Compiling the list of winners and finalists in the Out & About with Kids BEST OF FAMILY TRAVEL AWARDS 2014 has been a huge, and exciting, challenge – our biggest Awards year yet, with thousands of respondents, across 21 family travel categories. That’s a whole lot of votes!
With new categories including Best Outback Family Holiday Town, Best Australian Farmstays, Best Australian Camping Spot and Best School Holidays Programs/Activities, our 2014 Awards cast the net far and wide to find the Best, as voted by you and your family.
Thank you to all our readers and subscribers who have given their valuable insights on family travel and for taking the time to help us compile the BEST OF FAMILY TRAVEL AWARDS 2014.
To all the worthy Winners and Finalists in each category, a huge CONGRATULATIONS on being voted ‘The Best’ by Out & About with Kids’ families.
Congratulations to Ali Burns of Colac Victoria, winner of the Jayco Eagle Campervan, with thanks to Jayco, Camping for Kids and CIL Insurance.
Best Australian family destination
1. GOLD COAST, QLD
2. Sunshine Coast, QLD
3. Whitsundays, QLD
4. Sydney, NSW
Best international family destination
1. DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA, USA
2. Fiji
3. New Zealand
4. Disneyworld Florida, USA
5. Bali, Indonesia
Best Australian 4 star and over family resorts or hotels
1. HAMILTON ISLAND, QLD
2. Daydream Island, QLD
3. Peppers Beach Club, Port Douglas, QLD
4. Q1 Resort & Spa, Gold Coast, QLD
5. Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, QLD
6. Sea World Resort, Gold Coast, QLD
7. Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa, Broome, WA
8. Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa, QLD
9. Sheraton Mirage Resort & Spa, Gold Coast, QLD
Best Australian 4 star and under family resorts or hotels
1. ZAGAME’S PARADISE RESORT, GOLD COAST, QLD
2. The Islander Noosa Resort, QLD
3. BIG4 NRMA Treasure Island Resort Gold Coast, QLD
4. Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island, QLD
5. Novotel Twin Waters Resort, Sunshine Coast, QLD
6. Turtle Beach Resort, Gold Coast, QLD
7. Tangalooma Island Resort, Moreton Island, QLD
8. Rendezvous Reef Resort, Port Douglas, QLD
9. Mercure Capricorn Resort, Yeppoon, QLD
10. Mantra Surfers Paradise, QLD
11. NRMA Murramarang Beachfront Nature Resort, NSW
12. Shoal Bay Resort, NSW
Best Australian family holiday parks
1. BIG4 NRMA OCEAN BEACH HOLIDAY PARK, UMINA, NSW
2. BIG4 Northstar Holiday resort, Hastings Point, NSW
3. BIG4 NRMA Treasure Island Resort Gold Coast, QLD
4. Blue Dolphin, Yamba, NSW
5. BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, QLD
6. Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort, QLD
7. Broadwater Tourist Park, Southport, QLD
8. Cotton Tree Holiday Park, Maroochydore, QLD
9. NRMA Merimbula Beach Resort & Holiday Park, NSW
10. Discovery Holiday Parks Pambula Beach, NSW
11. BIG4 Beachlands Holiday Park, West Busselton, WA
12. BIG4 Wye River Holiday Park, VIC
13. Toowoon Bay Tourist Park, NSW
Best family hotels or resorts in Asia
1. OUTRIGGER LAGUNA PHUKET RESORT & VILLAS, THAILAND
2. Angsana Laguna Phuket, Thailand
3. Angsana Resort & Spa Bali, Indonesia
4. Club Med Phuket, Thailand
5. Shangri-La Golden Sands Resort Penang, Malaysia
6. Ayana Resort & Spa Bali, Indonesia
Best family hotels or resorts in the Pacific Islands
1. OUTRIGGER ON THE LAGOON, FIJI
2. Castaway Island, Fiji
3. Shangri-La Fijian Resort & Spa, Fiji
4. Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, Fiji
5. Warwick Le Lagon Resort & Spa, Vanuatu
6. The Naviti Resort, Fiji
7. Plantation Island Resort, Fiji
Best family hotels or resorts in North America
1. DISNEYLAND RESORT, CALIFORNIA, USA
2. Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida
3. Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki Beach, Honolulu
4. Nickelodeon Suites Resort, Orlando, Florida
Best family hotels or resorts in Africa
1. SUNCITY RESORT, SOUTH AFRICA
2. Camp Jabulani, Hoedspruit, South Africa
3. Madikwe Safari Lodge, South Africa
4. Grootbos Lodge, South Africa
5. More Quarters, Cape Town, South Africa
Best baby and toddler resorts & hotels
1. ZAGAME’S PARADISE RESORT, GOLD COAST, QLD
2. Club Med Bali, Nusa Dua, Indonesia
3. BIG4 NRMA Treasure Island Resort Gold Coast, QLD
4. Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, Fiji
5. Breakfree Aanuka Beach Resort, Coffs Harbour, NSW
6. Hamilton Island, QLD
7. Bali Dynasty Resort, Kuta, Indonesia
Best family cruise lines
1. P&O
2. Carnival
3. Royal Caribbean
4. Disney
5. Princess
Best Australian and New Zealand family ski resorts
1. THREDBO, NSW
2. Perisher, NSW
3. Mt Hotham, VIC
4. Mt Buller, VIC
5. Falls Creek, VIC
6. Coronet Peak, New Zealand
7. The Remarkables, New Zealand
8. Cardrona, New Zealand
Best International family ski resorts
1. BIG WHITE, KELOWNA, CANADA
2. Vail, Colorado, USA
3. Aspen, Colorado, USA
4. Banff, Canada
5. Niseko, Japan
6. Switzerland
7. Sun Peaks, Canada
8. Innsbruck, Austria
Best Australian attractions
1. SEA WORLD, QLD
2. Australia Zoo, QLD
3. Movie World, QLD
4. Dreamworld, QLD
5. Wet ‘n’ Wild, QLD
Best International attractions
1. DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA, USA
2. Bali Safari & Marine Park, Indonesia
3. Sentosa, Singapore
4. Auckland Zoo, New Zealand
5. Legoland, Florida, USA
6. Legoland, Malaysia
Best Australian animal experiences
1. AUSTRALIA ZOO, QLD
2. Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, NSW
3. Zoos Victoria, VIC
4. Sea World, QLD
Best Australian farmstays
1. MOWBRAY PARK, NSW
2. Lilydale, QLD
3. Four Elements, WA
4. Burrawang West Station, NSW
Best Australian outback family holiday towns
1. ALICE SPRINGS, NT
2. Longreach, QLD
3. Coober Pedy, NSW
4. Kalgoorlie, WA
5. Broken Hill, NSW
Best Australian beachside family holiday towns
1. BATEMANS BAY, NSW
2. Byron Bay, NSW
3. Gold Coast, QLD
4. Rye, VIC
5. Robe, SA
Best Australian family camping spots
1. THE GRAMPIANS NATIONAL PARK, VIC
2. Coral Bay, Ningaloo Marine Park, WA
3. Myall Lakes National Park, NSW
4. Wee Jasper, NSW
5. Wilsons Promontory, VIC
6. Barrington Tops, NSW
7. Wirrabara State Forest, SA
8. Bay of Fires, TAS
Best Australian school holidays program or activity
1. SYDNEY OLYMPIC PARK, NSW
2. Zoos Victoria, VIC
3. YMCA, nationwide
4. PCYC, nationwide
5. VAC SWIM, nationwide
6. Vegemite SurfGroms, nationwide
7. Libraries, nationwide
8. Federation Square Melbourne School Holidays Program, VIC
9. Perth City School Holidays Program, WA
10. Queensland Museum, QLD
