Things To Do In Sydney In Winter?

My OH has arranged for us to meet up with some of her friends in Sydney in May. We'll be there for 3-4 days and so whilst they're busy catching up, I thought I'd do the tourist thing with my 9 y.o. daughter. I've never been to Sydney and don't really know anything about the place, so just wondered if fellow P.I.O. members could suggest places to go and things to see, particularly for kids under 10?

Thanks in advance.

Luna Park - will burn a hole in your pocket!

Taronga Zoo - you can get there by ferry

Any of the ferries from Circular Quay - cheap with Opal card and you get to spy on all the nice harbourside areas

There are lots of child friendly things on Darling Harbour (IMAX, Sealife etc) but not sure they are particularly budget friendly or that interesting for adults

Powerhouse Museum - there's an area for children (and some adults) to interact with physics / science stuff and a big hall full of transport from yesteryear.

Manly or Bondi beaches - you can get the ferry to Manly, and plenty of trains to go Bondi Junction (and then walk or bus down to the beach).

Westfield Sydney Tower / Eye / whatever it's called (tall tower with viewing area attached to Westfield in the CBD).

Bondi to coogee walk walk if the weathers alright. If she likes water then there's loads of pools, saw loads of kids last Time I went. Vicky's suggestions are really good, don't think I can add much extra

Bondi to coogee walk walk if the weathers alright. If she likes water then there's loads of pools, saw loads of kids last Time I went. Vicky's suggestions are really good, don't think I can add much extra

Thanks Stace, I hadn't factored in the beach, thinking that it might be too cold, but the Sydney is probably a lot warmer than Melbourne at that time of year.

Weather-wise I think you'll be OK - I arrived here in May last year and it wasn't a problem for me. But I did come from the UK, as some will point out! Just layer up or down, accordingly.

Tbh I wasn't sure about the weather and what people get upto in winter either. So much seems to revolve around nice weather. Probably should be nicer than Melbourne though, I've been warned about what the weather might be like when I leave Sydney lol. Have fun! If I'm still here might be able to catch up if you want

I probably would not bother doing things where there are equivalents in Melbourne, eg Zoo, Luna Park etc.

I would want to do things that are unique to Sydney like Harbour Bridge climb, Ferry rides on Harbour etc, stuff like that.

Things to do in Sydney in winter

1. Look at the Opera House

2. Look at the bridge

3. Look at the Opera House again

4. er...

5. Admire their flashy yellow number plates

6. Imagine eating good food in Melbourne

Things to do in Sydney in winter

 

1. Look at the Opera House

2. Look at the bridge

3. Look at the Opera House again

4. er...

5. Admire their flashy yellow number plates

6. Imagine eating good food in Melbourne

Yikes! Well that's the first morning taken care of then! I'll just have another three and a half days to go!

Walk around and comment how everything is better in Melbourne? If Melbourne had Sydney's harbour and beaches it would be a non contest.

Get her to read Playing Beattie Bow (Ruth Park) and spend time around the Rocks imagining Sydney as it was then.

Do the Bridge Pylon climb

Definitely the Manly ferry - get the ferry one way and the Cat the other

What does she like doing? Loads of options for trips out and around particularly in the realms of nature, history etc

Ferry trips always good and there's loads of choice of destination depending on above

May is usually decent weather during the day (15-25C) but it could get chilly at night, or in the Blue Mountains if you hop up there on the train

Also, when in May? Vivid festival is good but not on until 27th

I think in may they have the vivid sydney annual event going on,where the opera house,the bridge,the buildings,etc it all lights up.its lovely to watch.check it out.i think it starts towards th end of may

May is peak whale watching season fwiw if she likes that sort of thing

What does she like doing? Loads of options for trips out and around particularly in the realms of nature, history etc

 

Ferry trips always good and there's loads of choice of destination depending on above

 

May is usually decent weather during the day (15-25C) but it could get chilly at night, or in the Blue Mountains if you hop up there on the train

 

Also, when in May? Vivid festival is good but not on until 27th

Last weekend in May mate.

She's not a really an outdoors kid, although she'd probably do the beach for half a day if I can get one of my OH's friends' kids to come along as well. She's into gymnastics, trampolining, swimming (so a kind of 'Wet and Wild' equivalent would be great), interactive art / science stuff.

May is peak whale watching season fwiw if she likes that sort of thing

We have done that before on the GC, but it'd be good to experience it again.

I probably would not bother doing things where there are equivalents in Melbourne, eg Zoo, Luna Park etc.

 

I'd go to Taronga Park Zoo - for its spectacular location alone. Also it's a lovely trip just getting there on the ferry.

Did anyone mention the Opera House and bridge?

Last weekend in May means the start of Vivid so definitely go for that. It will be BUSY though especially around Circular Quay (MCA and customs house). Much more bearable in the Rocks

Art/Science, Powerhouse museum is good. Observatory quite interesting plus great views, a lovely building and free.

Art museums (MCA, art gallery of NSW) also free but not that interactive. Museum of Sydney probably a better size for kids.

More later when I get off the phone

Seriously, though, you could do worse than this: https://www.wildlifesydney.com.au/news/what-to-do-in-sydney/

I liked the Wildlife Sydney zoo - if only for the novelty of a zoo on a rooftop in the CBD. The chip bucket tower is good, and I'd second the Manly ferry ride (which ties in with this ticket to Manly Sealife). Also worth looking at the gardens around Lady Macquarie's Chair. Maybe also visit the Art Gallery NSW which has some impressive Aboriginal art. Get a Dirty Street Pie at Harry's Cafe de Wheels. Walk through The Rocks and duck in for a cheeky pint (and a glass of lemonade) at the Lord Nelson Brewery.

Did anyone mention the Opera House and bridge?

im guessing I'm not the only person who thinks once you've been to see them and one or 2 other things there's not a great deal else to do tourism wise? although there's a few places in the ferry I still have to visit. I think double bay (think that's the name) might be my new South Perth

If she likes swimming, this looks pretty cool, especially the free ones where the ocean can crash into the pool.

http://concreteplayground.com/sydney/travel-leisure/leisure/the-ten-best-outdoor-pools-in-sydney/

If she likes swimming, this looks pretty cool, especially the free ones where the ocean can crash into the pool.

 

http://concreteplayground.com/sydney/travel-leisure/leisure/the-ten-best-outdoor-pools-in-sydney/

They are great but liable to be a bit chilly in May. There are good indoor pools in the city centre at Cook & Philip Park (next to Hyde Park) and the Ian Thorpe aquatic centre (in Ultimo, just up from Darling Harbour). The best one of all for kids though (if you don't mind the journey - fairly easily done by train) is the Olympic Park aquatic centre http://www.aquaticcentre.com.au/ It's got water playgrounds and stuff. Also there's a pretty good high ropes course right next door that's newly opened - very good reports. Admission to this includes the aquatic centre : http://www.urban-jungle.net.au/

For gym/trampoline stuff, there's this place in Alexandria: https://skyzone.com.au/location/alexandria - it's a 15 minute walk from Mascot station or there's probably a bus that gets you nearer. It's pretty big and goes down really well with kids of that age. Climbing walls etc here too

I second (third? fourth?) a ferry ride. Manly is the classic, a 30 minute ride out to the heads on the big Manly ferry, the views are superb. Manly itself is a really nice place, a beachy/surfy seaside suburb that feels like a town of its own. A big wide pedestrian mall with markets/entertainment down it as well as shops, and beaches on both sides, the harbour side and the ocean side at the other end of the Corso. There's also the Sea Life aquarium in Manly (it's OK but quite small) and a ton of walks along the coast or up onto North Head. Other places to consider ferrying it to could be Watsons Bay (by South Head, much more of a small village type vibe, classic fish & chips spot, it's an easier/shorter walk up to the headland from here than at Manly but the views aren't so special), or the zoo if that's your thing. The zoo, is, well, a zoo - but it is brilliantly situated

Powerhouse museum is mostly great for kids of that ages - both genders. Changing exhibitions and a fair bit of interactive stuff. https://maas.museum/powerhouse-museum/. It's also in Ultimo near Darling Harbour. DH itself, nothing particularl special but it's a big area of pedestrianised space with lots of food options and usually some entertainment on. There's a fantastic set of playgrounds there as well, always works well for an hour or two http://www.darlingquarter.com/play/

If you do bother with Luna Park (and it's not bad, situation is great, it's right on the harbour with a ferry wharf outside under the bridge) then my son who's the same age as your daughter reckons the best bit is the old fashioned Coney Island indoor bit with the big wooden slides - it's also the cheapskate's way of visiting

Bridge climb is expensive and she's too little - but the pylon climb is worth it for fantastic views, again it's the cheapskate's option. http://www.pylonlookout.com.au/Visitor_frs.htm - combine with walking tour/lunch in the Rocks, which is the historic heart of the city. It's a bit over-restored/twee in places but still atmospheric and lots to wander around in. And nothing wrong with touristy places when you're a tourist

Whalewatching cruises go from Darling Harbour (I think) and Manly - 2 or 3 companies offering them. You'll see plenty of stunning harbour and ocean coastal scenery off it as well

There are quite a few good museums but some aren't so kid friendly as is the norm. Three (as previously mentioned) that might be worth a look are the Australian Maritime Museum (at Darling Harbour) which is easy to dip in and out of as it's free, the Observatory because it's small, so beautifully situated at the top of the Rocks and has some interesting stuff for stargazers or weather fans, and the Museum of Sydney: http://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/museum-of-sydney. This is small enough you can avoid too much "I'm bored" type talk, but mostly because it has some brilliantly curated exhibitions. I've just checked the website and i fancy the Lego one myself. Every time I've been, there's been an exhibition that's really inspired me.

Lastly, I can't ignore beaches because there are so many. Dozens on the harbour itself (some idyllic little spots that are hard to reach like Milk Beach in Vaucluse or Reef beach on Dobroyd head, some beautiful family favourites like Clontarf or Balmoral, some lap swimmer favourites like Redleaf or Shark Bay). Camp Cove is one that's easy to reach, if you get a ferry to Watson's Bay, and it's idyllic. And then of course there are the ocean beaches, which stretch for 35km from Manly up to Palmy on the north side, and in every bay and cove on the south side from Bondi to Maroubra. Even if you only paddle, it has to be done

(NB: No NRL on in Sydney that Sunday, so at least you're spared me recommending that )

This is Milk Beach, for example. Taken last May, coincidentally. My (then) 2 yr old and her oldest uncle. Note jumpers but decent settled weather ;-)

our school takes students your daughters age to sydney & one of the things the kids think is brilliant is vaucluse house. it is a living museum of pioneering life in a upperclass home & is inexpensive to visit.

http://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/vaucluse-house/visit

the powerhouse museum already mention is also a favourite with the kids.

the zoo at taronga is excellent & so is the aquarium.