Thinking about where to go for the next school holidays? Sydney and its state of New South Wales should top your list with its myriad of activities catered to the whole family. From an overnight stay at the zoo, to stunning scenery in a Unesco World Heritage park, there’s a whole other world to discover Down Under.

Take off on a memorable animal adventure

Children will be thrilled by the opportunities to interact with native Australian animals or get up close to super cool sea life.  For zoos, you’ll be spoiled for choice with Wild Life Sydney Zoo in Darling Harbour, Sydney Zoo in Eastern Creek and Taronga Zoo in Mosman. Right in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, Wild Life Sydney Zoo is both convenient and compact, perfect for those with younger children. Over in western Sydney and home to over 4,000 animals, Sydney Zoo is the only combined zoo and aquarium in New South Wales.

For a longer, more immersive visit, Taronga Zoo lets you stay overnight at its Wildlife Retreat with beautiful views of the iconic bushland or stunning Sydney harbour. You might even spot an animal or two if your room overlooks the Wildlife Retreat Sanctuary.

Prefer a glamping experience instead? Taronga Zoo’s Roar and Snore package lets you snuggle into comfortable safari-style tents, experience intimate animal encounters and enjoy fascinating talks by the keepers. Don’t miss the zoo’s new Nura Diya Australia exhibit, which showcases animals like dingoes and red kangaroos that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. 

If you are staying in Sydney, check out Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in Darling Harbour which boasts rays, rockpool creatures, sharks and everything in between. You can even adopt your very own seahorse.

Venturing out of the city will open a wealth of possibilities. One hour north of Sydney will take you to the Central Coast where you can find Iris Lodge Alpacas. Breakfast with these adorably fluffy alpacas, hand feed them sliced carrots or watch them nibbling away. 

Just over two hours by car from Sydney will take you to New South Wales’ dolphin capital, Port Stephens. Book a cruise to catch sight of the numerous pods of friendly dolphins throughout the year. If you head south, you can go on a dolphin or whale watch cruise in Jervis Bay, which is well known for its pristine marine park and arguably the whitest sand in the world. 

For a more interactive experience, don a wetsuit and snorkel with sharks or feed stingrays at Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounter. 

On dry land, spending time with cuddly marsupials at Oakvale Wildlife Park is a must. Or else fulfill your desert dreams by riding camels on the sand dunes of Port Stephens, which are the largest moving dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Buzz with the bees 

Try your hand at beekeeping, a unique experience that is sure to engage the entire family. You can do this in the Southern Highlands, a particularly picturesque region 90 minutes away from Sydney and known for its beautiful flower gardens, heritage villages, ivy-covered country manors, rolling hills and unspoilt bushland. 

Dive into a hive of activity at Bowral Beekeeping, an agritourism business specialising in beekeeping experiences, honey-tasting, and education. Here, you can don a bee suit and enter a hive to watch these creatures at work as you learn about bee biology and hive structure, and how crucial a role these tiny insects play in our ecosystem. You can also take a photo while holding a frame of bees, as well as sample and buy many different honeys.

The Southern Highlands is worth exploring, especially in the fall, because of its glorious autumn foliage, or in the springtime because of the spectacular annual Tulip Time Festival, where 75,000 of these flowers go on display in Corbett Gardens, Bowral. In addition, you’ll find luxurious retreats set amongst vineyards as well as many family-friendly restaurants in the towns of Bowral, Berrima and Mittagong. Those with young children will appreciate Raw and Wild in Bowral and the Glass Café and Bistro in Mittagong, which have playgrounds, kids’ menus and colouring activities.  

Stargaze in the Blue Mountains   

Just a 90-minute drive from Sydney, the Blue Mountains is a popular getaway for its dramatic scenery and fresh eucalyptus scented air. Aside from nature walks in this Unesco World Heritage area, you can also experience the beauty of the region by embarking on a captivating space journey once the sun sets — stargazing. 

Astrophysicist guides are on hand to expertly steer you through the vast firmament of the World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains skies, teaching you how to identify stars and constellations, and offering you telescope viewings of celestial bodies, planets and moons. 

Have fun on a farm 

Get away from the bustle of the city with a fun and educational visit to a farm. Calmsley Hill City Farm  in Western Sydney, is en route to the Blue Mountains, and makes for an engaging day trip for the children with activities such as cow-milking, sheep-shearing and tractor rides. 

There is much to see and do at a farm, so you might want to extend your time and spend a few nights. Starline Alpacas is a working alpaca farm in the Hunter Valley and offers a range of charming cottages for a cozy and unique accommodation experience. Its saltwater swimming pool and backdrop of the Brokenback Ranges make it the ideal setting for  interactions with these gorgeous animals. 

Horse lovers will be in heaven at Eden Equine located in the Blue Mountains. Stay in luxury cottages as you ride horses, and spend time with alpacas, sheep, goats, cows and pigs. For a more rustic option, Bilpin Country Lodge is ideal with the many activities available, from canoeing to catching yabbies.

If you’re after a unique farm stay experience, Redleaf Farm located in the Southern Highlands offers accommodation in a beautifully restored 1920s passenger train carriage, complete with full timber interior and crystal chandelier. Families will have fun feeding pigs, cows and sheep, riding horses, mountain biking, bushwalking and cooling off in the swimming hole.    

Pick your own fresh fruit 

With cool-climate mountains, seaside hinterlands and grassy plains, it’s no surprise that New South Wales is full of orchards bursting with exceptional fresh produce. Children will relish the experience of hand-harvesting their own fruit, selecting the best to fill their baskets as they make their way through rows of trees and bushes. 

As produce is highly seasonal, it’s good to plan your holidays accordingly if fruit-picking is to be a central activity. Pine Crest Orchard is located in Bilpin, 90 minutes from Sydney. Also known as the “land of the mountain apple”, it’s not hard to guess the main crop here. The season starts in January with Tydemans, followed by Galas in February, Fujis in March, before Granny Smith and Pink Lady finish off the harvest in May. 

Cedar Creek Orchards in Thirlmere is an hour from the city and specialises in persimmons which ripen between April to May. November and December are perfect for a visit to Glenbernie Orchard for stone fruit like nectarines and peaches while Hillside Harvest starts off the summer season with cherries before widening their offerings with blackberries and boysenberries In January and February.

Cherry fans should also head to Young, a town four hours from Sydney which is known as the cherry capital of the state. Check out Wombat Heights Orchard, as well as Roth Family Orchard and George and Sue’s Cherry Farm.  

Do Sydney differently 

As a waterfront city, Sydney has rich offerings when it comes to beaches and coastal walks that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Embark on a scenic walk from Bondi to Coogee or Bronte with gorgeous sights along the way. 

Chinamans Beach, Clontarf Beach and Forty Baskets are ideal picnic locations with swings, BBQ facilities, serene waters and beaches perfect for sandcastle-building.

Indoors, activities abound with immersive and interactive experiences galore: Board a submarine at Australian National Maritime Museum or gawk at life-sized dinosaur models at The Australian Museum. 

Explore the city on a Bonza Bike Tour, which takes you through some of Sydney’s iconic sites through easy routes that are suitable even for young children. 

Or perhaps hop on a ferry to Cockatoo Island, a Unesco World Heritage site that offers a unique award-winning urban camping experience. Your kids will enjoy the experience and learning how to  pitch their own tent and bedding down for the night in a campground that boasts the glittering panoramic view of the Sydney Harbour.

Amusement park devotees should make a beeline for Luna Park Sydney. This iconic theme park is situated just across the harbour from the city with stunning views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and is easily accessible by train or ferry. There are plenty of family-friendly rides — younger children will have fun on the Loopy Lighthouse and Little Nipper rides, while teens will be thrilled by rollercoasters and the Sledgehammer, and everyone will enjoy the sideshow games. Flexi Passes and Day Passes will suit most visitors, while additional safety is built in for children based on height, with colour codes determining which rides require an accompanying adult.   

Whether it’s local wildlife, fun in the water or hands-on activities on a farm, Sydney and New South Wales will bring the family together in a truly memorable getaway.
 

Find more travel inspiration at www.sydney.com/sg