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[title]Filling every day of the school holidays with fun can get real hard, especially considering the cost of living. One of our editors’ favourite kids-go-free activities in Melbourne this holiday period is taking a Port Phillip Ferry ride. (They even offer some special on-board events during this time – but more on that later.)
There’s truly nothing like taking a cruise across Port Phillip Bay on a beautiful spring day, soaking up the views and enjoying the journey. And for the entire school holiday period, kids aged between 4 and 16 can go free on regular ferry rides – as long as you book ahead.
Kicking off from Saturday, September 19, parents can sort kids out early on regular Port Phillip Ferry services. The ‘kids go free’ offer is available if you pre-book seats and use the promo code ‘KidsFree0926’. The best bit: you can book for up to four free children per adult, so take the whole gang.
Whether you’re keen for a day trip to fun-filled spots like Portarlington for mussels and wine or Geelong for museum-hopping or hot air balloon rides, or you simply want to make an iconic ferry ride the main event, you’ll enjoy the journey as much as you will the destination.
All you need to do is pick between cosy indoor seating or the breezy outdoors, and the ferry facilities can take care of the rest – there’s an onboard café and bar, accessible wifi and incredible views.
If that’s not enough to satiate your energy-filled funseekers, you can even opt for onboard experiences to turn a laidback ferry ride into an exhilarating side quest:
Taylor Swift Singalong Cruise
Calling Swifties of all ages, it’s officially your time to shine. Shake it off on Tuesday, September 22, with a 90-minute Taylor Swift Singalong Cruise, where you can hit your best renditions of the pop star’s greatest hits alongside fellow fans. With individual tickets from $25 and family bundles on offer, there’ll be room to sing and dance, you can let loose to live performances by Lauren Barrett and Joss Russell, who’ll be covering Taylor tracks to curate an interactive concert vibe. Plus, the onboard café and bar will be available for some much-needed hydration for your vocal pipes.
Junior Captain Adventure Cruise
Why live vicariously through the captain when you can become one, instead? Lock in a Junior Captain Adventure Cruise on Tuesday, September 29, and the kids will transform into Official Junior Captions. Departing at Docklands at 2.30pm, they’ll take part in treasure hunts, look for hidden clues and tackle nautical challenges. Adults can nab tickets for $20, while tickets for children aged 4 to 16 are priced at $25 – which includes an Adventure Pack and official certificate marking the occasion.
Port Phillip Fish Club
For the fishing fiends on deck, or those on the hunt for a peak family bonding experience, you can book spots at the new Port Phillip Fish Club. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the spring school holidays are primed for a full-day escapade to Portarlington. With fishing equipment, snacks, hydration and a Fish Club Certificate all included in the ticket price, you can unwind at this two-hour educational fishing and marine discovery experience with Freetime Adventure Charters stress-free. Fishing tickets sit at $93 for kids and $132 for adults, while non-fishing passes are $53 for kids and $72 for adults. Spots are limited, so you’ll want to get in quick or reserve some non-fishing tix for the entire family to collectively enjoy.
If you’ve been looking for a reason to lock in that day trip, this is it.
You can find Port Phillip Ferries’ school holidays timetables here, which will operate from Saturday, September 19, to Sunday, October 4 2026. To book your seats or find further info on experiences, head here.