The Tans finally took a much anticipated break, our first vacation since the pandemic broke! We brought the family to one of our favourite and familiar haunts, the dynamic duo of Margaret River and Perth!
I know, I know… it may not sound super exciting for some of you, but we’ve been there a couple of times, and to us, this is our happy place, and that’s all there is to it, right? A retreat to our happy place, to recharge, to unwind, to enjoy each other’s company.
Margaret River
We took an 10 night trip this time, spending 5 nights at each location. This was also our first trip to Margaret River not staying at Hideaway, but trying out a new farm we discovered, called Margaret River Holiday Cottages! Interestingly, the owner of the cottages, Andrew, used to work in Singapore. Having visited Margaret River and subsequently falling in love with the region, he traded his corporate gig for the #farmlife, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The farm experience Andrew created was awesome, with daily animal feeding at 8am, followed by a truck ride by the man himself. He also spends extra time getting to know the guests, and creating activities like starting up the firepit on alternate days so the guests can roast marshmallows and trade stories.
The animals on the farm include goats, sheep, donkeys, chickens, ducks, alpacas and kangaroos. It was really an experience for the boys to wake up to this routine of animal feeding, followed by a truck ride before heading out for breakfast.
For families thinking of visiting Margaret River, I’d highly recommend giving MR Holiday Cottages a go. Here’s a quick video highlight!
Of course, any visit to Margaret River wouldn’t be complete without wine. Lots of wine! With the boys being older this time around, we had to balance the wine hopping with the playgrounds, but thankfully, we still managed to get our bellies full with good food and great wine.
Capping off this experience was a trip to Voyager, one of the top vineyard/restaurants in the region. Even their children’s menu cost $50 a pop! But it was worth every dollar, even the boys agreed.
One of the unexpected highlights of Margaret River was Hamelin Bay, where we came up close and personal with a few large wild stingrays! Truly an experience of a lifetime.
Perth
After saying goodbye to Andrew and his amazing family (human and animals), we made the 3.5 hour drive back to Perth, where we spent the next 5 days visiting the Perth Zoo, Scitech, King’s Park and Fremantle market.
We also went cycling around Elizabeth Quay, and stopped mid-way for some well-deserved gelato!
Because the trip coincided with my birthday, we decided to have a nice meal to celebrate the occasion, and we decided to try Rockpool Bar & Grill, which is located at Crown Perth.
All in all, we were so tired, but so mentally nourished from this trip. Looking forward to the next trip, wherever it may be.