7 Holiday-Starved Mums Reveal The Best Kid-Friendly Getaway Spots In Australia

Great family holiday spots. It’s like a secret society isn’t it?

Once you find one, you feel like you’ve hit the jackpot. It’s like finding the treasure, and you - you lucky scoundrel - are a winner!

So, with so many kids in Australia, why is it so hard to find great, child-friendly holiday spots? Many places market themselves as ‘family friendly’, but I think it takes a recommendation from people who have actually been there with their families, to know that it’s the right place for yours.

Here, 7 mums (with kids of all ages) reveal their favourite secret holiday spots around Australia…

Nadean, mum of Max (8) and Arabella (4):

Top holiday spot: Elements at Byron Bay 

“The number one place for a getaway with kids is Elements at Byron Bay. It has an amazing family pool, with cabanas all the way around and pool side service, access to a beach and a spa, kitchen inhouse facilities etc. The best thing? They have an adults only pool so you can hire a babysitter and go and spend the afternoon there, whilst your kids are looked after with all the resort activities. This way you feel like you really had a break!”

Cory, mum of Millie (13) and Andie (11):

Top holiday spot: Big4 Holiday Parks, Umina Beach, NSW 

“When our girls were younger, we used to love going to the Big4 Holiday Parks. Our favorite was the one in Umina Beach, NSW. There is so much to do there for the little ones, including the swimming pool with slide, jumping pillow, water park, arcade room, playground, arts and crafts, discos, bingo, scavenger hunts and movie nights. It’s right on the beach too so you can switch between the pool and the sea. There’s also a bike park next door - which is where Millie, our eldest, learned to ride a bike! You can camp, hire a villa or even glamp there. Now that our kids are a bit older, we love to camp. There’s nothing like getting them into the great outdoors and back to nature. We have a family rule that when we’re on holiday we all go technology free - no phones, no ipads, no TV (even if our hotel room has one!). It allows us to reconnect as a family and reminds us of how much fun we have together when we’re not distracted!"

Cory's top overseas holiday spot: Club Med Phuket 

"If you’re looking for overseas options, then I cannot recommend Club Med Phuket enough - they have one of the best kids clubs in the world. We have been a few times with our friends (who also have 2 kids) and we had a great daily routine. We’d all have breakfast together, and then take the kids for a swim. Then mid-morning the kids would all go to kids club (which included trapeze lessons, fishing, archery, swimming, foam parties, discos - you name it - it was epic and they LOVED it!), while us adults chilled out for a few hours by the pool, read our books, went for nice (kid-free) walks on the beach and just relaxed. Later in the afternoon we’d pick the kids up, have a swim with them and play some games, have a cocktail (mocktails for the kids!), and then go back to the room to get ready for dinner. We’d feed the kids and put them to bed, and then a babysitter would come and stay with them while us adults had our own dinner. We had it down pat! The perfect mix of family and adult time. And the best thing? It’s all-inclusive so even if you have the fussiest of eaters, there were plenty of options to keep them (and us!) happy. The only downside was the inevitable diet that followed after a couple of weeks of pure indulgence!! Best.holiday.ever.”

Robyn, mum of Hugo (10) and Remy (7):

Top holiday spot: the Northern Territory

Top holiday activity for kids: Waterfront Aqua Park 

“We recently went to the Northern Territory and it’s fantastic for older toddlers and up. There’s so much to explore in nature, and the wildlife is incredible - my kids loved seeing crocodiles in the wild in Kadadu, exploring Uluru, and swimming in the Katherine Hot Springs. Darwin Waterfront is lots of fun too, with a wave pool and aqua park. It’s such a spiritual and magical part of the world and we’re lucky to have it right here!”

Li-Ann, mum of twin boys Luca and Hamish (now 12):

Top holiday spot: Melbourne, Victoria

Top holiday activities for kids: Collingwood Children's Farm 

“For families like mine who don’t do resorts because we can’t sit still for long, we love taking the kids to Melbourne. There’s so much to see and do for parents and kids alike. There’s kid friendly activities in museums and galleries galore, Collingwood Childrens Farm right in the middle of Melbourne, Puffing Billy, Diamond Valley Miniature train which is so much fun and just 40 mins away, you can escape to the Mornington Peninsula for a bit of space, food and wine!”

Alex, mum of Poppie (5) and Marley (2):

Top holiday spot: an Airbnb in Berry, NSW

“Back when we were just a family of 3, I surprised my husband with a holiday weekend to Berry for his birthday in June. We loved the change of scenery from our usual Christmas time beach holidays to a wintery escape! Poppie was 2.5 years old and it was a great town to entertain a little one in. We booked an Airbnb with a big backyard with a cubby house, a chicken coop and an adorable labrador puppy, so this was already parenting gold for us! We took walks to the local park with a beautiful big duck pond, ate donuts at the Famous Berry Donut van and enjoyed the local eateries and sweet little shops to fit in around nap times. Because don’t forget holidaying with little ones means parenting in a new location and you still need to keep them fed, watered and well-slept if you want to be able to enjoy yourselves!”

Olivia, mum of Eva (3) and Freddie (1):

Top holiday spot: Seahaven, Noosa 

"I have to HIGHLY recommend Seahaven in Noosa. The two-bedroom apartments are amazing for travelling with kids. They open out to a terrace with a BBQ and overlook the amazing pool in the complex. 20m further on? The BEACH! Heavenly! Plus it’s located right on the main strip in Noosa, meaning you’re close to everything and will want for nothing!”

Olivia's top overseas holiday spot: Fiji

“I know it’s not Australia, but Fiji! The Fijian women are so incredible with children! They will literally just take them off your hands and play with them all day! Obviously this might not be what you want on a family holiday, but if you do want a breather to have a swim and a cocktail, it’s so great to know the kid’s club facilities are so good! We love The Warwick in Fiji for the kid’s pool that also has a swim-up bar! Plus, the different restaurants means there is always something to eat; Japanese, Pizza, seafood, or the buffet! Yippee!"

Georgie, mum to 9-month-old Lilah:

Top holiday spot: Cape Paterson, Victoria

“With a 9 month old, holidays are a bit different than we’re used to. But you can't go wrong with a beach holiday! We spent New Years this year at a house in Cape Paterson, Victoria and spent our days lounging around at the beach. The main beach area with rock pools meant little Miss could sit in the shallow and splash until her heart's content, while Mum and Dad could build up a tan. Just don't forget the S’s - slip, slop, slap and snacks!”

Disclaimer: we only use real parents with real experiences in our articles. If you're reading a story, you better believe it happened, and the recount you're getting is firsthand - and excellent.