Ditch the cold and warm up this winter

With school holidays about to kick off , here's some great ideas to get out and about in your own backyard - our healthy, smart, creative Sunshine Coast.

Family fun

The average four-year old laughs 400 times a day. When was the last time you had a good ole chuckle? There are plenty of activities that are bound to bring out the inner child in you on the Sunshine Coast.

Visit Australia Zoo these school holidays for loads of excitement. The Irwin family will feed the crocs daily, tackle a giant inflatable obstacle course and take on the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom treasure hunt.

Be a pilot for a day and take a seat in the cockpit of historical planes including the F-111 and the Mirage at Queensland Air Museum’s Open Cockpit event to be held on July 7-8. There will be live music, free kids jumping castle, WWII Jeep rides, paper plane making and Star Wars characters.

The Ginger Factory is offering free school holiday entertainment with big and small animals from Wildlife HQ. If cute and fluffy is your thing be sure to visit and explore the petting display where you can make friends with the baby chickens, bunny rabbits and guinea pigs and you will be mesmerised by beautiful birds and colourful reptiles.

Other must do activities include a visit to Sea Life Sunshine Coast, partnering with Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet to invite guests on an o-fish-ial quest to discover fascinating features about the fin-tastic places the underwater friends call home.

You also don’t want to miss Aussie World’s after dark Ride the Night this Saturday (June 30) or unlimited rides with their value for money family fun bundle. For the more adventurous, become a race car driver at Australia’s largest commercial track - Big Kart Track.

One with nature

You may laugh at the thought of wrapping your arms around a tree trunk, but studies have shown that people who spend time with Mother Nature are less stressed.

With hundreds of walking trails that zigzag their way through some of the most spectacular rainforests and national parks, the Sunshine Coast is an ideal place to get back in touch with the earth.

Climb one of the many coastal mountains to soak in the breathtaking views or, if you’re more of a beach person, sink your toes into the white sand – there’s nothing more invigorating than a dive into the ocean on a sunny winter’s day.

This year, more than 33,000 humpback whales are expected to make the migration north from Antarctica. The Sunshine Coast benefits from a longer whale watching season as the whales make the 10,000km journey to migrate north from June through Sunshine Coast waters before coming back south and returning to Antarctica in early November. So, what are some of the best ways to experience the aquatic acrobatics and majestic presence of the humpback whales?

You can spot these graceful giants from several vantage points along the Coast including:

• Point Perry or Point Arkwright, Coolum

• Point Cartwright, Kawana

• Moffat Headland, Moffat Beach

• Alexandra Headland.

To head out on the water and get even closer to these fantastic beasts, try a whale watching tour with Whale One or Sunshine Coast Afloat.

Both tour companies operate regularly during the season from Mooloolaba. If you want to get up even closer, you can you can even swim with these beauties thanks to Sunreef Mooloolaba.

They were the first company to offer swimming with humpback whales in Australia and this experience is a rare and very special one – something people have described as ‘life changing’.

Another options is sea kayaking with Ocean Adventures operating from Golden Beach and Moffat Beach.

Most importantly… for the adults

Discover the new craft brewery scene in the region with Sunshine Coast Craft Beer Tours.

The Hinterland Exbeerience Tour takes you behind the scenes to see how beer is made, meet the brewers, and sample fresh local beer. The day also includes a tasty lunch, air-conditioned bus transfers, bottled water, and a free stubby holder.

As a bonus, all bookings made during July and August will receive 15% off by using the WINTER15 code when booking.

Once reserved exclusively for guests, the elevated pool deck at Caloundra’s Rumba Beach Resort has undergone an amazing transformation and the result – a stylish new bar and event space, 26 degrees; offers daily happy hour and live music most weekends.

For more information on planning your Sunshine Coast winter holiday break, go to: www.visitsunshinecoast.com