Sydney is probably the best place you can visit in Australia if you have to choose just one destination. The place I think you should also visit is The Great Barrier Reef, although it’s a very long way north of Sydney (New South Wales) in North Queensland. You would need to book an internal flight to see both major highlights of Australia.
Sydney is iconic, it’s modern, sparkling, fresh and filled with things to see and do in and around the harbour and CBD. Further afield, if you have time, take a few day trips to the Blue Mountains, Bondi, and more. You can even visit Australia’s capital city, Canberra, from Sydney, by road, it’s 2-3 hours away.
Is Sydney a great place for kids and families? Yes, if you don’t have a tight budget. Sydney is expensive. I’d say that it’s more expensive than both London and Singapore. Your accommodation, food, and attractions will cost a lot. Try to find some free activities in and around Sydney to make your trip more budget-friendly; we’ll mention those on this page.
My first trip to Sydney was as a backpacker, touring the country using hostels and a tent; my second was with an 11-month-old baby, flying all the way from London. We’ve since emigrated to Australia, to Queensland, and have visited Sydney many times since. My last visit (2026) was with an older teen child. My husband was born in Sydney, so we feel qualified to talk about it. We hope you agree and find this blog post & guide useful.
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My second time in Sydney, his first. Jetlagged 11-month-olds are a little tricky, but we managed, we flew to Australia from London to visit family and later emigrated to Australia when he was 3.
What are the best things to do in Sydney with kids? It’s often the simplest things. Take a walk and see possums or fruit bats in the park, take a boat ride or find a playground. The family trips with kids are for Mum or Dad too, of course, so our “travel with kids” posts are more about enjoying time as a family, keeping the kids happy, and everyone having a good time and an authentic travel experience, learning about the destination along the way. We have visited around 60 countries as a family, as part of our worldschooling mission, we know travel with kids.
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We include some basic Sydney itineraries and Sydney travel tips to help you plan your break or vacation in Sydney.
Is It Worth Buying Sydney Multi-Attraction Passes?
The Sydney Combo Pass could be worth your while if you plan to visit multiple paid attractions in Sydney. This pass includes several top activities in Sydney, Sydney Aquarium, Wild Life Sydney (native animal zoo and petting) Madame Tussauds, and the Sydney Tower Eye viewing tower. This pass is generally the most popular with tourists, and it covers kid-friendly attractions close together on Darling Harbour, Sydney. Bundling tickets like this is designed to save you money.
Design your Sydney Combo Pass Here. It’s worth buying tickets online in advance, as queues at ticket desks are often long, and we found in 2026, that you couldn’t actually buy a ticket at the desk for some attractions. Plus, bundling tickets creates discounts. You may need to book a time slot in advance, too. Go to the aquarium early, it gets very busy.
If you plan to visit the Sydney Tower Eye Observation Deck, plus other paid attractions, then the The Sydney Big Ticket Pass could be for you. This pass is specifically for people who plan to visit The Sydney Tower Eye, and not everyone will want to do that.
Is Sydney A Good Place To Visit For A Family With Kids?
Sydney is where the majority of international travellers arrive in Australia. You will usually find that international flights to Sydney are cheaper, and more abundant than those to regional airports. You can’t go to Australia and not see Sydney after all. The Opera House, Harbour Bridge and the Harbour itself are “Australia” to many foreigners.
There are must-see places here, plus many fun attractions that most kids and parents will love. On top of this, there are day trips to take, and that’s not the case everywhere in Australia. Both The Blue Mountains and Canberra are fairly close to Sydney. Australia is a very big country, and it can be hard to travel the long distances required.
Take the kids to Sydney’s famous Chinatown to experience Asian street food or restaurants.
Sydney is multicultural, you can find food from many cuisines and visit Sydney’s famous Chinatown. For foodies or curious kids, Sydney’s iconic fish market is the place to discover the weird and wonderful sea creatures Australians are lucky enough to consume. You can get traditional fish and chips or more exotic street food at the market.
Sydney also has history. “The Rocks” is the part of Sydney where the first fleets built homes and infrastructure from 1788 onwards. Certain old buildings in Sydney, for instance, the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) may date back to the Tartarian Empire, or the 1800s, depending on which version of history you believe.
Some of Australia’s most famous beaches are in and near Sydney, including Bondi, Manly and Coogee. You can take a ferry to Manly from Circular Quay or take the train and bus to Bondi. You will probably meet the lifeguards from Bondi Rescue. We walked right into Harries last time we visited.
If your kids know the movie Finding Nemo, they will know the harbour. But to see Nemo in real life, head north to the GBR or to the aquarium. My husband has the privilege of being paid to find Nemo for eager tourists today. Unfortunately, P. Sherman’s address, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney, has never existed.
Sydney works for kids of all ages, babies, toddlers, tweens and teenagers will do well here. My older teen particularly loved the speedboat rides in Sydney Harbour. When the kids were toddlers, they loved watching the buskers at Circular Quay.
Sydney is fairly safe, clean, and easy to get around, on foot or by public transport. We generally walk everywhere in Sydney.
Where To Stay in Sydney With Kids
Stay within walking distance of Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, The Harbour Bridge, and the Opera House. This will give you your best possible experience of exploring Sydney. No buses or trains to get there, you just leave your hotel, and you’re there. You will have easy access to all public transport if you’d like to take day trips. We have used this hotel on Darling Harbour, it was an affordable option with a good location for 2 people, but it doesn’t seem to have family rooms. Maybe search this area when you open the maps via that link. It’s very close to the Maritime Museum, which would be my #1 museum choice with kids.
An even better location, but more expensive, is this hotel in The Rocks, almost beneath the Harbour Bridge itself and in a lovely older area. The building is beautiful, it’s on the water, and it does have family rooms. You’re in the perfect spot here to enjoy The Rocks Markets, which are outstanding. Check it out here.
For those on a tighter budget, The YHA Sydney Harbour youth hostel has an excellent location and does have family rooms with bunks for the kids. You can economise by self-catering. I’ll warn you, it’s not cheap, but meals are expensive at restaurants and you could balance out your costs nicely with a few meals made in the hostel. We have stayed here when we were on a tight budget, and it was great. If you want cheaper again, you’ll have to stay further out. Check out the YHA family rooms here.
Best Time To Visit Sydney With Kids
Avoid the full heat of summer. Also be aware that Sydney in winter can be cold, and that there’s not much by way of heating in Sydney houses. The best time for me would be between May and November so that you can see the whales. We have a full post on the best times to visit Sydney, here.
THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN SYDNEY WITH KIDS
1. SYDNEY HARBOUR
Sydney Harbour is most visitors’ first stop in Sydney. It’s good to get down here, explore, and get your bearings. The harbour itself sparkles; there’s something very special here. From Circular Quay, the Opera House will be on your right, the Harbour Bridge and the Rocks Area on your left.
Cruise ships dock here, right in front of The Rocks, the oldest part (allegedly) of Sydney. The oldest building still standing is right here, almost on the waterfront, footsteps from Australia’s oldest pub. This is my favourite part of Sydney, don’t miss it.
It’s best to explore this area on foot and enjoy Sydney for free. You can pay for admission to The Opera House, it’s one of the most popular tickets in Sydney, but probably not the best thing to do with kids.
If you walk to the left of Circular Quay towards the bridge, there is plenty to see, you can get right underneath the Harbour Bridge and reach the pillars/pylons, which you can climb for great views. Unfortunately, you have to pay to do this today, when I last did it, it was free.
Sydney’s famous green ferry boats depart from Circular Quay, to other jetties and harbours or to the islands within the harbour itself. These ferries are fairly cheap and are a more affordable option than a specialised sight-seeing cruise.
Whale Watching From Sydney Harbour
The kids should love this! Whale watching season in Sydney is roughly May – November, the cooler months. With guaranteed sightings, book the cruise below.
In season, humpback whales travel the length of Australia’s east coast from Antarctic waters to the warm tropics to calve. This happens in winter. Humpback whales are around Sydney from about May, as they travel north, to November on the return journey. The best time is June and July, and several cruise operators guarantee sightings. Book this whale-watching cruise here. I haven’t been, because I live on the Great Barrier Reef and we see them here throughout the winter months. It’s pretty much guaranteed on every trip to the reef. This is the cruise we recommend for the Great Barrier Reef, we think it’s the best. The kids should love it! Wrap up warm and catch the boat from Circular Quay or near the Opera House.
Sydney Harbour’s Islands
Older kids may enjoy finding out some Sydney history. My son enjoyed visiting Cockatoo Island as a teen.
You can catch a ferry to various islands in the harbour itself, including Cockatoo Island, Shark Island, Clark Island, Goat Island, Rodd Island, and Fort Denison. They make for great excursions.
We recently chose to visit Cockatoo Island, which is of significance to UNESCO for its convict history. It’s a great place to learn more about Sydney’s past. It was an interesting excursion with my older kids, with their keen interest in history, but there may be a lot of walking in the heat for little legs.
Sydney Harbour Activities, Opening Hours & Ticket Prices
Sydney Harbour is free to visit and explore 24/7. Sunrise and sunset are particularly good times to take in the views and activity around the water.
The ferries generally run from early morning to late evening, but there are multiple lines and companies offering services. You can buy tickets at the kiosks or machines.
Cockatoo Island has free admission, but you will need to pay for the ferry.
Jetboat cruises on the harbour are a lot of fun and you will probably get wet on these 30-minute adventures. Book a jet boat cruise here.
Every kind of cruise exists on Sydney Harbour, choose from a sightseeing cruise, dinner cruise or special lunch cruise.
Sydney Harbour Jet Boat Rides (Highly recommended!)
My teen son and I (very over 50) recently took a 30 minute adventure jet boat cruise on Sydney Harbour and loved it. It’s highly recommended by us and is easy to fit into your itinerary. Book a jet boat cruise here.
Sydney Harbour Cruises
Every kind of cruise departs from Sydney Harbour. From huge cruise ships (such as the Disney cruise ship in our photo above) to sightseeing, dinner and lunch cruises are available. This special lunch cruise may be worth a look.
2. SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE
Sydney Harbour Bridge dominates the views from this part of Sydney. I doubt there’s a more famous or more visually impressive bridge in the world.
It’s a steel arch bridge, and at 134m, 440ft , it’s the tallest in the world. It is famously similar to the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle, UK, and indeed, it was designed by the same British company. Work on Sydney’s bridge actually started first. (source)
At the top of the bridge, you will see both the Australian and Aboriginal flags (in the photo below), and if you choose to climb, you will reach that spot.
Sydney Harbour Bridge from the North Shore, looking back towards the CBD, The Rocks, Circular Quay and Darling Harbour. Lunar Park is on the right.
If you’d like to cross “The Coat Hanger”, as it is known locally, you can do it by train. We recommend taking the train from the CBD to Lunar Park on the North Shore. You can return by ferry if you prefer.
Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb
If you are so inclined, you can climb the bridge for the views from the top. Obviously, this isn’t suitable for younger kids and some kids (and adults, like me) have no desire to do any such thing.
This isn’t cheap, of course, and you must book in advance.
Climb The Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylons & Bridge Museum
The southern pylon, on the CBD side of the bridge (The Rocks) is where you’ll find the Harbour Bridge Museum and the Pylon climb, now known as the Shky House. For me, this is a much better option than the bridge climb. Under the bridge here there is an old canon that your kids may enjoy.
You can climb the pylons for views of the water, or visit the Sydney Harbour Bridge Museum, which is inside the southern pylon. The museum is suitable for kids, and when I last climbed the pylon, even I felt safe. The Pylon climb is now known as The Sky House.
Sydney Harbour Bridge Opening Hours & Ticket Info
You can walk across the bridge for free or cross it by train very cheaply. Admission to the Bridge Museum costs around $40, with discounts for kids. It’s open 9 am to 6.30 pm in winter and 9 am to 8.30 pm in summer. You can also visit the Sky House “After Hours” for drinks and canapes. The Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk operates daily with the same set opening times, but is weather-dependent. It costs about $400 for an adult, $200 for kids are 3-15. They take kids from 3 years old? Really? I think this must be an error on the website because the Bridge Climb website states that kids must be over 8 years old. Family bundles are available.
3. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
You can book a tour of the interior of the Sydney Opera House, and it’s often the top selling ticket in Sydney, but with kids, I’d skip this. Unless, of course, they have a particular interest. Those Opera House tour tickets are available here. They only take an hour, so maybe one parent can take the kids to the park next door if one of you is keen to go.
Enjoy it from the outside and take in the views. Walk right from Circular Quay, around the Opera House to the Botanic Gardens. The kids should enjoy the outdoor spaces and wildlife there.
Darling Harbour has some of the best kid-friendly things to do in Sydney City. This photo is taken from The Sydney Maritime Museum (MUSEAUM) looking towards Circular Key, the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. On the Far side of Darling Harbour, you can see (right centre) the small native zoo, aquarium and Tussauds. There are play areas to the right as you head into Darling Quarter.
Darling Harbour is the next bay around. If you walk from Circular Quay, around the Rocks, the path heads into the next bay, developed to be Darling Harbour. It’s a great area with plenty to see and do.
The first part has a boardwalk lined with restaurants on the land side, boats and ferries line the harbour’s edge. As you continue into the harbour there is a cluster of famous attractions side by side, the Sea Life Aquarium, Wild Life Sydney Zoo, and Madame Tussauds.
The bridge, next to the aquarium, crosses to the other side of Darling Harbour, and here you’ll find the Sydney Maritime Museum, which is great for kids.
Beyond the bridge, at the back of Darling Harbour, there is an iMax cinema, more food outlets, coffee shops, green spaces (Tumbalong Park) and play areas, including water play for hot days. This area is known as Darling Quarter.
5. WILDLIFE SYDNEY ZOO And/Or TARONGA ZOO
The Wild Life Sydney Zoo is a small zoo (it isn’t really big enough to be called a zoo, I’d say it was a small wildlife park) on Darling Harbour, for tourists excited to see Australia’s Big Five: koalas, kangaroos, platypus, crocodiles and wombats. You may also see Tasmanian devils, cassowaries, gliders, snakes, quokkas and more. This native animal experience can be included in your Pass.
There are small wildlife parks like this all over Australia, and every zoo will have a native animal area, you can normally feed the animals or hold a koala for a fee.
If you’re short of time, go here, but if you have a half to full-day to spare, cross the harbour by ferry and visit Taronga Zoo. It’s a great zoo with incredible harbour views and has Australian and International inhabitants. The kids should love it.
Sydney Zoos, Opening Hours & Ticket Info
It’s important to know that Taronga Zoo Sydney and Wildlife Sydney are now cashless. This would stop me from going. I believe that humanity shouldn’t be forcefully digitised.
Taronga Zoo is open daily from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm in winter. Opening and closing times fluctuate with daylight hours. dult tickets are around $50 Au and kids under 4 are free. Wild Life Sydney Zoo is open from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm (last entry 4.00 pm) with some changes around public holidays. Adult tickets are around $40. Children under 2 years old are free and those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. This information was correct at the time of publication, but may change, please check.
Save money by booking your tickets in advance, online. Prices are better, particularly during school holidays, weekends, and national holidays.
6. SEALIFE SYDNEY AQUARIUM
Sydney Aquarium is perfect for kids of any age. It’s on Darling Harbour. The last time we were there they had this rescued Dugong, Australia’s native Sea Cow.
The SeaLife Sydney Aquarium was one of the best in the world when it opened in 1988. I first visited in 2001, and it was extremely impressive. Since then, better aquaria have opened around the world, and this old lady is showing her age. It’s still worth going, but if you’ve visited many modern aquaria, you may find this one a bit dated.
The aquarium is next door to Wild Life Sydney Zoo on Darling Harbour. The last time I visited in 2024, they had a rescued dugong, Australia’s native manatee or sea cow. It’s the first and only dugong I’ve even seen, despite living in Queensland, where we have them in the wild.
Sydney Aquarium Opening Hours & Ticket Info
The SEALife Sydney Aquarium is usually open daily from 10.00 am to 4.30 pm (last entry 4.00pm), 9.30am to 5.00pm on weekends. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Check opening times and holidays here.
The Rocks is the oldest part of Sydney, between Circular Quay and Darling Harbour with parts of the area being beneath the bridge. The area has cobbled streets, ancient buildings, museums and plenty of good vibes. It’s my favourite part of the city.
The Rocks Markets are held on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, and you absolutely should not miss them. These are the best markets I’ve ever been to in Australia. TOP TIP: In our hidden gems of Sydney post, we wrote about picnics under the bridge at the top end of The Rocks Market. You can rent a picnic set up. This would be fun with kids.
9. BONDI BEACH
Australia’s most famous beach, Bondi Beach, is easy to get to from downtown Sydney by train and bus. Bondi Junction is where you’ll need to change to a small local bus. There is a good shopping centre here if you’re looking to shop. I find shopping in Sydney itself to be too spread out.
Choose to visit for a day or a few hours, or stay overnight. If you just want to take a look you probably need about half an hour here. If you plan to swim at the beach, I’d book one night here, nobody wants to be wet and sandy on the train.
It’s also great to be here for sunrise and sunset to take in the views of the surfers getting their fix before or after work.
If you visit Bondi with kids, be very careful of rip tides and of the intense sun. The Lifeguards of Bondi Rescue will have their eyes on you, but accidents happen. There have also been shark attacks here, and recently, at Coogee.
The Bondi Icebergs swimming pool, artificial ocean pools, are at the southern end of the beach and may be a safer place to swim, although I’ve never liked the look of them.
Famous Walks From Bondi Beach
The 6 km Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk is very famous and starts at the southern end of the beach. Follow the path along the clifftops on a coastal trail from Tamarama to Bronte to Coogee.
We have done this walk with toddlers and infants. You may have to carry them, but it was fine. Older kids should do well.
10. SYDNEY MUSEUMS WITH KIDS
My kids and I love the Sydney Maritime Museum (MuSEAum) on Darling Harbour. it’s actually the Australian National Maritime Museum. It has varied exhibits, and we were lucky enough to catch an exhibition about sharks. It’s usually open 10 am to 4 pm.
The Powerhouse Museum is a collection of different museums at different sites within Sydney. Right now it seems to be closed for refurbishment. If you have time, go to Questacon science museum in Canberra instead, it’s really great.
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) on Circular Quay is a great FREE museum, so why not go? You have nothing to lose. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm.
11. SYDNEY’S PARKS & GARDENS FOR KIDS
There are 2 stand out parks in Sydney that your kids should enjoy. Hyde Park is in the heart of the Sydney CBD, and the Royal Botanic Gardens are just steps from the Sydney Opera House. Follow the waterside walkway around the point, and you’re there. Both are free. You’re likely to see fruitbats and cockatoos at the botanic gardens and possums at Hyde Park.
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is at the Botanic Gardens, and this is where you want to be to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks over the Harbour Bridge. The park normally closes at sunset.
The Royal National Park is also worth visiting, but it’s more of a huge national park, and it’s a day trip from Sydney, we cover that below.
12. LUNA PARK SYDNEY – GREAT FOR KIDS!
Luna Park Sydney is on the north shore of the Harbour, to the left of the bridge. It stands on the waterside with amazing views back to the CBD at Milsons Point.
It’s a traditional, old school funfair or amusement park, and first opened its gates, the laughing clown mouth, in 1935.
The park itself is free to enter, but you then have to pay for rides. Kids need to be tall enough to ride, of course, as in any park. We opted to just stroll around and eat some candyfloss, called fairy floss in Australia, the rides didn’t appeal.
13. MANLEY BEACH
Manly Beach can be reached by ferry from Circular Quay; it’s on the opposite side of the harbour. Keep your eyes peeled on the ferry crossing, I’ve seen dolphins on this ride.
The famous Three Sisters rock formation is here at Echo Point in Katoomba, plus scenic walks and vistas. Visit Katoomba Cascades Waterfalls and Cahill’s Lookout. Katoomba itself is a quaint mountain town famous for Art Deco buildings, coffee shops and street art. If you’d like to, stay overnight in Katoomba, it’s a nice place to be and there’s plenty to explore.
Scenic World in Katoomba has three rides, a gondola cable car, a skyway above the forest, and the world’s steepest scenic railway.
15. DAY TRIP FROM SYDNEY TO CANBERRA
Leave the state of New South Wales and head to the ACT, Australian Capital Territory, the home of Australia’s Capital City and Parliament House, Canberra. The drive takes 2-3 hours and if you book this tour you can see the Australian Mint, Parliament House, The Australian War Museum, Lake Burleigh Grifffin, and more.
We have family in Canberra, we’ve spent a lot of time there. I do think it’s worth a look if you’re interested in the above attractions, but I wouldn’t say it was a fun day out with kids. Take a look at a tour here and see what you think.
Alyson is a British medical scientist who jumped ship to chase dreams. A former Chief Biomedical Scientist in London hospitals, she started in website creation and travel writing in 2011, becoming a full-time blogger, travel writer and a published author.
A lifetime of wanderlust and over 6 years of full-time travel, plus a separate 12 month gap year, has given Alyson and the family some travel expert smarts to share with you on this world travel site.
Today the family travels extensively to update this site and continue the mission to visit every country, while running a self-sufficient homestead. (https://tropicalfoodgarden.com)
