4–5 July 2026 · Southport, Gold Coast
Gold Coast Marathon 2026 accommodation
The start and finish is at Broadwater Parklands. We're directly across the road. Two-minute walk. No shuttle buses, no parking, no stress.
Why staying here makes sense
Most marathon runners stay on the Surfers Paradise strip, which is fine — except you're then dealing with a shuttle or a 4am Uber to Southport for bag drop. The race starts atBroadwater Parklands, Chirn Park side. We're directly across Marine Parade.
Walk out at 5:30am, cross the road, you're there. After the finish, walk back, shower, eat something from the kitchen, and lie horizontal. That's the whole plan.
The two apartments
Southport Haven — private room
- Private room in our apartment (we live here too)
- Pool, gym, parking available
- Best for solo runners or a runner + supporter
- Guest Favourite on Airbnb — also on Stayz, Booking.com
- View on Airbnb →
Aqualine 2BR — full apartment
- 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms — whole apartment to yourselves
- Ideal for running crew, family support group, or two runners
- Full kitchen (perfect for pre-race prep and post-race recovery meals)
- View details →
Race day logistics
The Gold Coast Marathon runs two main events over the weekend. Both start and finish at Broadwater Parklands:
- Saturday 5 July — Half Marathon, 10km, 5.7km charity walk, junior events
- Sunday 6 July — Full Marathon 42.2km, wheelchair marathon
Bag drop is at the finish precinct — roughly 150m from our building entrance. The course heads south on the Gold Coast Highway and loops back. The finish line is on Broadwater Parklands road, visible from the building.
What's within walking distance
- Broadwater Parklands — the race precinct, directly opposite
- Chirn Park — good cafés for a pre-race coffee (10 min walk)
- Southport CBD — pharmacy, supermarket (Woolworths 8 min walk)
- GCAC (Gold Coast Aquatic Centre) — 300m, if you need a warm-down swim
Book early
Marathon weekend is the highest-demand period of the year for Southport accommodation. OTAs and hotels in the area fill from December–January onwards. If you're reading this close to race day, check availability below — cancellations do come up.