Things to do with kids in Sydney City & the Eastern Suburbs
In the city, Darling Harbour has three good stops close together. At SEA LIFE, kids walk under sharks and ride a boat past penguins. Next door, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo has koalas and kangaroos indoors, and across the water, kids can squeeze through a real submarine at the Maritime Museum. The Australian Museum is free and has a dinosaur exhibition. The Royal Botanic Garden is a good place to spread out a picnic rug.
In the east, Bondi Beach has lifeguards all year, and there's a children's pool beside the big ocean pool at Icebergs. The Bondi to Coogee walk has stairs, so leave the pram, but there are beaches to stop at all the way. For calm water, Clovelly is a narrow bay with concrete platforms that make it easy to get in and out.
Centennial Park has the WILD PLAY Garden, with water play, bamboo tunnels and a treehouse for kids two to twelve. You can also hire bikes or book a pony ride.
205 family outings, waterfalls and walks across the region, sorted by drive time from Sydney. Choose your suburb at the top to sort from where you are staying.
✓ Everything
Free · 53
Sensory-friendly · 15
Wheelchair access · 20
Top things to do in Sydney City & East
Spend a beach day at Bondi
Professional lifeguards patrol Bondi all year. Its surf club dates from 1907. At the southern end, Bondi Icebergs has a smaller children's pool beside its 50m ocean pool, with lifeguards on duty while it's open. From the city, take the train to Bondi Junction and then a bus.
about 10 min
Beach · Bondi Beach
Photo: Michael Coghlan from Adelaide, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0
Walk the cliffs from Bondi to Coogee
The 6km track passes Tamarama, Bronte and Clovelly and takes two to three hours one way. Stairs rule out prams, but every beach has a drinking fountain. At Marks Park, south of Bondi, kids can look for Aboriginal rock carvings about 2,000 years old.
about 10 min
Walk · Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
Photo: Maurice van Creij, CC BY 3.0
Float past penguins at SEA LIFE Sydney
Walk beneath sharks in Shark Valley, then take the boat ride through Penguin Expedition past king and gentoo penguins. Most visits take 1.5 to 2 hours. Online tickets start at $24 for kids aged 2 to 15, under 2s are free, and children under 90cm can't ride the penguin boat.
under 5 min
Aquarium · SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Photo: Nelson Pérez, CC BY-SA 3.0
Meet koalas and kangaroos at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
Koalas, kangaroos, a wombat, Tasmanian devils and freshwater crocodiles live under one roof in Darling Harbour. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours and catch a keeper talk. It opens daily 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm.
under 5 min
Wildlife park · WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
Photo: Saberwyn, CC BY-SA 3.0
See to the Blue Mountains from Sydney Tower Eye
The Observation Deck sits 250 metres above the city, with views up to 80km to the Blue Mountains. If bad weather spoils your visit, staff may give you a pass to return within 7 days. Booking online a day ahead can save money, and SKYWALK is closed until 12 November 2026.
under 5 min
Museum · Sydney Tower Eye
Photo: Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0
Go below deck in a submarine at the Maritime Museum
Step aboard HMB Endeavour and squeeze through the submarine HMAS Onslow on the Darling Harbour waterfront. A See It All ticket covers galleries and vessels: $25 for kids 4 to 15, or $89 for two adults and three kids. Under 4s are free. Some vessels close for a few days from 19 October 2026, so check at the desk which ones are open.
under 5 min
Museum · Australian National Maritime Museum
Photo: MDRX, CC BY-SA 4.0
See the dinosaurs at the Australian Museum
General entry is free, and the Dinosaurs exhibition is open every day except Christmas Day. The museum faces Hyde Park on William Street, near Museum station, and opens daily 10am to 5pm. Major visiting exhibitions charge a fee.
under 5 min
Museum · Australian Museum
Photo: Shkuru Afshar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Spread a picnic rug in the Royal Botanic Garden
The Garden is free and opens daily from 7am until sunset, which is 7.30pm in October. Most areas can be reached with a walker or wheelchair, so a pram goes most places too. Look up its kids' events for nature play and tours.
under 5 min
Gardens · Royal Botanic Garden
Photo: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0 au
Play wild in Centennial Park's nature garden
The Ian Potter Children's WILD PLAY Garden has dry creek beds, water play, a bamboo forest, banksia tunnels and a treehouse. It suits kids aged 2 to 12 and opens 10am to 5pm daily, except in August. Elsewhere in the park you can hire bikes or book a pony ride.
about 5 min
Walk · Centennial Park
Photo: Sardaka (talk) 07:42, 31 May 2012 (UTC), CC BY 3.0
Swim in the sheltered bay at Clovelly
Clovelly sits at the mouth of a narrow bay between two rocky ridges, which keeps the water calm for swimming. Concrete platforms down both sides make it easy to get in and out. There's a saltwater pool on the southern side and a café at the beach.
about 10 min
Beach · Clovelly Beach
Photo: J Bar, CC BY 3.0
Entry tickets
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Museum of Illusions Sydney
Sydney Tower Eye
DigiPark Sydney
WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
Madame Tussauds Sydney
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Australian National Maritime Museum
BridgeMuseum (Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout)
Taronga Zoo
Sydney Zoo
Australian Reptile Park
Everything on the map
Over the border
Nearest first, from Sydney
Animals
Beaches and islands
Waterfalls, lakes and swimming
Walks and lookouts
Play
Museums and history
Libraries, cinemas and theatres
Gardens and science
Also in this region, more than 4 hours from Sydney
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.