HOTA Gold Coast (the Home of the Arts) is the city’s arts and entertainment precinct at 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise, with a free public gallery, theatres, cafes and a lakeside park. The HOTA Gallery is open every day and entry is free.
It works as a wet-weather day out in the gallery or an easy afternoon outdoors around the lake, and the Green Bridge links it to Chevron Island.
HOTA Gallery
The gallery is open 7 days a week from 10 am to 4 pm, and Museums and Galleries Queensland lists entry as free. Opening times and any ticketed exhibitions or events can change, so check HOTA’s website for what is on and whether you need to book.
There is a Children’s Gallery, and a Changing Places toilet is on the ground floor of the gallery. On the first Saturday of each month the gallery runs a Quiet Hour from 9 am to 10 am.
The building itself is hard to miss, a faceted block of coloured glass that stands out from the road. Most venues in the precinct have ramp or lift access.
Food, drink and the precinct
The precinct has HOTA Cafe, Palette restaurant and The Exhibitionist bar, plus a shop. The cafe is open Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 3:30 pm and Sunday 11 am to 3:30 pm; check the website for Saturday. Palette serves lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Saturday, and The Exhibitionist is open daily with later hours from Wednesday to Saturday.
HOTA Central, the main building, has the Box Office, open Monday 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Saturday 9 am to 7:30 pm and Sunday 10 am to 7:30 pm, with later hours on event days.
Outside, there is a lakeside playground, and the precinct hosts HOTA Markets.
A simple plan for an afternoon at HOTA
Start in the gallery while it is open from 10 am to 4 pm, then take the kids to the lakeside playground. Finish with a drink at The Exhibitionist or a meal at Palette, which serves dinner from Wednesday to Saturday.
If you are there for a show, the Box Office and HOTA Central stay open later on event days, and parking is free and unrestricted after 7 pm.
Parking at HOTA
There are about 900 parking spaces across the precinct, and they fill quickly during big events, festivals and HOTA Markets. From 9 am to 7 pm the first 4 hours are free: enter your registration at the parking meter when you arrive. Parking is free on public holidays, and free and unrestricted before 9 am and after 7 pm. Stays over 4 hours cost a flat $8, paid at a machine or through the EasyPark app.
Accessible spaces are near the main building entrance, HOTA Gallery and the lakeside playground car park.
Getting there
HOTA is at 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise, about 78 km and 65 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD without traffic.
By light rail, HOTA says to ride the G:link to Surfers Paradise and then walk across Chevron Island, about 20 minutes. TransLink buses also run to HOTA; call 13 12 30 or use the Translink Journey Planner. The HOTA Green Bridge connects the precinct to Chevron Island for walking, cycling, scooting and skating. Rideshare drop-off points are limited and busy at event times.
See HOTA’s getting here page. Details can change, so check before you go.
Planning your visit
- How long: 1 to 2 hours for the gallery; longer with a meal or a show.
- Cost: gallery entry is free; any ticketed exhibitions, shows and the cafe are extra.
- Opening times: gallery daily 10 am to 4 pm; check opening times on HOTA’s website before you go.
- Accessibility: most venues have ramp or lift access, and HOTA is a Companion Card affiliate. For access needs, call the Box Office on 07 5588 4000.
Nearby
- Surfers Paradise – Cavill Avenue, the beach and SkyPoint.
- Q1 Gold Coast – the SkyPoint observation deck tower in Surfers Paradise.
- Surfers Paradise Beach – swimming and surf a short drive away.
- Kurrawa Beach – a quieter stretch of sand south of Surfers.
- Broadbeach Beach – cafes and a beach on the other side of the Gold Coast.
- Main Beach Gold Coast – north of Surfers, towards the Spit.
Browse more art galleries or everything on the Gold Coast.
You might also like
- Logan Art Gallery (Logan Central)
- Redland Art Gallery (Cleveland)
- GOMA (South Brisbane)
Quick answers
Is HOTA Gallery free?
Yes, general entry to the gallery is listed as free. Check HOTA’s website for any ticketed exhibitions or events.
What time does HOTA Gallery open?
The gallery is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm. Check opening times on HOTA’s website before you go.
Is parking free at HOTA?
The first 4 hours are free from 9 am to 7 pm if you register at the meter. After that it is a flat $8 a day, and it is free before 9 am, after 7 pm and on public holidays.
How do I get to HOTA without a car?
Take the G:link light rail to Surfers Paradise and walk about 20 minutes across Chevron Island, or take a TransLink bus.
Is HOTA good for kids?
Yes. There is a Children’s Gallery and a lakeside playground.
0 Comments