One of the best things about staying in Burleigh Heads has always been how much you can do without going very far.
Beach across the road? Easy.
Morning coffee, breakfast or dinner around Burleigh? No problem.
A walk around Burleigh Head National Park, an afternoon beside the pool or a wander through the local shops? You can pretty much leave the car where it is.
But now there’s another pretty handy reason to make Burleigh your base for a Gold Coast holiday.
The G:link tram has arrived in Burleigh Heads. 🚊
And it turns out people aren’t just trying it once for the novelty.
Following the opening of the Burleigh extension on 9 August 2026, the G:link recorded around 1.65 million passenger trips during August — up 28.7% compared with August 2025.
Staying in Burleigh Heads accommodation near the tram makes exploring more of the Gold Coast incredibly easy.
Why Burleigh Heads is a Great Base for Exploring the Gold Coast
Maybe there is some biased here, but Burleigh is a pretty good place to come back to at the end of the day.
Staying at Burleigh Esplanade Apartments puts you directly opposite Burleigh Beach, with cafés, restaurants, shops and plenty of things to do around Burleigh within easy reach.
And now you can add the G:link to that list.
The Stage 3 extension added 6.7 kilometres of track and eight new stations, taking the tram through Mermaid Beach, Nobby Beach and Miami before reaching Burleigh Heads.
That opens up a pretty simple way to see more of the coast without spending half your holiday looking for somewhere to park.
Jump aboard and you can head north through Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Southport, with the complete G:link network now running between Burleigh Heads and Helensvale.
So you can make Burleigh your home base and still explore plenty of the Gold Coast.
Did we mention it costs just 50 cents?
This might be our favourite part.
A journey on the Queensland Translink network currently costs just 50 cents, regardless of how far you travel.
That includes the G:link tram.
You can tap on and off using a go card, eligible contactless credit or debit card or other supported payment options. Just remember to tap on before boarding and tap off when you arrive.
On a Gold Coast holiday, where little expenses can add up pretty quickly, that’s pretty hard to argue with.
It also means you don’t necessarily need to take the car every time you want to head somewhere beyond Burleigh.
No hunting for a car park, no parking fees, no worrying about who’s driving home. Just tap on and go.
For the latest fares, timetables and journey planning, check the official Translink 50-cent fares information or the G:link website before traveling.
Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise Made Easy
Fancy getting out of Burleigh for a few hours?
Broadbeach has suddenly become even easier.
You could head up for breakfast or lunch, wander around the Broadbeach precinct, do some shopping, visit Pacific Fair or stay a little longer for dinner before jumping back on the tram.
That’s the beauty of it. You don’t have to plan an enormous day trip. Sometimes holidays are better when you can simply decide, “Let’s go and have a look.”
Keep going to Surfers Paradise
Of course, there’s one part of the Gold Coast plenty of visitors still want to experience at least once.
Surfers Paradise.
From Burleigh, you can stay on the tram and continue north into the heart of Surfers Paradise.
Have a wander along the beachfront, grab something to eat, visit an attraction, do a little shopping or simply experience a completely different side of the Gold Coast.
Then when you’ve had enough of the crowds and the bright lights, jump back on the G:link and head south again.
Back to Burleigh, back to the beach or maybe back to the pool and spa.
We know which end we’d rather finish the day at. 😉
You don’t have to leave Burleigh either
The funny thing about having better transport is that you don’t actually have to use it every day.
Some holiday days are made for exploring, others are made for doing absolutely nothing.
Burleigh itself still gives you plenty of reasons to stay local.
You can cross the road for a swim at Burleigh Beach, head down towards Burleigh Hill or take a walk through the rain forest and around the headland towards Tallebudgera Creek.
If you’ve never done it before, have a look at our guide to walking Burleigh Headland and Burleigh Heads National Park.
Or you might decide that today’s big adventure is moving between the pool, spa and your balcony.
We support that too.
Guests at Burleigh Esplanade can enjoy an outdoor heated swimming pool, two spas, saunas, a full-size tennis court, gym, games room and BBQ area. You can see more of what’s available on our Burleigh Esplanade resort facilities page.
A Gold Coast holiday with a little more freedom
For us, that’s really the best part of having the tram now reaching Burleigh Heads.
It’s not about turning your holiday into a public transport timetable, it’s about having another option.
Want to stay around Burleigh all day? Perfect.
Maybe spend the morning on the beach and head to Broadbeach in the afternoon? Easy.
Or explore Surfers Paradise before coming back to Burleigh for dinner. Go for it.Want to stay around Burleigh all day? Perfect.
And if you’re arriving without a car, the broader public transport network gives visitors even more ways to move around. The tram connects all the way to Helensvale, while updated southern Gold Coast bus services connect Burleigh with other areas including Robina and Gold Coast Airport services.
It’s another reason why choosing the right location can make such a difference to a Gold Coast holiday.
Make Burleigh your Gold Coast base
At the end of the day, we still think one of the nicest things about exploring the Gold Coast is coming back to Burleigh.
There are the restaurants, cafés and relaxed Burleigh atmosphere.
Burleigh Head National Park and Tallebudgera Creek are both close by.
And directly across the road? One of the Gold Coast’s best-known beaches.You get the restaurants, cafés and atmosphere.
And now you can jump on a tram and explore much more of the coast for just 50 cents a journey.
Not bad at all.
If you’re planning your next escape, take a look at our one and two-bedroom Burleigh Heads apartments or our larger three and four-bedroom accommodation options and make Burleigh Esplanade Apartments your base for your next Gold Coast adventure.
Stay by the beach.
Explore the Gold Coast.
Then come home to Burleigh. 🌊🌴🚊
