Marion Holiday Park – A Family Resort Holiday in Adelaide
by Carla Caruso
Escape the city at at this family-friendly resort, featuring pools, waterslides, palm trees and entertainment galore.
One of the less fun things about holidays can be the ‘getting there’ bit … from airport queues to the “Are we there yet?” cries from the back seat on long drives.
Which is why a staycation in your hometown can be just the ticket when you need to get away, FAST.
This summer, I stayed with my family of four at the Marion Holiday Park, just 12km from the CBD. We could have been a world away though, once we entered its palm tree-dotted drive. (In fact, I didn’t even know a holiday park was tucked away here until I booked our trip. Then I realised I once did tennis lessons on-site as a kid – back when it was the Roselands complex – and my grandparents used to have a market garden across the road. Talk about coming ‘full circle’)!
Take a look around Marion Holiday Park in our video here:
If you’ve ever stayed at a large resort in Queensland, then this is like a more intimate version … without the need to walk far to enjoy its facilities.
We stayed in a Studio Poolside Apartment, which had a nice contemporary feel, featuring two bedrooms, a private deck with a barbecue, and – bonus! – a coffee pod machine. It was also the perfect spot, travelling with six-year-old twin boys, who wanted to be in the pool as soon as it opened in the morning at 8am. (The pool area shuts nightly at 9pm).
Other accommodation on the 3ha property includes creek-side villas and bungalows, and powered sites for caravanners and campers.
But back to the water fun … Our apartment looked straight onto the 45 metre-long outdoor lagoon pool, which ranges from 0.4m to 1.2m in depth. At one end is a water park with slides, and the other, an indoor heated pool (0.8m to 1.2m deep). One of our boys could touch the bottom the entire way, but the other couldn’t, so we had to keep a close eye on him in the deeper sections.
Also within easy walking distance on-site is an adventure playground, a large jumping pillow, and an indoor games room featuring a pool table, table tennis, tennis court, gym, and coin-operated arcade machines. (Make sure you have spare change for the latter).
Getting access everywhere is easy too as each guest is given a wristband, which unlocks the various gates and doors. (Better than hunting around for the room keys.)
Evening entertainment was also just a stroll away with family movies screening from 5pm in the outdoor cinema/beer garden area. The new Lion King was on the night we stayed. There were also family-friendly dinner options from the bar, plus happy hour from 4pm to 5pm daily. (I indulged in a mango daiquiri while the boys had raspberry slushies). The next morning, we opted to have in-room breakfast too, which included eggs, bacon, freshly baked bread, and OJ. So there’s no reason to ever leave while you’re there, if you so choose.
The resort is approximately a 20 min drive to the City of Adelaide, so it’s great for those looking for a family friendly place to stay while visiting Adelaide. It’d also be extra fun for those travelling with an entourage of family and friends; the resort can cater for large group bookings.
If you’re looking for a holiday where you can splash about in the pool all day – in between reading a book on a sun-lounger – then this is the place for you. And even better, Adelaideans don’t need to pay for an airfare or travel far!
What we like about it
- It’s hard to believe this resort is located on busy Sturt Road. The setting is so tranquil you’ll feel like you’re kilometres from the city once you’re through its gates.
- You really don’t have to leave the resort during your stay if you don’t want to, with so many entertainment options including an outdoor lagoon pool, water park with slides, undercover heated pool, beer garden and outdoor cinema, adventure playground, jumping pillow, tennis court, games room, gym, conference room, guest laundry, and camp kitchen and gas BBQ areas.
- There’s an array of accommodation options, from apartments and cabins to powered sites for caravans and tents.
- There’s no need for airfares if you’re a South Aussie, and minimal travel time to get there! You’ll be switching off in no time.
- The resort has really thought about families with its daily outdoor movies, kid-friendly bar menu, and entertainment facilities.
Things to consider
- If you have young kids, the pools and water park will be ever-tempting … so you’ll likely be busier keeping an eye on them than getting to that beach read you packed!
- It’s a very sociable, people-oriented sort of resort, full of activity and life, perfect for visitors who love making new friends.
Coffee and food options nearby
Westfield Marion Shopping Centre is super-close, offering an array of foodie options. Though, you don’t have to move a muscle if you don’t want to; Reception can help with breakfast baskets, wine and cheese platters, snacks, ice blocks and more. Plus, in the outdoor cinema/beer garden area, you can get hot meals, barista-style coffee and so on. Everything’s within strolling distance.
For other entertainment options close by, there’s the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre (if you need even more water fun), Marion Bowland, Event Cinemas Marion, Patritti Wines, Oaklands Recreation Plaza, and the tourist-friendly Glenelg Beach.
Location:
Click here for all the Best Playgrounds for Toddlers
See our Top Parks & Playgrounds Around Adelaide here.
For more information, please visit the resort website here.
What: Marion Holiday Park
When: Anytime
Where: 323 Sturt Road, Bedford Park
Who: Anyone – particularly families! It also caters for large groups, wanting accommodation grouped together.
All photos by Carla Caruso for Play & Go Adelaide
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
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