We recognize that traveling with a family requires a different type of vacation. We have thought a lot about family travel and we have dedicated ourselves to creating departures that account for three generations of needs.
Day 1 Sydney First off, head to Circular
Quay to see the Sydney Opera House. A tour inside might be a bit much
for younger kids, but you can walk around a fair bit of it and takephotos of
Australia's most famous landmark. To stretch your legs, head from here into the
Royal Botanic Gardens to spot long-beaked ibises wandering around the
grass and hundreds of fruit bats squabbling among the treetops in the jungle
section in the middle of the gardens. After lunch take a ferry to Taronga Zoo,
where a cable car takes you up the hill to the main entrance. All the kids'
favorites are here, from kangaroos and koalas to platypuses, located in
a nocturnal house. A farmyard section edges onto a playground of sorts with
lots of water features to give your kids a sprinkle on a hot day.
On Day 2 visit to Sydney Aquarium. The sharks are huge here, and they
swim right above your head, but the real attraction is the amazing Barrier Reef
section, where tens of thousands of colorful fish swim by in huge tanks to the
sound of classical music. If it's a hot day, or you just want to go to the
beach, you have two main choices: From Circular Quay you can take a half-hour
ferry ride, or a 15-minute high-speed JetCat to Manly. Here you can laze
the afternoon away, and can even rent a surfboard, body board, or in-line
skates. For the adults, experience the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.
Days 3, 4 Travel to Brisbane and then to the Crocodile Hunter's (the late
Steve Irwin) Australia Zoo. One hour drive from Brisbane to the Goldcoast
to Dearmworld Home of the Wiggles and Bigbrother. Lots of rides and a
wonderful wild life area Cuddle a Koala. Another option, learn to
surf at Austalia's surfing school, taught by an Olympic athlete. Just the
thought of visiting the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary should keep your kids calm
during the long flight to Brisbane. If your cute animal quota isn't filled by
cuddling koalas, you can go to the Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort to feed
Flipper.
Days5 & 6: The Reef and the Rainforest - Queensland vacations Now
it's time to head north, up the tropics. You'll need to fly, of course,
otherwise it would take you several days to drive up the coast. Most people
base themselves in Port Douglas rather than Cairns, because the beach is huge
and uncrowded and some of the best trips originate from here. There are
family-friendy accommodations here, complete with kitchenettes, swimming
opools and the like. After the flight, relax on the beach. The next day, it's
time to cruise the Great Barrier Reef. Here, your kids will encounter
organisms that many children only read about in biology class. Once there you
are in for some amazing snorkeling. Expect to see numerous species of corals
and fish, and even an occasional turtle. A good seafood lunch is generally
served onboard so you won't go hungry!
On the 7th day, fly back to Sydney. If you have time, take the kids by
ferry to Luna Park, just across from Circular Quay, or walk there across the
Harbour Bridge. The fun park is small, with a few rides suitable for younger
kids, but it does boast a magnificent view across to the Harbour Bridge and
Opera House, which look glorious after the sun's gone down.
Broken Hill (NSW): Known for its silver mines, the quirky town of Broken
Hill has more pubs per capita than just about anywhere else. It's the home of
the School of the Air -- a "classroom" that transmits lessons
by radio to communities spread over thousands of miles of Outback. Here you'll
also find the Palace Hotel, made famous in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen
of the Desert, as well as plenty of colonial mansions and heritage homes.
Seeing the Great Barrier Reef (QLD): It's a glorious 1,240-mile
underwater coral fairyland with electric colors and bizarre fish life --
and it comes complete with warm water and year-round sunshine. This is what you
came to Australia to see. When you're not snorkeling over coral and giant clams
almost as big as you, scuba diving, calling at tropical towns, or lazing on
deserted island beaches, you'll be trying out the sun lounges or enjoying the
first-rate food.
Exploring the Wet Tropics Rainforest (QLD): moisture-dripping ferns, the
neon-blue butterflies, and the primeval peace of this World Heritage rainforest
stretching north, south, and west from Cairns. Hike it, four-wheel-drive
it, or glide over the treetops in the Skyrail gondola.
Exploring Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) & Uluru (Ayers Rock) (NT): Just why
everyone comes thousands of miles to see the big red stone of Ayers Rock
is a mystery, and that's probably why they come -- because the Rock is a
mystery. Take an Aboriginal Culture Tour (Alice Springs, NT)
Discovering the Kimberley (WA): Australia's last frontier, the Kimberley
is a romantic cocktail of South Sea pearls, red mountain ranges, aqua
seas, deadly crocodiles, Aboriginal rock art, and million-acre farms in a
never-ending wilderness. Cross it by four-wheel-drive, stay in safari tents
on a cattle ranch, swim under waterfalls, ride a camel along the beach in
Broome, and more.
Wildflowers (WA): Covered in wildflowers. That's what much of
Western Australia looks like every spring, from around August through October,
when pink, mauve, red, white, yellow, and blue wildflowers bloom.
Visit wineries in the Barossa Valley (SA): One of Australia's four
largest wine-producing areas, this German-speaking region less than an hour's
drive from Adelaide is also the prettiest. Adelaide's restaurants happen to be
some of the country's best, too, so test out your wine purchases with the
city's terrific food.
Coober Pedy (SA): For an Outback experience that's fair-dinkum
(genuine), few places are as weird and wonderful as this opal-mining town in
the middle of nowhere. Visit mines, see wacky museums, and stay in a
hotel underground -- not all that unusual, considering that the locals
live like moles anyway.
Great Ocean Road (VIC): This 106km (66-mile)
coastal road carries you past wild and stunning beaches, forests, and dramatic
cliff-top scenery -- including the Twelve Apostles, a dozen pillars of
red rock standing in isolation in the foaming Southern Ocean.
Our family journeys combine the joy of
seeing, doing and learning as a family with ample opportunity for just plain
family fun.
Australia Travel Master Custom Tours
If you don't see exactly what you want here, we would be
happy to custom design a unique tour just for you in our family travel
destinations. We can design a special tour for you or your own family group,
including special, unique hotels, B&B's and unusual inns, outstanding food,
and cultural and historical sites. We often suggest touring with a private
guide who will tailor the day to your group; depending on the number in your
party, it can even be more economical to travel this way. We pay attention to
all the details so you can relax and enjoy your trip. Seamless travel
experiences are made easy for you by our team of creative tour planners.
New Zealand Family Tours
Call 1-800-221-2474 9AM - 5PM Mon-Fri Eastern Time or (516) 248-2042 outside USA/Canada
Although we have provided as much information as possible on our website, we are happy to answer your questions directly on the phone. Sometimes, it is just easier to speak to one of us. We are awaiting your call. Call (800) 221 - 2474 or email