If Braeden was writing this and telling you about his highlights from his time on the Gold Coast, it would be a combination of all the people he met and riding in a tandem kart at Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast. Anyone that’s been following our travels for a while will know our guy has a need for speed and loves motor sports, so go karting is always a hit. Unfortunately, it’s often difficult to find go karting businesses that invest in tandem go karts. Braeden can’t drive a go kart on his own, so tandem karting is the only option that allows him to be included. Slideways Go Karting delivered a memorable and fun morning while we were staying on the Gold Coast.
Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast – tandem go karting
Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast is conveniently located at Nerang, just 15 minutes from Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach,..
On arrival at Slideways we filled out an electronic form accepting the centre’s terms and conditions and had a photo taken. I rushed through my form and ended up with an awful photo. Amelia informed me later that I could have angled the iPad for my photo or retaken it if needed. So the photo I ended up with, that was displayed on the board for all to see, looked more like something you’d see on a wanted poster. Of course the rest of the family found that hilarious.
We watched a fun and engaging safety briefing featuring Bazza, a quintessentially ocker guy, who reminded kart drivers not to be Galahs on the track. He listed off the undesirable behaviours that would make you a Galah, including running into other karts. Once we knew the rules it was time to head to the go karts and get our gear on. All kart drivers and passengers are required to wear a balaclava, helmet and a soft neck brace. Keep in mind long hair and mullets need to be tied up and all loose clothing items, like scarves, must be removed for safety. Braeden coped well with all the gear and had a smile on his dial the minute he was lapping the track with Hubby.
We loved the novelty of trying the multi storey track offered at Slideways Go Karting. It made the laps more interesting and varied compared to a standard race track. The 500m long track is indoor and outdoor and runs over three levels. The surface is like no other in the southern hemisphere as it allows the karts to drift.
After I’d taken photos of the boys it was time for me to gear up and head out and join them on the track. The safety video advised drivers to take the first lap slow because the surface is similar to driving on ice, thus the name Slideways. I didn’t have any trouble so put my foot down on the accelerator for the remainder of the laps and enjoyed every minute. I certainly didn’t have my foot down as hard as led foot Hubby but I had fun. I also appreciated staff holding up a sign saying “Good job” as I lapped around. There’s nothing like a bit of praise for your driving. Perhaps we need that on the road to encourage better driving.
The boys claimed victory. I was the only other kart on the track but victory is always sweet no matter the competition.
The team at Slideways Go Karting presented Braeden with a trophy which he was delighted with and it now takes pride of place in his bedroom.
Accessibility at Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast
The accessibility at Slideways Go Karting won’t suit everyone due to a few limitations of the building. We managed easily with Braeden’s manual wheelchair but it did involve a small lip going into one doorway and bumping his chair down one step to get to the track.
Accessible parking is available next to the entrance and the main building offers step-free access.
There are standard size bathrooms available on the lower level (area after visitors negotiate the one step).
If you have access needs and would like to try the tandem go kart I suggest contacting the helpful team at Slideways Go Karting to make sure the experience will suit you.
Meantime, you can read more about Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast on their website.
We were hosted for our visit but I think the smile on Braeden’s face tells you that our opinions (and Braeden’s smile) are the result of a fun morning.
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