Coolangatta

Situated at the southern end of Australia’s famous Gold Coast, Coolangatta has accommodations and attractions that are affordable for virtually every traveler, from the budget conscious backpackers to high rollers. This prosperous suburb has a shared economy with nearby Tweed Heads, and in some ways, with the rest of the coastal region as well. It repeatedly appears in popular culture worldwide, most recently as the setting for fictitious town in 1994’s Muriel's Wedding.

Until recently, Coolangatta played host to the annual Wintersun Festival, a two-week extravaganza celebrating the 1950s and 1960s with free entertainment and attractions each June. The festival included hot rods, restored and remodeled cars, and throwback, revival bands performing era-appropriate music. As of 2010, the festival committee agreed to allow the festival to roam (the fine print dictates that it can no longer be held in the same location for two years in a row), but keep an eye out for its incarnations in Coolangatta, its true home.

All that said, easily the most popular draw to the area is the accessibility to the town's beautiful beaches. While you’re soaking up the sun, be sure to check out the famous shopping centers, protected stretches of rain forest, Dreamworld Theme Park, Sea World, White Water World and the profusion of outfits that offer jet boat and helicopter tours to visitors looking to take in a whole lot of scenery in a short amount of time. There are also a number of all-terrain vehicles and bicycles available for rent for individuals and groups looking to set out on their own.