Don’t Let The Cold Bother You These School Holidays
Cover image via Instagram – @melbournewithkidz
Winter school holidays are upon us. As the degrees drop, there is no need for your spirits to drop too. As snow princess, Elsa, so elegantly sung in Frozen (and apologies if this is going to be stuck in your head now)… ‘The cold never bothered me anyway’.
Both sides of the bay are embracing fantastical frosty fun these school holidays, laying out an array of must-dos that will have you and your kids wrapped up in a winter cocoon of delight.
Head on over the DOCKLANDS to experience these wintery wonders…
Photo credit via Instagram – @abner_nogueira
Burst into the school holidays with the Docklands Firelight Festival. Held over the weekend that school breaks up (28th June to 30th June), the Firelight Festival is destined to start your holidays off with a bang. Featuring over 40 free performances, hearty winter food indulgences, flames, jets, fire drums, nightly fireworks and the newest addition to the merriments, a water and light show! This festival not only embraces winter but revels in it.
THE WINTER VILLAGE – FEDERATION SQUARE
Pop a little euro-style into your winter at Fed Square’s Winter Village; a winter wonderland that perfectly encapsulates a snow-covered European ski village. Complete with its own ice-skating rink, igloo village, sip bar, feast menu and pop-up hot chocolate & dessert stations, this Winter Village will transport you to Europe minus the hefty airfare and long haul flight.
THE DISTRICT DOCKLANDS ICE SLIDE
The District’s very cool Ice Slide is back! Sport your winter woollies because this 15-metre long slippery slope will have you hurtling into the depths and delights of winter. Climb the steps to the icy incline, clamber onto your individual tube and let the fun begin! And newly opened store of District Docklands, UNIQLO, and major sponsor of the slide, are making sure this awesome adventure is caught on camera by decking the slopes out with snapshot technology that will capture your wintery grin in its entirety.
Photo credit via Insta @artvo_melbourne
Step out of winter and into a world of optical illusions at Artvo. This interactive art exhibition allows participants to not only come face to face with a multitude of magnificent art instalments but also to step right into them and photograph the quest you find yourself on whilst visiting this artful domain. Oh the worlds you will wander into at Artvo. Different zones have their own spectacular theme; Fantasia, Jungle Safari, Aquatic Adventure, Australiana and so many more. Stretching over an extensive 1900 square metres, you will love getting lost in the world of Artvo.
Head on over to PORTARLINGTON to experience their wintery ways…
WINTER WONDERLAND ICE SKATING FUN
The Queenscliff Harbour is transforming this winter into a frozen utopia where ice-skating and tobogganing reign supreme. Housed within a mighty marquee at the Harbour is an incredible ice-skating rink and thrilling toboggan run. The ice-skating sessions have allotted 45-minute time slots while the toboggan run works on the premise of a clip card – 12 slides for $10! And once you have had your fill of frosty fun, fill up on hot food and drinks at the host of hearty restaurants and cafes located at the Harbour.
PORTARLINGTON MINIATURE RAILWAY
The much-loved Portarlington Miniature Railway is up and running these winter school holidays. Clamber onto your carriage and chug around the lush parklands, all for only $4 per ride (kids under two ride free)! The kids will also love traipsing and exploring the eight-hectare reserve the railway is located on and expelling all that Winter energy on the awesome adventure playground. If you choo-choo-choose to pay the railway a visit, be aware they are opened both Wednesdays of the school holidays (3rd and 10th July).
Pop on your gumboots and get farm fresh at Basils Farm. Every Thursday during the school holidays Basils Farms are holding their popular ‘Meet and Feed Animal Sessions’. Tour guides, Mark and Paige would love to introduce you to the much-loved farm animals of Basils; Houdini the Llama, Babydoll sheep, chickens and ducks. They will also take the kids on an insiders tour of the Chicken Caravan where Basils eggs are sourced and collected for their delicious café dishes. This experience also includes a wholesome winter lunch for the kiddies.
Extend your winter day-trip into a Marvel-ous winter stopover with Big 4 Beacon Resorts Superhero Superfest. Over the July school holidays, Big 4 Beacon are transforming (no phonebooth needed) into a super-themed stay; superhero meet and greets, super wildlife exposure experience, CFA superheroes, super science experiments, super movie nights, superhero shindig and much more. And then to top this stupendous offering off, kids stay free!
So don’t let that cold bother you these school holidays, get yourself a Port Phillip Ferries family pass and take you and your kinfolk on a wonderful winter expedition.
How about some FREE fun….. Check out more ideas here