Australia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, thanks to its wonderful weather, incredible food, friendly locals, and wide variety of activities. Here are a few of the best to do that are fun for the whole family.
Taronga Zoo Camping
Firstly, after Quit Clinics, Taronga Zoo should be on your to-do list anyway, simply for the number of creatures and critters that call this phenomenal zoo home. With over 4000 different animals to see, the zoo takes it up a notch with their family-friendly overnight stays.
You are able to camp under the stars on the grounds of the zoo, allowing you to hear the sounds of the animals as they sleep and become their most active, with many sometimes only visible when the sunsets. Plus, Taronga is also home to Lololi, a pygmy hippo that can give Moo Deng a run for her money.
Phillip Island Penguin Parade
Phillip Island is a wonderful area to explore no matter when you visit Australia. It has fantastic beaches, great water to swim in, and plenty of wildlife to discover. However, the real fun starts once nighttime arrives.
Countless miniature penguins, known as Little Penguins, come back from a day of hunting and eating, and make their way up the beach to their burrows. This “penguin parade.” allows you to get up close with adorable little creatures.
Feed Wild Dolphins
While it is almost always not advisable to feed wild animals, especially in Australia, where there are many that can cause serious harm, there are a few exceptions. In particular, at the Monkey Mia Reserve.
This reserve aims to keep the local bottlenose dolphins safe and healthy, but also to ensure they remain wild and free. However, if you are at the bay early enough, between 7 am and Noon, you may be one of the lucky families to get some fish and be able to feed the dolphins that make their way to the shallows.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
The koala is one of the quintessential Australian animals, but they can be a bit tricky to find and see. Nevertheless, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary has been caring for these wonderful animals for almost a hundred years, and it is the perfect place to get up close and personal with them.
Kids can cuddle and play with one of the 130 koalas that call this sanctuary home, and you can also discover the 70 other species that live here. You can also hand-feed one of the many kangaroos, wallabies, and lorikeets if you visit at the right time.
Bondi Beach
While there is no specific activity you should do at Bondi Beach, it is easily one of the best beaches to take your family for a day of fun in the sun. You can play beach games and sports, the water is perfect for swimming or swimming, and it is close to multiple stores and restaurants, which can be found a few meters from the sand.
Luna Park Sydney
One of the more unusual attractions is Luna Park Sydney. Built in the image of the amusement park of the same name that can be found on Coney Island, this vintage-style park will take you back in time from the moment you enter it.
The attractions and buildings all resemble something you would find in the early 1900s, and with plenty of rides and stalls to explore and enjoy, you can easily lose yourself here for an entire day.
Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef
While this won’t be for everyone, and it is certainly recommended for families that have slightly older children, a truly remarkable and unforgettable experience is to hop in a boat, head out to sea, and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef.
Floating on the surface of the water, you can see thousands of the creatures and plants that call this World Heritage Site home, and considering no photos or videos will ever do it justice, seeing it for yourself is a memory that will live in your and your children’s minds forever.
Watersports
Once again, this is not a specific activity, but Australia is ideal for enjoying or trying your hand at a wide variety of watersports. Whether you are in Sydney, Melbourne, or Queensland, there are plenty of watersports to discover.
Beyond swimming, most of Australia’s coast is perfect for bodyboarding, surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, tubing, jet skiing, and everything in between. There are also countless vendors along the major beaches that allow you to hire almost all the equipment you need if you don’t have any of your own.
Camping
A simple activity that can be done across most of the country is to take your family camping. Whether it be on Kangaroo Island, the Whitsundays, or up North to one of the many National Parks, you can camp in most places.
However, if you want a suggestion, one of the best places to camp is Kakadu National Park; it has a wide variety of landscapes, forests, mountains, animals, and everything in between, and it is a breathtaking corner of the globe that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetimes.
