You know the drill. Your out-of-town bestie gives you a buzz and says “Oh heyyyy, we’d love to bring the family down / up / across to The Highlands for the weekend. Can we stay with you?”.
And of course you’re all like “For sure! Bring wine!” but then you remember you both have kids and mentally replace the wine with buckets of coffee.
And THEN you think, “Ermagerd…. how are we going to keep two families busy, occupied and fight free on the weekend?”
That’s where we come in. We’ve done the hard yards of testing and trialling awesome family friendly places for locals and visitors. 48 hours of yummy food, fun activities and unique experiences guaranteed to keep kids busy, fed and watered, and parents relaxed and ahem…hydrated as required.
Here’s our family friendly itinerary from go to whoa!
Friday night is for easy dining and catching up….
Ease into the weekend at Briars Inn. The playground, giant chess board, and plenty of space to run around will keep the kids happy, while the delish menu and quality drinkies keep big people’s tummies from grumbling. On Fridays, you can also grab wood-fired pizza from the Tin Shed in the beer garden. Everybody loves pizza, right?
Get active on Saturday morning….
Fitzroy Falls offers up spectacular views of Morton National Park, a jaw dropping 80 metre waterfall and family friendly bushwalk tracks. Just watch out for moving sticks in the summer!
Make sure to stop in at The Burrow Cafe for brekkie and the all important COFFEE to keep you fuelled for all the adventures ahead.
Here’s our Guide To Fitzroy Falls West Rim Walk which will come in handy.
Most weekends in the Highlands bring a fab local market to explore. Check out the events listing to see what’s on and where. While you’re there, fill your basket with fresh picnic goodies for lunch!
Saturday picnic lunches and art gallery visits….
Make your way to the Bowral Lookout at Mount Gibraltar Reserve for some beautiful views while you enjoy your picnic. [Keep your eyes peeled for some koalas].
After you’re done soaking up those glorious vistas it’s time to soak up some culture. Ngununggula is an amazing local art gallery for all ages with kiddo friendly exhibitions and a showcase of incredible local, national and international artists.
Saturday night’s alright…
Such a magnificent spot to wind down the day with the gang.
The beer garden out the back has plenty of space to stretch your legs and let the kids play, and it’s well-known as a prime location to catch a stunning Highlands sunset.
There’s loads of different menu options to cater to all tastes, including a kids menu that includes fresh fruit, chips and an ice cream with every meal… score!
Oooo and did we mention happy hour runs from 3pm- 5pm on Saturdays, too? Double score!
Easy like Sunday morning….
Start the morning with a taste of France at Franquette Creperie. Any little fans of the film Ratatouille will love this, especially once they’ve locked lips around something nommy from the excellent kids menu.
Time to hit up Bowral for some retail therapy! There’s plenty of great shops to check out, and Dirty Janes is a great spot to begin. With over 80 vintage dealers, it’s packed with unique finds and quirky treasures.
Once you’re all shopped out, jump in the car and head out to Artemis Wines for one last adventure. Treat yourselves [the grown ups] to a cheeky wine tasting and then kick back for some lunch on the lawn.
And then go home and sleep for a week.