The Winter holidays are fast-approaching, which means it’s time to organise some fun activities to get the kids out of the house – and for your own sanity too! We’ve put together a list of some of the best Sydney attractions to visit these school holidays, so you can start planning.
Use these quick links to browse our list of Sydney attractions to visit these school holidays:
- Animals
- Cinemas
- Ice Skating
- Indoor Rock Climbing
- Luna Park
- Museums
- Play Centres
- Trampoline Play
- Winter Festivals
1. Visit the Animals
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- Australian Reptile Park
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- SEA LIFE Aquarium
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- Taronga Zoo
We are spoilt for choice when it comes to fabulous and fun animal parks in Sydney. Whether you’re wanting to splash with the penguins, get up close with some kangaroos, or even enjoy a bit of ice skating (coming to Taronga Zoo!), you can plan a great family day out.
Australian Reptile Park
It’s baby animals galore at the Australian Reptile Park these Winter School Holidays! Catch the daily Baby Animal Show to see all the babies they have at the Park! Featured animals include Lucky the dingo puppy, baby alligators and more. Plus, be on the lookout for roving keepers with baby animals to meet and keep your eyes peeled to see if you can spot any mums with babies! Watch out for koalas, kangaroos & wallabies. You can also book an exclusive Animal Encounter to meet Lucky the Dingo Puppy or even join a Zookeeper Experience with our popular Kids 2 Keeper tours! You can also read our review of the Australian Reptile Park here.
SEA LIFE Aquarium, Darling Harbour
You can experience the Great Barrier Reef at SEA LIFE – one of their fabulous exhibits entirely on the reef as it transitions through night and day. It uses state of the art technology to deliver a totally unique, interactive experience & is the largest Great Barrier Reef exhibit in the world! Unfortunately, the penguin boat ride is still closed due to COVID-19 measures, but you can still visit the penguin colony! You can read our review of SEA LIFE Aquarium here.
Taronga Zoo
If you haven’t checked out Taronga Zoo recently, then head over to see their new state-of-the-art African Savannah precinct, connecting guests with a beautiful waterhole where Giraffe and Zebra will drink together, Fennec Foxes and Meerkats enjoy world-class facilities and the kings of the big cats, the Lions, return to Taronga for the first time in five years.
These Winter holidays you can also head along to see Frozen Zoo! Kicking off Saturday 26 June and running for the duration of the winter school holidays, this all-ages event is perfect for the entire family. A spin around on the ice not only gives you the chance to learn about the challenges facing Little Penguins in the wild, but also support the Zoo’s vital conservation efforts. Find out more here.
Sydney Zoo
This (fairly) new zoo is open in the heart of Western Sydney and is the perfect day trip with the kids. They have a schedule of daily keeper talks to keep the kids entertained. They have also recently welcome some adorable capybara babies, a new giraffe name Nzuri and five playful meerkat pups. Find out more here.
WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
You can experience the best of Australia’s wildlife right in the heart of Sydney! Discover some of the most endangered creatures in the world including Tasmanian Devils, a friendly Quokka and an adorable Numbat. Plus, get up close and personal to the ‘Aussie Big 5’ including Kangaroos, Koalas and our Wombat, Platypus and giant Saltwater Crocodile. You can check out our WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo review here.
2. Cinemas
When that cool weather and rain sets in, there’s nothing better than escaping to the cinemas. Some of the titles you can head out and see include Cruella, Little Vampire, Space Jam: The New Legacy and Spirit Untamed. Head over to our School Holiday Movie Guide to see what’s playing!
3. Luna Park
Luna Park has undergone one of the biggest upgrades of any Amusement Park in the world, and it’s reopening on Saturday 26 June! With nine brand new rides coming in 2021, this is Sydney’s home of fun with rides and amusements for all ages. You will find the Big Dipper (coming December 2021), Boomerang, Little Nipper, Freaky Frogs, Loopy Lighthouse, Sledgehammer, Silly Sub, Cloud 9 and Bug. Find out more here.
Luna Park is accepting the Dine & Discover vouchers to make your trip even more special! Luna Park has also introduced new loyalty program, Luna Perks, where guests can gain points to redeem special park offers, food, toys, show bags and other memorabilia. New Annual Passes and ticket offers are now available for purchase.
4. Museums
BridgeClimb Pylon Lookout & Museum
With the unpredictable weather that comes with Winter holidays, it is always good to have some indoor options to get out of the house and have some fun.
Pylon Lookout & Museum
BridgeClimb is excited to reopen the Pylon Museum and Lookout 7 days a week in the July school holidays (Saturday 26 June – Sunday 11 July) between 10am – 2pm. This historical icon sees visitors step back in time to enjoy the magic of the Sydney Harbour Bridge – from its beginnings, the planning and construction, to the excitement of the opening ceremony. Find out more here.
Use your Discover NSW voucher to visit the Pylon for free this school holidays! Book tickets online and redeem your voucher on entry to the Pylon to receive a refund of your ticket price, up to $25 per person, or simply arrive at the Pylon and use your voucher to purchase tickets at the door.
Australian National Maritime Museum
The Australian National Maritime Museum has some great exhibits to check out, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Map It! Kids can complete a quest across land, sea and space to explore the role of mapping and navigation in everyday life. It’s the perfect hands-on activity for curious kids. Find out more here.
Powerhouse Museum
There is plenty to see and do at the Powerhouse Museum. Enjoy a photographic exhibition by Bayram Ali featuring Australia’s Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. Kids will also love The Steam Revolution with a dynamic display which shows how steam engines developed, what they did and how they changed the world. You can also head to the MAAS Store and café. Guided, bookable walkthroughs will be available of the Transport, Steam Revolution and Space galleries. Find out more here.
Madame Tussauds
The celebrities are ready to treat you to a VIP experience. Transport yourself into the gig of a lifetime and feel the music alongside Troye Sivan, in Madame Tussauds Sydney’s brand new music zone- Sydney Live! You can create, pose, rock out and become the star with this fun and interactive event. Find out more here.
5. Play Centres
Planet Mino in Chatswood has air conditioning
Play centres are a great place to take the kids as they cater for young and old – plus you can escape the cold weather and sit back with a cup of coffee in peace…
North Shore
- Kids World Playland (Macquarie Shopping Centre): the playcentre (that used to be Chipmunks).
- Moving Bodies (Mt Kuring-gai); they also offer plenty of school holiday activities for the kids.
- My Gym Children’s Fitness Centre (Chatswood)
- Planet Mino (Chatswood): they have plenty planned for the school holidays with an interactive supermarket, LEGO play station, construction zone and more.
- Simply Fun (Chatswood); with school holiday activities and free play for the kids, Simply Fun has a few options available.
- KiddoKove (Hornsby)
- My Gym (Ryde): kids can enjoy fitness games, gymnastics, arts and crafts, music and much more.
Northern Beaches
- Major Fun Freshwater (Harbord Diggers)
- Cheeky Monkeys Play House (Warriewood)
- Wizzy World (Frenchs Forest)
- Kidz Connexion (Oxford Falls)
- Sand Bucket (North Narrabeen)
- Little Rascals (Brookvale)
- Stomping Ground (Brookvale)
Hills District
7. Rock Climbing
Do your kids love climbing? Indoor rock climbing the perfect way to kill some energy – especially on those rainy days. Here is a list of centres around the North Shore that are ready for visitors:
- Climb Fit (St Leonards)
- Rock House (Brookvale)
- The Edge Rocking Climbing Centre (Castle Hill)
- Sky Zone (Alexandria)
- 9 Degrees (Lane Cove)
8. Ice Skating
Learn to skate at Macquarie Ice Rink
Macquarie Ice Rink has reopened, offering casual sessions, along with school holiday sessions. There are also plenty of pop-up places you can visit around Sydney these Winter holidays. From Darling Harbour and Taronga Zoo, through to Pittwater and the Royal Botanic Garden, check out our Guide To Winter Festivals here.
9. Trampoline Play
Do your kids love bouncing around? Trampoline centres are the perfect way to get out some of that extra energy and have a bit of fun in the process.
JUMPd (Brookvale)
Enjoy a kids trampoline area for under 7s, a main trampoline area with 15 trampolines and a Ninja Xtreme course, which has a total of 10 stations and 12 different challenges, ranging from spinning wheels, cargo nets, swinging doors, adjustable steps, a salmon ladder and a warped wall. This area is ideally suited for older teens but is challenging to all age groups. You can find out more here.
Flip Out (Castle Hill)
Flip Out has plenty of fun with a dodgeball court, a foam pit, main area, tumble mat, Parkour Arena, 6 wall runners, basketball ring and more. You can find out more about the venue here.
10. Winter Festivals
If you’re open om embracing the cold weather, then why not head out and have some fun at one of the Winter Festivals happening around Sydney:. You’ll find ice rinks, rides, good food and so much more:
- Sydney Soliste, Darling Harbour: Tues 8 June to Sun 20 June.
- Winter in the Domain, Royal Botanic Garden: Fri 25 June to Sun 18 July.
- Bondi Festival: Fri 25 June to Sun 11 July.
- Ice Skating Spectacular, Pittwater: Saturday 26 June to Sunday 11 July.
- Snow Time in the Gardens, Hunter Valley: Sat 12 June to Sun 18 July.
- Bathurst Winter Festival: Sat 26 June to Sun 11 July.
- Chill Fest, Campbelltown: Fri 25 June to Sun 11 July.
