30 Best Things to Do in Sydney With Kids

There’s no shortage of fun things to do in Sydney with kids. Whether you’re looking for activities to suit babies or toddlers or tweens and teens, we’ve got you covered. Here is a big list to inspire you on your adventures on a family day out.

With Sydney being only 2 hours south of Newcastle, it’s a great spot to head for a day trip, weekend away or a longer trip with your family.

Sydney Attractions

Sydney Opera House & Circular Quay

The bustling Circular Quay area is a must-see. It’s a great spot to walk around and enjoy the movement of ferries back and forth over the harbour as well as enjoying the buskers performing for commuters and tourists.

It’s also the gateway to the Sydney Opera House. This is the most iconic attraction in Sydney and not surprisingly attracts a lot of visitors who want to see the white sails up close. Most people start out from Circular Quay, a key transport hub for trains, ferries, light rail and buses. From here, you can walk to the Sydney Opera House around the harbour forecourt. Once there, you can walk around the outside of the Opera House and up the stairs.

If you have the time, book in for a show at the Sydney Opera House. There is always a range of fantastic performances spanning a number of genres as well as activities specifically for kids like school holiday workshops and events in their new Centre for Creativity.

You can also do a tour of the Sydney Opera House. There are various tours to choose from including architectural and foodie tours but we recommend the Kids tour. On this 1-hour tour, expert guides will take you and your family on a journey under the sails of the Sydney Opera House to learn what makes the House so special. To keep kids focused, the Junior Adventure Tour is filled with interactive activities and games. purpose-built home for hands-on creative experiences.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge known affectionately as “the coat hanger” is also an iconic Sydney landmark.If heights don’t bother you, you can pay for Bridge Climb and travel to the top of the bridge and marvel in the 360-degree views of Sydney. It’s a sensational experience climbing up through the steel arches of this bridge and reaching the summit. And you can do it with your family. Kids aged 8 and over who are over 1.2 metres tall can do Bridge Climb. Children aged 8 to 15 inclusive must be accompanied by an adult, with a maximum of three children per adult. Definitely an unforgettable family experience. Keep an eye out for school holiday Bridge Climb deals for kids.

You can also walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge along the eastern side. It starts in the historic Rocks district near the pedestrian crossing on Cumberland Street near the Australian Heritage hotel. Walk up the stairs to access the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

If you want to learn more about the bridge, stop at the Pylon Lookout and Museum (Paid admission). Walk up 200 steps to the Pylon Lookout and you’ll be up close to the bridge arches. You can also learn more about the construction of the Harbour Bridge in the Pylon Museum.

Royal Botanic Gardens

Just past the Sydney Opera House, you’ll find the expansive grounds of the The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. If you need a break from city life and crowds, head to the oasis of the botanic gardens. Relax among the trees and enjoy the stunning harbour views. With 30 hectares, there is plenty of space for everyone. You can also walk around the gardens and see native and exotic plants throughout the garden. 

You can also walk along to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, a Sydney landmark where you can sit and enjoy expansive views of Sydney Harbour. The chair was commissioned by Governor Macquarie for his wife Elizabeth and carved out of a sandstone rock ledge by convicts in 1810. 

Luna Park

For some family fun, head to Luna Park. Located across the harbour in Milsons Point, this is Sydney’s most iconic amusement park. It’s easy to get to – just get off at  Milsons Point Ferry Wharf or Train Station.

 It’s a restored 1930s amusement park featuring modern rides. There are roller coasters, thrill rides, sideshow games and family rides that will suit younger kids.

The great thing about Luna Park is that it is free entry. But anyone wishing to go on rides and access attractions (including adults accompanying children in the Red and/or Green height zones) must have a valid Day Pass ticket for the date of their visit. Luna Park makes it easy to determine which rides are suitable for kids with a simple colour system, Red, Green and Yellow.

Taronga Zoo

Located harbourside, Taronga Zoo is one of the most popular family attractions in Sydney. There are so many creatures to see at this zoo. Some of our favourites include the elephants, giraffes and lemurs. Before your visit, identify which animals and shows are must-sees and plan accordingly. You can download a copy of the Zoo map on the website to plan a route.

You also need to plan for the zoo shows. Although much hyped, the Seal Show does not disappoint. It’s incredible what these seals can do such as waving to the audience, catching fish and balancing balls.

Another show which you can’t miss is the Bird Show.  Watching these birds soar through the air overhead is incredible against a harbour backdrop. Sit close to the front if you want to experience birds flying directly over your head but as the keeper mentions, don’t make any sudden movements!

For a lovely way to access Taronga Zoo, take the ferry from Circular Quay. You can then enter via the lower entrance of Taronga Zoo or you can take the bus to save walking up the hill.The 238 bus route connects the ferry wharf to the main entry gates.

Sydney Harbour Cruise

A fun family activity involves cruising Sydney Harbour. There are a number of companies that offer kid-friendly harbour cruises.

Captain Cook Cruises offer cruises to suit the entire family. Choose from the Harbour Experience aboard their premier sightseeing fleet or Rocket Sightseeing aboard their red rocket catamarans. For something different, book a unique 90-minute Tall Ship Cruise with Sydney Harbour Tall Ships. Board one of their traditional tall ships Southern Swan or the impressive Soren Larsen and discover the sights and sounds of Sydney on a unique ‘historic meets modern’ harbour cruise.

If you want more of an adrenaline rush, opt for Sydney Harbour Thunder Jet Boating. Hop on Tornado or Lightning, a 23 seater Jet Boats for full 360 degree spins! The ‘Extreme Adrenaline Rush’ Jet Boat Ride will take you past the Opera House, Harbour Islands (Clark & Shark), and the exclusive suburbs of Rose Bay, Watsons Bay. Then towards  Sydney Heads for a taste of ocean air! On return, you’ll go past take you past Taronga Zoo and under the Harbour Bridge, by Luna Park Sydney.

You can also do your own cruise around Sydney Harbour by jumping on a Sydney Ferry from Circular Quay. Head to Manly or do a short cruise across to Neutral Bay, Mosman or Taronga Zoo.

Sydney Tower Eye

For a birds-eye view of Sydney, head to Sydney Tower Eye, Sydney’s tallest structure. Your visit starts with a short four minute 3D movie experience of Sydney. After this, you enter the elevator for the trip to the viewing area of the tower. It takes a mere 45 seconds to travel up 250 metres and in no time at all, you’ll be at the Observation Deck.

From here, enjoy 360 degree views of Sydney and beyond. In addition to the magnificent views, there’s touch-screens, kid-sized viewing telescopes and even brass telescopes that feature historical photos around Sydney like scenes of Pyrmont Bridge, George Street and the Railyards.

If you want more of a thrill, do the SKYWALK and step out into the open air of Sydney Tower. This is a fully-guided tour around the outside of the top of Sydney Tower. Make it a family event as your kids aged 10 and older can participate too.

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

If you’re in Sydney, a trip to SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in Darling Harbour is a must. How can you not love a place where a dugong winks at you, a shark stares you down and a little penguin make you laugh?

Welcome to underwater life with all of its fascinating inhabitants. With a series of glass viewing tunnels, Sydney Aquarium is a must-do family attraction. It allows you to descend underwater and view marine creatures up close. It’s the perfect venue to introduce kids to sea life without getting wet.

The Aquarium winds through nine interactive zones including Dugong Island,  Sydney Harbour, Jurassic Seas and Shark Valley and features 13,000 animals from 700 different species. One of our favourites is South Coast Shipwreck which features the antics of little penguins. 

Madame Tussauds Sydney

Grab a selfie with all the big stars at Sydney’s wax museum Madame Tussauds Sydney at Darling Harbour. It’s uncanny how realistic some of these figurines appear. This fun attractions lets you get up close with actors, musicians, heroes of the Justice League, your favourite characters from Marvel as well as members of the royal family in Royal Academy. 

You can even get your photo taken with a Bollywood star and then dress up and learn some iconic Bollywood dance moves. And it’s not just current stars and famous people.

You can have your photos taken with some of the world’s most revered and respected historical figures at Madame Tussauds Sydney including Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Sir Donald “Don” Bradman.

Wild Life Sydney Zoo

If you don’t have the time to devote to going to Taronga Zoo, a great alternative is WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo in Darling Harbour. In this attraction, you’ll get up close to Australian animals including koalas, wallabies, wombats, kangaroos, platypus and a crocodile.

There is even snakes, spiders and frogs too. It’s not a big attraction so you can easily do it with young kids who might not have the attention span for a bigger zoo.

You can save money by combining your WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo ticket with more top attractions including Madame Tussauds Sydney, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium ticket and Sydney Tower Eye. All are conveniently located close to each other and the Combo Tickets are valid for 30 days from your first visit. See it all in one day or prolong the fun over the full 30 days. 

Museums

Powerhouse Museum

The Powerhouse Museum is a contemporary museum in Ultimo which focuses on arts, science, innovation and design. Popular with families, it’s a special place for families to explore, learn and play.

There are permanent exhibitions that will be of interest to kids. Kids under 5 will love the exhibitions Transport and Experimentations while older kids 5 – 12 will appreciate the Transport, Mars Yard, and Space exhibitions. Look for the dedicated children’s area in many of the major exhibitions. This enables you to enjoy an exhibition along with your child.

Australian Museum

With free admission, the Australian Museum is worth a visit. It contains over 21 million scientific specimens and cultural objects in their collections.

There are a number of exhibitions to explore at Australian Museum including the Dinosaurs Gallery, Birds of Australia, Minerals Gallery and First Nations Galleries.

The Dinosaurs Gallery will be especially interesting to little dino lovers with real dinosaur skeletons and life-size models, as well as the fossil teeth, skulls and claws. This area features interactive displays including making dinosaur calls.

The Wild Planet exhibition showcases a number of animals, over 400 in fact. See a small dung beetle or a large Sperm Whale skeleton as well as other animals on display. 

A new permanent exhibition, Minerals has one of the largest rock and mineral collections in Australia, featuring more than 80,000 specimens from across Australia and the world.

Australian National Maritime Museum

Located in front of Darling Harbour, the Australian Maritime Museum brings alive Australia’s deep connection to the sea, past and present. It’s a great place to spend the day with heaps of fun activities to do.

First thing to do is to explore the fleet at the Australian National Maritime Museum. You and your kids will have fun discovering all the different vessels available at this museum.

You can venture down into the Cold War submarine HMAS Onslow and experience how compact this vessel is. Just be sure not to bump on your head or get stuck in tight spots.

If you need more space, head next to the destroyer HMAS Vampire, Australia’s largest museum vessel. This Daring Class Destroyer was home to 245 sailors and 29 officers and served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1959 to 1986.

For a blast of history, climb on board the Australian-built replica of James Cook’s HMB Endeavour. It perfectly captures what life would have been like for James Cook and his crew with cabins and common areas replicated faithfully as it would have been during Captain Cook’s epic 1768-71 world voyage.

As well as the vessels, there’s plenty to see inside the museum through various exhibits. The permanent exhibits cover many topics including navigating and voyaging around Australia, migration to Australia and  stories of Australia’s naval heritage.

Hyde Park Barracks

Learn about convict and colonial life at Hyde Park Barracks, a  UNESCO World Heritage site in the heart of Sydney. This museum was built to house convicts and then also served as a women’s immigration depot and asylum, and later law courts and government offices.

Today, you can explore Hyde Park Barracks through a self-guided audio experience. This immersive technology is designed to make visitors feel as if they themselves have stepped back in time. You’ll hear stories of the men, women and children housed in the museum. 

For kids, there’s a special audio trail just for them with stories, clues and activities. 

Today this immersive museum tells the stories of the thousands of men, women and children held or housed there, and the Aboriginal communities profoundly impacted by the relentless push of colonial expansion.

Sydney Observatory

Located next to the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Observatory Hill, Sydney Observatory is one of the  oldest observatories in Australia and was built in 1858.

The site is undergoing heritage maintenance works but you can still do a one-hour guided tour of the Sydney Observatory. The observatory features several telescopes, including a historic 29cm refracting telescope, a solar telescope, and a 40cm reflecting telescope.

Sydney Observatory is also home to a range of historical instruments and artifacts, such as the original time ball, which was used to signal the time to ships in Sydney Harbour.

If your kids love spotting stars, bring them to a  night sky viewing sessions of Observatory Late, a monthly program presented under the stars on the grounds of the Sydney Observatory. This free program will be held each month featuring a night of stargazing, talks from leading astronomers, music and performance with food and beverages on offer.

Susannah Place Museum

Go back in time and experience life in the 1850s onwards at Susannah Place Museum. Located in The Rocks, Susannah Place is a terrace of four houses built by Irish immigrants in 1844. This museum is only accessible via a one-hour guided tour. You’ll be escorted through the different houses and learn about the working class families that lived in the homes and the area. 

Art Gallery of New South Wales

Located in parkland at The Domain, The Art Gallery of NSW is one of Australia’s flagship art museums and the state’s leading visual arts institution. Stop by to see their new building Sydney Modern which has doubled the side of the art gallery.

Admission to the Art Gallery is free, and so are their permanent galleries and most exhibitions and events. For any paying exhibitions, children under 5 are admitted free and there are family discounts.

There are lots of family-focused activities to do at the Art Gallery. Check with the welcome desk to find out about what’s on offer including children’s art trails, children’s labels on some artworks in selected exhibitions and activity sheets for hands-on artmaking that kids can do at home. This helps kids engage with the artwork at The Art Gallery of NSW.

Museum of Contemporary Art

If you’re at Circular Quay, drop in for a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art. With free admission, you can stop in for a few minutes or hang around for a longer visit. There is always something interesting to see at the museum.

The contemporary art showcased here definitely gets one thinking and it’s sure to provoke conversation between you and your kids. Like the Art Gallery of NSW, the MCA offers children’s art trails, art chatterbox as well as family labels. These labels are made for kids by kids and you can find them in the permanent MCA Collection on Level 2, as well as selected temporary exhibitions.

For an amazing view of Sydney, head to the rooftop MCA Cafe. From here, you’ll be rewarded for gorgeous views across Sydney Harbour.

Beaches & Harbour Pools

Sydney is blessed with many beautiful beaches that are perfect for families with kids. Here are some of our picks of the best beaches in Sydney for kids.

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Australia, and it is a top spot to take the kids. The beach has a dedicated children’s pool that is perfect for younger children. There are also plenty of cafes and restaurants nearby, making it a great place to spend the day.

Manly Beach

Manly is another popular area that is perfect for families with a few choices of swimming spots for those with kids, including both harbour and ocean beaches.

If you’ve come to Manly by ferry and don’t want to venture too far, you can swim at Manly Cove. Thus harbour beach is near to the former Aquarium and features a safe and netted swimming area which is great for families.

If you don’t mind the walk, venture down to the Corso towards Manly Beach and head for a swim. Manly Beach has calm waters and a dedicated children’s playground, as well as plenty of cafes and restaurants nearby.

Shelly Beach

If you have time, head to Shelly Beach, a pretty little ocean beach near Fairy Bower. This beach is gazetted as a Marine Reserve and there are many underwater species to view so bring snorkeling gear if you have it.It’s a 1km scenic walk from Manly Beach around to Fairy Bower. Your kids will love the walk as there are sculptures along the way. Take your time to check out each of the nine stainless steel sculptures placed on the rocks as well as glancing back at the view of Manly Beach. There’s also a rock pool along the way if you can’t be bothered going all the way to Shelly Beach.

Balmoral Beach

Another favourite with families is Balmoral Beach. This is a sheltered beach that is perfect for families with younger children. The beach has a playground, plenty of picnic areas, and calm waters that are great for swimming. There’s an enclosed netted swimming area near The Boathouse Balmoral Beach.

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