Top things to do on Hamilton Island with kids

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Primary-school age is such a perfect time to travel with kids. No longer are they too young, too short or too scared. Instead they’re fearless and enthusiastic balls of endless energy, with an insatiable appetite for new adventures. If it involves water, sport or thrills, then they are there!

Fortunately, there are plenty of things to do on Hamilton Island with kids.

For a comprehensive guide to all things Hamilton Island – accommodation, flights, what to pack – then check out How to plan your first trip to Hamilton Island.

Kids love to travel

While they’re at such a wonderful age of exploration and adventure, when they’re learning about our country out of books at school, I have this yearning to show them every part of Australia.

We’re so quick to scamper off overseas, and that’s awesome, I love that we’re a super adventurous nation of travellers, but there are so many adventures to be had right here at home. Australia truly is the most magnificent country on Earth, and for natural beauty, it is in a class of its own.

I want them to feel the red sands of the Centre run through their fingers, and lay their hands on the sacred beast that is Uluru.  I want to cram ourselves into a campervan and tootle down country roads, filling our tummies with old-fashioned vanilla slices and jam buns. Imagine how much they would love the seals of Kangaroo Island, riding bikes around Rottnest Island or camels in Broome.

Adventures without the exhaustion

But if you squeeze too much into a holiday, then it stops being a holiday. You can come home more tired than when you left!

We came back from the U.S. exhausted. Putting jet lag aside, we had gone hard every day for 3 weeks and we were stuffed (the adults even more than the kids!). I have absolutely no regrets and it was all kinds of totally-worth-it awesome, but I’m ready for something easier!

I want somewhere where we can do plenty of fun stuff together as a family, try new things and challenge ourselves. But I also want time that the kids can play in the pool or at the beach while I supervise from a sun lounge. And a kids club would be lovely, so that hubster and I can have some of those soul-connecting conversations that only seem to happen when we’re on our own.

Hamilton Island

Right now my mind keeps wandering to Hamilton Island in The Whitsundays.

Why Hamilton Island?

• You get all the novelty of going to the airport and catching a plane, while only flying for 3 hours (from Sydney)
• You fly directly onto the island! No transferring to a boat to further extend your travel time
• You are sitting right in the middle of some fairly extreme natural beauty
• You can either go hotel-style accom to be right on the beach and in the middle of resort facilities, or hire a holiday house, get Coles to deliver you some groceries, and tootle around in your very own golf cart!
• Then get outdoors, let the sea air tire the kids out and watch them collapse into bed.

Relax together and reconnect.

Try new things together

It makes me laugh when the kids look at me in shock when I do something new. Like running a fun run, or zooming around in a jet boat or paragliding (both here). They think they know everything about us, that we didn’t exist before they were born. Like kids are the only ones that do anything interesting.

But how exciting is it that the kids are old enough to participate in so many cool activities! Things that we can all do together and we will all enjoy. Not just the adults. Not just the kids. At this age (mine are 8 and 6) they still love spending time with you, but are old enough to try everything on offer.

Top things to do on Hamilton Island with kids

All of these Hamilton Island activities are suitable for primary school aged kids.

• Quad bikes – how cool is that? Sure to be a winner with my kids!
• Practice your snorkel moves before heading out to the reef
• Go-Kart racing on the island’s track – yeah baby!
• Mini golf is always good for a laugh

• Take an exhilarating spin on the Jetryder jet boat
• Enjoy water sports of all kinds at Catseye Beach, from kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and catamaran hire, to something with a bit of speed, like water-skiing and tube riding.

Get out amongst the islands

There’s lots of excursion options, but two of your days should be spent here –

White Haven Beach

Constantly winning accolades like Best Beach in Australia, the kids have never seen a beach like this one. More information here.

The Great Barrier Reef

They’re old enough to snorkel now right? I know mine are. We’re blessed with this incredible miracle of nature, get out there! More information here.

Now, relax …

When there’s so many things to do on Hamilton Island, make sure you don’t get too worn out! A couple of day trips, a few mornings adventuring, but schedule some downtime too.

Explore the three beautiful pools at the resort

Take that golf buggy for a spin around the island

Make use of the kids club or a babysitter to have some couple time

The kids club (6 weeks to 14 years old) is open during the day.

Babysitters are available for evenings.

What time of year is best?

The Easter long weekend and end of term 1 school hols in autumn are ideal times to go to Hamilton Island, with an average temp of 27°-29°. Spring weather is also gorgeous.

You’ll get milder weather mid-year, but at 22° it’s still a nice relief from a southern winter.

While in summer it gets a little bit wet and tropical, but at 30° it’s nothing extreme like further north.

Download the app

If you’re looking for more info on your phone, then download the app. You can check accom availability, find maps, and plenty of info on hotels and activities.

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Which activity would your kids head to first?