Thinking about where to stay in Sydney with kids? Sydney is an incredible city to explore with a multitude of pockets of delight awaiting your call to adventure. As a destination, the city offers a number of areas to explore.
Creating your Bucket List of places and spaces is all part of the fun but be mindful, Sydney is huge and there’s always something more to see (trust me, we’ve been exploring with the kids for over a decade and we still haven’t seen it all).
To help you plan your next trip, our latest post divides Sydney into a number of easy to navigate pockets where the local attractions are highlighted with some suggestion on where to stay thanks to our friends at Accor.
Where to Stay in Sydney with Kids
Table of Contents
Where to go when staying in Sydney
North Sydney
North Sydney is across from the harbour from the CBD and is a little more leafy. As the calendar turn over to spring, some of the most amazing purple / mauve colours appear as the Jacaranda trees across this area bloom.
During the day time, this area is bustling with workers, but at night time the lights of the city twinkle from across the harbour and the cafe scene comes into play.
North Sydney is centrally linked to all of the main public transport modes in the city making it an easy place to navigate without a car. You can get to most of the city’s attractions by foot or public transport from this part of town
Local attractions in North Sydney
Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo is one of Sydney’s, if not Australia’s, most iconic places to head for an animal encounter. Situated on the harbour itself in the suburb of Mosman and one of the city’s must dos when visiting Sydney with kids.
Taronga Zoo Keeper for a Day Program
Wendy’s Secret Garden
A wander around the harbour from North Sydney can be quite an adventure and is likely to see you uncover some of the many incredible vistas that Sydney is so famous. What many visitors to North Sydney don’t realise is that there’s a secret garden in plain sight a short walk away.
If you head to Lavender Bay, close to Luna Park, you will be able to find Wendy Whiteley’s secret garden, a little slice of land that she has been working on for over two decades transforming it from a derelict, unused space to a masterpiece.
Visiting Wendy’s Secret Garden with kids
Nutcote
When it comes to classic Australian literature for children, May Gibb’s Snugglepot and Cuddlepie is almost always listed as one everyone knows. However, knowledge of May Gibbs and the incredible work she did for the suffragette movement is not as widely known or applauded. Truth be told, May Gibbs is an incredibly important contributor to our country for both her literary and women’s rights work.
Nutcote, the residence that May built with her husband in Neutral Bay is a picturesque cottage with a splendid view across Sydney Harbour. It is here you can learn all about the evolution of May’s artworks and gain insight into her life and ongoing resistance to conform to the “female” standards of the day from her teeny tiny kitchen to her driving log.
And for the kids, there’s dress ups, drawing and a gorgeous garden to explore.
Exploring Nutcote Cottage with kids
Luna Park
Modelled on the famous Coney Island in New York, Sydney’s Luna Park is an iconic location that has been enjoyed by a few generations of Sydneysiders and visitors to the city. Entry is free so you can head there for a photo opportunity to grace your Instagram feed if you’re not feeling the need for an adrenaline rush on one of the many rides. However, if you really want to immerse yourself in the Luna Park experience, investing in a ride pass is certain to be an adventure you won’t forget.
North Sydney Olympic Pool is right next door and your ride pass provides you with entry here as well where you can enjoy the outdoor salt water pool with one of the very best views in the whole city!
Swim at Balmoral Beach
Balmoral Beach is our top beach location in North Sydney. It is great for kids with a tide that gently laps at the ocean as well as a bevy of eating spots for the whole family. The heritage-listed Balmoral Bathers Pavillion is adjacent to the beach. It can get rather busy, so head there early to grab the best spot!
Middle Head
Not far from Balmoral Beach is Middle Head which boasts the remnants of 1800’s military defence fortifications. It’s an interesting place to explore with some great walks, just keep the kids close as it is quite cliffy in parts.
Middle Head Fortifications with Kids
Where to stay in North Sydney
The Sebel Sydney Chatswood
Darling Harbour
Darling Harbour is one of the most visited tourist precincts in Sydney and offers perhaps the largest offerings of attractions. It is currently in a state of redevelopment in some sections, but don’t let that stop you heading in for a visit.
During the warmer months and weekends, Darling Harbour boasts fireworks at night too!
Local attractions in Darling Harbour:
SEA LIFE Aquarium
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium boasts over 700 species of aquatic animals including the world’s only dugong on display (please note, he was rescued, rehabilitated and released only to become sick again and needed to go through the whole cycle again – hopefully he will remain the only dugong in captivity).
For many of us, diving in the Australian ocean is probably something we will never get the chance to do. SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium gives visitors the opportunity to see the beauty of the underwater world and learn how we can help to conserve the animals and habitats into the future. Check out our Sydney Attraction pass guide to learn about the Merlin Pass that will help save you a few dollars when visiting the Merlin attractions.
Exploring SEA LIFE Aquarium with kids
WILD LIFE Australia
If you are visiting Australia for the first time, or simply interested in Australian wildlife, a trip to WILD LIFE Australia in Darling Harbour will provide you with a rare glimpse of a plethora of Australian native species from wild, flock flying budgies to wallabies, Tasmanian Devils, Koalas and more.
While you are unlikely to hold any of them (it’s simply not good for these animals to be constantly touched) you will get up close and may even have a chance to feed a marsupial or two or book in for a koala experience. Check out our Sydney Attraction pass guide to learn about the Merlin Pass that will help save you a few dollars when visiting the Merlin attractions.
WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo with Kids
Madame Tussauds
Have you ever wanted to get up and close with one of your favourite movie or rock stars? Perhaps royalty is more your style? Or maybe you have always dreamed of speaking with a historic figure or two. Madame Tussauds is an unusual attraction featuring a bounty of wax figures that look exactly like those they are modelled after.
Rather than being quite a static attraction, Madame Tussauds have worked hard to make the site very interactive and fun. It always takes us a few hours to explore.
Check out our Sydney Attraction pass guide to learn about the Merlin Pass that will help save you a few dollars when visiting the Merlin attractions.
Visiting Madame Tussauds with kids
Chinese Garden of Friendship
Modelled on the magnificent private gardens of the Ming Dynasty, the Chinese Garden of Friendship was a gift to the city during Sydney’s Bicentennial Celebrations, and symbolised the bond established between China and Australia that continues to grow.
Visiting with the kids is a lot of fun with an interactive app created to help kids locate treasure around the gardens. There’s also a costume pavilion where you can hire a traditional Chinese outfit for a few hours – perfect for both pretend play and great photos.
Exploring the Chinese Friendship Gardens with kids
Australian National Maritime Museum
The Australian National Maritime Museum provides an in-depth study of Australian maritime history from 50,000 years ago through to the present. Families can also explore a number of vessels including the HMAS Onslow, a Cold War submarine.
If your kids love great activities, download the On Sharks and Humanity Activity Trail ahead of your visit for the kids to complete. It’s lots of fun!
Visiting the Maritime Museum with kids
Darling Harbour Children’s Playground
Featuring a 21-metre flying fox, a water play area with pumps and water buckets, climbing ropes, swings and slides, the Darling Harbour Children’s Playground is quite possibly Sydney’s BEST playground and certainly one we love and return to again and again.
For parents with older kids, you can plant yourself at one of the many cafes that surround the perimeter of the playground – something we love doing now that the kids are bigger.
Monkey Baa Theatre
During the school holidays we love heading to the theatre to see a show. The Monkey Baa theatre if known for offering Australian produced productions that are always very popular.
Check out the Sydney School Holiday Activity Guide for the latest Monkey Baa productions
Barangaroo
Barangaroo is Sydney’s newest precinct and is a short stroll from Darling Harbour. It’s brimming with cafes and restaurants, as well as a featuring a number of outdoor spaces to explore with the kids. It’s a developing area so I am still excited to discover what it will offer for families as we move forward.
Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences : Powerhouse Museum (MAAS)
Established back in 1879 and with FREE entry for children under 16, the Powerhouse is a contemporary museum for excellence and innovation in applied arts and sciences. There is estimated to be well over 500,000 separate items in the MAAS collection, so it’s unlikely a single visit will cover the whole place.
For little kids you must visit the Wiggles exhibition for a while lot of Wiggly fun!
Check out our latest visit to the Powerhouse Museum
Where to stay in Darling Harbour
Hotel Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour
Hotel Novotel Sydney Darling Square
Hotel Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour
Hotel ibis Sydney Darling Harbour
The Rocks and Circular Quay
The Rocks and Circular Quay is the historic precinct of Sydney. Established shortly after Sydney became a colony back in 1788, the Rocks has survived the Bubonic Plague, depression and a few wars. Visiting can take you back in time and provide you with a glimpse of how Sydney used to be.
Head to the Rocks Discovery Museum for a step back in the history pages, or become star struck at the Observatory.
Local attractions in the Rocks and Circular Quay
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is easily found, sitting in an auspicious spot on Circular Quay. It may not seem like a spot to explore with kids, but the gallery has spent a lot of time developing some great children’s activities to make your visit as fun as possible.
Learn more about the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia with kids.
Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge
One of the ultimate experiences in Sydney, and possibly one of the top bucket list items for people visiting the city, is the opportunity to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Children as young as 8 can now climb the bridge with their families, although we suggest considering the Harbour Bridge pylon if your budget is a little smaller.
Want to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge? Click for more details.
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is one of the world’s most iconic architectural creations of the 20th century and a marvel that beckons millions of visitors to its doors every year. You can head here for a snack or meal, a show, or even just a little look around.
During the school holidays, watch out for the FREE activities in the concourse and make sure you check out the latest shows in our Sydney School Holiday activities listing.
Sydney Opera House Junior Tour – What will you see and do?
Where to stay in the Rocks and Circular Quay
Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney – MGallery by Sofitel
Hotel Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour
Sydney Centre
Sydney CBD offers a whole lot of shopping, theatre shows, food and a few museums thrown in. Shortly it will also have a light rail system as well.
Local attractions in Sydney CBD
Hyde Park Barracks
Hyde Park Barracks is one of the 11 UNESCO sites of Australia and offers a chance to experience what it was like to be both an officer and a convict back in the late 1700s. You can even observe the old rat nests and the treasures that they stole from the people back then!
Australian Museum
The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in the country and had a well-established reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It’s the place to head if you want a night at the museum like in the movie, with opportunities throughout the year for the kids to sleep over.
Head to our Sydney School Holiday roundup for the latest activities for kids
Where to stay in Sydney CBD
Hotel Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
Hotel Pullman Sydney Hyde Park
Hotel ibis Sydney World Square
Sydney Airport
Those that have flown in and out of Sydney know that the traffic around the airport can be pretty horrendous and often add a good 15-30 minutes (or more) to their trip just in case.
Whilst we don’t reside far from Sydney Airport, if we have a particularly early flight out we consider staying at one of the nearby hotels to give us enough time to get the kids ready and make our check in with lots of time for that inevitable “I need to go to the toilet”.
Where to stay near Sydney Airport
Hotel Novotel Sydney International Airport (formerly Mercure)
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Wondering where else in Sydney to explore? Discover a range of all the hotels in the Sydney region here.
Sydney with Kids Resources
Looking for even MORE things to do in Sydney? Click on our resources below:
The best things to do in Sydney with Kids : We provide you with a plethora of activities that will keep you and your kids busy. From quick trips to overnight experiences, you’ll love this list of goodies!
Looking for a wildlife adventure? We have created the ultimate list of Australian Zoos and Wildlfe Parks for your reference. Want something a little more personal? What about one of Sydney’s Animal Encounter experiences where you can touch, feed and even care for some of Sydney’s zoo and wildlife animals?
Of course, when the sun is out you might like to head to one of Sydney’s Water Parks with the kids or even better, one of Sydney’s Best Beaches!
This one is a little scary, but we know some families love seeking out the unusual. How about one or two of Sydney’s Most Haunted places?
Fruit picking is one of our most favourite family experiences. Check out our Sydney Fruit Picking resource so you can head out this weekend!
Get out of the city this weekend and head for a Farm Stay near Sydney.
What about heading to a festival? We’ve pulled together an annual calendar of festivals across Sydney.
What is the price for visiting the SEA LIFE Aquarium?