Adelaide Shores Resort ( Now The Retreat at West Beach Parks)

There's no doubt having kids changes you, your lifestyle and your idea of a good time. Before having our daughter, my husband and I scoffed at the notion of spending time in a holiday resort in our own city, however, my sister-in-law decided for her 40th birthday, she would like to spend the weekend at the Adelaide Shores Resort with family and friends in attendance, so arrangements were made, the car loaded, trailer attached and off we set on the 30.6km road trip to our destination. We had booked a Dunes cabin which indeed faced the dunes of West Beach and the toddler took great delight in watching the steady stream of runners and cyclists along the beach path. There were other cabin options available; this was the cheapest 2 bedroom option that included a private bathroom within the cabin itself. Others offered either shared amenities blocks or a private "en suite" (external) bathroom. There was a minimum 2-night booking and we paid $176 per night for Friday and Saturday. The cabin was clean, basic, maybe a little 90s in terms of décor but the linen was nice and it had all we needed for our stay in terms of utensils, crockery, cutlery, cleaning products and a decent sized fridge. As we had decided to be reasonably self-sufficient and not buy meals apart from Saturday dinner, we had brought our own barbecue (gas only, no charcoal or open flame), loads of food, an outdoor setting and the toddler's highchair which we set up in the lawned area outside our cabin. The resort has a huge variety of activities and is well kept with plenty of green lawned areas, shaded picnic gazebos with barbecues, two pools, a Splash Zone, several playgrounds including an air conditioned indoor toddler room, a games room, jumping pillows, pedal cars, bikes and go karts for hire and more. All this and the back gate of the resort (about 10 metres from our door) leads you right onto the beach. Unfortunately the gate closes at 9pm which was a little early. I'd have liked a late night stroll on the sand but we didn't get the time. The resort has a great family friendly vibe and other guests were pleasant and friendly, there was no noise or antisocial behaviour that we observed. I enjoyed being away from home, the resort facilities and the beach but now I feel like I need a real holiday!

I have stayed there twice. It can be difficult to secure a reservation at a good rate but if booked, the accommodations are quite nice and there is a lot to do on property. I have stayed there as a single traveler but I can see that it is probably very nice for families with the on property activities. It is also a short walk to the beach which is nice. Generally cars can be driven very close to the cabins so it is convenient for luggage. The kitchens are well stocked with equipment. On my first stay I needed something not in the cabin and when I asked at the front desk they were quite helpful and found the item that I was able to use on my stay. I suppose the reason it did not get a higher rating is it is possible to get apartment style accommodations at a similar price a couple blocks away on along the beach which provides a nicer view.