It’s easy to see why Australia tops many travelers’ bucket lists — and Sydney, the country’s largest and oldest city, offers a wealth of immersive outdoor and cultural experiences along with easy access to fabulous beaches, parks and wildlife.
From free activities to splurge-worthy epic adventures, here’s a guide to family-friendly Sydney fun.
Send clients to local operator BridgeClimb Sydney for a chance to see the city from up high.
Credit: 2025 BridgeClimb Sydney
Rise to Great Heights
My teenage son dared me to take an adrenaline-pumping hike up and across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, and after eyeing groups of people cheering atop the structure over several days from my balcony at InterContinental Sydney, I decided this city symbol would mock me until I conquered it.
Skywalk tours at the Sydney Tower Eye is another way to get incredible city views.
Credit: 2025 Destination NSWBridgeClimb Sydney was an exhilarating way to spend a sunny afternoon. The panoramic views are spectacular, and clients can book a slot at sunrise or sunset for even more beauty. Kids ages 8 and up can participate, and families save with bundle pricing. Groups can also hit the summit with a First Nations bridge guide and storyteller, who will provide a fascinating perspective of the area. Visitors craving higher peaks, meanwhile, can book a 60-minute Skywalk tour atop the Sydney Tower Eye, the city’s tallest building.
At Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, clients can feed giraffes and visit its new reptile center.
Credit: 2025 Destination NSWGet Hands-On With Creatures Great and Small
Watching sharks through a glass tank is fun. But why not up the ante by booking an up-close-and-personal Penguin Encounter with adorable king and gentoo penguins at the Sea Life Sydney aquarium? Children will love gearing up in high rubber boots and a special sub-Antarctic snowsuit before heading onto the ice to learn about the penguins’ habitats and behaviors.
Wildlife buffs will enjoy Taronga Zoo’s recently opened Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Centre, a multilevel experience where guests can see 42 slithery, crawling species such as the eyelash viper, alligator snapping turtle and native frilled lizard. Make sure clients don’t skip the unique nocturnal section to see bats, platypuses and other night creatures.
Travelers ages 8 to 12 years old can also become a zookeeper for the day at Sydney Zoo, where they’ll participate in hands-on feeding and cleaning tasks and learn about conservation — plus, take plenty of selfies with Aussie animals.
Set Out on a Whale-Watching Cruise
Sydney’s whale-watching season runs from May through November, when the sub-Antarctic waters become the “Humpback Highway” for more than 20,000 whales making their 2,100-mile trek to the Great Barrier Reef. Whales weighing up to 40 tons have been in this neck of the woods for 50 million years, according to my Captain Cook Cruises guide. That morning during my sail with the operator, I spotted more than a dozen glorious whales, along with dolphins. Clients can book a slot that also includes roundtrip transportation to Taronga Zoo. As a bonus, every cruise comes with a whale-spotting guarantee.
Enjoy Thrills, Chills and Spills
It’s free to get into the historic waterfront Luna Park, accessible by ferry from Circular Quay. Clients pay per ride or attraction at the amusement park. Kids can also opt to go aqua racing at Raging Waters Sydney, the city’s largest waterpark, or navigate the ropes courses at Treetops Adventure. During the summer, families will love splashing around in one of Sydney’s unique ocean pools that dot the Aussie coastline. Bondi Beach is home to the world’s most famous one, Bondi Icebergs, which dates back to 1929.
Meanwhile, visitors itching to learn a new sport can book a sharp-shooter archery session at Sydney Olympic Park or take a beginner surfing lesson at Urbnsurf Sydney, the city’s first wave park.
Find Some Kid-Friendly Zen
Need a break from hectic sightseeing? Free yoga classes for preschoolers take place every Friday at the Playground Lawn in Darling Quarter. The half-hour sessions — led by instructor Danielle Connor, who specializes in children’s yoga — are open to parents and older siblings, too, and mats are already on-site.
Families can also wander through lush landscapes to see gorgeous Australian flora at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, which are free to tour. The site has picnic areas with complimentary barbecues, walking and biking paths and plenty of birds and native animals to spot. There’s also the lovely Garden’s Playground, where kids up to 12 years old can enjoy sand pits, slides, climbing walls and swings while parents grab coffee from The Garden’s Cafe next door.
Badu Gili: Celestial, a new projection program visible on the sails of Sydney Opera House, showcases the work of female First Nations artists.
Credit: 2025 Wendy HelfenbaumSoak up Aboriginal Culture
Sydney is the perfect place for meaningful and authentic Australian experiences. Clients can take The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour or choose from many immersive, educational activities designed to promote and preserve local history and culture offered by Cultural Attractions of Australia.
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Families interested in naval history will love unlimited access to the Australian National Maritime Museum, which has one of the world’s largest floating museum fleets and an impressive replica of Captain Cook’s HMB Endeavour ship. The entire family will be mesmerized while watching the sails of Sydney Opera House light up after sunset with Badu Gili: Celestial, a new projection celebrating the work and stories of two female First Nations artists from Australia and New Zealand.
