We recently spent some time at the Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort at Airlie Beach. This is a resort I’d been wanting to take the kids to for years and years and I was so excited to finally be able to organise a holiday there! it was actually a big reason why I wanted to do the Brisbane to Airlie Beach road trip in the first place. Was it worth all the hype? Was the waterpark really that good? Find out in my Big4 Adventure Whitsunday review!
All opinions are my own. I paid for this holiday at the Big4 Adventure Whitsunday resort in full. This article contains affiliate links.
Overview | Big4 Adventure Whitsunday
Nestled close to the beautiful Airlie Beach, the Big4 Adventure Whitsundays Resort offers a unique blend of luxury adventure and family-friendly fun. This multi-award-winning resort holiday park is perfect for those looking to explore the magnificent Whitsunday Islands and the incredible Great Barrier Reef. With a variety of onsite activities and exceptional facilities for families, it’s no wonder this resort has such an amazing reputation.
For me personally, the big reason I wanted to take our kids here was because of the giant waterpark. We’ve stayed at quite a few places with waterparks over the years, but what I loved about this one was that it had so much space around it and it just looks so perfect in the middle of the tropical gardens. Matt and I actually stayed here in the caravan site when we were driving around in a motorhome many years ago and I made a pledge that one day I’d come back when we had kids and we’d use it as a base while exploring Airlie Beach and the stunning Whitsunday Islands. I was so happy to finally be able to make it happen!
Anyway, what you need to know is that it’s a sprawling, tropical resort with plenty of fun activities for the kids and it’s well-placed to enjoy all that the region has to offer. Your only difficulty really is getting the kids away from the resort to explore further afield as it’s so easy to just stay put for a week and not actually leave!
Check prices at the Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort on Booking.com
Accommodation at Big4 Whitsunday resort
The accommodation at Big4 Adventure Whitsundays Resort caters to all types of travellers. Whether you’re a couple seeking a short break or a family in need of space, the resort has something for everyone. The self-contained cabins come with modern furnishings, some have a full kitchen (there is also a full kitchen available in the undercover camp kitchen area – see pics below), and there are options to have a second bedroom with single bunks or third bedroom, making them ideal for bigger families. There are also smaller family deluxe studios available too if you’re just looking for somewhere to rest your head in between all of the fun activities. Accessible rooms are available for those with mobility needs.
I started planning our Brisbane to Airlie Beach road trip in the September with plans to travel in December. When I checked, the only suitable accommodation left for our family of five was the deluxe studio. This had a Queen bed, a set of single bunk beds and a roll away trundle bed underneath. There was an ensuite bathroom, living area, seating area and a little verandah outside. It was only available for a few nights, so I didn’t have much choice other than to book it and plan the rest of our trip around our stay there (in hindsight, if we’d decided to go earlier in the year we’d have been able to secure a bigger cabin and have been able to stay a bit longer which would have better better so if you know you want to go, my tip is to book earlier!)
The accommodation offered all of the basics and we did fit in it but it was a bit tight. We stayed from Monday to Friday but I wouldn’t have wanted to stay in such a small space for much longer than that with five of us (especially as our kids are getting older). The bonus though was that we could park the car beside our cabin which meant we could store some things in the boot rather than needing to bring all of our things into the cabin.
The thing we found restrictive was there was only five sets of crockery and cutlery so it meant we had to constantly wash up and didn’t have extras for serving.
The kids spend their days out around the resort having fun (see more on the facilities below) so it didn’t really matter too much that it was a small space. We were lucky to be given a cabin right next to the entrance to the waterpark, so we could sit on the little deck outside our cabin and didn’t feel far away from them.
In the kitchen, we had a microwave, hob and fridge freezer, but like most other cabin accommodation we stayed in on our trip, there was no oven or dishwasher. We often walked across to the camp kitchen (see below pics) to cook, eat and wash up as there was a lot more space and more facilities over there (including an oven). When we were there (just before the Queensland schools officially broke up for Christmas) it wasn’t busy at all and we were often the only ones in the camp kitchen area. I’m sure it would be much busier during school holidays but there were plenty of tables and benches in there and lots of space.
The accommodation had air conditioning which was so important – the weather there can get so hot up in this part of Queensland. I definitely wouldn’t choose to stay somewhere without air con in this part of the country. This kept us nice and cool inside.
The Big 4 Adventure Whitsundays resort facilities and things to do
The Big4 Adventure Whitsundays Resort is renowned for its amazing facilities, making it a standout choice for a Whitsunday holiday. The waterslide park and adventure playground are perfect for kids, providing endless entertainment. There was also a smaller waterpark area for toddler time (as the main slide waterpark area would be quite daunting for really little ones). The waterpark really is the highlight of your stay and our kids went in it multiple times every day.
When you check in, you’re given paper wristbands to wear to access the water park. My kids really hate wearing them though and they realised a lot of kids weren’t wearing them so they took theirs off and it didn’t seem to matter as there were no staff around checking.
The outdoor cinema is another fun activity, offering outdoor movies under the stars – they’re on three times a week outside school holidays and daily during the holidays. The resort also features a tennis court and mini golf course which my kids loved. Poolside massages are available for those looking to relax and unwind, while the large pool area, complete with water slides, is perfect for cooling off for the grown ups. It didn’t get too busy when we were there – mainly as most of kids spend their days on the waterpark next to it instead.
There is so much to do if you’re staying at the Big4 Whitsundays. In an ideal world, it would be great to stay there for at least a week or even two weeks to give you time to enjoy the facilities and explore your surroundings.
There is no longer a jumping pillow there – they’ve removed it. Not sure if it’s something they’ll add again. Our kids were pretty disappointed not to have one as they love a jumping pillow but hey ho – you can’t have everything.
For us, other than spending some time in Airlie Beach and visiting Whitehaven Beach, we actually just wanted to chill out and enjoy the resort. The kids didn’t want to leave the resort! They’d dash off at multiple points through the day to go off and play and we loved seeing them enjoy the freedom. It certainly helps that our kids were older and didn’t need us to stand and watch over them all the time.
There was a coffee van parked near the waterpark which came in handy. There were also food truck theme nights where you could order Thai food or wood-fired pizza. I suspect there would be more of these during the school holidays.
We paid to use the laundry a few times while we were there and there were plenty of washers and dryers.
Our verdict | Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort review
I love Airlie Beach as a destination for families (I actually can imagine us moving there one day!) It has such a fun vibe and the scenery is spectacular.
The Big4 Adventure Whitsundays Resort at Airlie Beach is an amazing destination for anyone looking to explore the stunning surrounding region. With plenty of restaurants nearby and easy access to Hamilton Island and national parks, the location is unbeatable.
Whether you’re enjoying the gorgeous acres of botanic-like gardens, experiencing the marine life of the incredible Great Barrier Reef, or simply relaxing in your self-contained cabin, this resort provides an unforgettable holiday. The combination of top-quality accommodation, amazing facilities and a stack of onsite activities ensures there is something for everyone.
While additional charges may apply for some activities, the overall value and unique offerings of the huge waterpark and slides make it good value for money. The price of accommodation for a studio was a little more than I’d usually pay for that size of cabin accommodation, but the park’s facilities are so good so it still feels well worth it.
Our three kids (aged 11, 14 and 14) loved it and we did too. Next time, I’d aim to book earlier and snag a larger cabin as all five of us sharing a studio was a bit much for us (especially as it was part of a two-week road trip and we really needed a bit of space from one another!) I’d also aim to stay a little longer so we could go off and explore and still have plenty of time still to enjoy the waterpark – a midweek break limited us a bit as we didn’t want to do tours and miss out on enjoying the resort.
Overall, the Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort gets a big thumbs up from us!
>> Find out about prices at the Big4 Adventure Whitsunday resort on Booking.com
I hope you found our Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort review helpful! Let me know if you decide to stay! We will definitely go back again.
