18 fun things to do in the Illawarra these July school holidays

You'll find a mix of indoor and outdoor activities for kids of all ages that cater to all budgets, from Lego film-making and dinosaur shows to BMX riding and park open days.

Witness the majestic beauty of the migrating humpback whale with a 90-minute cruise run by Shellharbour Wild. Details.

Also try: Free whale watching from the shore around Bass Point.

This unique Bulli park is only accessible to the public a handful of times a year. The gates will next swing open on July 9 and 10. Details.

Also try: A stroll around Illawarra Rhododendron Garden. Details.

Watch the Dragons take on the Raiders on July 3 as the home team celebrates 40 years of the Illawarra Steelers' Old Boys. Details.

Also try: Wollongong Wolves v Marconi Stallions at WIN Stadium on July 15. Details.

See all the basketball wizardry, ankle-breaking moves and jaw-dropping swag of the Globetrotters on July 4. Details.

Also try: Basketball Illawarra's holiday camps. Details.

If your kids haven't tried out this free circuit yet, pick a time when the track is dry and make a day of it in Helensburgh. Details.

Also try: Cringila Hills mountain bike park. Details.

After a two-year hiatus, Warrawong's fun day returns on July 5 with a Welcome to Country, entertainment, kids activities and a free BBQ. Details.

Also try: NAIDOC Community Day at Shellharbour Civic Centre. Details.

Sit in the cockpit of a F-111C fighter bomber and take a guided tour of the historical aircraft on display at the airport museum from July 8-10. Details.

Also try: Train rides at Illawarra Light Railway Museum on July 10. Details.

The Shanx @ Links Shell Cove offers a scaled-down version of a full-size golf course, designed to be played with the same rules as golf. Details.

Also try: Putt Putt at the Illawarrra Golf Complex in Windang. Details.

Head to Greater Union, Hoyts or the Gala to see Minions, Lightyear, Bad Guys and more.

Take a tour of the farm, explore the children's garden and feed the free-range goats, sheep, pigs and chickens on July 7, 9, 14 or 16. Details.

Also try: Mini succulent garden workshops at Wollongong Central. Details.

There's digital design for aspiring video game developers and Lego film-making to learn classic stopmotion and claymation. Also check out the new science and Planetarium shows. Details.

Also try: Wollongong Science Space's blow-up Planetarium in Shellharbour. Details.

Foragers Markets is celebrating its eighth birthday with street food, live music and kids entertainment on July 10. Details.

Also try: Warrawong markets by the lake, which now incorporates Dapto markets. Details.

The whole family can enjoy an interactive dinosaur adventure featuring Toby the T-Rex, Trixi Triceratops, Ozzi and Oi and more prehistoric guests on July 14. Details.

Also try: Jurassic World by Brickman at Australian Museum. Details.

The Listies will bring their slapstick comedy Rolling On The Floor Laughing to Merrigong Theatre for four shows on July 15 and 16. Prepare to actually ROFL. Details.

Also try: Roald Dahl's The Twits theatre production at the Sydney Opera House. Details.

Kids spend the day walking in the footsteps of a zookeeper as they learn about the wildlife and get up close to the animals. There's a few spots left for the highly popular camp in the second week of holidays. Details.

Also try: A hands-on experience at Shoalhaven Zoo. Details.

Check out the gallery's new season featuring three exhibitions: Arthur Boyd: Landscape of the Soul, The Hidden by William Barton and Tim Georgeson, and Ernest Brown's The River and the Sea. Details.

Also try: Operation Art at Ngununggula in the Southern Highlands. Details.

If you need an indoor option, try skateboarding at 3Sixty Indoor Skate Park in Spring Hill.

Also try: Circus lessons, indoor climbing, bouldering, laser tag and go-karts.

Enjoy the majesty of the rainforest under the cover of night at Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures on July 16. Details.

Also try: A treetop adventure on the banks of the Shoalhaven River. Details.

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