The Pancake Parlour at Glen Waverley has GREAT hot fudge sundaes. The ice cream is organic. It's a bit pricey but they use organic goods where they can so I think bonus points for that. They have some good 'early bird' lunch and dinner specials - I really like the cheese and potato pancake with salad. This is one of the less busy Pancake Parlours I have visited so there generally won't be a wait for a seat. Service is ok but can often wait for glasses of water over paying drinks and service in general can at times seem slow.

Approximate cost: $18.00 (cheaper for 'early

I have mixed feelings about my recent visit to Sovereign Hill. We went during the Easter Holidays and the place was packed - not unexpected. Sadly we missed out on a mine tour (which we were shocked to find was an additional cost to the admission fee) due to not getting to the other end of the park early enough to book in. I was upset having paid $35 x 4 adults admission that there were not enough mine tours to cater for everyone attending that day. Also due to the location of the mine, it seemed absurd to not look at things casually as we made our way there, but in doing this we made it too late to book and so missed out all-together!

Staff on our visit were also a bit of a let down. The bakery was a crowded mess of people with no order as to who was getting served only to find out after a long wait that they were out of vegetable pasties, which is also their only vegetarian food option in that particular place. This left our family lunch staggered while two ate and two went and lined up elsewhere (again for some time!) to eat later. Two other stores also presented disinterested staff with little enthusiasm for their roles as 1850's store keepers.

Quite let down after our day out I actually wrote to Sovereign Hill to express my disappointment of our visit. I was promptly replied to via mail from the CEO who addressed each of my let-downs with a direct response. He apologised where he felt my experience was lacking on behalf of staff and stuck up for the place where he felt they were on top of their game. He included with his letter a complimentary family pass for two adults and two children to return to Sovereign Hill which I have passed on to my extended family who have children. Looking at things objectively to my own experience on this occasion I think Sovereign Hill is a unique place to visit, I think it is better value for money for families with children than for just adults (though I still do not agree in the additional costs for a mine tour) and in spite of this not so great day I really respect that my complaints were taken seriously and addressed.

Approximate cost: $35 per adult

Hard Rock Cafe is a fun experience with all of the music memorabilia and occasional live bands. Staff are always attentive (can be a little 'too' chatty for my liking though at times) the food is good but a bit pricey (mind you this isn't your average burger joint). We had a bad experience when we ordered a side order of steamed vegetables each to go with our meals and ended up with two plates of just steamed broccoli. We had hoped for more than one vegetable or we would have shared but that's just how they do it there! Cool place for an occasional meal anyway.

Approximate cost: $16 - $20 maybe

Spaghetti Tree is a funky little place in the city with a warm casual atmosphere. Have been many times and always found the staff to be prompt and polite. Plenty of food choices at affordable prices and lots of fun things to look at.

I have been to Melbourne Aquarium 2-3 times, it features in the 'Entertainment Guide' with a buy-one-get-one-free each year which makes it a cheaper day out. There is lots to look at and generally enough staff around to ask questions -especially in school holidays. Taking up not quite a full day it's a fun thing to visit in the city even for 'older kids'.

Approximate cost: $25.00 per adult

I had heard mixed reviews about Werribee Zoo so I wasn't sure what to expect overall. We went as a family and found it to be good, but not spectacular. They are obviously limited by space, and whilst it's good to see some animals you might not normally see at the regular zoo, I didn't feel they had anything particularly unique worth raving about. In saying that we did have a nice day out, the gardens are nice and the animals were good. I found the safari tour was good but not great - if you were seated in the middle of the bus, catching a glimpse out the windows beyond other people at each end is not ideal. It's good to see things at least once but I wouldn't rush back - the regular zoo has a lot more to see and experience in general in my opinion.

Approximate cost: $23.00 per adult

I am obsessed with IKEA. I have brought everything from my bed frame, bookshelf, tv stand, foot stools, fold up chairs, linen, baskets, picture frames, coffee table and placemats, glasses - all kinds of things. Though they have some more pricey items, most of the store is affordable and looks great. If you are furnishing a new place I would definately recommend.

When i brought my bed frame a few years back it was missing a hole where a screw needed to go - luckily my Dad was on hand to drill one in. This otherwise could have been a problem. We have previously found the bedside tables we purchased to also be somewhat busted from handling when we opened the packaging at home. It was a bit of a hike to return them but they refunded with no problems. I have also changed my mind about a large item on one occasion and returned that too without hassle (mind you re-packing it to it's original size wasn't fun).

I find IKEA great value for money for homewares - but you get what you pay for in some cases and you do build it yourself so patience is a virtue.

I think Haighs is fantastic. The peppermint milk chocolate frogs are a favorite - and affordable every day to pop in and just have one! The freckles, aniseed rings and bullets are also very yummy. Excellent quality and great service. It's a small store though and can get busy, and when it does you can often have a bit of a wait. But so worth the wait! Not cheap, but you get what you pay for and the chocolate is quality!

Liz Morris gives a great massage at Eastland Health and Healing Centre. With training in a variety of other therapies she does more than just relaxation as well. Reasonably priced and she is a terrific lady, down to earth, makes you feel really comfortable and loves a chat.

Hard to rate the service and quality of a drive in, especially when there aren't a lot around to compare with any more. Lunar Drive In is great though. It's like being a kid all over again. There are so many cinemas these days it's a great novelty travelling to Dandenong to the drive in to watch movies from your car. All the best drive in food - popcorn, hot donuts etc. Prices compared to cinemas are a saving. Even if i can't always stay awake for the whole double feature I think that's all part of the fun experience.

Approximate cost: $12.00 for adults