 The best way to experience Sydney is by following your children’s lead. The city and surrounds offer a smorgasbord of delights, giving kids – and parents – the time of their lives.
The only way is up for thrillseekers who take on the Sydney BridgeClimb to experience amazing views of the harbour. A more relaxing day may be on one of the cruises, whether it’s a half-day lunch tour or an afternoon sailing on a luxury yacht. For the ride of your life, you can venture into the wild waters of Sydney Heads on a Special Forces vessel, with speeds in excess of 50 knots (100 kmh).
To recreate the magic of the Sydney Olympics, head to Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush, where you can do a tour of the stadium, play tennis or archery, and have a swim at the Aquatic Centre. It’s Dad’s chance to impress his teens as he does a Thorpedo in the 50-metre pool. Then there’s Bicentennial Park, with bike rides and nature tours.
Sydney’s museums, including the Powerhouse, National Maritime and Australian Museum, all offer a hands-on approach to keep the kids captivated. If they go animal, take a ferry to Mosman’s Taronga Zoo, the zoo with the best views in the world, or head to Darling Harbour to check out the Sydney Aquarium.
One of the most popular day trips is to the Blue Mountains, with its quaint towns and villages like Katoomba and Leura, and the scenic Three Sisters. But be prepared to indulge the kids’ adventurous streak, as they ask to go abseiling or canyoning.
South of Sydney is the Royal National Park, where you can rent rowboats and water trikes, and enjoy a family barbie.
 Accommodation around Sydney ranges from city hotels with waterfront views and resorts with kids’ clubs to country guesthouses with kangaroos in the backyard. Beachfront caravan parks often have cabins to rent.
You can take a light-hearted approach to family dining, with revolving restaurants and surfside fish and chips to keep kids happy. From yum cha in Chinatown to gourmet pizzas in Leichhardt’s Little Italy, there are many sensations to taste and treasure.
Top 10 things to do
1. Catch the Sceniscender, Katoomba – the steepest aerial cable car in Australia.
2. Hire a bike or horse and ride around Centennial Park.
3. Enjoy a movie with baby in tow at a Palace Cinema (restricted times only).
4. Surf the fake waves at Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre.
5. See the Flight Show at Taronga Zoo.
6. Skate at the new Bondi Beach skate park.
7. Have a picnic in the Botanic Gardens and see the bats.
8. Let the kids try archery at Homebush and be like Legolas from The Lord of the Rings.
9. Try your skills at Quasar Flying Trapeze Centre, Sydney Olympic Park.
10. Dive with marine creatures at Oceanworld Manly.
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