The Entertainment Guide
Make Your School Holiday Dollars go Further: The Best Things to Do Across Australia & New Zealand
Looking for spring school holiday ideas? Discover family-friendly things to do across Australia and New Zealand, plus ways to make your holiday budget go further.
Spring school holidays are here, bringing longer days, warmer weather and one very familiar question:
What are we going to do with the kids?
Keeping everyone entertained for two weeks can quickly add up. Between attractions, day trips, lunches out and those inevitable requests for snacks, even a few family outings can put pressure on the holiday budget.
The good news? You don't need to fill every day with expensive activities to make the school holidays memorable.
From beaches, parks and picnics to wildlife encounters, theme parks, museums and family attractions, there are plenty of ways to get out of the house without blowing the budget.
And with Entertainment Member offers available across Australia and New Zealand, a little planning can help your family do more while spending smarter.
Whether you're staying close to home or heading away for a few days, here's our state-by-state guide to making the most of the spring school holidays.
Offers and availability may vary. Always check the Entertainment App for current Member offers and individual terms before visiting.
New South Wales
Sydney & Beyond
Spring is a great time to get outside in NSW before the summer heat arrives.
Make a day of exploring Sydney Harbour, pack a picnic for one of the city's parks or beaches, or head further afield for a family road trip to the Blue Mountains, Central Coast or South Coast.
For a bigger day out, Sydney also has plenty of family attractions, wildlife experiences, indoor activities and entertainment venues to choose from.
Add these to your school holiday list:
Pack a picnic and explore the Royal Botanic Garden
Spend the day at one of Sydney's beaches
Take a family walk around Barangaroo Reserve
Head to the Blue Mountains for bushwalks and lookouts
Visit the Australian Reptile Park and make use of their buy one, get one free
Challenge the family to bowling or laser tag at Strike Bowling and Laser Tag
Explore a museum on a rainy spring day
Finish your adventure with lunch, dinner or a treat at a participating family-friendly restaurant such as Baskin-Robbins
Make your school holiday budget go further
Before heading out, explore Entertainment offers across NSW for participating attractions, activities and family-friendly dining.
Victoria
Melbourne & Regional Victoria
Melbourne is made for school holiday adventures - whatever the spring weather decides to do.
On sunny days, explore the city's gardens, playgrounds and walking trails or head out of town for a day trip. If the rain arrives, there's no shortage of indoor attractions to keep everyone occupied.
Families can also turn the school holidays into a mini getaway with destinations such as the Mornington Peninsula, Ballarat, Geelong and the Yarra Valley all within easy reach.
Add these to your school holiday list:
Explore Melbourne's parks and gardens
Pack a picnic and spend the day along the Yarra
Visit a family attraction, museum, or check out the Old Melbourne Gaol with a buy one, get one free offer
Make it competitive with bowling or mini golf at Holey Moley Golf Club with 30% off member offer
Take a day trip to the Mornington Peninsula and enjoy views of Port Phillip Bay while you enjoy lunch at Kirks on The Esplanade where Entertainment Members receive 25% off the total bill.
Head to Ballarat for some friendly family competition at Ballarat Indoor GoKarts and Laserforce
Check out some animals at the Ballarat Wildlife Park with 25% off full price admission.
Grab lunch or dinner together before heading home
Make your school holiday budget go further
Explore Entertainment offers across Victoria for participating family attractions, activities, dining and more.
Queensland
Brisbane, Gold Coast & Beyond
Sunshine, beaches and theme parks make Queensland an obvious school holiday favourite.
For Brisbane families, a day exploring South Bank can provide hours of entertainment without requiring a packed itinerary. Or jump in the car and turn the day into an adventure on the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast.
If the kids have been campaigning for a theme park day, the holidays are also the perfect time to explore current Member offers before buying your tickets.
Add these to your school holiday list:
Spend a day swimming and exploring South Bank
Pack the beach bag for a Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast day trip
Visit one of the Gold Coast theme parks, with Sea World, Movie World, and Wet'n'Wild all offering member discounts starting at 10% off.
Explore a wildlife attraction
Head into the hinterland for a family day trip
Try bowling, mini golf or another indoor activity like Level Up Arcade, Broadbeach
Cool off with an ice-cream from Royal Copenhagen and enjoy their buy one, get one offer for Entertainment members
Turn the school holidays into a one- or two-night getaway
Make your school holiday budget go further
Explore Entertainment offers across Queensland for participating theme parks, attractions, accommodation and family dining.
South Australia
Adelaide & Surrounds
Adelaide makes it easy to combine outdoor adventures with family attractions during spring.
Adelaide's close proximity means you can get from the city's parks and playgrounds to the coast, in no time.
You don't need an elaborate itinerary either. Pick one main activity, add a picnic or Member dining offer and you've got an entire day sorted.
Add these to your school holiday list:
Explore the Adelaide Botanic Garden
Spend the day at Glenelg and grab a sweet treat at Waffle King while you’re at it
Plan a family day trip into the Adelaide Hills
Find a new playground or park
Check out the Adelaide Zoo with 25% off the regular price of any adult or child admission (for up to four people)
Finish the day with a family meal out
Make your school holiday budget go further
Explore participating Entertainment offers across South Australia for family activities, attractions and dining.
Western Australia
Perth & Beyond
Spring might just be one of the best times of year to explore Western Australia.
The weather is warming up, wildflowers are blooming and there are plenty of opportunities to spend the day outside.
Stay local with parks, beaches and family attractions around Perth, or pack the car and make a day trip of it.
Add these to your school holiday list:
Explore Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Pack a picnic for the beach
Spend the day in Fremantle and check out the Western Australian Maritime Museum
Visit a wildlife or family attraction
Tackle the heat with a trip to Outback Splash just outside of Perth
Challenge the kids to bowling or laser tag at Strike Bowling and Laser Tag
Discover somewhere new for a family lunch
Make your school holiday budget go further
Explore Entertainment offers across WA for participating attractions, activities and family-friendly dining.
Tasmania
Hobart, Launceston & Beyond
Spring school holidays are a great excuse to explore Tasmania closer to home.
With spectacular scenery, walks, parks and plenty of places for a family road trip, some of the best school holiday activities don't need to cost much at all.
Balance those outdoor adventures with a family attraction, activity or meal out and you've got an easy school holiday itinerary.
Add these to your school holiday list:
Grab a coffee at Rivulet Cafe and burn some energy at on kids playground
Explore the Cascade Track walking trail
Pack the car for a family road trip
Catch the latest releases at Event Cinemas, BCC Cinemas & Village Cinemas
Explore a museum or indoor attraction
Find a family-friendly café or restaurant like The Burger Haus, North Hobart.
Turn a day trip into an overnight stay
Make your school holiday budget go further
Explore participating Entertainment offers across Tasmania for family dining, activities and experiences.
Australian Capital Territory
Canberra
Canberra is packed with family-friendly experiences, making it an easy place to fill a school holiday itinerary.
Museums, galleries, parks and national attractions mean families can mix educational experiences with plenty of fun - and many of Canberra's best-known attractions are free to visit.
Add these to your school holiday list:
Explore one of Canberra's national museums or galleries
Pack a picnic by Lake Burley Griffin and check out Yarralumla Play Station while you’re there. Featuring two Canberra-themed mini golf courses, mini train rides, mini animal park, and timeless café. There’s something for families of all ages.
Visit the Australian National Botanic Gardens
Check out Let’s Play indoor play centre just a short drive from the city
Hire bikes and explore the lake
Make your school holiday budget go further
Explore Entertainment offers across Canberra for participating activities, attractions and dining.
Northern Territory
Darwin & Beyond
For Darwin families, the school holidays are a chance to get outside, explore and make the most of everything the Top End has to offer.
From waterfront adventures and markets to wildlife experiences and family day trips, there's plenty to keep kids occupied.
Add these to your school holiday list:
Spend the day at the Darwin Waterfront
Explore the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens
Visit Crocodylus Park located just 15 minutes from the city centre
Pack a picnic for a family day out
Explore the Darwin Military Museum and learn about Darwin's role in World War Two
Plan a family meal somewhere new
Take a day trip beyond Darwin
Make your school holiday budget go further
Explore participating Entertainment offers across the Northern Territory for dining, attractions and family experiences.
New Zealand
Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown & Beyond
Across the Tasman, spring is a brilliant time for New Zealand families to get out and explore too.
Whether you're spending the holidays in one of the major cities or heading away for a few days, there's no shortage of outdoor adventures, family attractions and places to eat along the way.
And sometimes the simplest days are the ones kids remember most.
Add these to your school holiday list:
Explore a local beach, park or walking trail
Visit a museum or gallery
Enjoy buy one, get one free at Snowplanet
Take the ferry to Tiritiri Matangi Island and see how many native birds you can spot
Explore somewhere you've never visited in your own city
Treat the family to dessert at Kori Dessert Hamilton
Turn the holidays into a short family getaway and head to Queenstown where you can explore Odyssey Sensory Maze and the Queenstown Ice Arena
Make your school holiday budget go further
Explore Entertainment offers across New Zealand for participating dining, attractions, activities, travel and more.
How to Keep the Spring School Holidays on Budget
School holiday fun doesn't have to mean planning an expensive activity every single day.
Instead, try building your fortnight around a mix of free days, bigger adventures and Member savings.
Spend one day at the beach. Pack a picnic for another. Use an Entertainment offer for an attraction the kids have been asking to visit. Plan a family meal out. Then leave a few days completely unplanned - because sometimes a trip to the playground and an ice cream is all you need.
And when cooking dinner is the last thing you feel like doing after a full day of school holiday adventures, there's another way to save.
With the Entertainment Take Away Dining eGift Card, Members can save 10% on takeaway at participating venues. Simply purchase the prepaid eGift Card through Entertainment and use it towards your next takeaway - perfect for an easy dinner after a big day out, a family movie night at home or those school holiday evenings when everyone is hungry and no one wants to cook.
️➡️ Check out the Entertainment Take Away Dining eGift Card
The goal isn't to fill every minute of the holidays - or spend a fortune doing it.
It's to make the time together count.
Do More These School Holidays
School holidays can add up quickly, especially when you're entertaining the whole family.
But a little planning can make a big difference.
Before booking your next family activity, attraction, meal or getaway, open the Entertainment App and see what's available nearby.
You might discover somewhere completely new - or find a Member offer for somewhere the kids have already been asking to go.
Ready to start planning?
Explore the latest Entertainment offers across Australia and New Zealand and make more of the spring school holidays.
See all offers via the Entertainment App ️➡️ Download the Entertainment App
