Aleney de Winter’s Top Ten Must-do’s for Families

A beautiful and besotted mum of two, Aleney de Winter shares her love of travel with the world on her site Boy Eats World – Tiny travellers tasting the globe. 

Writing for 'Boy Eats World' is a joy she shares with her son Raffles, who according to Aleney is "an all-singing, all-dancing, all-cooking, all-adventurous little legend" and his little sister, "the adorably intrepid Sugarpuff."  Together they explore the world’s colour, culture and cuisine often after just flying to their next exotic destination on "Imagination Air."

As Aleney has had so many years experience writing about family travel – she also contributes to numerous travel and parenting magazines – we thought we'd ask her for an insight into her favourite place to spend time with the children.

Here she shares her tips for visiting the vibrant city of Melbourne, Australia…

  1. Hitch a ride on an iconic Melbourne tram. Exploring Melbourne is easy with the free City Circle Tram. The circuit takes about 30 minutes and passes many of the city’s major attractions and links up with other train, tram and bus routes.
  2. Another way to see Melbourne’s sights is to take one of the city’s Victorian carriage rides. Drawn by feather plumed horses, it’s every little girls princess fantasy come true.
  3. The amazing 360 degree views are reason enough for a visit to Eureka Skydeck, the highest viewing platform in the Southern Hemisphere, but fearless families can also venture out onto The Edge – a three-metre transparent cube suspended over the city skyline. www.eurekaskydeck.com.au
  4. The 38-storey high Melbourne Star observation wheel is another great way to see the Melbourne skyline. The big wheel’s 21 enclosed air-conditioned cabins also offer an insightful commentary on the city’s history and culture. www.melbournestar.com
  5. Luna Park is a Melbourne icon that’s been keeping families entertained for more than 100 years. There are gentle rides for the littlies and jaw dropping, eye popping thrill rides for older kids, teens and mum and dad. www.lunapark.com.au
  6. Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, home to over 10,000 aquatic creatures, including penguins, seahorses, sharks, stingrays and Pinjarra, a massive 50-year old male Saltwater Crocodile, offers some amazing interactive experiences for families spread across four watery worlds. www.melbourneaquarium.com.au
  7. At Melbourne Zoo get up close and personal with elephants, giraffes and meerkats, or share a fishy kiss with a seal. Kids will love the keeper presentations and the Zoo’s Keeper Kids Workpsace  where little ones can find out what it’s like to be a zookeeper through role play. www.zoo.org.au/melbourne
  8. Located behind Federation Square, ArtPlay is Australia’s only arts centre for children. A fun program of activities challenges kids and families to be creative, there’s also a great playground, the only one in Melbourne’s CBD. www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/artplay
  9. The Hilton Melbourne South Wharf’s family fun package provides a luxe home away from home for families. Stay in a stylish and spacious two-bedroom suite overlooking the city, enjoy a delicious roast dinner served in-room, plus popcorn and a movie of choice from the in-room collection. Plus there’s a full buffet breakfast for two adults and two children. www.hiltonmelbourne.com.au/family
  10. The Hilton’s family fun package also comes with a family pass to Polly Woodside Tall Ship and Museum, which is another must for kids. Sign them up to be a crew member and tour the 129 year-old merchant ship, stopping only to scrub the decks and fire the cannons.  www.pollywoodside.com.au

 

Aleney shares the globe-trotting culinary adventures of her family on her blog, BoyEatsWorld.

 

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