Traveling with little ones doesn’t mean you can’t have fun! Check out this guide to the best places in Australia to check out for when you travel with kids.
Your idea of a perfect Australia holiday may be the open road through the outback, beers at sundown, and barbies on the beach.
While that might be great for traveling in your early twenties, with kids in tow, you need to think a bit differently.
But never fear, Australia has just as much to offer those who travel with kids as backpackers and free spirits.
Here are our top ten best places to travel in Australia with kids.
1. Noosa, Queensland
If your kids love swimming, games and the great outdoors then an Ingenia Holidays package at Noosa Holiday Park could be just the ticket for you.
They’ve got great parks in peaceful settings, with kids activity packs, movies nights and days out at the beach to keep everyone entertained. You can even enjoy some time together as the kids are being looked after by someone else for a change!
2. Brisbane, Queensland
Brisbane is an extremely family friendly city.
One of the most fun places for kids in Brisbane is the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Beautifully situated next to the river, it’s ful of every type of marsupial under the sun, including their namesake koalas.
Your kids will get to actually hold a koala – a truly unforgettable experience on your trip to Australia. They will also get to hand-feed kangaroos – that ought to get them off the smartphone for a while!
If wildlife doesn’t tempt your brood, Brisbane also boasts a terrific man-made beach, with shallow water – perfect for families.
There’s also Brisbane’s answer to the London Eye – the Brisbane Wheel – offering great views of the city. Throw in several family-friendly museums with tailored kids sections, you’ll struggle to fit it all in.
3. Selwyn Snowfields, NSW
The family that stays together, plays together!
Australia is known for its outdoorsy lifestyle, but it might surprise you to know that it’s also a great place for winter sports.
All the family can have fun on the slopes at Selwyn Snowfields. Known for its family-friendly amenities and atmosphere, it’s one of the great family holiday destinations in Australia.
There are specially designed activities that are great to do as a family if skiing and boarding are a bit advanced for your lot. Check out snow tubing and tobogganing – great activities you can do together as a family.
4. Sydney, NSW
OK, your kids might not be wowed by the opera house, but there are loads of great places to take kids in Sydney that will keep them entertained, allowing you to indulge in a bit of culture in between.
The latest attraction is the Wild Ropes at Taronga Zoo.
With courses for young children, through to more challenging ones for teens and adults, it’s a fantastic family experience. You’ll be high up in the tree canopy, walking through rope bridges and taking in the amazing views.
It’s an exhilarating experience but care is taken to make it totally safe for all ages. While you can purchase this separately from Taronga Zoo admission, the zoo itself is well worth a visit and fun for all the family.
The Botanic Gardens in the heart of Sydney are a great place to take the kids to experience the diverse beauty of the flora of Australia.
Set right on the bay, with views over the Sydney Opera House and Government House, it’s a perfect place to explore and take a picnic.
5. Adelaide, South Australia
Adelaide and the surrounding area are home to some cracking things to do for kids – take for example St Kilda’s Adventure Playground.
This award-winning park, which takes its name from the seaside town in which it is located is just a 45-minute drive out of Adelaide.
It has recently been renovated, and contains slides, an old pirate ship to be explored and swings and climbing frames in a range of styles to suit children of different ages.
Take a ferry out to Kangeroo Island and you can catch up with seals in their natural habitat, and, as the name suggests, lots of kangaroos! It’s a refreshing change of pace from the mainland – great place for quality family time.
6. Perth, Western Australia
Western Australia might not be as densely populated as the eastern side, but it still packs a punch, with lots to keep all members of the family entertained.
If you’re looking for a once in a lifetime adventure, Coates wildlife tours Australia might be just what you’re looking for, setting off for a 15-day Outback trip from Perth to Neale Junction & Cocklebiddy – exploring granite and wildlife woodlands in the outdoors away from everything is an experience like no other.
If this is too grand an adventure however, there are always other options in terms of tours and destinations in the Perth area that will fit any family. Keeping yourself cool and having fun is the best way to enjoy what West Australia has on offer.
It’s the ultimate place to have fun in the sun and in the water. Your kids will love The Maze Family Fun Park – including Outback Splash.
This fun park boasts a 3 story, 6 slide waterslide playground, guaranteeing hours of fun for all the family, surrounded by lush grounds to picnic and play in.
If you’ve got younger children it also has a toddlers area, with a shaded pool, and an octopus slide.
If you prefer your water a little more natural, there are great family friendly beaches to enjoy as well.
Head on down to Perth’s City Beach, or Hillarys Boat Harbour. This recreation destination offers bathing, as well as an aquarium, leisure zone, and sideshows.
7. Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin may be famous for being hot and sticky – but how many cities do you know that boasts not one, but two, free waterparks!
There are slides for all ages, and you’ll be glad of the chance to cool off whatever your age!
If you fancy a truly exhilarating experience, then get up close and personal with some of the most fearsome predators on earth – Australian crocodiles.
On jumping croc cruises you’ll see just that – enormous crocs jumping out the of water to snap up hunks of meat that have been hung off the side of the boat. Maybe one for the older children – but something they’ll never forget!
The Takeaway: Best Places to Travel with Kids in Australia
Australia is so vast, so diverse that there’s no reason for any member of the family to ever be bored.
The facilities for kids are so well designed that you’ll find you get as much pleasure from them as they do! And the stunning wildlife will give you awesome memories to enjoy as a family for years to come.
If you’re planning a family vacation, but want to stay Stateside rather than head down under this year, check out our blog on 6 American theme parks that kids will love.