Families staying with Air Design get more than great accommodation, they get a local’s guide to the experiences that make Melbourne special. From immersive art spaces to coastal adventures, here are ten summer holiday ideas to enjoy together during your stay.
Outdoors Adventures
Bush Walks and Cycling in Yarra Bend Park
Just minutes from central Melbourne, Yarra Bend Park offers peaceful walking trails and scenic cycling routes that wind along the river and through native bushland. Also home to the historic Studley Park Boathouse, Yarra Bend Park is the perfect place to spend a day on or off the river, set yourself up in the picnic area or even hire a boat and go paddling.
Mentone Beach & Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary
Head to the bay for a day by the water. Mentone Beach offers safe, gentle swimming, while nearby Ricketts Point has rock pools, tidal zones, and sheltered coves for exploring marine life. Pack a picnic, wander the coastal trails, and keep an eye out for seabirds and tiny crabs along the shoreline. It’s an easy, family-friendly outing that feels a world away from the city, and it’s completely free!
William Ricketts Sanctuary (Dandenong Ranges)
This is nature meets art: clay busts, human forms and forest spirits are woven into the woodland terrain, creating a contemplative walk through sculpture in greenery. It’s slow, mysterious, and full of discovery. A great choice for families who enjoy exploring at their own pace, finding hidden gems along the way.
Jawbone Marine Sanctuary (Williamstown)
A protected intertidal habitat just a short trip from the city, Jawbone offers boardwalks, mangroves, rock pools, and coastal trails. Kids love searching for small creatures among rocks; adults will appreciate the birdlife and relaxed coastal views.
Mothers Beach, Mornington Peninsula
Take a day trip and unwind on soft golden sand, in gentle shallow waters, and that classic foreshore atmosphere that feels instantly relaxing. This sheltered bay beach is perfect for paddling, sandcastle building, you’ll find cafés, picnic spots, and colourful beach boxes that make for charming photos. A peaceful coastal escape not far from Melbourne.
URBNSURF Melbourne
If your family craves thrills, this is it. Australia’s first urban surf park, just outside the city at Tullamarine. You can bodyboard or surf in safe, controlled waves, with tech tuning of wave settings. There’s also a surf shop and café on site.
Indoor & Immersive Experiences
Imaginator Melbourne
Walk into a sensory dream of colour, light, mirrors and sound. Imaginator feels like stepping into a surreal gallery-playground. Rooms change, patterns shift, and every corner invites a photo. The perfect rainy-day activity!
ArtVo Melbourne
Here, art comes to life. Giant murals, trick-art scenes and illusion rooms let you pose inside paintings, playing with perception and scale. It’s playful, creative, and delightful for any age.
Scienceworks Museum
Explore a world of discovery at Melbourne’s Scienceworks Museum. With hands-on exhibits, interactive experiments, and live demonstrations, it’s designed to spark curiosity in young minds while keeping adults engaged too. Don’t miss the planetarium for an immersive journey through the stars, or the lightning room for a dazzling display of science in action.
Harry Potter: The Exhibition
Step into the wizarding world with interactive props, iconic sets, potion labs and spell zones. You can try a Patronus, brew potions, wander through Hagrid’s Hut and the Great Hall. It’s immersive, magical and highly family-friendly. The Melbourne version runs at the Fever Exhibition & Experience Centre.
Images from Visit Victoria
If you’re planning a Melbourne getaway this summer holiday and want a home for both comfort and adventure, we’d love to host you.
Browse our Air Design collection and book a stay in a place that lets your family step straight into Melbourne’s rich mix of nature, art, coast and city.
Check out Best Family-Friendly Stays in Sydney & Melbourne for 2025.
Book your stay with Air Design today and make your trip as much about where you stay as what you do.
