Families are seeking fun in the sun and sand between the toes with Coolangatta rating as Australia’s favourite holiday destination, according to travel.com.au.

The recent study of flight bookings by families with children during the school holiday period revealed the southern Gold Coast beach as the most favoured holiday spot.

travel.com.au  general manager Renee Welsh said the remaining top five destinations for the 2012 July school holidays of Cairns, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth were separated by just a few bookings.  

The north-facing beach creates a safe haven and, according to Connecting Southern Gold Coast director John Rankin, was one of the main reasons families just keep coming back.

"Beaches that face north are so rare and this one is almost always protected from the southerly winds yet boasts some of the best surf in the country," Mr Rankin said.

Cooly (as it is affectionately called by locals) is just five minutes from the airport making it easily accessible for those driving from the southern states and has an abundance of great apartments close to the family friendly beaches.