HOLLY WAINWRIGHT: 'The family holiday that's actually a holiday.'

Thanks to our brand partner, Discovery Parks

Once you have kids, they say, a holiday is really just a relocation.

Same stresses and problems, different space. A cramped hotel room, perhaps. A holiday house miles from the nearest playground or park. And expensive. Paying through the nose for a breakfast buffet at which the kid will eat three hash browns and a mini-sausage drowned in sauce.

That's until, friends, you discover the joy of holiday parks. Do not scoff. You know not of what you speak. This is the place you actually get a break.

I've been talking about Discovery Parks and Resorts on the podcasts MID and Mamamia Out Loud lately, because they've been partnering with us. But also, because, there's no argument for me: a family holiday has to be a holiday for everyone, and these are the places where that will actually happen.

Here's why:

1. Great locations.

We walked our talk at Discovery Parks - Narooma Beach, on the far south coast of NSW. The park is right on beautiful, quiet Handkerchief Beach, which has both wild surf and a calm inlet for swimming.

It's on the edge of a walking track overlooking Eurobodalla National Park and just a short drive from fresh, affordable oysters at Narooma Harbour, the charming town of Tilba with its famous cheese and handy supermarkets and food stores.

It's a fancy, prestigious location at not-so-fancy, prestigious pricing.

2. You don't have to camp.

I mean, you can if you want. But we stayed in a two-bedroom cabin with a bathroom, a little kitchen, a living room and a tree-fringed balcony.

Image: Supplied.

Other people were staying in caravans, permanent "glamping" tents, or, you know, actual tents. Everyone got to use the same facilities, of course, but for us, proper beds and a clean, comfy mini-house of our own was exactly right.

3. So many things for the kids to do.

So, here's the secret sauce to why this kind of holiday is perfect for families: all the entertainment isn't down to you.

Just a short kid-run from our cabin, there was a beautiful heated swimming pool. Two playgrounds — one of which was brand new, with the kind of big, state-of-the-art climbing slide thingy that my son was obsessed with.

A giant bouncing pillow (never has a more effective kid-exhaustion device been created). A pump track, if you'd brought the bikes. A flying fox. A tennis court. We hired carts for the kids to tour the park. And then, of course, there was direct access to the beach.

Image: Supplied.

4. So few things that the adults need to do.

My kids are old enough that they could take themselves off to jump around on the bouncing pillow or zoom down the slide. We were more than happy to hang out with them at the infinity pool, of course, but one of the absolute best things for us about our stay was how beautiful, green and peaceful it was.

If I'm on holiday, I want to be sitting in a comfy chair, looking at pretty nature, listening to birds, drinking my tea and reading a book. And I could do just that. Why? Because the kids were happily busy. Perfection.

Image: Supplied.

5. Eat what you want to eat.

The option to self-cater, whether it's in the cabin kitchen or out on the shared barbecues means you don't need to eat every meal out. Well-equipped kitchens mean you can cook that plain pasta for the fussy one, and conjure toast for breakfast and keep a whole platter of cheeses in the fridge for sundown adult treats. Supermarkets in close proximity make it even easier.

But then, if you're like me, and couldn't resist call of some local seafood for a meal out, the staff have local advice on that, too. Quarterdeck, down on the river at Narooma, is spectacular at sunset and a bit boujie if you're in the mood for a cocktail. Because, you know, you're on holiday.

Quaterdeck in Narooma. Image: Supplied.

6. Other kids.

What my children want out of a holiday these days is, let's face it, to spend as little time with us as possible. Yes, I will force them into family beach trips, cajole them into trying fishing and they'll come running when they smell the sausages hitting the barbecue at the camp kitchen. But if there are other kids to join forces with, they will be gone.

Holiday park friendships form fast in this bubble of being away from your usual crowd, school friends and routine, with the added adventure of a new space to explore. Yes, you'll end up with lots of photos on your phone of kids whose names you don't know but are suddenly your kids' "best friends". That's the sign of a good time.

We all came home happy from Narooma because, after a long winter of hiding indoors and a budget that, like everyone's, isn't exactly Euro-ready, there's no question that a "proper" family break reconnects us all — even if we all did pretty much exactly what we wanted.

Each trip adds more memories to the places we'll visit together again. "Remember that time we stayed at that Discovery holiday park in Narooma and Billy pretended he didn't have a family and bounced on the jumping pillow all day?" Ahhh, those were the days.

Discovery Parks have locations at pretty places all over the country. Go see. Report back. Have an actual family holiday. You've earned it.

Discover all Discovery Parks and Resorts across Australia online.

Feature Image: Supplied.

Discovery is proud to be Australia’s largest owner and operator of lifestyle holiday parks and resorts, with over 85 amazing destinations waiting for you.
From beach to bush, Discovery Parks are nestled in some of Australia’s favourite tourism hotspots. Known for their fun features like swimming pools, jumping pillows, and nature playgrounds, Discovery Parks are perfect for all types of travellers looking for a holiday ‘home base’. From iconic spots like Kings Canyon, Rottnest Island, and Lake Argyle in the Kimberley, Discovery Resorts are all about the destination. Packed with all the good stuff—like onsite restaurants, immersive experiences, and unique accommodation options. Imagine hiking to raging waterfalls, enjoying a bush breakfast around a campfire, or taking a sunrise walk surrounded by rust-red rock.
Discover more experiences for less at Discovery Parks.