Best kid-friendly holidays in Australia

All parents know that holidays with kids are a very different experience than holidays without. Let us do some of the initial work for you with this list of great family holiday ideas in Australia.

kids playing under the water on the splashpad

The splash pool at NRMA's Treasure Island Holiday Resort.

Lovingly referred to as “parenting in a different location”, holidaying with the family evolves with the kids ages and interests. From the toddlers who still need to structure a day around a nap, to the teens who want to do anything but hang out with their parents. Thankfully, Australia has a lot of great holiday options to offer.

Holidays with preschoolers (ages 2-5)

For this age it’s all about constant entertainment. But it can be hard for parents to provide constant entertainment without resorting to screens or running ourselves ragged. For some wonderful, educational fun, take a trip to Wollongong and visit the Early Start Discovery Space at UOW. Perfect for all day learning through play.

If your kids are more interested in the outdoors, or just like to be a bit noisy, find a place to stay that has activities in the location. Ba Mack Farmstay in regional New South Wales gives kids a close up, hands on experience with a variety of farm animals all on site. They also offer child minding after 1pm each day.

Treasure Island Holiday Resort offers parents some much-needed downtime while providing endless outdoor activities for kids. These include a splash pad, year-round kids club, and so much more.

A boy and girl play among colourful water features by a pool on a sunny day.

The splashpad at Treasure Island Holiday Park

Opening in Brisbane in August is Australia’s newest attraction (and the one the kids will surely love the most), Bluey’s World. Wander through life sized sets of the iconic TV show and immerse yourself in the Heeler’s household. With a café and playground on site too, it’s sure to be a hit.

Holidays with primary school age kids (ages 6-12)

The first parenting break (at least for some) comes when our children reach a stage where constant is supervision is no longer necessary. A great way to give them that freedom is to let them explore places designed to support their interests and education. Spend a weekend in Canberra and visit Questacon which will delight children of all ages and foster their sense of curiosity. For a similar experience in Sydney, try visiting the Australian Museum or Australian National Maritime Museum.

For those who have young ones with energy to burn, select NRMA holiday parks have teamed up with the Bear Grylls Survival Academy to run a four-part survival mission and adventure program. Take your pick of parks to stay in and enjoy the serenity while the kids learn to conquer nature.

Photos: Bear Grylls Survival Academy

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And a tried-and-true Australian family holiday will always be to the Gold Coast. Use your My NRMA membership to save on entry and enjoy Movie World, Dreamworld, Sea World, and Wet'n'Wild across your stay on the Queensland Coast.

Holidays with teenagers (Ages 13-17)

Do something adventurous with your teens that will get everyone’s blood pumping. Consider a trip to Port Stephens, where you can surf down the sand dunes before going for a surf in the waves. Or try ziplining with spectacular views in the Illawarra Rainforest.

A mother with teens and small kids, all sitting or standing on long boards preparing to slide down a sand dune.

Sand surfing on the dunes in Port Stephens.

For a more cultural vacation, nothing beats the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Held yearly, this underrated festival has an abundance of family friendly activities to suit all ages, and plenty of shows for the older teens to enjoy – with or without their parents.

However if you’re finding it really hard to get the kids off their devices, why not make it part of the fun? Virtual Reality escape rooms can be found all over, like in Melbourne at VIRIVR. Other places like FREAK (Sydney and the Gold Coast) also offer virtual laser tag, virtual arcades and more.

Something for the whole family

If you’re looking for something that everyone will enjoy, with activities built right in, why not try out a holiday like:

Cruising – an all-inclusive cruise with childminding or kids' club on board makes life infinitely easier as everything is taken care of. Plus, there’s a myriad of activities to do without having to leave the venue.
Hiking/camping - grab the family tent and try out an overnight hike. Not only will it get you and the kids out into nature, but you're likely to be free from devices for the duration. Carrying your own supplies and making dinner on a campfire is a surefire way to spend quality time with your loved ones.
Skiing – a ski trip is a perfect holiday for anyone who doesn't want to plan thousands of activities – or spend hours running around between them all. Wake up, ski, lunch, ski some more, après-ski (the family friendly version) and then rest. Rise the next day and do it all over again!

A child and his family play with a dog on the grass in front of a holiday trailer campsite.