When the rain sets in, there are still plenty of rainy day things to do in Burleigh Heads. From Cashelmara, five indoor and undercover spots sit within about a twenty-minute drive of our front door: an art gallery, an undercover food market, a brewery taphouse, an indoor trampoline park and a day spa. Here is how each one works.
A wet day on the coast is not a write-off. It is a chance to slow down and see a different side of Burleigh, and every spot on this list keeps you dry from the car park to the door. We have set them out by what suits your group, with the walk or drive time measured from our beachfront front door at 170 The Esplanade.
Can HOTA fill a whole wet afternoon?
Yes, easily. HOTA, Home of the Arts is the Gold Coast’s cultural precinct at Bundall, about an eighteen-minute drive north from us up the Gold Coast Highway toward Surfers Paradise. The green pyramid-shaped gallery is open daily from 10am to 4pm, and entry to the Home Collection is free and self-guided. Feature exhibitions are ticketed, and two indoor cinemas screen everything from new releases to arthouse films. Parking is free in the on-site car park, a short dash from the entrance. Allow two to three hours, longer if you catch a film. It suits every age, with kids’ art activities on weekends.
Miami Marketta: undercover street food and live music
A closer option, and a favourite of guests staying with us, is Miami Marketta at 23 Hillcrest Parade, Miami. It is about a seven-minute drive north, just behind the Miami shops off the Gold Coast Highway. The whole venue is a converted warehouse laneway, fully undercover, with covered seating for around 1,200 people, so the rain stays outside. Stalls serve global street food, from dumplings to tacos, alongside boutique bars and free live music most nights. It runs Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm. Parking is on the surrounding streets, so bring an umbrella for the short walk. Meals run roughly twelve to twenty dollars a plate. Families are welcome early, and it livens up later.
Burleigh Brewing Co Taphouse: a big indoor beer hall
For the grown-ups, Burleigh Brewing Co runs a large taphouse at 2 Ern Harley Drive in the West Burleigh light-industrial pocket, about a ten-minute drive inland across the highway and the motorway. There are fifteen beers on tap, a big covered indoor space, food and live music on weekends. Opening hours are Friday 3pm to 9pm, Saturday midday to 9pm and Sunday midday to 6pm. Parking is on-site in the car park out front. Pints run around twelve to fourteen dollars, and you can happily settle in for a couple of hours. It is relaxed enough for a quiet afternoon and lively enough for a session with friends.
Is BOUNCE Inc a good rainy day plan with kids?
Absolutely, and it is one guests keep mentioning when they travel with children. BOUNCE at 5 Sunlight Drive, Burleigh Waters is a fully indoor, air-conditioned action park about an eight-minute drive inland from us. Wall-to-wall trampolines, foam pits, dodgeball and an X-Park obstacle course keep older kids busy, while the miniBOUNCE zone is set aside for little ones from walking age. It is open Monday to Thursday 8am to 7pm, Friday until 9pm, Saturday 8am to 7pm and Sunday 9am to 5pm. Parking is on-site. Grip socks are required and sessions run by the hour, so book ahead on wet days. For more family ideas, see our family days guide.
Earth & Skin: a quiet spa for a wet-weather reset
If the rain has you craving something slower, Earth & Skin is an organic day spa at 2 Regency Place, Mudgeeraba, about a thirteen-minute drive west through Reedy Creek toward the village. The whole experience is indoors, with massages, organic facials and LED treatments in a calm, toxin-free space. Treatments run from thirty to a hundred and five minutes, with massages starting around a hundred dollars. Opening hours are Monday to Wednesday 10am to 5pm, Thursday to 8pm by appointment, and Friday and Saturday 10am to 5pm, closed Sunday. Parking is right out front. Book ahead, as a rainy day is exactly when the appointment book fills. It suits couples and anyone after a peaceful few hours.
Rainy day FAQs
What is there to do in Burleigh Heads when it rains?
Plenty. Within about twenty minutes of Cashelmara you can visit HOTA gallery and cinemas at Bundall, eat under cover at Miami Marketta, settle into the Burleigh Brewing taphouse, let the kids loose at BOUNCE in Burleigh Waters, or book a treatment at Earth & Skin day spa.
Is HOTA Gallery free to visit?
Yes. Entry to the Home Collection at HOTA is free and self-guided, open daily from 10am to 4pm. Some feature exhibitions are ticketed, and the two indoor cinemas charge per session, so it is worth checking hota.com.au before you drive up.
What can families do with kids near Burleigh on a rainy day?
BOUNCE in Burleigh Waters is fully indoor and air-conditioned, with a miniBOUNCE zone for little ones and an obstacle course for bigger kids. HOTA runs family art activities, and Miami Marketta welcomes families in the early evening before the crowd builds.
Is Miami Marketta undercover if it rains?
Yes. Miami Marketta is a fully undercover warehouse laneway with covered seating for around 1,200 people, so the weather stays outside. It runs Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm, with global street food stalls, boutique bars and free live music.
Do you need to book these rainy day spots in advance?
Miami Marketta and the Burleigh Brewing taphouse are walk-in. BOUNCE sessions and Earth & Skin spa treatments are best booked ahead, especially on wet weekends and during school holidays when indoor spots fill quickly. HOTA cinema sessions can be booked online.
Turning a grey day into a good one
A rainy stretch is one of the easiest times to see how much sits within a short drive of Burleigh, and any of these five keeps you comfortable while the weather does its thing. Pick the gallery for a slow afternoon, the market for dinner and music, or the trampoline park to wear the kids out. When you are ready to plan your stay, check availability and book direct with us, and browse the full things to do in Burleigh guide for more ideas, rain or shine.
Image credit: Miami Marketta, Miami
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