If you are travelling with children, the most important part of planning an unforgettable family getaway is avoiding the rush from place to place.
Time together as a family shouldn’t be hectic and stressful. Seek out a home base in a choice location and make meaningful memories. The Gold Coast is ‘famous for fun’ but with 70 kilometres of beach plus dozens of theme parks and attractions, it’s easy to find yourself harried.
It’s tough to cram together an entire family into a single room, eat every meal in a restaurant (with tired, sandy, cranky kids), and still consider it a holiday. Consider the possibilities of using a beautiful luxury villa as your home base.
Read ahead for our guide to booking the most memorable family holiday.
Family-friendly Gold Coast
Amusement parks, natural wonders, shopping, adventure, surfing, and golden sand beaches are waiting. It’s no wonder that the Gold Coast is a favourite destination of young and old.
The Gold Coast tourist authority has an amazing blog detailing all kind of things to do while visiting. Walk in a rainforest, cuddle some koalas, or even book a date to learn how to make a Neapolitan pizza.
Just south of Brisbane, this area is home to 500,000 people. Make your family getaway an opportunity to see the area as a local, instead of as a tourist.
Plan Your Family Getaway
With limited time and funds for a family holiday, it can feel like a pressure cooker to cram in all you want to see and do. There are relatives to visit, natural wonders to appreciate and beach sunrises to behold.
With to the minute planning, you might be able to do it all. But is that really a holiday? Slow down a little and appreciate your family time. No one in the family is going to remember anything pleasant if the stress level is high.
Let the Kids Lead the Way
Match your activity level to your kids’ developmental age. It’s not a holiday if no one is having a good time. It doesn’t necessarily sound fair but only plan for what the youngest person in the family can handle, and even then expect to curtail that.
Overtired and overstimulated is never a good combo for a family getaway. Let older children help in the planning and narrowing down choices. Their buy-in can make a huge difference.
This goes double for planning mealtime. The stress of eating all meals in public will wear on everyone. Make sure you have familiar foods on hand and try to keep a routine.
Stay on Target
Keep your holiday activities focused. Multiple steps can quickly become too much. Is it really possible to see Sea World, snorkel with the turtles and visit the rainforest in two days? And then on to paddleboarding, Dream World, and Wet n’ Wild??
Will your kids really be appreciating all the activity or whining about it halfway? More significantly, what will you miss at each place by spending such a short amount of time?
More Downtime
Add time for the unexpected to happen. This is a family getaway, after all, and why rush? Give yourself and your family time to really enjoy things rather than rush and see everything.
Sleep Well
If at all possible, keep to familiar sleeping arrangements, with a bed for each person and private rooms as necessary. Look for a home with cribs and low toddler beds if you need them.
Teens (and adults!) appreciate private bedrooms and bathrooms.
Plan for some sleeping in and for some early nights too. Your family getaway shouldn’t require vacation days afterwards to recover!
Pick a Place to Be Your Home for the Holiday
It’s where you return after each day’s adventure, so make it your home while you visit. Find a place for your family to unwind and settle in for the duration. A luxury villa is a good choice for stays.
You can enjoy all the amenities of a fancy resort while enjoying the privacy and freedom of a private home. Want to let your toddler roam during breakfast? Don’t try that in a hotel dining room!
Map out the planned activities for your family getaway and then pick out the right neighbourhood for your nightly slumber. Depending on your family, you may pick something close to the water or with a swimming pool, near the beach attractions or in a neighbourhood with lots of walkable restaurants and shops?
Select the Right Amenities
The right amenities to pamper your family differ from group to group, but little things like cribs, high chairs, and extra toys and games on hand are pure gold if you need them. The same goes for an onsite washer and dryer, beach towels and strollers.
Older kids may wish to lounge in a private rumpus room with video games and internet throughout the house. Or maybe you want them jumping on a trampoline or running on your private stretch of beach.
For a true family getaway (even for the planner,) the services of a private chef, babysitter or just grocery delivery are pure luxury.
Book With Elite Holiday Homes
Elite Holiday Homes specialises in the finest luxury holiday homes, apartments, and villas on the Gold Coast. They have more than 45 stunning multi-million dollar homes available for your family holiday.
A range of family-friendly appointments awaits you in waterfront and beachside villas, homes and apartments. There is a perfect accommodation to suit the length of your visit, your budget and the special needs of your family.
All available properties are conveniently located a short walk away from attractions, restaurants, and shops, have full kitchen facilities and other extras to make your family holiday unforgettable.
Relax, laugh and make memories together without hassle. Enquire about the perfect home today!