Where’s your favourite spot for a family holiday in Australia? Do you have a regular place that you visit every year? Or maybe you’re looking for somewhere new. Whatever your preference, our suggestions will give you some ideas for where to go, what to do and how to keep the kids entertained on that long journey to your family holiday.
Getting there
With so many sales and flight deals going for domestic flights within Australia, it’s possible now to fly the family somewhere for a long weekend or short break – or even a long holiday. Qantas, Virgin Blue and Jetstar all have regular airfare sales where you can pick up some cheap flight deals. And you could also check out Virgin Blue’s Happy Hour, their daily flight specials from 1-2pm, or Jetstar’s Friday Fare Frenzy for some real bargains!
If you’re not keen on flying, how about a campervan holiday? There are often great one-way deals from campervan or motorhome companies looking to relocate their cars or campervans – you can pick a van from your home city, and as long as you drive it to their destination by the due date, it will cost you nothing but the fuel (sometimes a drop-off fee may apply so check carefully). You can check out Standbyrelocs, or DriveNow here to see what’s on offer.
By the way, if you do decide to drive, there are some great tips to keep the kids entertained in the car on YahooTravel.
Where to go
If you prefer to drive and camp, some great family camping spots are Lake Cootharaba in Queensland, Rottnest Island in Perth (but beware – the lottery for places closes in October!) Rosebud in Victoria, and the South Coast of New South Wales.
Other well-known family destinations for Australian holidays are the Gold Coast, Marooochydore, Coffs Harbour, Sydney or Melbourne. If you’re not keen on camping and looking for something a bit more upmarket, Club Med Lindeman Island is well-known as a family destination and often has special deals – you can enjoy yourself and know that the kids will be entertained! You can find out more on places to visit and things to do from Tourism Queensland, Tourism Victoria or Tourism New South Wales.
Accommodation
Perhaps you make the regular trek every Christmas to see relatives and spend some family time. If family accommodation is not possible, there are great deals for hotels, hostels or caravan parks online – check out YHA for family rooms at budget prices, or Wotif for last-minute hotel and apartment deals in all Australian cities.
Activities
Sometime it’s enough to take the kids to the beach, slap on the sunscreen and let them entertain themselves. However on other days a bit more effort is required! BYOkids has a range of ideas and activities for all popular family destinations in Australia and can tell you where to go and what’s on to make sure the kids have fun.
Staying safe and well
Jellyfish stings, spider bites, snake bites, cuts and bruises, dehydration, and sunburn can all make the holiday less than fun. You can find out more about creepy crawlies and what to do about their bites on the St John Ambulance website. Make sure you drink plenty of water if you’re at the beach or in the sun – and follow the Cancer Council’s advice to Slip Slop Slap. And don’t forget to swim between the flags!
Travel insurance
If you’ve invested a lot in your annual holiday, you might want to consider protecting your investment with Travel Insurance. Things always happen with kids, especially when you’re away from home, and this is an inexpensive way of covering yourself for the unexpected. Travel Insurance for domestic travel will cover you for unexpected flight cancellations (it was the third helping of pudding that did it!), lost baggage (buying your son the same bag as all his mates was indeed a bad idea) or car hire insurance excess (can you help it if some loon sideswipes you when you’re parked?) Worldcare Travel Insurance offers comprehensive cover for you and your family no matter where in Australia you travel, and that’s peace of mind. And don’t forget that Worldcare Travel Insurance includes children under the age of 21 for free – find out more in the Product Disclosure Statement. You can even tweak your policy to save even more with our Select a Benefit online tool. Why not consider Travel Insurance for your next family holiday in Australia, so that you can relax and enjoy it.
Disclaimer
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