Travelling with young children can sometimes feel like relocating your entire household for a week. Prams, snacks, favourite toys, swimming gear and carefully timed naps all need to be considered. But with the right destination, a family holiday can create some of the most memorable experiences of your children’s early years.
The key is choosing destinations that combine easy logistics, family-friendly accommodation, plenty of activities and enough downtime for parents too. Here are five Australian and five international getaways worth considering.
Top 5 Australian Family Getaways
- Gold Coast, QueenslandFor families with young children, the Gold Coast is hard to beat. Beautiful beaches, warm weather and an enormous range of accommodation make holidays relatively simple.
Theme parks including Sea World, Dreamworld and Warner Bros. Movie World provide entertainment for older toddlers and school-aged children, while Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary offers a more relaxed wildlife experience. Choose accommodation with a pool and kitchen facilities and you have the ingredients for an easy family break.
- Sunshine Coast, QueenslandIf you prefer a slower pace, the Sunshine Coast is a wonderful alternative. Noosa, Mooloolaba and Caloundra offer calm swimming areas, playgrounds, cafes and family-friendly beaches.
Australia Zoo makes a memorable day trip, while the region’s hinterland provides plenty of opportunities for short drives, markets and family walks. It is a particularly good destination for families who want activities without feeling pressured to fill every day.
- TasmaniaTasmania makes a fantastic family road-trip destination. Distances between major attractions are relatively manageable and there is plenty to keep young explorers entertained.
Visit Hobart, meet wildlife at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, explore historic Richmond or travel north towards Launceston and Cradle Mountain. Farms, wildlife parks, forests and beaches give children something new to discover almost every day.
- Kangaroo Island, South AustraliaKangaroo Island combines wildlife, beaches and adventure without requiring an international flight.
Children can spot kangaroos, koalas, seals and echidnas while families explore remarkable beaches and natural attractions. Staying several nights rather than rushing around the island allows younger children to enjoy the experience without spending every day in the car.
- Port Douglas, QueenslandFor a tropical family escape, Port Douglas provides access to two extraordinary natural environments: the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest.
Families can choose shorter reef cruises, wildlife experiences and gentle rainforest walks suitable for younger travellers. Resort-style accommodation with pools can also provide valuable rest days between adventures.
Top 5 International Family Getaways
- Bali, IndonesiaBali remains popular with Australian families because of its relatively short flight time, huge accommodation range and abundance of family-friendly resorts.
Areas such as Sanur and Nusa Dua can be particularly convenient with young children. Villas, resort pools, kids’ clubs and inexpensive dining can make family travel surprisingly relaxing.
- FijiFew destinations make family holidays easier than Fiji.
Many resorts are specifically designed around families, offering kids’ clubs, babysitting services, pools and organised activities. Parents can enjoy some genuine downtime while children experience cultural activities, swimming and tropical island life.
- SingaporeSingapore combines the excitement of an overseas adventure with excellent transport and family-friendly infrastructure.
Highlights can include Singapore Zoo, Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa Island, Universal Studios and the spectacular airport itself. It is clean, compact and relatively easy to navigate with a pram.
- New ZealandNew Zealand offers adventure without travelling too far from home. Queenstown, Rotorua, Auckland and the South Island all provide excellent family holiday options.
Wildlife, lakes, mountains, geothermal attractions and scenic road trips make it particularly appealing for families who prefer exploring rather than spending an entire holiday at a resort.
- JapanJapan may seem ambitious with young children, but it can be an extraordinary family destination.
Efficient trains make travelling between cities easy, while Tokyo Disneyland, aquariums, interactive museums, parks and colourful city neighbourhoods provide endless entertainment. Older children will particularly enjoy experiencing a culture dramatically different from home.
Make the Holiday Fit the Kids
Family travel does not need to mean seeing everything. In fact, the best holidays with young children often involve doing less.
Allow time for playgrounds, swimming pools, afternoon rests and spontaneous discoveries. Choose accommodation carefully, reduce unnecessary travel days and remember that children often find as much excitement in catching a ferry or spotting a kangaroo as they do visiting a major attraction.
Travel may look different with young children, but seeing the world through their eyes can make familiar destinations feel completely new.
If this article has inspired you to think about your unique situation and, more importantly, what you and your family are going through right now, please get in touch with your advice professional.
This information does not consider any person’s objectives, financial situation, or needs. Before making a decision, you should consider whether it is appropriate in light of your particular objectives, financial situation, or needs.
(Feedsy Exclusive)