NOOSA - TRAVELING WITH KIDS
Oh how wish I could do a holiday with kids as easily as the Instagram influencers make it look! I do love a good holiday, but since the arrival of my 2nd and a global pandemic, I haven’t felt travel fit!
I dream of getting in a plane and have someone tell me to turn off my phone and zoom into the sky but doing it with a 6 and 3 year old gives me anxiety! We long to go back to New York and see our friends that live there, but the idea of 24hrs of travel doesn’t sound amazing. So then we got this crazy idea that we could hire an RV around NSW, down to Adelaide, Melb and back for 6 weeks over the Xmas school holidays. Well we just did a 12hr drive to and from Noosa and whilst we survived and had a great trip, we have decided we truely aren’t ready for 6 weeks in a camper as a family!! However, I am going to call the Noosa trip, mostly a success! Here is how we did it and the highlights!
THE DRIVE
Tip 1 - Split up the trip!
On the way up it was a night in Morisset to see grandma and drop off the dogs and knock off 1.5hrs. A bright an early start the next morning for coffee with friends in Port Macquarie and then onto Brisbane to stay with a friend before driving to Noosa the next morning.
Tip 2 - Invest in an iPad, the Disney App and a iPad Holder
The trip up was pretty successful, with minimal whining thanks to the pre downloaded movies and shows keeping them entertained! The holder we have attaches in between the parent headrests so they are looking up, not down and they then aren’t holding it or fighting over it. Pop that on your Xmas wish list, its a good one!
Yes we could have flown, but by the time we navigate airports and have to hire a car on the other side anyway, it wasn’t worth it. Not to mention it is super expensive to fly these days. We also love being able to take loads of stuff including bikes and scooters.
Tip 3 - Pack everyones stuff in their own individual soft bags, not suitcases. Everyone can find their own stuff and its pliable and fits into the car better.
WHERE WE STAY
Our accommodation is a favourite of ours. It was our 3rd stay at the RACV Noosa Resort and here is why we love it!
Tip 4 - Sign up for a RACV/RACQ membership for $42 and save hundreds of dollars on your booking instantly!
2 bedroom apartments - kids in their own room, with full kitchens and laundry’s. You can throw a load on each day because on holidays everyone feels the need to wear at least 3 outfits a day! Plus I do all the last bits before I leave so I don’t come back to bags and bags of laundry to kill my buzz.
The big thing they did for us this time was for our son. We normally still sleeps in a crib so we were concerned that he would fall out of a big bed. So they removed the bedside table, brought in a mattress to use as a barrier between him and his sister and put him up against the wall. Genius! Also the next day he woke up with the sun coming under the blind right onto him so they brought us painters tape to tape the blind to the wall. So kind! And a great hack, I will now pack painters tape with me when I travel!
The full kitchen means a meal or snack whenever you want - Aldi is a 3min drive up the road so stock up when you arrive! Our kiddo wakes at 5am and the buffet starts at 6:30 so there is an hour of yelling for breakfast that can be avoided!
Every toilet in the apartments and all of the main areas has a kids toilet seat attached - so toddler friendly! No balancing the 2 year old so they don’t fall in!
Buffet breakfast every day! So worth the extra money, pay when you book and it’s cheaper than paying on the day. The kids can sample things they otherwise wouldn’t try or eat pancakes every morning (hey we are on holidays!)
Dinner has an amazing menu (I’m picky and I cleaned my plate both nights we ate there) and they have a pizza bar too that the kids can see it being made. They also give the kids an activity pack each to keep them occupied, a TV on the wall, live acoustic music every evening and everyone has a kid so no one is upset by tantrums or loud noises!
The pools are fab! There is an outdoor spa, a main pool with a sandy beach part so the kids can play and another pool with 2 easy slides. And they are heated to 28 degrees.
They have a games room - And the games are free. Its AWESOME - Pacman, Mario Kart etc and the kids have a blast.
There is a small playground as well for the littles.
They have bikes and electric scooters for hire including one with a baby seat and one with a chariot.
I didn’t get to use it this time but you can bliss out in the day spa if you like too for a lovely massage.
I recommend asking for a ground floor apartment so you don’t have to bother with stairs but also so that you also have some lovely outdoor space for a meal or the kids to do handstands etc!
The last thing they have that we will use next year is a Kids Club in the evenings - They have to be 4 years old so we have one more year before our youngest can go! We can see the light at the end of the tunnel guys!
They truely make this place so easy to be with the kids that it keeps us coming back. Also this is not a paid ad or anything like that (I wish!) I am just a fan!
THINGS TO DO
Day 1 - We usually arrive around lunchtime so we chill, unwind and head to the pool!
Day 2 - Still a bit tired from the trip we opted for an easy morning. The accomodation has a free shuttle bus every 30mins to take you the 5min drive up the road into the main town which is awesome because then you don’t have to find a park and the kids love the novelty! Hastings street is beautiful with loads of cafes, boutique shops and galleries. The beach is right there as well so you can cool off with a swim and build sand castles. Its not a rough beach and it is monitored by life guards. Assess to the Noosa National Park is one end if you feel like a big walk / trek. The opposite end has the Noosa Botanical Gardens which is an easier walk for littles. Check out Visit Noosa for more info.
Day 3 - We drove about 50mins to Australia Zoo. It was fantastic! We also got to watch the croc show in the arena and it was done by Terri, Robert and Chandler. Steve Irwins legacy is in safe hands with his son, he did a fantastic job. The animals have HUGE areas to roam, especially the Africa area. This place is huge so my tip is to take a stroller. My almost 6 and 3 year olds got really tired legs here. Take one - Even a $20 one from K-Mart will do. The kids can feel Kangaroos, climb over crocodile statues and get really close to Koalas. The most natural Koala area I have seen in any zoo.
Day 4 - We decided to hire a BBQ Pontoon Boat for 2 hours and explore the fancy houses along the Noosa River. They normally only hire them for 4hrs but if you call on the day they will do 2hr trips. So comfy, the kids have space to roam on them and help Dad drive the boat while I peruse Real Estate.com and dream. Got a lazy 21M anyone? We hired through Pelican Boat Hire and they were lovely and easy to deal with and the Big Pelican is right out the front!
Day 5 - Shane wanted to test out some Electric Bikes (he really wants one!). I only learnt to ride a bike this year so I was a tad nervous! I am not really to take the kids with me so he put the 2 of them in a chariot behind him and I flew solo. We did a ride around a little lake including me falling off into the trees but I survived! They are super fun and super quick and make getting up hills a breeze! You pedal but its like someone giving you a good push up the hill! Very cool and yes we may be buying one eventually! There are a bunch in town but we had a fab experience with Bike On. Across the road from Bike On is the Noosa Chocolate Factory to calorie up after really burning little to know calories in the electric bikes! Grab a delicious hot chocolate and some chocolate gifts here!
Day 6 - Saturday is Eumundi Markets day. Its been voted Australia’s best markets and it isn’t hard to see why! Everything really is curated well and is original and made by local artists, designers, authors, foodies etc. I could have spent a fortune here. Loads of great food trucks as well including some very hip vegan options!
Day 7 - Our only rainy day so we drove an hour down to Mooloolaba to take the kids to the SeaLife Aquarium. Fish and shark tunnels and a seal show are always a hit with my crew.
There is so much to do here! You won’t be bored I promise!
The trip home was a little tougher, we left by 7am (thanks QLD no daylight savings!). Dropped in on Brissy friends and then made it to Coffs Harbour for one night. Give yourself time to hang out at the big banana! The slides, toboggans and water park are worth a few hours there! We only had 1 but made the most of it.
Coffs back to Morisset to grab the dogs and lunch with grandma and then thankfully the kids napped the last 1.5hrs to home!
So this trip was a success! But we are also happy to be home after 10 days away! I hope this helps you plan your awesome trip to Noosa!
