QLD Destination Recommendations for Old Asian Parents

wau2 on 21/01/2024 - 16:48

Hi there
So my parents are getting old, and they have always wanted to go QLD (due to warmer weather and its relatively close by - im in melbourne). We have ruled out overseas travel (my mum gets really sick on longer trips than 3 hrs), and because it might be a destination they may want to retire in, they want to go and check it out.

My parents are old asians, who tend to stick to asian food, dont go beach but like to walk around, scout, maybe go shops abit, dont drive much and just generally like warm weather.
I was thinking either Cairns or Gold Coast, initially brisbane too but its harder to get around without a car.

Can anyone recommend any destinations in QLD for the oldies?

P.S - I will be going and taking the kids as well, but mainly focused on oldies having a relaxing and enjoyable time.

Travel Queensland

Comments

  • altomic on 21/01/2024 - 17:22

    is budget a concern? or just looking for "reasonable" ?

    just north of Cairns is Palm Cove (25 km north of the airport) there are direct buses or you can easily rent a car at the airport.

    it's pretty chilled.

    semi shaded beach side walking paths.

    not much in the way of "shopping". except for "tourist shopping" - souvenirs, over priced swim wear, etc. but being 25km from cairns then that's an easy drive for random shopping.

    lots of various restaurants.

    it's a quieter tourist destination.

    there's a shark netted swim beach for the kids.

    have a look at google streetview to get an idea.

    last time I was there I got an appartment via airbnb.

    • lgacb08 on 22/01/2024 - 08:33

      Just go another half hour and stay in real touristy port Douglas

    • valuer on 23/01/2024 - 16:07

      there's a shark netted swim beach for the kids.

      There is no problem with sharks that far north.

      The crocs eat them. :-)

  • scrimshaw on 21/01/2024 - 17:26

    Went to Gold Coast last christmas with 2 oldies and some kids and had a pretty good time.

    If your parents like walking around / window shopping then I think Pacific Fair Shopping centre might be up their alley. It's the fifth largest shopping center in Australia and it would take you a good 2-3 days to fully explore the area.

    Other possible things to do that are "oldie" friendly might be the ArtVo art gallery, dinner cruises, and breakfast at the SkyPoint tower.
    For the kids there's Dreamworld and Aqua park plus a bunch of other magic shows, arcade centers and vr gaming.

  • Baghern on 21/01/2024 - 17:50
    +3

    Well if its an insurance job… Great Barrier reef… and a few hundies to the skipper to miscount

    Otherwise Cairns is cool for all the fruit they'll enojoy

    • Switchblade88 on 21/01/2024 - 17:53

      "A dingo stole my… baby's grandparents!"

  • payless69 on 21/01/2024 - 17:54
    +2

    If you hire a security guard then Cairns will let them return in one piece.
    The place has become pretty much racist and remains a tourist trap.
    Lotsa oldies on the Sunshine Coast.

  • Pumpkin_rrr on 21/01/2024 - 18:43
    +1

    I'm in Brisbane and I'm biased.
    In the past 20-years, Brisbne has changed a lot. It is very multi-cultural now. The choices of Asian food is endless, and so is Asian grocery.
    There's a huge Chinese existence, along wit Indian and Vietnamese.

    Queensland is huge and you might have to work out where you want to.start and go from there.

  • brendanm on 21/01/2024 - 19:17
    +1

    Brisbane is much easier to get around without a car than the gold coast is.

  • TheRealCher on 21/01/2024 - 20:45
    +1

    Brisbane is nice but it's an awful time of year with the weather which, if they're walking and using public transport, is something to consider. They'd probably like the old art gallery, Southbank is very nice for a stroll, and across into town is easy enough when it's not 30 degrees. Getting out to old Asian suburbs like Darra takes a train or a bus to Sunnybank but the food is good.

  • dtc on 21/01/2024 - 21:24

    Sydney or Newcastle offers much warmer weather than Melbourne but without the ‘joys’ of QLD summers.

    • brendanm on 21/01/2024 - 22:36
      +1

      You have to live in Sydney though.

  • Sweet3st on 21/01/2024 - 22:44
    +1

    I'd go somewhere further south like Burleigh Heads, it very pretty in a kind of northern NSW way (unspoilt, no skyscrapers). Lots of nice cafes etc, national park. There's a new tram to the Gold Coast, and the airport is nearby. The AirTrain runs to Brisbane. Cairns is quite isolated and there's nothing to do except see things out of Cairns like Mossman, Daintree, Reef etc

  • qwijibo on 21/01/2024 - 22:45

    I'd recommend Gold Coast. Easy to get to the beaches on the tram, it's multicultural enough that they wouldn't be out of place, and if they need to, they can easily do a trip into Brisbane on the train.

    It's also not unbelievably stinking hot at this time of the year, unlike Cairns.

    Not sure about Asian food though. Probably likely to be some good places along Surfers Paradise or Southport.

  • avoidfullprice on 22/01/2024 - 07:01

    they may want to retire in… I was thinking either Cairns or Gold Coast, initially brisbane too but its harder to get around without a car.

    Cairns i would think is very humid for half the year to retire comfortably… gold coast is more tourist friendly all year around so maybe there? Btw what’s wrong with Brisbane public transport? You dont need a car to go everywhere there

    I actually have no idea what old Asian refers to. care to elaborate what assumptions to make about them? types of food and lifestyle for example? If they are chinese do they need their yum cha once a week? If they are Japanese do they need to have sushi?

    Someone here on ozbargain gets triggered including other ethnicities as Asian so I don’t know what to assume anymore without offending.

  • T-rex on 22/01/2024 - 08:01

    Gold Coast would suit them, otherwise sydney is pretty warm at present ! ( even hot / many heat waves lately ) and abundance of great Asian food, u can check out city Chinatown or take the train to various different Asian hoods like hurstville, Eastwood, Chatswood, Cabramatta.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join