There’s something special about taking the kids to the coast. Sun-soaked mornings, fresh sea air, and best of all, a day to step away from the usual routines for a while. Thankfully, Victoria has a wonderfully varied coastline that gives families plenty of options for a beach escape. You can spend the morning exploring rock pools, spot seals from a boat, or simply find a beautiful beach where the kids can play while you sit back and enjoy the view.
Great Ocean Road, Anglesea VIC, Australia
If you’re planning a family getaway or looking for a fun day out, here are some coastal adventures to add to your list.
1. Go Rockpooling on the Mornington Peninsula
As the tides retreat, the shore reveals beautiful natural pools that reward its curious explorers with some fantastic marine discoveries. Give the little ones a bucket or small net and let them find what lives along the shoreline.
Sorrento Ocean Beach, also known as Sorrento Back Beach, is famous for its amphitheatre-like setting and natural rock formations filled with fascinating marine life. At low tide, the pools reveal a hidden underwater world where curious kids can spot sea stars, crabs, sea anemones and colourful fish among the rocks. Some pools are large and deep enough for a refreshing dip, while others are perfect for little explorers to carefully investigate.
If you’re planning a beach day, don’t forget to explore Mornington Peninsula’s beaches too. From the wild ocean beaches facing Bass Strait to the calm swimming waters facing Port Phillip Bay, there’s plenty of choice depending on how adventurous your family is feeling.
Some of the larger rockpools can hold deep water, but families should take extra care around this exposed stretch of coast. Sorrento Back Beach can experience strong currents, rips, and large waves, so check tide conditions carefully and only swim in patrolled areas between the flags.
2. Explore the Coastline Around Wilsons Promontory
If your family enjoys getting outdoors, Wilsons Promontory National Park is well worth adding to your Victoria bucket list. Also called Wilsons Prom, this beautiful corner of Victoria combines beaches, bushland, granite landscapes, and plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting. Families can enjoy the beach at Norman Beach, which is only a short walk from Tidal River Campground.
Wilsons Promontory National Park
Camping here can make the experience even more memorable. Imagine waking up surrounded by nature, spending the day at the beach, and then seeing wombats, kangaroos or emus while exploring the area. For families with older children, there are also longer walks and more challenging adventures to enjoy.
3. Learn to Ride the Waves at Torquay
Torquay is one of Victoria’s best-known surf towns, with nearby Bells Beach hosting the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest-running surf contest. But that doesn’t mean only pros are welcome here.
For families, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the surf without having to tackle the big waves. Kids can start with a beginner-friendly surfing lesson, where they’ll learn the basics of paddling, balancing, and standing on the board under the guidance of an experienced instructor. Even if they spend more time falling into the water than riding the waves, it’s a fun way to get active, build confidence, and experience Victoria’s surf culture firsthand.
4. See the Towering Limestone Stacks Along the Great Ocean Road
This list wouldn’t be complete without the Great Ocean Road, one of Victoria’s most iconic coastal drives. The drive takes you along a spectacular stretch of coastline, where you’ll find dramatic cliffs, beautiful beaches, and fascinating rock formations.
Make a stop at the famous Twelve Apostles, where towering limestone stacks rise from the Southern Ocean. Formed over millions of years, these natural wonders are an impressive sight for kids to see up close.
But don’t rush through the Great Ocean Road just to reach the Twelve Apostles. There are plenty of family-friendly stops along the way where kids can spot native wildlife in its natural habitat. Keep an eye out for Eastern Grey Kangaroos around Anglesea, while the eucalyptus trees around Lorne and Cape Otway are good places to look for sleepy koalas. You can also make a detour to Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, where families may spot emus, kangaroos, koalas, and wallabies while exploring the walking trails and wetlands.
5. Cycle Along the Coast at Point Nepean
For families who prefer two wheels to two feet, Point Nepean National Park offers a scenic cycling route. The park has relatively flat cycling routes, making it a good option for families wanting to explore without committing to a long hike.
You can start your journey from the Quarantine Station, a historic site established in 1852 to protect Victoria from diseases brought by ships arriving from overseas. From here, cycle towards Fort Nepean, which once protected the entrance to Port Phillip Bay and is sheltering historic gun emplacements and an extensive network of tunnels for older kids to explore.
Fort Nepean in Ticonderoga Bay, Victoria, Australia.
It’s a great way to turn a bike ride into a little history adventure, with plenty of opportunities to stop and take in panoramic views of the bay and ocean along the way.
6. Explore the Underwater World at Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary
Just a short drive from Melbourne, Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary is a wonderful place to introduce kids to Victoria’s underwater world. Its crystal-clear, shallow waters, sandstone reefs, and rock pools create plenty of opportunities for little explorers to discover marine life close to shore.
Bring along a mask and snorkel, and, if conditions are calm, kids can look beneath the surface for colourful fish, seahorses, rays, and other marine creatures. For toddlers and beginner swimmers, rockpooling can be just as exciting, with the intertidal platforms providing a closer look at the tiny creatures living among the seaweed and rocks.
If you’re visiting with little ones, summer is a particularly good time for a family outing, with the beach patrolled by Beaumaris Life Saving Club on weekends from November through to Easter.
7. Hit the Water on a Paddleboard
If your kids love being on the water, stand-up paddleboarding is a fun way to explore Victoria’s coastline, rivers, and lakes at a gentler pace.
For a paddleboarding spot close to the city, St Kilda Beach is where families can hire paddleboards and enjoy views back towards the city. And if you prefer a quieter coastal experience, the sheltered waters around Mount Martha and the Mornington Peninsula are worth considering on good weather days.
The key is to check the weather and water conditions before setting off. Paddleboarding might look easy, but wind and changing conditions can quickly make it challenging, especially with children. Choose a sheltered location, stay close to shore and keep younger paddlers within easy reach. Children under 12 must also wear an appropriate lifejacket while paddleboarding in Victoria.
Mount Martha Victoria, Australia
See Where the Victorian Coast Takes You
Victoria’s coastline is full of opportunities for family adventures. And sometimes the best memories come from stopping at a beach you’ve never visited, following a coastal trail, or discovering something unexpected along the way.
So pack the sunscreen, bring plenty of snacks and get ready to explore. There’s always another seaside adventure waiting to be discovered.