Located on the southern border of the state of Queensland on Australia’s beautiful Pacific coastline, Palm Meadows is a handsome golf-centric resort center located just east of the city of Gold Coast, a bustling city well worth exploring for any Royal Holiday member looking to enjoy the best that the outback has to offer. A surfing capital and an increasingly important cultural center in Australia, the Gold Coast has risen to become Australia’s sixth largest city based on its incredible climate and gorgeous beaches. Continued development has led to it become the fastest-growing city in the country. Royal Holiday travelers will find this treasure Down Under to be the perfect place for any kind of vacation, ranging from relaxing bushwalks through the hinterlands and calming days at the beach to exhilarating nightlife and thrilling theme parks.
The Royal Holiday affiliate in Palm Meadows, the Mercure Gold Coast Resort, sits right within the excellent Palm Meadows Golf Course, a par 72 championship course with an infamous first hole and a top-rated 18th. Golfers will obviously find much to do, as the Golf Course at Carrara offers full access to its clubhouse and restaurant, but the Mercure Gold Coast Resort’s comfortable studio rooms will serve as an excellent home base for all kinds of Gold Coast fun. With a massive roster of daily activities and a top-notch Wellbeing Centre that specializes in message therapy and aromatherapy, it’s the perfect destination for the Royal Holiday member that wants to relax in luxury.
While Europeans first discovered the region that became the Gold Coast in 1770, it remained inhabited mainly by Australia’s native people until 1823. The ample supply of red cedar led to the growth of industry in the area throughout the mid 1800s, and by 1875, the area had already gained a reputation as an excellent vacation spot. Today, beaches like North Burleigh and Currumbin Beach draw big crowds every year, and Royal Holiday members with children will be happy to note that Surf Life Saving Clubs make the beaches especially safe for younger swimmers. With its wide variety of beaches, all with their own flavor, one will want to make time to explore all their unique benefits. As a major surfing destination, it’s an excellent place to learn how to ride the waves, as numerous surf schools make the Gold Coast their home.
Naturally, the Gold Coast has far more to offer than just a gorgeous coastline. As Australia’s biggest tourist destination, it offers a wide variety of theme parks, ranging from the freshwater fun of WhiteWater World to the exciting coasters and rides at Dreamworld. Royal Holiday members looking to experience Australia’s exceptional natural beauty will likely want to take a trip out to one of the fine national parks in the region; Lamington National Park and Springbrook National Park both offer incredible hikes and stunning views. Shoppers and gourmands will find many malls and fine restaurants to sample, respectively, while those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the Gold Coast’s explosive expansion may opt for a trip out of town, the best of which can be found by taking a trip on The Sunlander train, which offers a trip up the Queensland coast.