After a particularly long winter (or what has felt like one), I was itching for a weekend of sunshine.
So a trip to Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast with my sister — lucky her — was exactly what I needed.
It's been forever since my sister and I have been on a girls' trip, and Queensland was the perfect destination for a long-awaited getaway.
Sure, you've probably been to the Gold Coast a few times growing up and checked out the tourist hotspots like Surfers Paradise and the theme parks, but Kirra Beach felt like a little oasis on a tropical island right on our doorstep.
So here are my top recommendations. Take this as your sign to book a girls' trip away — immediately.
Where to stay.
My highest recommendation? You must stay at the Kirra Point Holiday Apartments (my new Roman Empire).
Recently built, these apartments are the perfect place for you and your besties to stay and live like very luxe locals with incredible views of the ocean.
It's right on the beach and only a six-minute drive from the airport — talk about convenient. We stayed in a chic two-bedroom apartment that had it all — a kitchen, living room, two bathrooms, a small laundry and even an outdoor space. It was everything we needed and more.
If you're travelling with a larger or smaller group, there are other configurations available, each designed to look like a Hamptons dream.
The building also has a heated pool with picturesque beach views, barbeque area, bikes for hire and a gym (although there was no 'gymming' on my long weekend… sadly).
There was hardly any reason to leave this slice of heaven, but alas, we did.
Where to eat.
Siblings Kirra
Straight from the airport, we RAN to Siblings Kirra. There was nothing understated about this place — right on the beach (no, literally...) the food and drink menu was divine, not to mention the stunning interiors.
Highly suggest the Byron Bay burrata, tempura oysters and Baja fish tacos. Yum.
Franc Jrs
For a casual dinner, I recommend Franc Jrs in Coolangatta (a quick five-minute Uber from the accommodation). The pizza here was on another level, and the retro vibes were high. You can't go wrong with anything, but hot honey is my new thing — so I suggest looking for the 'Beesting' on the menu.
Pip's Restaurant
For something a bit more upmarket with the girls, Pipi's Restaurant must be on your hit list. It's a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that sits atop Point Danger (stunning lookout). The fremantle octopus carpaccio here was lovely, highly recommend.
Billy Chow
Billy Chow was just a few streets away from the accommodation, and wow. The margaritas were my favourite. We did the on the menu, which was delish — the standout was definitely the beef short rib curry with rice and leafy greens. The meat was so tender it practically melted in our mouths.
The accompanying dishes complemented the main perfectly, making the whole meal an absolute treat and not overwhelming at all (which I find tends to be the case with most banquets). It's definitely a spot worth visiting!
Honourable mentions also include:
Kirra Beach House for lunch or dinner.
Board Short Barista for brekkie.
Awaken Café for brekkie.
MADE Kirra for coffee.
Things to do.
Go for a walk along Ocean Way.
A 38-minute walk (according to Google) but we did it faster, this is the perfect opportunity for sightseeing and, if it's the right time of year, whale watching. The trail takes you all the way up to Point Danger where you can stop at the Black Dingo Café, which is right on the cliff, for some brekkie.
You'll spend the entire time soaking up the view — I promise, this is the one bit of exercise you won't regret.
Book a surfing lesson.
Okay, when I suggest this, just know that my sister and I are moderately fit (we enjoy a pilates session or two), but we're far from pros when it comes to surfing. In fact, I'd call us beginners with decent balance.
That said, booking a surfing lesson is easily one of the most fun experiences you'll have, and Go Ride a Wave Coolangatta is the go-to for making it happen. Shout out to Cal, our instructor, who made the whole thing so much fun (and, for the record, got us standing on our second — or third — wave). We also saw a pod of whales — so the whole outing was extremely wholesome. I can't recommend this enough.
Visit a bathhouse.
You might assume that being from Sydney, we'd be bathhouse experts, but funnily enough, I'd never been to one… until now. It turns out the Gold Coast has long embraced this wellness trend, making it a must-do experience.
We signed up for a 90-minute session at Native State. It was a whole experience, featuring infrared saunas, steam rooms, a traditional cedar sauna, a cold plunge, a meditation lounge and a heated vitality pool.
We left the session completely relaxed, which is exactly the state of mind you want leaving a girls weekend.
This writer travelled as a guest of Destination Gold Coast. All opinions expressed are their own.
Feature Image: Supplied.