10 family-friendly picnic spots Victorian's love

With spring finally arriving and better weather on offer, it's time to rediscover some of the best family-friendly picnic spots around Victoria. 

From gardens with epic views to lakeside parks with activities galore, you can’t go wrong with these picnic spots from around Victoria. 

Whether you want to stay close to Melbourne or explore some regional areas, here are ten of the best family-friendly picnic spots in the garden state!  

Ringwood Lake Park, Ringwood 

Ringwood Lake Park is one of Victoria’s best-kept secrets and the perfect family-friendly picnic spot in Melbourne.  

The park, playground, bushland reserve and recreation area offer a fantastic place to spend an afternoon with the family. Everything you need for an unforgettable picnic is here including tables and free electric barbecues.  

You’ll also be happy to know that the playground has a range of play trails, including rope courses, balance platforms and water areas to keep the kids occupied.

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Geelong Botanic Gardens, Geelong 

Planning an escape to Geelong? If so, one of the best family-friendly picnic spots in Victoria can be found at the beautiful Geelong Botanic Gardens.  

Located on the bay, this 200-acre garden is one of the oldest botanic gardens in Australia and is the perfect place to spend an afternoon indulging in quality time with the family.  

Surrounded by Queensland bottle trees and native baobabs, there is plenty of space to unfurl a picnic rug and relax. Afterwards you can wander through the park and be surrounded by a smorgasboard of incredible plant life.  

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Seawinds Gardens, Arthurs Seat 

If you’re looking for a family-friendly picnic spot in Victoria with spectacular views, you must visit Seawinds Gardens.  

Located in Arthurs Seat, this 34-hectare reserve boasts stunning views of Port Phillip Bay and the entire Mornington Peninsula.  

This really is the perfect place for a family picnic with picnic tables, barbecues and toilets all supplied. Afterwards you can wander through a reserve that runs parallel with walking tracks and the exotic gardens.

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Castlemaine Botanic Gardens, Castlemaine  

Being surrounded by exotic flowers is never not a good place for a picnic.

If you’re reading this in spring, now is the perfect time to visit Castlemaine Botanic Gardens for a family picnic because the wisteria is blooming, temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer.

Here you can find a spot on the lawn and treat yourself to some delicious Austrian cakes from Das Kaffeehaus or sourdough for your sandwiches from Sprout Bakery.  

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RJ Hamer Arboretum, Olinda

If your family loves nature, RJ Hamer Arboretum is a fantastic place for a picnic and a full day of exploration.

Providing visitors with 120 hectares of mini forests stretching over rolling hills, a family picnic here is not to be missed. Find a place on the grass and unpack your picnic to enjoy sweeping views of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarra Valley. 

There are walking trails among the 150 species of native and exotic plants, as well as barbecues and toilet facilities.   

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Emerald Lake Park, Emerald 

Named the ‘park for all seasons’, Emerald Lake Park is best enjoyed in spring and summer when temperatures are warmer, allowing you to take advantage of everything in the park.  

Home to a lake with paddle boats, a Puffing Billy Railway, walking trails, a 25-metre wading pool, a barbecue area and two playgrounds, there is fun for the whole family at Emerald Lake Park.  

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Bright River Pool, Bright 

If you are staying at Discovery Parks - Bright or Discovery Parks - Mount Buffalo, you’ll be pleased to know there is a family-friendly picnic spot right down the road.  

Complete with a splash park, waterslide, barbecue facilities, lifeguards during summer and an ice creamery up the road, the Bright River Pool is one of the best family-friendly picnic spots in Victoria.  

Located in Centenary Park in Bright, the river pool is the result of damming the Ovens River to create a natural water hole in the river.    

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Lake Buffalo, Mount Buffalo  

Another fantastic family-friendly picnic spot close to Mount Buffalo is Lake Buffalo. Although the lake is 40-minutes from Mount Buffalo, it’s worth the drive because of the beauty and serenity on offer.  

Two picnic options exist at Lake Buffalo, the first being the lake’s eastern shore recreation area. Featuring a boat ramp, barbecues, picnic tables and toilets, this is the perfect place for an afternoon picnic where you can cool off in the lake. 

if you’ve already been here and are looking for something quieter, drive to Marshall’s Ridge Recreation Area on the opposite side of the lake. With fewer people, a lawn on the water’s edge and sweeping views, this is another one of the best family-friendly picnic spots in Victoria.

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Five Mile Picnic Area, Echuca 

One of Victoria’s best family-friendly picnic spots can be found in Echuca.  

Situated on the banks of the Murray River in Murray Valley Regional Park, the Five Mile picnic area is a great riverside picnic spot where you can enjoy a day full of watersports.  

Pack a picnic lunch, attach your boat to the trailer or load up the kayaks for a day full of fun on the Murray River. This is a fantastic picnic spot year-round, as you can take in the serenity of the river and surrounding forest.  

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The Horn Picnic Area, Mount Buffalo 

This list of the best family-picnic spots in Victoria wouldn’t be complete without one of Australia’s most spectacular spots.  

What’s best about this picnic spot is that if you’re staying at Discovery Parks - Mount Buffalo, you’re only an hour’s drive away.

At 1,723 metres in elevation, The Horn is the highest point in Mount Buffalo National Park on the western side of the Victorian Alps. Located just beneath the peak, The Horn Picnic Area showcases jaw-dropping views of the Alpine Valleys and surrounding mountains, such as Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Feathertop.  

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No matter what time of year it is, one of the best things to do in Victoria is to seek out the perfect spot for a family picnic. It’s not called the Garden State without reason! Where will you head to first?