf films, photography and oral histories. Entry is a modest paid ticket, $10 for adults, $5 for a child or concession, and $20 for a family. It suits school-age kids and up, the floor is level, and an hour indoors here easily follows the bee show downstairs. Rainy weekdays are quietest, so you can take your time.
Where is the easiest indoor shopping near Elanora?
Distance: about 2 minutes’ drive, or a walk. Directions: The Pines Elanora sits directly outside the resort on Guineas Creek Road. Hours: trading hours daily, with the food court and cinemas keeping longer hours.
The Pines Elanora is the closest thing to a covered village on the southern Gold Coast, with 97 stores under one roof including Kmart, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, plus a food court for a dry lunch. There is free Wi-Fi and 1,600 undercover car spaces, so you can park, shop and eat without a raincoat. It suits every age, the whole centre is flat and pram friendly, and a browse plus lunch fills a soggy middle of the day. Guests often stock the townhouse kitchen here on the way back for an easy dinner in.
Where can you eat undercover on a wet evening?
Distance: about 13 minutes’ drive north. Directions: take the Gold Coast Highway north to Miami, then Hillcrest Parade. Hours: Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm, entry free, no booking needed.
Miami Marketta is the original Gold Coast street-food night market, and although it feels open and airy the laneway is undercover, so a shower will not spoil it. Global food stalls line the space, from dumplings to tacos to wood-fired pizza, with free live music and boutique bars threaded through. It suits families early and couples later, the ground is flat for prams, and you pay only for what you eat. Arrive before 6pm on a Friday or Saturday for a table without hovering, then let everyone graze their own way through dinner.
FAQs: rainy days near Elanora
What is there to do on a rainy day near Elanora?
Plenty stays dry. From Isle of Palms you can play the resort games room, watch the hourly bee show at SuperBee Honeyworld, wander Surf World’s surf museum, shop The Pines under one roof, and eat your way through Miami Marketta undercover. It is an easy indoor arc from morning coffee to dinner without getting properly wet.
Is SuperBee Honeyworld undercover?
Yes. The whole SuperBee Honeyworld experience is indoors, so the weather stays outside. The store and honey tastings are free to enjoy, and the 30-minute live bee show runs on the hour as the one paid extra. It is a warm, sweet-smelling half hour that suits a grey morning perfectly, and it sits at the same address as Surf World.
Is Miami Marketta undercover if it rains?
Yes. Miami Marketta feels open and airy but the laneway is undercover, so rain will not stop the evening. It runs Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm, entry is free and no booking is needed. Arrive before 6pm on a Friday or Saturday if you want a table without hovering, then work your way along the global street-food stalls.
What is the closest shopping centre to Isle of Palms?
The Pines Elanora is right outside the resort, a two-minute drive or a walk away. It has 97 stores under one roof, including Kmart, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, plus a food court, free Wi-Fi and 1,600 undercover car spaces. It is the easiest dry option when a shower rolls in and you want everyone occupied.
A wet day is really just a slower day here, and with the games room, the townhouse kitchen and a handful of covered stops close by, nobody is stuck watching the rain. When you are ready to book a lakeside base with room to spread out, explore our resort facilities and check availability and book direct.
Image credit: Miami Marketta
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