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School holidays have a habit of arriving quickly. And while the kids might be counting down the days, keeping everyone entertained for a week or two can start to feel like a job in itself.
The good news? Some of the best school holiday days are also the simplest.
A new beach to explore. Bikes packed in the car. A fishing rod and nowhere else you need to be. A walk to a waterfall, wildlife spotted along the way or an afternoon spent swimming until everyone’s ready for dinner.
Choose the right place to stay and there can be plenty to do without filling every day with tickets, bookings and expensive attractions.
So, if you’re wondering what to do with the kids these spring school holidays, here are a few ideas for getting outside, exploring somewhere new and making the most of your time away together.
1. Find a beach you’ve never explored
There’s something wonderfully easy about a beach day.
Pack the swimmers, towels, sunscreen and lunch and you’ve got the makings of a whole day out. Swim, build sandcastles, explore the shoreline or see what you can find in the rock pools. Older kids might be keen to grab a board, while little ones are often perfectly happy with a bucket, spade and plenty of sand.
Around Forster and the NSW Mid North Coast, clear coastal waters and long sandy beaches give families plenty of options. Further north, Valla Beach makes it easy to combine beach time with exploring the creeks and coastline of the Nambucca Valley.
On the NSW South Coast, places such as Bermagui, Batemans Bay and Durras North put beautiful beaches within easy reach.
Best of all, a day by the ocean doesn’t need much of an itinerary. Pick a beach, pack a picnic and see where the day takes you.
2. Get out on the water
Warmer weather is a great excuse to swap dry land for the water.
Bring the kayaks or SUPs, hire them locally where available, or simply find somewhere calm for a swim. Rivers, lakes, creeks and sheltered bays can give families a completely different way to explore a destination.
At Nelligen, the Clyde River is right there. Around Manning Point, the Manning River and nearby coastline give you plenty of water to explore. Wallaga Lake offers another beautiful waterside base on the NSW South Coast.
The activity doesn’t need to be ambitious either. Sometimes an hour paddling along the shoreline or jumping off the same swimming spot twenty times is all that’s required.
3. Cast a line together
Fishing has a knack for slowing everyone down.
Find a jetty, riverbank or spot beside the lake, set yourselves up and see who gets the first bite. For kids who haven’t tried it before, learning to bait a hook, cast a line or reel in their first fish can become one of those holiday moments they remember long after you’ve packed up.
Our parks near the Manning River, Clyde River, Clarence River, Forster waterways and Wallaga Lake make it easy to add a fishing morning to the itinerary.
New to fishing? Our beginner’s guide to fishing the NSW South Coast covers some good places to start and a few of the basics worth knowing before you cast a line.
And remember, catching something is only part of it. Sometimes sitting beside the water together is enough.
4. Bring the bikes
If there’s room on the back of the car, bring the bikes.
A family bike ride is an easy way to explore somewhere new, whether you’re following a coastal path, riding beside a river or simply heading out together for an hour before dinner.
Before you travel, look for local shared paths, beginner-friendly trails, pump tracks and places where younger riders can safely get some practice in. For a little inspiration, discover some of our favourite walking and cycling adventures, from coastal routes to trails worth packing the bikes for.
No room to bring the bikes? You can hire e-bikes at Batemans Bay Marina Resort and Geelong Holiday Park and head out exploring on two wheels. Find out more about our e-bike hire and where you can ride nearby.
Got older kids who want a little more adventure? On the NSW South Coast, discover the mountain biking around Mogo and make a day of exploring the trails together.
And don’t underestimate the appeal of simply riding around the holiday park. For plenty of kids, making a few laps, finding new friends and being called back when the BBQ is ready is a pretty good holiday in itself.
5. Go looking for something wild
You don’t always need an admission ticket to have a wildlife encounter.
Spring brings plenty of reasons to keep your eyes open. Along the coast, migrating whales can still be spotted from lookouts and headlands as they make their way south, often with calves alongside them.
If spotting one is high on the school holiday wish list, our guide to whale watching along Australia’s east coast has some great places to start.
Around lakes, rivers and bushland, keep an eye out for kangaroos, wallabies and plenty of birdlife too. Turn it into a challenge for younger kids. Who can spot the first whale spout? How many different birds can you find? What’s making that noise in the trees?
If you do want to add a wildlife attraction to the itinerary, staying around Batemans Bay and the Eurobodalla region also puts family favourites such as Mogo Wildlife Park within easy reach.
A little curiosity can fill a surprising amount of the day.
6. Chase a waterfall or find a new swimming spot
Sometimes getting there is half the adventure.
Pack water and lunch, choose a family-friendly walk and head out in search of a waterfall, lookout or swimming spot.
Around Mackay, the rainforest and waterfalls of the Pioneer Valley and Eungella region make a great change from the coast. Further north, the Townsville region has national parks, swimming spots and walking trails to explore.
In the Top End, staying around Darwin or Howard Springs puts places such as Litchfield National Park within road-trip range, with waterfalls, swimming holes and landscapes that feel a world away from home.
Just check current park conditions, walking grades, swimming advice and entry requirements before setting out. What makes an easy walk for teenagers may be a very different proposition with little legs in tow.
7. Try something completely different
School holidays are a good excuse to do something the kids can’t do at home.
In Lightning Ridge, that might mean trying your hand at fossicking and learning why this Outback town is famous for black opals. Add underground attractions, quirky local sights and a soak in the Artesian Bore Baths and you’ve got a family getaway that feels very different from another week by the coast.
Wherever you’re staying, look for the thing that makes that destination that destination.
It might be fossicking, a local museum, a farm experience, a new walking trail or something you’ve never even heard of before.
You don’t need ten big attractions. Sometimes one really different experience is the thing everyone talks about on the drive home.
8. Take the long way there
The family road trip doesn’t have to begin when you arrive.
Pick a town you’ve never stopped in. Find a lookout along the way. Pack lunch and choose somewhere interesting for a break instead of automatically pulling into the nearest service station.
For older kids, give them a job. Let them choose a stop, find somewhere for lunch or pick one thing they’d like to see along the route.
The destination still matters, but turning the drive into part of the holiday can make getting there a lot more enjoyable.
9. Head out for a family walk
You don’t need hiking boots and a full day to get out into nature.
Look for shorter walks, coastal tracks, riverside paths and lookouts that suit the age and ability of your family. Pack some snacks, take your time and give the kids a reason to keep looking around rather than racing to the end.
At Durras North, Joalah Holiday Park sits beside Durras Inlet with Murramarang National Park right on the doorstep, making it easy to get out among the spotted gums, beaches and coastal scenery.
Wherever you explore, check trail conditions and park information before setting out, particularly after wet weather or during warmer conditions.
10. Leave some days completely unplanned
Perhaps the most important school holiday idea of all: you don’t have to organise every minute.
One of the joys of staying at a holiday park is that sometimes you don’t need to go anywhere.
If your park has a pool, waterpark, playground or other family facilities, let the kids make the most of them. Bring the bikes. Kick a ball around. Head down to the water. Fire up the BBQ and let everyone decide what happens next.
An unplanned afternoon can quickly become the day the kids talk about most.
And for parents? Not having to bundle everyone into the car again can feel pretty good too.
Make more of the school holidays
The best school holiday memories aren’t always the ones you plan down to the last detail or spend a small fortune on.
They’re the morning someone catches their first fish. The beach you weren’t planning to stop at. The bike ride that lasts until dinner. The whale spotted from a lookout or the afternoon when everyone stays in the pool far longer than expected.
Pick somewhere with plenty to explore, make a loose plan and leave some room for the unexpected.
Because a great family holiday doesn’t need something expensive booked for every day. Sometimes you just need a good place to stay, plenty to discover nearby and a little more time together.
School holidays are coming. It’s time to Go Explore together.
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