The Discovery Parks Airlie Beach is a great family friendly place to stay in Airlie Beach, that not only offers great value for money but also has plenty of facilities to keep everyone occupied. The holiday park is located alongside the rainforest of Conway National Park and is just a few kilometres from the centre of Airlie Beach – the gateway to the gorgeous islands of the Whitsundays.
If you’re looking for one some great family accommodation Airlie Beach has, I’ve written this detailed review of Discovery Parks – Airlie Beach, so you can decide whether or not this is the perfect place for your next family holiday in Airlie Beach
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Where is Discovery Parks – Airlie Beach?
The Discovery Parks holiday park is just 3.7 km south from the centre of Airlie Beach and 42 km from the nearest airport. You will need a car or be prepared to take public transport – which is really not that hard in Airlie Beach.
There is the Jubilee Tavern within walking distance – but you can also make use of a range of courtesy buses to reach other restaurants in the centre of town as well such as Airlie Beach Pub and the further afield Northerlies.
Who should stay at Discovery Park Airlie Beach?
First up let’s talk about who should consider staying at the Discovery Park Airlie Beach? I personally recommend the Discovery Park Airlie Beach for families who:
- Want a good value holiday park offering fantastic facilities for the kids;
- Happy to camp or stay in a cabin during their time in Airlie Beach;
- Happy to drive or take the public bus each time they want to head into town; and
- Want to spend a good amount of their time in Airlie Beach making the most of their accommodation’s facilities.
In our view, Discovery Parks Airlie Beach is a great place for families coming to Airlie Beach whether it’s your first time or tenth time. It’s super close to the centre of Airlie Beach as well as being a great place to simply relax.
Facilities at Discovery Holiday Park Airlie Beach
There is certainly no shortage of things to do for both the kids and adults at the Discovery Holiday Park – Airlie Beach, as well as a range of facilities to make your stay more comfortable. Here’s a brief overview of all that’s on offer.
The map above was current at the time of our stay.
Pool
Discovery Parks Airlie Beach has a great swimming pool perfect for kids and adults. The pool is not overly big but still big enough for everyone to enjoy. The pool also has a small waterslide which provides great fun for the kids. For the little kids, there is a small kids pool as well.
There’s not a lot of sun loungers around the pool, but there are a few. However be prepared to put your stuff at the side of the pool.
Water Park
Right by the swimming pool is a great little water park for the kids. This water park has a total of four waterslides, as well as heaps of water foundations for the kids to run through and a giant tipping bucket.
There are a few tables and chairs around the water park – but not many. Right by the water park is this sports field type thing – I saw many families sitting there watching the kids – it would be great if they turned this into an area with tables and chairs.
Playground and Jumping Pillow
At the back of the park, there is a great little playground for the kids. The playground is set in a pirate ship design with slides and climbing equipment (see pictured above to the far right). Around the playground, there are also a few rocking animals and of course a jumping pillow which is always popular with the kids.
This playground is right by one of the camp kitchens and BBQ areas which is perfect. Mum and Dad can get meals ready, while the kids have a play.
Games Room
Next to the reception area, there is a small games room, with arcade type games, air hockey and those claw type machines. Games start from $1 and the staff at reception are happy to change your note into coins for you.
Bird Feeding
Every morning at 8 am you can go down by the pool where they have a bird feeding area. However there are birds all over the park at all times throughout the day. We had loads of friendly cockatoos on our front deck morning and night and were able to hand feed these cute little guys. I think we had around 12 birds surrounding us at one stage.
Bikes and Go-Karts
If you’re interested in hiring a bike to ride into town, you can even hire a bike from the reception area, and they also have the go-karts for hire which these days are fairly popular in holidays parks. Both the bicycles and go-karts are $10 each per hour.
Gym
For those that like to keep fit on holidays (who are those people???) there is a small gym onsite. Don’t expect anything flash – but there is some basic equipment that will get your heart rate up.
The gym is only accessible between office hours (8 am to 6 pm) as you will need to get a key from the reception.
Camp Kitchen
If you are camping onsite or staying in one of the cabins which don’t have cooking facilities you’ll be pleased to know there are three excellent camp kitchens onsite. The kitchens are excellent all with toasters, kettles, ovens, stovetops, BBQ facilities, microwaves, sinks and even a fridge. One of the camp kitchens even has a TV! All camp kitchens also have a range of picnic tables too.
Honestly, with these camp kitchens, you won’t need to bring any cooking equipment with you at all.
Laundry
The holiday park also has a laundry onsite for those camping or staying in accommodation without laundry facilities. There are four washing machines and four dryers each, which cost $4 per load. Bring your own washing powder, or you can buy small sachets from reception.
BBQs
There are two BBQ areas – one by the playground and one by the swimming pool. There is also a nearby sink and tap.
The locations are perfect so the kids can keep playing while the adults cook up some tucker.
Accommodation Options
Whether you want to pitch a tent, sleep in a basic cabin or stay in luxury – there is a huge range of accommodation options at Discovery Parks Airlie Beach. Below is a brief overview of the various accommodation options available.
Villas
The villas are the most luxurious accommodation available at the park. These villas can sleep up to 6 people and are surrounded by rainforest, giving them a lovely secluded feel.
The villas are fully self contained with a large modern kitchen (complete with oven, microwave, stove, full size fridge and dishwasher), large bathroom as well as a second toilet, lounge room, dining area and a large deck with outdoor setting. There are two bedrooms with the master containing a queen bed and the second room either having two sets of bunk beds or another queen bed. The villas also contain ceiling fans, AC, and TV.
Cabins
There is a range of cabins available including deluxe, superior and standard.
Deluxe Cabins
The newest type of accommodation option at the park is the deluxe cabins. This is where we stayed during our five nights at the park.
The deluxe cabins are just like modern mini homes and are just perfect for families. These cabins are two bedrooms and can sleep up to 6 people.
The cabins are fully self contained with a large modern kitchen (complete with oven, microwave, stove, full size fridge and dishwasher), bathroom with washing machine and dryer, separate toilet, lounge room, dining area and a large deck with outdoor setting. There are two bedrooms with the master containing a queen bed and the second room, either having two sets of bunk beds. The cabins also contain ceiling fans, AC, and a TV in the lounge room and both of the bedrooms.
We loved our stay in the deluxe cabins – it is very comfortable, and the standard is very high – what you’d expect from a 5-star resort.
Superior Cabins
The superior cabins come as a one-bedroom (can sleep up to 4 people) or two bedrooms (can sleep up to 6 people).
The cabins are self contained with a small kitchen (complete with microwave, stove, and fridge), bathroom, combined lounge and dining room and a deck with outdoor setting. The two-bedroom cabins have a master room containing a queen bed and the second room either having two sets of bunk beds. The one-bedroom cabins have both a queen bed and bunk beds in the bedroom.
The cabins also contain ceiling fans, AC, and TV.
Standard Cabins
The last category of cabins is standard, which is the most basic cabin option available. These rooms come as a one-bedroom (sleeps 6), studio (sleeps 6) or ensuite cabin (sleeps 2).
The one-bedroom cabins are open plan and contain two queen beds and a set of bunk beds. They also come with a small kitchen, dining area and a deck with outdoor furniture. The studio cabins are like the one-bedroom cabins but smaller with just a small deck. The studio cabins also have one queen bed, one set of bunks and a pull out sofa bed.
Lastly, the ensuite cabins (pictured below) are the smallest cabin type and are relatively basic. These cabins come with either a double bed or bunk beds, tea and coffee making facilities, and a bathroom. These cabins also have a small deck with table and chairs.
All cabins come with ceiling fans, AC and TVs.
Camp & Caravan Sites
The holiday park also has a range of powered and unpowered sites, as well as the option for a powered site with its own bathroom and toilet (as pictured above).
Each site can accommodate up to 6 people and provides access to the camp kitchen and laundry.
Getting to Discovery Parks Airlie Beach
The best way to get to Airlie Beach is either by driving or by plane. If arriving by plane, the nearest airports are either Proserpine Airport (also known as Whitsunday Coast Airport) as well as an airport on Hamilton Island.
Check Skyscanner for cheap flights into Proserpine.
Getting to Airlie Beach from Proserpine Airport
In my view, the best way to get to Airlie Beach from Proserpine Airport is via car. This will give you the ultimate freedom in getting around to do all the above activities. Check Skyscanner for deals on car rentals (yes they also compare car rentals as well as flights).
However, having said that, it’s not essential to have your own car in Airlie Beach. There is a reasonably good bus system around town, and many tours will pick you up from your accommodation as well. There is a bus stop right outside the holiday park, which is super convenient for getting into town.
If you decide not to hire a car, then the best option is to take a shuttle bus. The Whitsunday Transit provides transport to and from Airlie Beach direct to your accommodation. The rate is $22 per adult or $12 per child one way. It’s cheaper to book a return ticket which is $36 per adult and $20 per child.
Click here to book your transfers to and from Prosperine Airport to your Airlie Beach accommodation.
Where to Book you Stay?
I recommend booking through Booking.com for the best flexibility (you can always cancel and book elsewhere if you find a better deal). Rooms start at around $150 per night for a family of 4 in a basic cabin and go up from there.
Alternatively, if you sign up as a Discovery Parks member which is $50 for two years membership – you can save up to 10% on direct bookings up to $50 plus be entitled to a range of other special offers. Click here to sign to up.
Discovery Parks Airlie Beach – our Verdict
We had a wonderful stay at Discovery Parks Airlie Beach and highly recommend it for families. The accommodation is excellent, and the self contained options are wonderful for families wanting to save a bit of money by being able to cater for themselves.
The kids will just love the pool, waterpark and playground as well as the other facilities – so much so that we found it hard to get Myla to want to leave and explore the other attractions in Airlie Beach.
If you’re looking for excellent family friendly accommodation in Airlie Beach – don’t hesitate to book Discovery Parks.