Friends, family and viewers often ask me, “Where can we go with our kids and What can we see in Melbourne?”, so I decided to put together this short list of a few spots in and around Melbourne that we have personally visited.
Airheads Fun Zone is a little different than the average trampoline centre as this place has 3 large trampolines for the bigger kids, that also has a jump wall and three longer trampolines for the littler kids that you can bounce straight onto a jumping pillow.
The fun zone also has a mini play structure with ball pit and slide which is recommended for toddlers 4 years and under and four giant inflatable structures including a pirate ship (which has a slide in it), combat centre, giant inflatable slide and a tricky climbing structure.
Airheads Fun Zone also has two party rooms upstairs which are available for hire. Please contact the centre directly to find out more about their prices and what they can offer.
A Maze N Things is located in Cowes, Phillip Island and is roughly a 1.5 hour drive on a good day from Melbourne City. Now I’m sure that most of you have all driven past it but how many of you have actually gone in and experienced this little beauty?
A Maze N Things is a fun filled interactive world filled with puzzles, mazes, mini golf and different illusions. Be inspired and put your brain to the test.
ArtVo is a new immersive art gallery and the first of its kind in Australia. There are over 100 3D artworks and they are all directly painted onto the walls and floors and all you need to do is come up with a little creativity and place yourself into the different scenes, locations, and famous paintings and then take a photo. Sounds easy, right?
Melbourne’s iconic Brighton Beach Boxes are located at the Dendy Street Beach and is located approximately 15 km south of the City of Melbourne. The best way to get there is at the intersection of Dendy Street and the Esplanade, Brighton. It’s accessible by road, rail, bus and sea. Bayside City Council provides a user pay car park.
Apparently the Brighton Beach Boxes are a combination of being privately owned and owned by the government/council. When a private owner wishes to sell one, the government/council buys it to retain its historic heritage from ever being tainted. The owners of the boxes aren’t even permitted to re paint their box to a different style outside what is already displayed.
The Collingwood Children’s Farm is located only 5km from Melbourne City and is located on the bend of the Yarra River. The farm was established in 1979 and is a not-for-profit community resource providing country experiences for city people.
The Royal Botanical Gardens Cranbourne
The Royal Botanic Gardens is located at Ballarto Road in Cranbourne which is about 45 km south east of Melbourne City and was established back in 1970.
The native bushland at the Royal Botanic Gardens is home to an amazing range of plant and animal life. Here you will discover the magnificent Australia Garden which is a contemporary landscaped area that showcases the beauty of Australian flora and features more than 170,000 individual plants. The area is set across 15 hectares and follows a journey of water, landscapes, dry river beds and coastal fringes.
Looking for some great street art in Melbourne? Then head to Hosier Lane opposite Federation Square in Melbourne. I have been down this cobbled lane way a number of different times and the art work consistently changes. Some of the work is absolutely amazing and depending on when you go, you might see some of the artists, but don’t be disappointed if some of it is nothing more than a graffiti tag.
Luna Park is situated at 118 Lower Esplanade in St. Kilda and just a short stroll from Acland Street and St. Kilda Beach. Luna Park offers 18 rides & attraction, delicious food, free entry and is definitely catered for all ages. Make sure you visit Luna Park and you will be promised a wonderful day out with the family.
The Melbourne Aquarium is located on the Yarra River, opposite Crown Entertainment Complex and is home to over 10,000 animals. The aquarium hosts one of the world’s largest Saltwater Crocodiles in the Croc Lair exhibit. The interactive animal encounters are just wonderful and very educational for the kids.
There are so many different sections to visit in Melbourne Aquarium. Some of these are the Bays of Rays, Coral Caves, Shipwreck Explorer, Penguin Playground, Seahorse Pier and Rainforest Adventure. My favourite was the Penguin Playground. The viewing area is just spectacular and watching them swimming underwater is just amazing.
The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, commonly known as the Melbourne Zoo, contains more than 320 animal species from Australia and around the world. The zoo is 4 kilometres north of the centre of Melbourne and is an exceptional day out for the whole family.
The Butterfly House is heated to 28 degrees all year round and is home to hundreds of coloured native butterflies. The Butterfly House has just recently gone under restoration that will help reduce environmental impact. This was one of my favourite things to do at the Zoo and my daughter just loved looking at the butterflies fluttering around.
Myuna Farm is a public farm strangely located in the south eastern suburb of Doveton. The farm is located at 182 Kidds Road, Doveton, Melbourne, Victora, 3177.
Myuna Farm provides a hand on experience with a variety of animals. From pony rides to feeding giant muddy pigs, to cuddling baby rabbits and guinea pigs, Myuna Farm has something for everyone. There is also a kid’s playground with a slide and a couple of swings to keep them entertained if the animals are not enough.
Are your kiddies looking for a Pirate Adventure? Well if they are look no further than the Pirate Park, located in Sommerfield Drive North in Keysborough, which is about a 40 minute drive south east of Melbourne City.
The park is completely Pirate themed and if your kids are looking for a treasure, then they have come to the right place. There is a lookout at the top which you can see over the whole park. There are great hiding spots, rum barrels, a little plank to walk on, ships, giant slide, rope climbs and a bell for the parents to ring when it’s time to go home.
There is a great full size basketball court at the back of the playground which converts into a soccer field (with nets) as well. There is also a bbq area with a few undercover picnic tables, so if you’re looking to set up a birthday event or party celebration, make sure you get here very early, like at the crack of dawn.
The Puffing Billy Railway is said to be Australia’s favourite steam train and one the finest preserved steam railways in the world. The railway commenced operation on December 18, 1900 and was used to transport goods and passengers throughout the area.
Puffing Billy Railway is now a major tourist attraction and operates every day except Christmas Day. This century-old steam train continues to run on its original mountain track from Belgrave to Gembrook in the magnificent Dandenong Ranges 40kms east of Melbourne.
Rain Hayne & Shine Farmyard is located in Balnarring (Mornington Peninsula) which is about a 70 minute drive from Melbourne City on a good day with no traffic.
We have been to a couple of farms around Melbourne but this one had the “homely” feel to it. The animals were very well looked after and a lot of them roam free around the grounds. This is a fantastic place for the kids to get a “hands on” experience.
With pony rides and tractor hay rides to feeding all the animals (pigs, goats, chickens, geese, ducks, horses) to holding the cute little bunnies and guinea pigs, there’s surly something there for everyone.
The Eureka Skydeck is said to be “one of Melbourne’s most spectacular tourist destinations and the inspiring views from the highest viewing platform in the Southern Hemisphere will the change the way people look at Melbourne”.
Located on Level 88 of Eureka Tower, Eureka Skydeck is 285 metres above the ground but only a swift 40 second elevator ride away. The Eureka Skydeck originally opened in 2007 and has hosted millions of visitors from around the world. Check out this amazing tourist spot for some fabulous views over Melbourne and don’t forget to bring your camera.
The Lunar Drive-in Theatre Dandenong is Australia’s largest drive-in and is open every night and screens the latest movies for Adults and Kids.
It was pretty interesting to see the set up in the parking lot. Some people opted to just sit in the car (like us) and some people had the full kit and caboodle set-up. The Dad in the car next to us had converted the back of his Ute into a bed for his kids, complete with a mattress, pillows and blankets. He even had an Esky underneath filled to the brim with drinks and snacks and his stereo and speakers were hooked up with the audio playing. We were completely amazed, and secretly wished that it was our car.
The majority of people were dressed pretty casual but there were quite a lot of adults dressed in their pyjamas and slippers and didn’t find it a problem walking into the Lunar Café dressed like that. It was very interesting to sit back and people watch. Check out their website to see the latest screenings and timings.
The Pink Lake is located at Westgate Park, Todd Road in Port Melbourne which is about 10 to 15 minutes’ drive from Melbourne CBD. According to Parks Victoria, “Westgate Park’s lake has turned pink again this season: a natural phenomenon in response to very high salt levels, high temperatures, sunlight and lack of rainfall.
The Algae growing in the salt crust at the bottom of the lake produces the red pigment (beta carotene) as part of its photosynthesis process and in response to the extremely high salt levels”. The lake is expected to return to its normal colour in autumn, so make sure you go and see it before it’s too late.
These are spots that the team at Christine Kings Photography, Travel, Lifestyle have all personally visited. These are just recommendations only and please feel free to comment any places you would like us to visit. Hope you enjoy them.
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