The best summer family holidays in Australia

Jennifer Ennion Jennifer Ennion
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Rewrite the stars by ending 2024 on a summer holiday high.

There are plenty of epic places to whisk the kids away to for a memorable time these summer holidays. Here are some of our faves.

NSW | ACT | Vic | Tas | WA | NT | Qld

Gerringong, NSW

Paddle sessions, sandcastle building, surf shops, cool cafes and beach houses make Gerringong, on the NSW South Coast, the perfect antidote to an intense year. Whether you want to surf, paddleboard or enjoy a daily scoop of ice cream, this tourist town is a chilled-out option for coast-loving families.

Gerringong on the South Coast
Gerringong on the South Coast is the perfect family escape. (Image: James Horan/Destination NSW)

Pop over the hill into Gerroa to check out Seven Mile Beach, where there’s plenty of space and gentle waves. For a great seafood feast in a family-friendly location, dine at Gerroa Boat Fisherman’s Club. The Deli Cafe back in Gerringong also does a top healthy breakfast, after which you can hire a surfboard from Natural Necessity Surf Shop a few doors up.

Surf at Seven Mile Beach in Gerroa
Surf at Seven Mile Beach in Gerroa nearby. (Image: Destination NSW)

Why you’ll love it…

Camping is popular but we suggest you book one of the state’s newest boutique properties, SOUL of Gerringong. The luxury accommodation has two properties available to book: the SOUL Farmhouse and the SOUL Cottage. The former sleeps 14 people and features a pool, indoor and outdoor stone fireplaces, an outdoor deck with dining and a lounge. The cottage boasts a full kitchen, an indoor fireplace and a spacious outdoor entertaining area with a firepit. Parents will love the pared-back coastal styling, too.

Canberra, ACT

The nation’s capital might not be the obvious choice for a summer family fling, but it deserves to be, with a tonne of activities for kids of all ages. First up is a visit to the National Arboretum Canberra’s POD Playground, a fantastical world where children are encouraged to climb through giant acorns connected by rope tunnels.

National Arboretum Canberra
Visit the National Arboretum Canberra’s POD Playground.

Hotels are aplenty but if you want to wow the family stay at Jamala Wildlife Lodge, where you can sleep a few metres from lions, tigers or a sun bear. The Lodge is at the National Zoo & Aquarium and helps fund a program that breeds animals facing extinction.

Jamala Wildlife Lodge
Bed down at Jamala Wildlife Lodge.

Why you’ll love it…

There are plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained. Along with the POD Playground, visit Canberra Reptile Zoo, National Dinosaur Museum, Power Kart Raceway, and long-time favourite Questacon.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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The Great Ocean Road, Vic

If there’s one state that needs our tourism dollars this summer it’s Victoria, with small businesses reeling from lockdown. The usually packed Great Ocean Road has been hit hard, with the managers of Cape Otway Lightstation announcing plans to close the attraction by March 2021 unless it receives further financial support.

Drive the Great Ocean Road to support the Cape Otway Lightstation
Drive the Great Ocean Road to support the Cape Otway Lightstation. (Image: Jennifer Ennion)

Hire a car or RV in Melbourne and hit the Great Ocean Road, stopping in Aireys Inlet, Lorne and at Cape Otway Lightstation,  access to the lighthouse is currently closed but you can still walk around the heritage buildings and stop by the Second World War radar bunker as well as dine at the cafe. Be sure to buy a souvenir or two from the lovely gift shop as well. Stay at Alkina Lodge, a stunning Wattle Hill property designed with sustainability in mind.

Why you’ll love it…

You’ll experience one of Australia’s most beautiful stretches of coastline (including the Twelve Apostles) and surf at some of the famous breaks.

Bay of Fires, Tas

Summer is the best time to visit Tasmania if you fancy a dip in the sea. Although you’re spoilt for choice with empty beaches, rugged wilderness and majestic mountains, we recommend you make a beeline to the Bay of Fires on Tassie’s East Coast. It’s a must-see destination, with pristine beaches dotted with boulders dressed in orange lichen.

Bay of Fires
Make a beeline for the Bay of Fires in summer on the East Coast of Tasmania. (Image: Jennifer Ennion)

Days are spent beachcombing, swimming and fishing, and the conservation area is best enjoyed while sleeping in a tent or a motorhome. If you love the idea of camping but don’t have the gear or seek something slightly sturdier, check out Bay of Fires Eco Hut. It’s a small, off-grid “shack" where you can introduce the kids to a simpler way of living – perfect for the ethical traveller.

Why you’ll love it…

The Bay of Fires is the very best of a back-to-basics family holiday, where days are spent exploring nature and nights are enjoyed around campfires or a games table.

The Bay of Fires is the very best of a back-to-basics family holiday. (Image: Lachlan Ennion)

Margaret River, WA

We all know some of Australia’s best grapes are grown in the Margaret River region. But did you know there’s a Giniversity and gastro pubs, too? Margs, as the locals call it, has adult offerings down pat, plus plenty of options for kids. Teens will enjoy checking out the surf shops, hitting up the impressive local skate park and tasting their way around Margaret River Farmers’ Market (every Saturday). Toddlers will love the Rotary Park playground near the town centre, and the fabulous timber playground beside Yallingup Beach. Our pick of the world-renowned beaches is Yallingup, with its calm rock pools for little kids, open water for swimmers and reef break for surfers. When it comes to bedding down, don’t go past Smiths Beach Resort, where there are beach shacks, villas and houses to suit different budgets, plus an Insta-worthy infinity pool (and wading pool). The ocean is also across the road.

Smiths Beach Resort
Choose from beach shacks, villas and houses to suit different budgets at Smiths Beach Resort. (Image: Jennifer Ennion)

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Why you’ll love it…

Injidup natural spa (not the day spa) is a fun find. It’s a water hole where waves wash over rocks and douse you in sea foam. Keep an eye on the tide and pick a time that suits your family’s confidence when swimming in the ocean.

Swim at Injidup natural spa
Swim at Injidup natural spa. (Image: Jennifer Ennion)

Darwin, NT

It’s going to be muggy but one thing Darwin does better than any other Australian city is provide plenty of man-made spots to cool down. Base yourself at Darwin Waterfront, where you’ll find several cafes and restaurants, a shaded playground, a sandy netted harbour beach, plenty of picnic spots and – the ultimate attraction – a wave pool.

Darwin Wave Lagoon
Darwin Wave Lagoon is a popular spot for families. (Image: Jennifer Ennion)

The Wave Lagoon is awesome fun and suitable for all ages, with shallow splash pools for tiny people, inner tubes for floating and sun lounges to flop on. Two free spots to cool down at are Leanyer Recreation Park and Palmerston Water Park.

Leanyer Recreation Park
Leanyer Recreation Park is a free spot to swim in Darwin. (Image: Jennifer Ennion)

You can stay at the waterfront but family rooms are limited, so our pick is Hilton Garden Inn Darwin, which has rooms and suites that sleep up to four people, a great outdoor pool, and an on-site restaurant.

Why you’ll love it…

It’s only an hour’s drive from Litchfield National Park, which is worth a day trip. Check for closures during the wet season (between October and April) and keep crocodiles front of mind when finding refreshing swimming holes to cool off in.

Litchfield National Park
Litchfield National Park (Image: Sarah Mackie)

Gold Coast Hinterland, Qld

The theme parks on the Gold Coast are perennially popular with families. But for those who prefer the bush to the beach, the Gold Coast Hinterland offers a great alternative, too. Challenge your tweens to a turn on the 180-metre zipline at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, before joining a ranger on a wildlife encounter or setting out on a self-guided bushwalk to a waterfall and hidden swimming hole. The retreat, in Lamington National Park, has plenty of room options, plus camping.

O'Reilly's Tree Top Walk
Older kids will love O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk, in Lamington National Park. (Image: Tourism & Events-Queensland)

Why you’ll love it…

You won’t be short on activities in the hinterland. Another fun family outing is an excursion to Thunderbird Park on Tamborine Mountain where you can fossick for thundereggs (nodule-like rock treasures) and give the kids a hands-on geography lesson.

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Jennifer Ennion
Jennifer Ennion is a freelance travel and ski journalist who loves encouraging people to spend more time outdoors. From snorkelling with belugas in sub-Arctic Canada to hiking the Himalayas, Jennifer is constantly searching for stories that inspire readers to push their boundaries.
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Ticking off Australia’s icons? These hotels can help.

(Credit: DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs)

    Monique Ceccato Monique Ceccato
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    Your guide to where to stay for easy access to some of Australia’s most famed attractions.

    Ellery Creek Big Hole, the Busselton Jetty and Lamington National Park; they’re just a handful of some of Australia’s most incredible attractions. With a car and a conveniently located home base, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t start ticking them off your must-see list.

    And where there are iconic sights, there’s a Hilton ready to welcome you.

    1. Darwin

    dawrin waterfront
    Make Hilton Darwin your base for city and wildlife adventures.

    Considered Australia’s portal to Asia, Darwin’s proximity to Indonesia and Timor-Leste has resulted in a highly multicultural population. There’s a strong Southeast Asian influence that coexists with the ancient customs and cultural traditions of the land’s traditional custodians, the Larrakia people. One of the finest examples is Darwin’s most acclaimed dish. It’s not damper or a meat pie, but spicy laksa. You’ll find it everywhere in the city, even at the weekly sunset markets.

    Just a day trip away lie the region’s other major drawcards, the oases of Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park.

    How best to explore it all? Check into Hilton Darwin, or sister properties DoubleTree by Hilton Esplanade Darwin and Hilton Garden Inn Darwin. Spend the day exploring, then return to delicious meals at these hotel restaurants, and cool down in their refreshing pools.

    2. Gold Coast

    A sea-view room at Hilton Surfers Paradise.
    Stay in the centre of it all.

    What do New York and the Gold Coast have in common? Their iconic skylines. High-rise after high-rise line the city’s 70km stretch of swimmable, surfable, and walkable beach, the majority clustered around the coast’s beating heart, Surfers Paradise.

    It’s the region’s most lively and energetic suburb, known for the nightclubs, shops, and restaurants that sit along Cavill Ave. Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel & Residences is right there in the middle of the action, close enough to walk to dinner and drinks, but far enough away to retreat to when you need some R&R.

    For further respite, explore the nearby hinterland. Head towards Lamington National Park in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests for winding hiking trails surrounded by dense tropical foliage and waterfalls.

    3. Alice Springs

    DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs framed by the rugged MacDonnell Ranges.
    Venture into the outback.

    Surrounded by ancient desert and dramatic natural landscapes, there’s plenty to see and do around the ‘gateway to the Red Centre’, Alice Springs. Base yourself at the DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs in the town centre, soaking up views of the iconic Macdonnell Ranges and enjoying native Australian flavours from on-site restaurant, Saltbush.

    Starting just 10-minutes from your accommodation, seasoned hikers can find the famous Larapinta Trail runs through West Macdonnell National Park, from the Alice Springs Telegraph Station through to Mount Sonder.

    Wander the galleries and museums in the Araluen Cultural Precinct to learn more about the Arrernte people – the traditional custodians of Mparntwe. Join an Indigenous-led tour within the region to delve deeper.

    4. Busselton

    Hilton Garden Inn Busselton set against the sea.
    Experience Busselton’s coastal charm.

    World-class wines, sunsets over the ocean, and long stretches of calm beach; Busselton is known for it all. But the heritage-listed, timber-piled Busselton Jetty is the coastal city’s most famous icon.

    At intervals along it, locals dangle squid jigs and baited hooks over the edge, and teens and tweens take flying leaps into the water below. Visitors can also join, but walking the length of the 1.84km jetty is the most popular pastime. It takes approximately 20-30 minutes to reach the underwater observatory at the end, where you can see squid, sea stars, and the occasional Western Blue Groper in the corals and sea sponges. Walk or catch the train back to shore, where cold beer and pizza beckon at the jetty-front Shelter Brewing Co.

    From there, it’s just a hop, skip, and jump to the Hilton Garden Inn Busselton, where upper-level rooms afford you some of the finest views of Busselton’s biggest star.

    5. Cairns

    Hilton Cairns viewed from below, showcasing its tropical pool and resort-style surrounds.
    Make Hilton Cairns your gateway to the reef and rainforest.

    There’s no other place on earth like Cairns. It’s the city where two UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites sit side-by-side: the lush vegetation of the 130-million-year-old Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest meeting the iridescent blue waters and white-sand beaches of the Great Barrier Reef.

    Settle in to either Hilton Cairns or DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cairns in the heart of the city, to walk the esplanade or catch a ferry out to this iconic reef. It’s also only a two-hour drive to the Wet Tropics’ most famed region, the Daintree Rainforest. Make it to Cape Tribulation within the Daintree, and you’ve reached the point where the rainforest literally meets the beach and the reef.

    6. Albany

    Aerial view of Misery Beach, located within Torndirrup National Park. .
    Take a break from history in Torndirrup National Park. (Credit: Tourism WA)

    For tens of thousands of soldiers in the first convoy, headed for the battlefields of WWI, the panoramic views of King George Sound were the last glimpses they had of Australian soil. The significance of this moment set the foundations for Albany’s deep-rooted ANZAC history. 

    At the National ANZAC Centre, a five-minute drive from Hilton Garden Inn Albany, the personal stories of some of these soldiers unfold through interactive multimedia displays, from their experiences with recruitment and training to their time on the front lines in Gallipoli.

    Head back to your hotel to recharge while soaking in the stunning views of Princess Royal Harbour. Then try a natural change of pace at Torndirrup National Park. It’s prime wildflower-spotting country from September to November.

    Start planning an iconic holiday at hilton.com.