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Best holidays for toddlers in Australia to take in 2021

A round-up of child-friendly Australian destinations to take your tot and the best deals to keep your wallet happy.

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Stephanie Yip
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When choosing the optimal location to take your tot for a trip, child-friendly pools, beaches, hotels with cots and an abundance of kids meals are a few considerations to bear in mind.

To whittle down the options, we’ve rounded up the toddler-friendly destinations in Australia that tick these boxes and more.

What's in this guide?

  1. Best holiday destinations for toddlers in Australia
  2. Our top sites to book holidays for toddlers
  3. Things to pack when travelling with a toddler
  4. Latest deals on holiday packages for toddlers

Best holiday destinations for toddlers in Australia

Best for beaches: Gold Coast

Glow worm caves, butterfly gardens, rock pools, wildlife parks and more than 70 kilometres of biscuity beaches make the Gold Coast a no-brainer for families with under threes.

  • Cost: Mid-range accommodation and reasonably priced kids’ meals such as Frenzy's which has kids’ meals from $14 and The Boathouse Tavern which sports $8 kids' meals.
  • How long should I stay? 7 days.
  • Recommended hotel: Oaks Calypso Plaza offers family friendly apartments in Coolangatta.

Best for a fast-paced city break: Sydney

Families with tots can count on stroller-friendly coastal walks, animal encounters and plenty of playgrounds to keep them entertained around Sydney.

  • Cost: Mid-high end due to big city prices. For example, buffet lunches start at $25 for kids at Harvest Buffet though kids’ meals can start from $9 at places like Fratelli Fresh.
  • How long should I stay? 5 days.
  • Recommended hotel: Located in Darling Harbour Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments add a touch of luxe to your family trip, but has toddler-friendly facilities like in-room cots.

Best for a relaxing city break: Brisbane

From following your little ones along the sensory trail at the Botanic Gardens in summer to snowman building at Snow4Kids in winter, Brisbane delivers for families with kids all year round.

  • Cost: Mid-range accommodation and food prices. For example, kids’ meals at Three Blue Ducks start from $10.
  • How long should I stay? 5 days.
  • Recommended hotel: Providing cots and family friendly apartments, Mantra on the Quay is a great option for holidays with toddlers.

Best for water babies: Cairns

You don’t have to go further than the esplanade with its playgrounds, toddler-friendly splash pools and family friendly cafes to enjoy a holiday with little ones in Cairns.

  • Cost: Mid-range accommodation with savings to be made on food thanks to facilities like BBQ and picnic areas.
  • How long should I stay? 7 days.
  • Recommended hotel: Cascade Gardens has created a range of one- and two-bed apartments that are tailored for families.

Best for history buffs: Broome

The sand dune-lined Cable Beach puts 22.5 kilometres of flour-soft sand at the disposal of families and when kids tire of the beach, there are dinosaur footprints to find.

Best for both kids and adults: Busselton

Wineries with playgrounds, shallow tides and beaches primed for sandcastle building are just a few of the ways Busselton woos families.

  • Cost: Mid-range accommodation and mid-range kid-friendly food options such as Dynasty Chinese Restaurant and Al Forno.
  • How long should I stay? 5 days.
  • Recommended hotel: The one-bed apartments at Abbey Beach Resort have room for one child, where the two-bed options fit three little ones.

Best quiet escape: Port Douglas

Little ones holidaying in Port Douglas get to hand-feed wallabies, tuck into tropical fruit ice cream, and get their parents’ money’s worth from their buckets and spades on Four Mile Beach.

  • Cost: Mid-range accommodation and mid-range restaurants such as 2 Fish which has kids’ meals from $14 and mains from $30.
  • How long should I stay? 7 days.
  • Recommended hotel: Central Plaza offers one-bedroom apartments that sleep up to two children and infant cots are available on request.

Best for curious minds: Perth

Water playgrounds, a science centre with a puppet theatre for three year olds, and a symphony orchestra with cushion concerts for little ones can all be part of a family itinerary in Perth.

  • Cost: Mid-range accommodation due to city prices but plenty of options for self-catering lunches and dinners. For an idea of cost, cafes such as John Street Cafe offer kids’ meals from $11.50.
  • How long should I stay? 5 days.
  • Recommended hotel: The family rooms at Rendezvous Hotel Perth Scarborough sleep up to two children.

Best for wildlife warriors: Darwin

You can get your little ones up-close to baby crocs at Crocosaurus Cove, and watch them have the time of their lives in the toddler areas of the free water playgrounds when you stay in Darwin.

  • Cost: Mid-range accommodation and a few purse-friendly eateries such as My Friend’s Kitchen. Otherwise you’re looking at mid-high end restaurants like Mitchell’s Grill with its $15 kids’ meals.
  • How long should I stay? 5 days.
  • Recommended hotel: Mercure Darwin Airport Resort offers family rooms and free breakfast deals are also often available.

Our top sites to book holidays for toddlers

Swimming pool with slide

1. My Queensland

With beaches, theme parks and wildlife sanctuaries, Queensland is a no-brainer for a holiday. MyQueensland knows it best, focusing solely on the state and its holiday offerings.

  • All packages include flights, accommodation, transfers and experiences.
  • Score up to $2,000 in bonus value extras.
  • Family friendly packages can feature “kids stay for free” deals and live entertainment.

View coupon codes for My Queensland

Mom and a child

2. Flight Centre

Put a smile on their dials with family holidays, cruises and tours available to book through Flight Centre.

  • Families with school-aged children (as well as toddlers) can search for holidays by particular school holiday periods.
  • Holiday add-ons, such as attraction passes, can be added for a fee.
  • Interest-free finance available for holidays $999+.

View coupon codes for Flight Centre - Holidays

Mom and a child on the beach

3. Travel Online

Expect kids' clubs, meal deals for little ones and attraction passes for all from the family friendly packages on TravelOnline.

  • Valid travel dates often run through the school holidays.
  • Hot deals across Australia's hottest family getaway destinations, including Queensland islands, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Sydney.
  • Explore further afield with family offers in Fiji, Bali and Thailand.

Things to pack when travelling with a toddler

  • Car seats: It may be harder to come across restraints for older toddlers compared to babies, so if you're taking a road trip while away it could be worth bringing your own from home or hiring one on arrival
  • Extra clothes: Always pack more clothing than you need, because things can get messy, especially if your toddler is running around in a new and exciting place. Bringing some washing powder for sink washes in your hotel could be handy too.
  • Travel pram: Even if your child is a keen explorer on foot, long days wandering around an exciting new place can get tiring.
  • Bedding or bed accessories: A bed rail can easily convert a hotel bed into something more toddler-friendly, or a travel bed can turn any floor space into a sleeping area for your little one.

If you don't want to carry all the travel accessories you need for toddlers from home, there are hire services available in cities across Australia where you can organise pick-up on arrival or at the airport.

Latest deals on holiday packages for toddlers

Trafalgar ToursTrafalgar Tours

Up to 10% off young traveller discount

Get up to 10% off when you are travelling with children between the age of 5 and 17. T&Cs apply.

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Trafalgar ToursTrafalgar Tours

Up to 5% off family tours

Available on select travel dates in 2020 and 2021 when you book for 5 people or more. Destinations include Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South Africa and more. T&Cs apply.

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GVIGVI

Worldwide volunteering programs from $2,310

Available on select dates. Programs include sea turtle and marine conservation, wild life research, volunteer with children, elephants and more. Sample price is for a volunteer on construction project in Nepal.

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