Water play and swimming for kids in Sydney

Things to doRainy dayPlaygroundsToiletsEat with kids
49 places to cool off across the region: water parks, pools, beaches, lakes and swimming spots, nearest first from Sydney. Choose your suburb at the top to sort from where you are staying.

Everything on the map

Nearest first, from Sydney

Beaches and islands

Beach illustration
Beach
Quarantine Boat Depot Beach
Waverton
under 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Double Bay Beach
Double Bay
about 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Hayes Street Beach
Neutral Bay
about 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Secret Cove
Neutral Bay
about 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Seven Shillings Beach
Point Piper
about 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Bellamy Beach
Rose Bay
about 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Corner Beach
Cremorne Point
about 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Greenwich Baths
Greenwich
about 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Whiting Beach
Mosman
about 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Woolwich Baths Beach
Woolwich
about 5 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Queens Beach
Vaucluse
about 10 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Rose Bay Beach
Rose Bay
about 10 min
Shark Beach
Beach
Shark Beach
Sydney Harbour National Park
Harbour beach at Nielsen Park, Vaucluse, with shady lawns, picnic areas and a cafe; check Beachwatch water quality before swimming.
about 10 min
Photo: Sardaka, CC BY-SA 4.0
Balmoral Beach
Beach
Balmoral Beach
Calm harbour beach near Mosman; kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can be hired to explore the sheltered bay.
about 10 min
Photo: Junekingsyd, CC BY-SA 4.0
Beach illustration
Beach
Obelisk Beach
Mosman
about 10 min
Bondi Beach
Beach
Bondi Beach
Professional lifeguards patrol the beach all year; Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club, founded in 1907, is the world's oldest.
about 10 min
Photo: Michael Coghlan from Adelaide, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0
Beach illustration
Beach
Chinamans Beach
250 m beach inside Middle Harbour with barely a wave, good for a splash; Balmoral is a 1 km walk around the rocks.
about 10 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Cobblers Beach
Mosman
about 10 min
Camp Cove Beach
Beach
Camp Cove Beach
Calm harbour beach a short walk from Watsons Bay ferry wharf, good for swimming and snorkelling; start of the South Head Heritage trail.
about 10 min
Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0
Beach illustration
Beach
Clive Park Beach
Northbridge
about 10 min
Clovelly Beach
Beach
Clovelly Beach
Small, calm bay between two rocky ridges with concrete promenades on both sides and a saltwater pool on the southern side.
about 10 min
Photo: J Bar, CC BY 3.0
Coogee Beach
Beach
Coogee Beach
Family-friendly beach with calmer surf; showers, change rooms and toilets mid-beach near the Arden Street bus stop.
about 10 min
Photo: -wuppertaler, CC BY 4.0
Beach illustration
Beach
Washaway Beach
Balgowlah Heights
about 10 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Castle Rock Beach
Clontarf
about 10 min
Clontarf Beach
Beach
Clontarf Beach
Middle Harbour beach with a netted swimming area, big grassy reserve, playground, kiosk, toilets and showers.
about 10 min
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/md111/, CC BY-SA 2.0
Beach illustration
Beach
Reef Beach
Balgowlah Heights
about 15 min
Beach illustration
Beach
Forty Baskets Beach
Balgowlah Heights
about 15 min
Manly Beach
Beach
Manly Beach
3 km ocean beach patrolled by three surf lifesaving clubs, a short ferry ride from the city and a popular place to learn to surf.
about 15 min
Photo: Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
Shelly Beach
Beach
Shelly Beach
Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve
Calm, sheltered bay south of Manly Beach, popular with families with small children; snorkel the Cabbage Tree Bay marine sanctuary, free electric barbecues.
about 15 min
Photo: Hardlinerr, CC BY-SA 4.0

Waterfalls, lakes and swimming

Pool illustration
Pool
Cook and Phillip Park
Sydney
under 5 min
Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool
Pool
Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: eyeintim, CC BY 2.0
Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre
Pool
Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre
Ultimo
under 5 min
Photo: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Marrinawi Cove
Swimming spot
Marrinawi Cove
under 5 min
Photo: Jake Coppinger, CC BY-SA 4.0
North Sydney Olympic Pool
Pool
North Sydney Olympic Pool
Milsons Point
under 5 min
Photo: Cabrils, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pool illustration
Pool
Prince Alfred Park Swimming Pool
Surry Hills
under 5 min
Pool illustration
Pool
Victoria Park Pool
Camperdown
under 5 min
MacCallum Pool
Swimming spot
MacCallum Pool
Heritage harbourside pool on the western side of Cremorne Point, started as a rock pool dug by locals, with a timber sun deck.
about 5 min
Photo: Wiebke Grauel, CC BY 2.5
Dawn Fraser Baths
Swimming spot
Dawn Fraser Baths
about 5 min
Photo: Collywolly, CC BY-SA 4.0
Woolwich Baths
Swimming spot
Woolwich Baths
about 5 min
Photo: Cccp2000, CC BY-SA 4.0
Chowder Bay
Swimming spot
Chowder Bay
Sydney Harbour National Park
Harbour bay with grassy areas, swimming and picnics at the end of the Bradleys Head to Chowder Bay walk; vehicle entry fees apply.
about 10 min
Photo: Old Bart, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bondi Icebergs Pool
Swimming spot
Bondi Icebergs Pool
Tidal pool complex at the south end of Bondi Beach with a 50 m lap pool and a smaller children's pool; lifeguards on duty during opening hours.
about 10 min
Photo: Alex Proimos from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0
Bronte Baths
Swimming spot
Bronte Baths
Ocean-fed pool at the south end of Bronte Beach, with a natural rock pool suited to young children; the surf beach itself can be rough.
about 10 min
Photo: Allan Henderson, CC BY 2.0
Parsley Bay
Swimming spot
Parsley Bay
Quiet harbour beach with an enclosed swimming area, playground, kiosk and a footbridge over the bay on a 20-minute bush loop.
about 10 min
Photo: SproulesLane, CC BY-SA 4.0
Swimming spot illustration
Swimming spot
Giles Baths
Natural rock pool at the foot of Coogee's northern headland, reached from the coastal walkway; popular with older kids and teens.
about 10 min
Swimming spot illustration
Swimming spot
McIver's Ladies Baths
Women and children only: the last women's-only seawater baths in Australia, between Coogee Beach and Wylie's Baths.
about 10 min
Ross Jones Memorial Pool
Swimming spot
Ross Jones Memorial Pool
Man-made ocean pool at the southern end of Coogee Beach; Randwick Council calls it lots of fun for families and it gets crowded on hot days.
about 10 min
Photo: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0
Wylie's Baths
Swimming spot
Wylie's Baths
Ocean baths built in 1907, a few hundred metres south of Coogee Beach, looking out to Wedding Cake Island; open daily from 7am.
about 10 min
Photo: Collywolly, CC BY-SA 4.0
Forty Baskets Beach
Swimming spot
Forty Baskets Beach
Small beach on the Spit to Manly walk with an enclosed harbour swimming area, pier, barbecues and swings; no lifeguards.
about 15 min
Photo: MD111, CC BY-SA 2.0
Over 30 minutes
from Sydney
Wattamolla Beach
Swimming spot
Wattamolla Beach
Royal National Park
Calm lagoon for swimming, snorkelling and liloing beside a picnic area; park entry fee, bring water, and don't jump from the top of the waterfall.
about 40 min
Photo: Wittylama, CC BY-SA 3.0

Also in this region, more than 4 hours from Sydney

Sydney Harbour Federation Trust (short public ferry ride (F3 or F8) from Circular Quay or Barangaroo; no cars on the island, unmetered parking at Woolwich one stop away): Cockatoo Island / Wareamah
Sydney Harbour National Park (by ferry or water taxi; Captain Cook Cruises runs a service in school holidays, and visitors must book and pay a landing fee): Shark Island
Drive times are estimated from the distance, so treat them as a guide. Tap a card for the full page.
Region boundary: ABS Tourism Regions 2021 (Tourism Research Australia), CC BY 4.0. Outings from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and venues' own listings; nature spots from OpenStreetMap and park services.