Over the school holidays, we headed to the Whitsundays for a bit of a family vacay. This isn’t unusual. We were there last year and the year before that and the year before that we moved away from this little piece of paradise.
But this time, it was all new.
Coming from a career in travel and tourism I got used to a (cough) certain standard of travel, at a certain rate. Industry discount was the hardest thing I have ever had to quit! When the Mr and I travel we were used to all the stars and all the service, with all our money still in our pocket.
Though due to working in travel, there wasn’t so much money in said pocket anyway.
Our style did adjust slightly when the kids come along.
There was the moment when we realised hotel rooms are a no go for our happiness. One night is fine but anything longer, forget it.
Then we decided that having activities for the kids was kind of essential as trying to drag them to things that we wanted to go to always dulled the excitement for everyone.
That is when we realised staying at one place and then spending money to go off and do all these kids activities really hurt the bank balance.
It was time to get a grip on life as we knew it. We are a family with two small, active kids. It was time to embrace the holiday park!
It was an adjustment but I was very excited to book a 2 bedroom cabin at Big4 Adventure Whitsunday. As time carried us closer to our stay I downloaded the jam-packed activity sheet, got out my trusty highlighter and proceeded to plan our days out. Ari and I watched YouTube videos of the park’s mascot, Gavin The Frog (yep!) running around all the activities and the park quickly got the name of “Gavin’s Place”.
We packed differently. We took bikes and towels and any little creature comfort that would fit in the back of the Triton. It wasn’t just a stuffy suitcase each, we took our life up there to the Whitsundays.
Even for the road trip, I scanned the web for a heap of activities to occupy the kids. Prize parenting!
Our drive was a good 11 hours so we smartly broke it up (something we had never done because “let’s just get there”) with a stay in a holiday park cabin in Rockhampton. Just this little taster had the kids excited and this park had nothing on the super child-friendly Adventure Whitsunday.
Knocking off the last few hours of driving we were all happy to see the gates to the park. Let the holiday begin!
On our honeymoon, we went to Fiji and planned to lay beside the pool for eight days. It took me a good two before I could just be still and let the world pass me by.
Just the world, the bar staff could never pass me by, we made a pact.
This holiday was exactly like that. But with kids!
Initially, I wanted to do all the things, all the time. Pool, farm, put-put, movie, pool, bike ride, treasure hunt, pool again. But after a day of that, I cruised happily in slow-mo and surprisingly so did the kids.
Ok, there may have been an extra day or two of pestering to get to the pool three times a day, but it was hot so why not.
Besides our day out with Cruise Whitsundays and a trip to play with a friend’s horse, I never felt the need to do anything more than lay around the pool… then the deck… then the cabin.
Here we were on a family holiday in a holiday park in the school holidays (mad house!) and we were all relaxed!
I think it was just simply embracing the family holiday. The hard-core, let the kids go nuts in their own little paradise, holiday park. I didn’t think it could ever be like this!
No more trying to fit the kids into the bubble we had created. This is the new way we holiday!
Have you had a holiday that changed EVERYTHING?
That looks like so much fun! I remember my holiday park vacays when I was a kid – they were always the BEST!
It is so nice just not to have to pack everything up to go anywhere. The kids were occupied. I can see a few years from now how much more relaxing they could get!
My bro & SIL started renting houses (or apartments) once they had a child. They often holidayed with another couple (Magnetic Island or similar) so would rent some big fancy house between the two families and have a heap of space, could do their own cooking and were less worried about noise from the kids!
I like it! We did a holiday home last year on Hamilton Island and that was great! We really should do it again some time. I like big and fancy on a shoestring. 🙂
I’ve been wondering about that park and I think I will definitely take the girls while we are living up here now that you have shown how fun it is. I’ve just been trying to explain to the husband about having to do kid activities on the next holiday we are planning or it’s no fun for anyone – he is still catching on after 9 years!!!
Hahaha! Yes you definitely should come down for the drive. Every weekend is activity packed so it doesn’t only just happen in the holidays.
What a great way to relax- just let it all go and embrace it!
Embrace the family vaycay.
Having also worked in the travel industry I found myself nodding along with your comments. Our change came when our son was born with a disability and travel needed to be longer, in an apartment and accessible. We have also adjusted (well, I find the non-industry rates a shock) and love time with the family and have also found that accessible cabins in holiday parks work well for us.
I noticed a couple of accessible cabins at Adventure when we were there.
I am lucky to have quite a few friends still in the industry but oh, how I miss it. All of it! Even the crazy requests.
Your holiday looked like so much fun! We have just booked our first ever apartment holiday with our 5 kids. I must admit that i am not usually a fan of holidays with the kids, I mean where is the holiday for me!!! That said, we had so much fun on our recently short getaway, we decided to share it with the kids in the Christmas break. xx
Yes, I hear your pain. I can see our kids getting older and just taking off around the park for the day while I kick on the cabin deck with bottle of wine. 🙂 xx
That looks so fun. So glad you got to relax. Our approach has changed totally too. We just did 5 days on the goldie doing the theme parks which was exhausting. But i insisted to hubby that we add on a few days at the end in noosa to wind down and it was perfect. We came home relaxed and ready to get back into the routine. Accom choices have changed too. Totally agree re the hotel room. We now go for self contained or air bnb. Xx
I know! I saw all your theme park action on Insta and I was exhausted. LOL
This may seem daggy but I’ve been gagging to get to that Holiday Park! And the last holiday that changed everything was our first short camping weekend with our then toddlers. No more lazing about on the beach playing rockpaperscissors about who’s getting the next drink from the esky… suddenly it was 5am starts, sand castles, knee high swims, tantrums at the end of the day and settling in for adult conversation around the fire at night only to fall asleep in your camp chair at 8:30pm. Yes, that one changed everything- mainly our expectations! They’re still fun!
Not daggy (I hope). I always said once I had kids I would come back and stay at Adventure Whitsunday, but I never thought it was going to be so relaxing!
No, but I really want a holiday of any kind!!!
I know, I really shouldn’t be fussy!
Sounds absolutely perfect! Some of our best holidays are just chilling at the caravan park, letting the kids run wild and interact with others and just really relaxing.
‘Twas perfect!
That looked like it hit the spot alright. Planning ahead, for me, always makes it easier when you are there and you certainly did that. I hope that you got an hour or two to yourself but even if you didn’t you seemed to really get into the spirit of it all. Denyse #teamIBOT
We really did get into the spirit. For Leni’s nap times we took it in turns just to lay about the cabin and read or watch TV while the other took Ari to the playground or pool. I can lay about well when required.
We are going back to the same Big4 we went to last year with the kids and LOVED IT. The accomodation was great – and perfect when you have two small kids – and the facilities were wonderful. Our kids still talk about the little water park from last year – they had a blast. Bring on Summer!
There is another Big4 just south of us with a water park. I think that might be our next trip!
I love the look of your family holidays – fun! We always camped as kids and the parks were no where near as glamorous as this! Often we escaped the small poky pools for national parks and places like Tewantin and Fraser. Memories that are incredible and I feel so blessed to have 🙂
Fraser is on my go to list. My bestie and her family go there every September so we may have to tag along. We will make the exception to my new holiday park rule.
Looks like fun! Yup we have stayed in many cabins with the kids at caravan parks when they were growing up, budget travel but it really does suit a young family x
During school holidays it wasn’t much of a budget price point. LOL x
Since staying at a Big4 last year, my kids now judge every place we stay by whether it has a bouncy pillow!
This place had 2! 😉
Big4s tend to be SO good, and I know what you mean about going with it… hotel holidays will come up again but holiday parks mean you can have an actual genuine rest – who knew!! Great to read about and will share to my Facebook page too.
Thank you so much for sharing. This relaxed change of holiday is a revelation!
I LOVE me a jumping pillow!! It’s only spoiled when the kids come on and you have to reel it in.
Or not. Leni went for a bit of a fly a few times. 😉
I love holidays like this. In fact they are the only holidays I really enjoy! My hubby wanted to go away last school break and I wasn’t all that excited about the prospect because we were just packing up the family to head to my parents house for the week. Which really just meant it was just me running around after everyone for a week in a different location!
I want a holiday a proper one where I get to sit by the pool and do nothing and the kids can entertain themselves! I dream of that holiday!
Yes, that’s not a holiday. You are just doing the same thing in a different location!
Our favourite holidays were in great caravan parks. We’ve just elevated to park cabins. Previously we’ve been hard-core caravaners. We still love to caravan, but we both work full-time now, so our budget has a little more room for cabins.
Best cabin we ever stayed in? The Maidens Inn Big4 park in Moama. The cabins right on the Murray River are amazing!
Oh that sound really nice!!