Family fun in New South Wales

Wanting to whisk the family away for the school holidays but in need of some inspiration?

Here's our pick for four of New South Wales’ finest family-friendly holiday destinations.

WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, image credit: Destination NSW

Epic adventures in the Blue Mountains (1.5 hours drive from Sydney Airport)

You can expect great things in the spectacular Blue Mountains.

Scenic World in the Blue Mountains, image credit: Destination NSW

Hang onto your hats at Scenic World, home to the world’s steepest train, and get the best view of the famous Three Sisters on the scenic cableway.

If you’re feeling ambitious, walk the Giant Stairway from Echo Point Visitor Centre first. Or, if travelling with little ones, enjoy the easy Three Sisters Walk to get up close to the Three Sisters, a place of cultural significance for Gundungurra, Darug, Wiradjuri and Tharawal people.

There are plenty of great places for a pit stop in Katoomba.

We love the spiders (the ice-cream kind, not those with eight legs) at retro Aunty Ed’s and channelling our inner Hansel and Gretel at the super cute Gingerbread House.

Level up your kids tea parties with an Afternoon High Tea overlooking the Megalong Valley at the Hydro Majestic. Or bring a picnic to enjoy in the beautiful grounds at the Everglades Historic House and Gardens and then explore this wonderful Art Deco house (café currently closed).

Go bananas in Coffs Harbour (1 hour 15 mins flight from Sydney Airport)

Coffs Harbour is a firm favourite for family holidays.

Tobogganing at the Big Banana Fun Park, image credit: Destination NSW

Make sure you pay a visit to the Big Banana Fun Park. Get the obligatory family photo out of the way (points awarded for more creative poses) and then head inside the park for water rides, the toboggan, fun zone, mini golf, laser tag, cheese making and ice skating.

Or how about taking the family on a horse-riding trip? With no experience necessary, the only difficult thing will be choosing between a sunset ride along the beach or swimming with the horses on a trek through the Urumbilum River.

For families with older kids, why not jump (literally) out of your comfort zone with a family skydive? Experience the exhilarating rush of jumping out of a plane together (ages 12 and up).

Learning to dive is another great option for your family holiday. Kids over 12 can do a one-way discover scuba dive whilst mini-Cousteau’s aged 8-12 can sign up for a PADI Seal time course.

Animal adventures in the Central Coast (1 hour drive from Sydney Airport)

You don’t have to be animal-mad to love Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary in Calga, but it certainly helps!

Entrance at the Australian Reptile Park
Australian Reptile Park, image credit: Destination NSW

This award-winning native animal sanctuary is a great family day out. We recommend paying a little extra to hire your own personal ranger to enjoy up-close encounters with your favourite animals, a bush tucker and medicine tour, or to become a boomerang pro.

For a truly unforgettable holiday, surprise the family with a Wild Sleep Out. For the brave, get at one with nature in a tent. For those who like their comfort less creature-y, book a cabin.

Kids asking for more? Head to the Australian Reptile Park.

The Park is the only zoo in Australia with snake and spider venom milking programs. See the Venom Room for yourself or have an incredible encounter with their friendly tree-kangaroo, Tasmanian Devil joeys, or dingoes.

From there, we suggest you book a glamp, camp or relax in an eco-cabin at Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures. There are more activities at Glenworth Valley than you can shake a stick at; channel your inner Vikings with axe throwing, test your team skills at laser skirmish, or enjoy any of the other experiences on offer including horse riding, kayaking, quad biking and much more.

Close out your trip to the Central Coast with a visit to Gosford. Trampolining at Flip Out is a great way to burn off some energy when the weather is less kind. Recharge your batteries with a factory tour or workshop at the Chocolate Factory. Yum!

See the bright lights of Sydney

It would be remiss of us to leave out Sydney: a buzzing city with more than enough on offer to fill an entire holiday.

Child watching the fish at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, image credit: Destination NSW

First up, we suggest you make life easy for yourselves and join a Big Bus hop-on hop-off bus tour to get around and explore.

Bundle your bus ticket with a Sydney Highlights pass for extra value and get access to some of Sydney’s top attractions: Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE Aquarium, Sydney Tower Eye and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo.

Once you’ve completed the big four (congratulations), we recommend you spend some time exploring the Darling Harbour precinct.

If you’re travelling in February or March, don’t miss Mov’in Boat – an incredible floating cinema experience with both family-friendly and adults-only showings. Or, for a (slightly) less wet cinema visit, roll up and strap in for some nine-dimensional fun at 9D Action Cinemas.

Other family favourites include feeding the koi at the Chinese Garden of Friendship, taking a trip on an Aussie Water Taxi, and seeing the sights from above on the Darling Harbour Ferris Wheel.

For a kid-friendly culture fix, look no further than the Museum of Contemporary Art. Get everyone excited on a family tour or join an ‘art safari’ with an art educator for an interactive journey through current exhibitions. Once you’re finished, sate small (and big) appetites with a delicious afternoon tea at The Langham.

Getting there

Fly from Perth to Sydney with Virgin Australia and Qantas
Find out what to expect when you travel through Sydney Airport
Book your car hire with Perth Airport

Go bananas in Coffs Harbour (1 hour 15 mins flight from Sydney Airport)

Coffs Harbour is always a firm favourite for family holidays.

Image credit: Visit Victoria

You won’t regret taking the family on a horse-riding trip. With no experience necessary, the only difficult thing will be choosing between a sunset ride along the beach or swimming with the horses on a trek through the Urumbilum River.

For families with older kids, why not jump (literally) out of your comfort zone with a family skydive? Experience the exhilarating rush of jumping out of a plane together (ages 12 and up).

Learning to dive is another great option for family holidays. Kids over 12 can do a one-way discover scuba dive whilst mini-Cousteau’s aged 8-12 can sign up for a PADI Seal time course.

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