BURLEIGH HEADS — Travl Nation

Burleigh Heads is a little like the joy that was Surfers Paradise in the 60s and 70s where, as a little girl, sun drenched days were spent on the long stretch of sandy beach in crocheted bikinis (with our names on the bum of course) and real milkshakes from the Coconut Bar

Burleigh has a similar energy to back then when the days were long, relaxed and carefree

Add to this the burgeoning restaurant, bar and cafe scene and Burleigh is the perfect balance of old school charm and contemporary cool

TIPS

Visit anytime but the Winter months are on the cooler side so if you are keen for hot, long, lazy days on the beach then avoid Winter

I feel the charm slipping away fast as new development steps in - fancy hotels and high rise residential developments are under construction. I know they call this progress but give me sleepy, surfy Burleigh as is! So my tip is go sooner rather than later

DO

SURF

Hire a board and give it a go! Such a beautiful place to learn and most of the time a gentle break

SAND

Head to the beach for long, sunny days soaking up the sun and swimming in crystal clear surf

WALK

Start each morning with a walk / run as far as you can North toward Surfer Paradise spotting the original 60s apartment blocks and passing through Miami, Mermaid Beach and Surfers Paradise

Spot the classic Americana signage, modernist architecture and even the odd beach-front surf shack complete with surfboards and beach towels flung over the balcony - holding on for dear life as high rise developments loom ever closer

EXPLORE

Take the coastal walk up and around the Burleigh Headland and into the Burleigh Heads National Park; a wild and natural headland full to the brim with Pandanas Palms and coastal flora and fauna

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Commune Cafe | The Healthy Green Bowl at Commune Cafe

Rick Shores | The now famous Rick’s Moreton Bay Bug Roll

Burleigh Pavilion Entry | Burleigh Pavilion Deck

Tarte | Tarte Coffee Window

Images of Commune Cafe and Rick Shores by Kara Rosenlund

EAT

BREAKFAST

Commune Cafe: absolutely delicious

Tarte: a little bit of Paris in Burleigh; fantastic coffee and delicious croissants and pastries

Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club: the best egg and bacon rolls and surprisingly good coffee as well

Nook Espresso: a great little hole in the wall below The Pavilion - perfect spot to grab a coffee before or after the headland walk

Oak Berry: acai bowl heaven

LUNCH

Burleigh SLSC: Chocolate Milkshake (with a pump of extra chocolate of course) and a Cheese Toastie was my lunch of choice from the Burleigh SLSC

Finn Poke: if you are a Poke Bowl addict like my girls then Finn Poke is the pick

The Fruit Shop Burleigh: really great freshly squeezed juices

DINNER

Rick Shores: a Burleigh icon and a must do dining experience! Must have the now famous Moreton Bay Bug Rolls. It is essential to dine here in daylight to fully appreciate the views and the waves almost breaking at your table

Make a reservation and book well ahead if you want to dine inside. I would also request a table at the front for an almost dining in the surf experience

Otherwise wing it and arrive early (12pm for lunch or 6pm for dinner) and sit outside which is equally beautiful

The Tropic at Burleigh Pavilion: incredible Snapper

Jimmy Wah’s: beautiful modern Vietnamese

WE DIDN’T DINE HERE BUT HEARD IT’S GREAT

Justin Lane: great for pizza and drinks up on the super cool rooftop

Labart: an amazing addition to the local dining scene

Crew Burleigh: this cafe from the crew behind Melbourne’s Inglewood Coffee Roasters

Iku: the fun of dining at Iku begins before you even arrive; guests need to find the unmarked entrance to this Japanese yakitori restaurant - apparently well worth the effort

Top Rows: Bon Sol Glamour | Photography: Courtesy of Bon Sol

Bottom Row: Hillhaven, the building of my dreams | Views from Balcony of Unit 33 | Photography: Courtesy of Hillhaven Holiday Apartments

STAY

Bon Sol: For those familiar with the Anna Spiro designed Halcyon House, you will feel right at home at this perfect little apartment also designed by this influential designer

On the more expensive side but very cool and lots of options to enhance your stay including a beach club service and a personally prepared drinks trolley on request

But be prepared on arrival for the brown brick facade and underwhelming architecture of this 6 unit block. Whilst charming in a 60s sort of way, my family thought we had arrived at the wrong address. A lesson in ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’

Hillhaven Holiday Apartments: this quirky, gorgeous 60s apartment block is positioned on the eastern-most point of the Burleigh headland

I stumbled across Hillhaven as I was heading toward the National Park. As I gazed up toward the crumbling grandeur of this iconic 60s building I lamented on those glory days and imagined once again feeling the nostalgic vibes of staying somewhere so reminiscent of my childhood

I immediately fell in love with this building and all its quirks and decided I had to stay there if only for the way it made me feel and the memories it evoked

After visiting Jeff the on site manager - an experience in itself as he sat behind a counter unchanged since the building was built and surrounded by a myriad of tourist brochures seemingly from another time and place - I had the keys to Unit 33 - yes Unit 33 - the beach side top floor penthouse

With views that hit you like a punch in the face, and renowned as the best on the Gold Coast, and a balcony perched high over the headland on top of the hill, I was giddy with joy and felt like the luckiest person alive to have stumbled across such a gem……….this spot was magic

Do be prepared, however, for the relatively vanilla interiors, 2 bedrooms on the small size although the Master Bedroom had better views than anywhere I have ever stayed, 1 small bathroom, no air conditioning, pretty bad water pressure and the crumbling (lets call it ageing gracefully) facade - but I didn’t care one bit

I had my fill of nostalgia and I could not have been happier

Approximately $300 / night was an added bonus