Sydney family holiday ideas

Not every school holiday can be spent on a long road trip. Not only do they take a lot of planning, they also require a good deal of parental patience.

A family waves at a cable car in the Blue Mountains

Photo: Destination NSW

On the next school holiday break, avoid the “are we there yet?” cry from the back seat of the car with these five family-focused getaways, all within 100 km of Sydney.

1. Get some perspective: Scenic World, Blue Mountains

Driving distance: 100 kilometres west of Sydney

Teens look out from a cable car window over a vast mountain gorge.

It’s remarkable that an hour after departing Sydney, your family can be surrounded by 11,400 square kilometres of World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains wilderness, a place where sandstone inclines meet waterfall-cooled rainforest valleys. Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the natural drama at Scenic World, home to the planet’s steepest passenger train – travelling from the clifftop down 310 metres into the forest on a 52-degree rail incline. At the base, a web of trails explores the lush Jamison Valley. Take the train’s return trip, or catch the 510-metre Scenic Cableway back. Continue you action packed day at the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, where young travellers burn off energy in the KidsZone, on tennis courts, splashing about in pools or dropping some hoops.

Tip: Plan ahead by purchasing Blue Mountains Lyrebird Pass. NRMA members save up to 15%.

2. Lace up your walking shoes: Royal National Park, Sydney south

Driving distance: 30 kilometres south of Sydney

A turquoise lagoon with swimmers and families all around a white sand beach framed by tall tropical foliage.

Wattamolla lagoon at Royal National Park

Sydney’s Royal National Park is the oldest in Australia, its 15,000 hectares a soul-stirring union of un-peopled beaches, rainforest, waterfalls and rockpools. Needless to say, hiking trails are in abundance– yours begins in Bundeena. Park the car in Cronulla and glide across Port Hacking on a ferry. On the other side, drop off your tent and overnight supplies at Bonnie Vale campground (powered and unpowered sites await) then pull on day packs to explore trails like the Jibbon Head Circuit, covering seven kilometres and offering grand ocean views and rock shelves with Aboriginal engravings. Don’t forget your swimsuit – plenty of cooling-off spots beckon en route.

If looking for a day trip without the bother of camping, a day trip to popular swim spot Wattamolla is for you. Enjoy the beach, surrounding bushwalks and peaceful lagoon, for an unforgettable day. Tip: Be sure to get there early and bring supplies to last the day. It’s a busy spot on sunny days and parking can become tricky, particularly in the holidays!

3. Camp safari-style: Roar and Snore at Taronga Zoo, Sydney

Driving distance: 10 kilometres from Sydney

A couple and two boys smiling as they look up at a mother and baby giraffe behind a wood fence.

Many families visit Sydney’s Taronga Zoo for the beloved animals; many more linger for the views with million-dollar vistas lining the horizon over Sydney Harbour. Sitting hilltop in the North Shore suburb of Mosman, this wildlife sanctuary boasts a world-leading conservation program that sees its 4000 species of native and exotic animals cared for and protected from extinction. Budding zoologists can join the overnight action at the after-hours Roar and Snore experience, where your family will get the chance to eat and sleep safari-style in a tent and lulled to sleep by the sounds of nature. It’s a unique opportunity to explore the zoo’s nocturnal habitants on a night time tour, as well as and exclusive sunrise explore as well.

4. Get farming: Madison’s Mountain Retreat, Kurrajong Heights

Driving distance: 85 kilometres northwest of Sydney

A white alpaca and an alpaca with a ginger body and white face look directly at the camera.

You can holiday with your pets when you check into Madison’s Mountain Retreat, bordering the Wollemi and Blue Mountains national parks. Be forewarned you might end up tempted to leave with an extra animal in tow – the farmstay’s resident alpacas and goats are that adorable. Spa baths are a major draw for parents in the self-contained cottages, but the real allure are the two converted train carriages, each sleeping at least five. Not that you’ll have much time to be inside: collect eggs at dawn and hand out hay at alpaca feeding time, then get your kids involved cooking local produce on the alfresco barbeques.

5. Get a little wild: Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures, Glenworth Valley

Driving distance: 80 kilometres north of Sydney

Two girls and a woman in helmets on brown horses riding a sunny forested path.

There’s no better way to connect with the outdoors than by pitching a tent (or having someone else do so for you) in the wilderness. An easy hour north of Sydney, camping paradise awaits at Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures. From glamping in cosy bell tents and bedding down in secluded cabins with spectacular valley views to pitching your own canvas beside cool rivers – this part of the Central Coast brings you closer to nature. Awaken to an impossibly varied roster of adventure activities, from horseriding and quad-biking to kayaking and swimming, or even abseiling. You’ll need your stamina to keep up with the kids, but you can expect a restful night to follow after the kids are wiped out from the non-stop adventures they’ll have had.

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