Three Great Days Out In Melbourne With Kids

By Jessica Palmer

Whether you’re a visitor or a local on a stay-cation, a city break in Melbourne is hard to beat. Here are three great days out in Melbourne with kids!

Take Flight at Arthurs Seat Eagle Gondolas Before Hitting Up The Beaches on the Mornington Peninsula

’Hello!’’ my kids yelled out in unison to the passing gondola. ‘’Hello!’’ came the excited echo back from a waving and smiling little girl as we passed each other high up in the air.

They sat down and waited for the next one. The gentle breeze tickling my face through the bars of the gondola was divine, a breath of fresh on a scorching Melbourne day. I closed my eyes to enjoy the sensation. But only for a brief second, as the views were exceptional and I didn’t want to miss it.

From the highest point of the Arthurs Seat Eagle Gondola ride, the views stretch from Port Phillip Bay and The Mornington Peninsula across to Melbourne City and beyond.

The serenity was broken by my kids once again, this time yelling, ‘’Mum, look there’s a kangaroo!’’ I shifted my gaze away from the view to peer down and sure enough, bounding below in the state forest were three kangaroos.

After six or so massive leaps of the kangaroo kind, they stopped to graze. Despite seeing many kangaroos in my lifetime, I never tire of seeing them in their natural environment. Seems my kids are still enthralled too.

The kangaroos had moved on by the time we made the return trip, but we were lucky enough to spot not one, but two Wedge Tailed Eagles soaring the skies, and countless other birds flittering about.

Arthurs Seat Eagle is a Swiss-made aerial gondola system which is supported by cables from above. Each gondola holds up to 8 people and the flight takes around 15 minutes for a one-way trip. The gondolas are all-inclusive and cater to the disabled, elderly, frail and young children. It is wheelchair and pram friendly with a combination of enclosed and open cabins.

Make the most of your day!

Board the gondolas at the base station and enjoy the stunning 15-minute ‘’flight’’ up to the summit station. The kids can participate in an ‘’I Spy’’ game, but only if you remember to grab your free map with a checklist at the kiosk before you board.

Disembark at the summit station and enjoy morning tea at the Eagle Cafe. Delicious food is their specialty with pies, salads, sandwiches and wraps, as well as ice creams and sweet treats.

Walk 10-minutes over to the Enchanted Adventure Garden, where the kids can have fun ziplining, tree surfing, tube sliding and escaping a maze. Alternatively, a more wallet friendly option is to pack your own picnic and stroll along the walking tracks to Seawinds Garden.

After your tribe is suitably worn out, take the leisurely ride back down to the base station, enjoying the views one last time.

Pack the kids in the car and head on over to Mills Beach to spend the afternoon. The Mornington Peninsula has many gorgeous beaches to choose from, but Mills Beach is fairly quiet and sheltered, with shallow water for younger kids and ample grassy areas with a few picnic tables.

Taking in the views on Arthurs Seat Eagle Gondola

Jessica Palmer

Build, Test, Create and Have Fun at the Legoland Discovery Centre

I won’t lie, your kids will be tired after visiting Legoland. I recommending planning something fairly chill for the afternoon such as heading on over to the Hoyts cinemas next door, or grab a Lego project from the retail store for some quiet play.

”MUUUUMMMMMM It’s an EARTHQUAKE!” squealed both kids simultaneously. “ÁGHHHH!” The Lego table they were working on began to shake. They began to count, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 …”

“This time is stayed up for EIGHT SECONDS!” my son said loudly. “Yeah, that was the best one yet!” replied my daughter.

The “earthquake” they were so excited about was actually a simulation table at Legoland Melbourne. Kids build a Lego tower and when they are ready to test their design, they can create an “earthquake” with the press of a button. They can even control the magnitude of the quake!

It was just one of the many great interactive exhibits at Legoland, Melbourne. I could almost see their little brains working hard to find a solution!

The Legoland Discovery Centre in Melbourne is designed specifically for families with children aged 3-10 years of age. Being honest, even I enjoyed the activities and I’m ... (cough) ... three decades past the recommended age. Who doesn’t like Lego?

Experimenting on the Ear

What’s Inside The Melbourne Legoland Discovery Centre?

Legoland Melbourne packs a huge punch in a small space. Here’s the rundown!

Miniland:

It’s one of the coolest things inside Legoland Melbourne and adults will appreciate it just as much as kids. Made from over 1.5 million Lego pieces, Miniland is a miniature replica of Melbourne’s iconic buildings. The entire room changes from day to night every five minutes or so and when night time comes, expect to see MiniMelbourne from a whole new perspective.

Lego Racers Build and Test:

Kids grab Lego pieces and various Lego vehicle parts to create their own custom vehicle. They have two options to test them out, both of them are fun!

Earthquake Tables:

These are the best! An earthquake simulation table to test the sturdiness of your Lego build.

Soft Play Area:

It’s basically one of those indoor play areas where everything is padded and it’s chock full of climbing things and slides. Children MUST be wearing socks at all times. If you didn’t bring socks (like us), you can buy some pretty cool Lego branded ones from the cafe.

Merlins Apprentice Ride:

This is a fun ride for kids in which your both strapped into a seat and have to pedal like crazy to lift your seat up higher while the ride goes round and round.

Lego 4D Cinemas:

We ALL loved this one at Legoland Melbourne! At first, it’s like an ordinary 3D film, but then it becomes 4D with the experience of snow, wind and rain … all indoors.

Kingdom Quest:

This is a really cool chariot ride in which the kids sit in front and everyone is given a plastic laser gun. As the chariot moves slowly through the tunnel, shoot baddies in an attempt to rescue the captured princess. There are trolls, skeletons, spiders and all sorts of bad-guys that you really don’t mind zapping.

Lego Friends:

The Lego Friends section is totally aimed at girls, with lots of soft colours and a makebelieve city. I have a personal distaste for girlying things up too much but my little girl loved the purple and pink Lego pieces!

Duplo Farm Adventures:

The Duplo Farm Adventure is for younger kids aged 2-5 years, designed to inspire interactive social play. It looks great with giant barn doors, a farmhouse to climb, crawl and slide through and life-size Duplo animals.

Discover the Deep:

This has some of my favourite Lego builds in Legoland Melbourne, including a Lego-man dressed in a shark suit and some elaborate under-water themed pieces.

When tummies start rumbling, there is a cafe located in the centre of the attractions featuring a decent selection of healthy options as well as indulgent yummies like cupcakes.

Encourage your kids to save their pocket money before you visit as the Lego retail store is pretty neat! This store is Victoria’s only stockist of the full Lego range and has some fantastic projects for all-sized wallets.

Here you will find lots of themed projects such as Lego Frozen, Lego Harry Potter and Lego Star Wars or you can just buy specific colours by the scoop.

Fun Photo Opportunity at Legoland Melbourne

Jessica Palmer

Explore Sea Life Aquarium and Head to the Iconic Langham Hotel for an Afternoon High Tea.

The Sea Life Aquarium is considered one of Melbourne’s top attractions, giving you the opportunity to get up close with penguins, sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, turtles, seahorses and more.

We stood in front of the penguin enclosure, in prime position to view their antics both above and below the water. The kids giggled as they waddled up the icy steps only to playfully slide straight back down, their bodies seemingly built for this slip’n’slide fun.

They seem awkward on land, making up for it as you watch them loop the loop and dive with ease under the water. I dread to think how cold that water actually is!

Besides watching the fascinating King and Gentoo penguins play, here’s what else you’ll find inside Sea Life Aquarium Melbourne!

4D Cinema:

The 4D Cinema experience is included in the ticket price and is a great opportunity to chill out when everyone is feeling a bit weary.

Ocean Invaders:

Ocean Invaders is Sea Life’s newest exhibit and is wonderfully interactive, bright and full of transparent, squishy jellyfish.

Bay of Rays:

The perfect spot to check out Fiddler rays with an opportunity for the kids to crawl through and poke their heads up for a different view into the underwater world of Port Phillip Bay.

Shipwreck Explorer:

This is where you get to see the aquarium’s largest marine creatures. Have a relax on the steps and enjoy your large window into the underwater world.

You can also expect to find Discovery Rockpools, where little ones can safely get their hands on sea stars and shark eggs, the Pinjarra Crocodile Lair, the colourful Coral Atoll and the Mermaid Garden.

Now That Everyone Has Worked up an Appetite, Head on Over to the Langham Hotel for a Very Special High Tea

After a long morning spent at Sea Life Aquarium, everyone will have worked up an appetite and be ready to head on over to the iconic Langham Hotel for a very special afternoon tea treat.

The Langham is renowned for delivering ‘amazing’ when it comes to afternoons of the high tea kind. Kids will be over the moon with their children’s themed selections (Little Prince and Princess at the time of writing) and adults will be thoroughly impressed with their Wedgwood High Tea selection.

The Langham and Wedgwood have collaborated to host an indulgent version of the afternoon tradition, with specially created menus designed by the hotels Executive Pastry Chef, Markus Bohm and Wedgwood specialty teas served in tailor-made ‘‘Langham Rose’’ Wedgwood china. The Wedgwood high tea and kids selections are a great opportunity for a memorable multigenerational get together.

Where to Stay in MEL BOURNE

Camping

There are some great YouCamp properties in the outer Melbourne suburbs for those families wishing to reduce costs by camping, particularly around the lovely Mornington Peninsula area.

Try the Mornington Country Getaway and enjoy a country escape on a six acre property. This Mornington Peninsula camp overlooks a winery with views to Arthurs Seat. The property features a large dam, roaming sheep and a relaxed country feel.

Check out Baldrys Rd Farm Stay, situated next to Greens Bush Point Nepean National Park. This farm stay offers secluded bush camps and open paddocks.

Great Value

YHA Australia offers great value accommodation across Australia, but did you know that many of their premises are family friendly with private family rooms?

The Melbourne Metro YHA is located in leafy North Melbourne, just a short walk from Queen Victoria Market.

For those families making plans to see the famous Penguin Parade, the Phillip Island YHA is a conveniently located option, allowing you to soak up the sun on the beach and browse quirky shops and boutiques.

Luxury

The Langham Hotel is in an outstanding location amidst Melbourne’s arts and leisure district. With sweeping views of the Yarra River and Melbourne skyline, each of the 388 rooms and suites is framed by a magnificent view of either the river or skyline.

Ask them about their Kids Glamping Package!

A selection of deserts from the Wedgwood high tea at the Langham Hotel in Melbourne

Jessica Palmer