The Best Things To Do With Kids In Sydney

The family-friendly capital of New South Wales carves a path with cut-above attractions for all ages.

There’s more to Sydney than its world-famous harbour and sail-shaped opera house, especially if you’re travelling with kids. Explore Australia’s diverse wildlife at award-winning parks, or trawl through the Australian Museum to discover ancient dinosaur bones. Stuck for ideas to keep the little ones entertained? Check out these things to do with kids in Sydney.

1. Meet koalas at Featherdale Wildlife Park

Zoo

Acquaint yourself with Australia’s cutest creature, the koala, at Featherdale Wildlife Park. This out-of-town Doonside destination, a 40-minute drive from the CBD, is known for hands-on animal experiences, which include walk-through kangaroo enclosures and lorikeet feeding. The Pet a Koala encounter allows you to meet some of Featherdale’s furry residents and take home a souvenir photo, while the Koala Mums and Bubs experience involves watching the animals up close and feeding them. A portion of all fees goes to the park’s Koala Plantation Fund to support sustainable food sources.

2. Take a boat trip through Sydney Harbour

Bridge

Bundle the kids on board and sail through Sydney Harbour to admire the city’s most famous attractions. Set against a futuristic skyline, you’ll float past the Opera House and Harbour Bridge for prime photo opportunities, accompanied by expert commentary from your captain. Other top cruise sights may include Australian battleships, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair (a sandstone rock cut into the shape of a bench) and the former penal island Fort Denison. Choose from a small boat, yacht or sail ship, with options for meal and sunset cruises available.

4. Admire dinosaur fossils at the Australian Museum

Museum

Are your kids obsessed with dinosaurs? Then check out the acclaimed dinosaur exhibition at the Australian Museum. Housed over two levels, the display features more than 10 complete dinosaur skeletons and many life-sized models, as well as educational interactive displays. Australia’s first museum is more than 190 years old and holds more than 21 million objects and specimens. Other popular zones include the Giants of the Ice Age and exhibits such as the Aboriginal Culture area.

5. Get up close with crocodiles at Wild Life Sydney Zoo

Zoo

Crocodile Wildlife Sydney Zoo Australia Darling Harbour AU. Image shot 1000. Exact date unknown.

Meet Rocky, a huge saltwater crocodile – and one of the largest reptiles in the world – at Wild Life Sydney Zoo. He lives in the Kakadu Gorge area of the zoo, which is packed with fun facts and conservation insights about the semiaquatic species. Set in Darling Harbour, the zoo is also home to the rest of the Aussie Big Five: the koala, kangaroo, wombat and platypus. Explore themed zones such as Nightfall to see nocturnal creatures, Wallaby Cliffs and a replica of Daintree Rainforest, where you’ll find the southern cassowary – a giant flightless bird.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.