Easter weekend is just around the corner, and many families will take this fantastic opportunity to pack the car and head away for an unforgettable Easter long weekend road trip.
Perhaps you might even be doing your part for fire and flood affected communities and filling an esky!
If you’re still deciding on what to do for Easter 2022, here are a few tips for travelling with the young ones, and our top picks for each state!
Tips for travelling with children
- Let Audible read the kids a story during the drive
- Opt for healthy snacks and drinks in the car to balance the inevitable ice creams along the way
- Put blankets and pillows in the back for long drives
- Plan fun stops – don’t leave it to chance
- Bring toys for stops (not just for the road) such as balls and frisbees
Cabarita Beach – New South Wales
Cabarita Beach has recently been named the best beach in Australia, and it’s only 90 minutes south of Brisbane (just over the border into NSW).
There are plenty of reasons to visit Cabarita Beach, but you only need a few – sunshine, surf, and beautiful scenery.
Port Lincoln – South Australia
Port Lincoln is roughly seven hours from Adelaide, so it’s a good destination for a long weekend when you have a little more time for travel.
The Adelaide to Port Lincoln road trip is fun all by itself, but once you arrive, the kids can swim with dolphins and sea lions at Baird Bay, or visit the cuddly koalas at Mikkira Station. There are beaches, great food, and awesome giant sand dunes to discover.
The Great Barrier Reef Drive – Queensland
The Great Barrier Reef Drive is one of the best in Australia (and therefore, one of the best in the world!).
You’ll need to get started in Cairns, where you can take this relatively short drive (140 kilometres) but truly take your time with all the wonderful stops and adventures along the way. Kids will love the Kuranda Scenic Railway, the glass-bottom boats over the Great Barrier Reef, and even the kayaking around the coastline. There’s so much to do every step of the way, you’ll hardly spend any time driving.
The Grampians – Victoria
Roughly three hours from the city, The Grampians are perfect for a weekend road trip from Melbourne.
Spend these Easter holidays with the kids relaxing in the Venus Baths, climbing the Pinnacle, and exploring the countless waterfalls in the area. There’s also plenty of camping spots, so be sure to book a space. Motoring club members get a discount at NRMA Halls Gap Holiday Park.
The Margaret River – Western Australia
The Margaret River is known as Australia’s Eden, and for good reason.
This beautiful area is a delight for young and not-so-old alike, with an underground cave system ripe for adventures, and vines ripe with grapes amongst the many vineyards. There’s surfing, swimming, beaches, whale watching, hikes, and the Yallingup Shearing Shed where kids can learn about farms and shearing sheep.
Kakadu National Park – Northern Territory
The Kakadu National Park has something for everyone, and it’s a place adventurous kids are sure to love. The drive from Darwin to the Kakadu National Park takes less than two hours, which means less time in the car and more time out exploring.
The drive there is brimming with mangoes for eating, crocs for watching, and wetlands for exploring, and the park itself has tons of wildlife, rock art, waterfalls, and boat cruises.
Bruny Island – Tasmania
Bruny Island is less than two hours from Hobart, including a short 20-minute ferry ride (and yes, you can take a car on the ferry!).
The little penguins at the Truganini Lookout are always popular amongst kids, as are the beaches, seals, and dolphins. For older kids, there are also excellent hikes with spectacular rewarding views at the top.
Wollongong – New South Wales
Wollongong isn’t in the Australian Capital Territory, but it’s close enough that it makes for an excellent weekend getaway for Canberrans. Plus, it’s even closer for Sydneysiders, making it an equally ideal weekend road trip from Sydney.
This beachy destination is part of the Grand Pacific Drive from Sydney, and is a smorgasbord of fun for kids. There’s a planetarium, a zoo, a wildlife park, and countless picturesque beaches.
These long weekend road trips offer the chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and make the most of those public holidays in Victoria, NSW, and throughout the country.
Where will you be headed this Easter? Be sure to book your SIXT rental car now.
