Way Different. Way Better. Not Your Average Family Trip: Melbourne for Families

Melbourne with the kids. You’re picturing zoos, playgrounds, maybe an ice cream (or two, no judgment). Sure, that’s in the mix, but so are surprises around every corner. Moments that make you pause, laugh, or just wonder what’s coming next. Whether you’re exploring at toddler-speed, tween-speed, or full-on teen-speed, this isn’t your average family trip.

Wild Encounters at Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo

Start at Melbourne Zoo, where wide eyes meet snow leopards, towering giraffes, and a Victorian-era carousel that spins nostalgia with every turn.

Dare to stay for the “Roar ’n’ Snore” Overnight Camp? Explore the Zoo after dark, tuck into dinner under the stars, hear wild tales from your guides, then fall asleep to the calls of gibbons and native birds. By morning, giraffes, lemurs and kookaburras are lining up to put on a show, and the whole family has front-row seats.

Craving something even more different? Head to Werribee Open Range Zoo, where jeeps rumble across open plains and animals are so close you’ll wonder who’s watching who. Don’t miss the show-stopping Elephants & Waterhole Trails, nine majestic Asian elephants roaming a sprawling 21-hectare playground. This world-class walking safari will have the whole family grinning from ear to ear at the most unforgettable wild parade.

Stay Nearby: Just a six-minute drive from Melbourne Zoo and a 33-minute drive to Werribee Open Range Zoo, Oaks Melbourne Flemington Suites is the perfect family base.

ACMI: Where Screens Come to Play

Step into ACMI at Federation Square, where screens aren’t just for doomscrolling, they’re for doing, playing, and creating. This isn’t your average gallery, it’s a full-on playground of hands-on exhibits, interactive experiences, and workshops the whole family can dive into.

Explore The Story of the Moving Image, a journey through films, games, and digital art that changed the world. Step onto movie sets, discover iconic costumes, animate shadows, or build your own soundscape. Got little ones? The Preschoolers program turns storytelling into an adventure they’ll be begging to do again and again.

Stay Nearby: Just a 10-minute stroll from ACMI, Oaks Melbourne Southbank Suites is a great spot to recharge after a day of playful chaos.

Tree Surfing at Enchanted Adventure Garden: Swing, Zip, Repeat

Looking for thrills that will have the whole family laughing and maybe questioning gravity? Enchanted Adventure Garden on the Mornington Peninsula is a bushland playground where adventure tops the agenda every single day.

Strap in for Tree Surfing. Zip through native trees, swing across rope bridges, crawl through suspended tunnels, and fling yourself off the giant Tarzan Swing. Teens and adults take on the Grand Course, little adventurers tackle the Nippers, then everyone can slow down, get delightfully lost in hedge mazes, wander colourful gardens, and zoom down epic tube slides.

Stay Nearby: Enchanted Adventure Garden is just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne, but every twist, zip, and swing makes it worth the trip. After a day of bushland thrills, spread out and kick back at Oaks Melbourne St Kilda Road Hotel.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre: Tiny Builders, Big Adventures

Here’s something for the little builders (and the big kids who refuse to grow up). Step into LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne, where colour, creativity, and a whole lot of controlled chaos clicks into place.

Mini architects aged 3 to 10 can dive into more than a dozen attractions, from MINILAND Melbourne, where iconic landmarks magically snap into LEGO life, to LEGO Racers: Build & Test zones, themed workshops, and a 4D cinema full of wind, smells, and laugh-out-loud moments. Pro tip: maybe don’t let Dad try to out-build the kids.

Stay Nearby: LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is just a 20-minute drive from Oaks Melbourne South Yarra Suites. After a day of LEGO-fuelled fun, there’s no better place to keep building core memories brick by brick.

Pack Your Bags for a Family Trip That’s Anything But Average

By the time you flop into your Oaks room, you’ll know this wasn’t your average family trip. Between wild encounters, high-flying adventures, hands-on chaos, and LEGO mayhem, you’ll be laughing, gasping, and making memories that stick. Melbourne just flipped your family holiday upside down, so pack your sense of fun and hold on tight.