Look Who’s Walkin’ - Part Two: Our Top Family Beach-Side Walks in Melbourne

With summer on our doorstep, Melbourne is calling you for seaside walks and sand-filled play. Here are some of our favourite beach-side adventures:

St Kilda 

Not many can resist the fun of Luna Park in St Kilda. If your little ones are just that bit too little then there is a fantastic park to be found at Neptune Street. Sister of Soul is the place to visit for a yummy juice or smoothie to sip on as you stroll along the pier with bubba.

Hampton 

The beach-side suburb of Hampton provides lots of entertainment for families, with it’s parks and swimming beaches. Thomas Street South Reserve has a great wooden playground for the little ones to explore. With plenty of outdoor seating, Cornerstone and Co. Cafe makes a good spot to stop for lunch.

Elwood 

There is a beautiful walk in store for you along the Ormond Esplanade. Be sure to bring your hats, apply that sunscreen and pop on the sunglasses as it gets quite hot and glarey. For lunch, Little Sunflower Cafe is not far up Glen Huntley/Ormond Road. They serve the best buddha bowls in town and there is seating out the front for parents with prams. 

Chelsea 

Chelsea beach is a nice spot to visit. The Bicentennial playground is the perfect place for your little ones to run wild and Soul Press in nearby Edithvale will cure your smoothie craving. 

Frankston Foreshore  

Frankston Beach is a plesant spot to spend the afternoon. Nature Cafe makes a good choice for lunch with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. Frankston Foreshore playground is lots of fun for the little ones, or there is the bright and bold Bellam Park further inland on Cranbourne Road.

Mornington Pier   

A nice walk around Mornington Pier is always lots of fun. There is a fantastic playground and reserve for the little ones to run around at Mornington Park. Soul Press is the place to go when hunger strikes with their nourishing açaí bowls and delicious smoothies, or you can try Thanks Albert with a yummy selection of vegetarian burgers to choose from. If you need to do some shopping while you are out and about Natural Balance along the main street has a big range of organic goodies. 

Remember to always be sun-safe on your walks! Visit www.sunsmart.com.au for more sun-safety tips.

Enjoy your summer! 

Melbourne with Kids - Best Kid Friendly Cafes and Adventures in Melbourne

Melbourne has so much to offer families it’s hard to know where to begin, so let us help you start your journey by sharing some of our top picks for meal time, kid friendly fun activities and adventures. 

Top Picks for Child Friendly, Plant Friendly Cafes in Melbourne (and surrounds):

• Carousel Cafe, Albert Park

• Code 21, Brunswick

• Crafternoon, Brunswick

• Humble Rays Cafe, Carlton

• Leroy’s Cafe, Newport

• Love Your Soul, Parkdale

• Smith and Singleton, Parkville

• Long Story Short, Port Melb.

• Patch Cafe, Richmond

• Tick Tok Cafe, Williamstown

Top picks for fun family activities in Melbourne (and surrounds):

• Visit the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)

• Explore the Melbourne Museum

• Experience the Melbourne Sealife Aquarium

• Partake in ArtPlay by the Yarra

• Check out the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)

• Visit the Melbourne Zoo

• Experience Collingwood Children’s Farm

• Check out Scienceworks

Top picks for free family adventures in Melbourne:

• Walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens

• Jog around the tan with the pram

• Stroll down Anzac Avenue (St Kilda Road)

• Pay a visit to the Melbourne City Library

• Walk along St Kilda pier with baby in the carrier

• Explore Melbourne’s CBD by foot

Top playground picks in Melbourne (and surrounds):

• Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne

• Ron Barassi Snr Park on Docklands Drive, Docklands

• Royal Park Nature Play in Parkville (right near the Royal Children’s Hospital)

• Middle Park Community Playground on Canterbury Road, Middle Park (Albert Park)

• McNish Reserve on Court Street in Yarraville

• Coburg Lake Reserve on Murray Road in Coburg North

• Skinners Adventure Playground in Dorcas Street, South Melbourne

• St Kilda Adventure Playground in Neptune Street, St Kilda

Want more cafes to choose from in Melbourne? Read about them here.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy our beautiful city! 

Family Travel - New Zealand with Baby

In February we embarked on a family holiday to New Zealand - and this was baby’s first time on a plane, and her first time overseas. 

We share our top recommendations for family friendly travel in New Zealand’s South Island... 

Our Top Travel Tips for Travel with Baby 

• If it is baby’s first time overseas, organise the passport well in advance - and make sure all family members passports are still current!

• Breastfeed your baby on takeoff and desend - it helps with the pressure in their ears, it worked for us so much so that our bubba fell asleep! Offering a bottle of formula (or some water if your baby is old enough) would work in the exact same way - fed and sleeping baby for the flight is a win win!

• Pack hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes for the flight so you can wipe the area down and clean little hands before they eat - the last thing you want to deal with on your fun family holiday is illness

• Bring on board a change of clothes and spare bibs for baby and a fresh top for yourself

• Carry a couple of small books and small toys on the flight if you have the room, they are great for distractions

• Pack one of baby’s comfort items to ease the transition to napping and sleeping in a different cot and unfamiliar environment

• Try to plan activities and sightseeing around your baby’s routine if a routine is what they are used to

• For Mum and Dad, invest in a local pre paid SIM card to pop in your phone, this will come in very handy in the event you get separated from a family member, experience an emergency when out and about or you need to access WiFi to find details of a local doctor. And don’t forget to pack your charger and an international power adapter or two!

Our top picks for baby friendly cafes in South Island NZ

• Joe’s Garage in Christchurch

• Water Drop in Christchurch

• Fergburger in Queenstown

• Bespoke Kitchen in Queenstown

• The Spice Room in Wanaka

• Maggie's Kitchen in Greymouth

Our top picks for family activities in South Island NZ

• Hop on the gondola, stroll the bontanical parks or visit the fascinating Orana Wildlife Park or the Antarctic Centre in Christchurch

• Stroll around historical Arrowtown, taking a visit to the Lakes District Museum, Dorothy Brown’s Cinema and the famous Remarkable Sweet Lolly Shop

• Visit the Kiwi Bird Wildlife Park, take a Jurassic Safari of the Highlands or embark on a scenic family cruise in Queenstown

• Stop by the Shantytown Heritage Park in Greymouth

• Take in the view of the beautiful Lake Tekapo and visit nearby Mount Cook

• Walk around the stunning lake Wanaka with baby in the ergo carrier or pram

• Visit the UNESCO world heritage listed Fiordland National Park

Close by - check, stunning scenery - check, plenty of family friendly fun - check...New Zealand certainly is the perfect family friendly destination - especially for those travelling from Australia with baby for the first time!