Activities to do in New South Wales these school holidays

The school break has arrived and you are probably starting to look for things to do in Sydney with kids these school holidays. We have a few ideas up our sleeve that are not only budget-friendly but are set to keep the boredom from creeping in these school holidays.

From buy one get one free offer to the cheapest tickets to some of Sydney’s top attractions, it’s never been easier to find all the top things to do in Sydney in one convenient location. Overseas holidays may not be on cards these school holidays but with so many extraordinary experiences and locations to explore in New South Wales, this school holiday break may end up being the best one yet.

Here are a few out of the box activities to try these school holidays and you’ll be surprised by just how budget-friendly they really are for families.

Featherdale Wildlife Park

Located in Western Sydney, this wildlife park set amongst natural bushland offers a more intimate encounter with Australian wildlife. And, there is a very diverse range of native and endangered animals here too. You’ll find creepy crawlies in the Reptile Pavilion and Inland Taipan exhibit with venomous snakes and a separate bird aviary, paddocks full of kangaroos, wallabies and a koala sanctuary here.

Visitors big and small will learn all about the endangered and vulnerable species and the care and rehabilitation that the Featherdale Wildlife Park provides to animals such as bilbies, Tasmanian Devils and the Southern Cassowary. In fact, you can even get yourself a Quokka selfie and enjoy a Penguin encounter without getting on a plane to Rottnest Island or Melbourne.

Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk & Zipline Experience

Ready to bust out of the house and enjoy the wide-open space and fresh air that nature offers? Us too. See the Illawarra Rainforest from a whole new perspective at the incredible Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures..

When you arrive you’ll find a 1.5 km walk along the treetops with panoramic views from a steel walkway positioned 20 metres above the rainforest floor. The walkway leads you on a gentle rainforest path to the Knights Tower, a spiral tower and two swinging cantilevers that will take you to the edge of the escarpment if you are feeling brave.

If you and the little ones crave a bit more excitement then we highly recommend the Illawarra Fly Zipline Tour. The unique eco-experience will have you soaring the rainforest like Tarzan and Jane and you’ll learn all about the vibrant forest throughout the 2.5 hour tour.

Children will need to meet the height requirements of 105cm tall and be at least 4 years old to join in on this one.

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

The aquarium swung open its doors again a couple of months ago and all the marine life are ready to welcome you back again. In fact, they missed you very much and can’t wait to greet families again these school holidays. The price of SEA LIFE Sydney tickets have also dropped making it a great activity that won’t hurt the family budget too much.

Australia’s largest aquarium boasts over 90 tanks with animals split out into several zones such as Shark Valley, the Great Barrier Reef and sub-Antarctic penguins from Macquarie Island. Tickets to SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium must be pre-purchased before you visit with an entry time allocated to adhere to COVID-safe measures.

Madame Tussauds Sydney

Justice League fans can come face to face with their favourite superheroes at Madame Tussauds Sydney. The world-famous wax museum brings to life an array of your favourite sports stars, celebrities, presidents and even royalty under one roof. Come along and mingle with the stars at Madame Tussauds rain, hail or shine - this Sydney attraction is indoors and is a great all-weather activity.

Whale Watching in Sydney

Combining a scenic Sydney Harbour Cruise and a whale-watching cruise, this extraordinary experience is one school holiday activity you’ll remember forever. These majestic creatures make their appearance between May and November during the Sydney whale watching season. Departing from Circular Quay, half day or full day whale-watching cruises will take passengers out to Sydney Heads to witness these gentle giants playing in the ocean. Keep an eye out for the buy one get one free offers that pop up from time to time.

Surf Lessons

Byron Bay is an excellent location in Australia to find your sea legs and take your first steps into the world of surfing. Send the kids on a surf lesson and they’ll be prepared for the summer ahead. With professionals leading the way, participants will learn all the basics to help get you and the kids up riding a wave in no time.

Two-hour lessons in small groups ensure that you receive personalised attention as you surf on some of Australia’s best beaches.

Kayaking Tour

Meet Byron Bay’s local pod of dolphins or marvel at Humpback Whales (from a distance) during a three hour dolphin kayaking tour. The morning kayak is the perfect way to kickstart the day with guides taking you out on a gentle paddle through the surf and share with you some local history and knowledge of the region. With the warmer weather starting to kick in, a Byron Bay kayaking tour is a great thing to do with the kids these school holidays.

Tropical Fruit World

If you are visiting Byron Bay, then this family-friendly attraction should be added to your list too. Stop into Tropical Fruit World and join a farm tour to show the kids a working fruit plantation complete with a fun tractor ride through the property. There are more than 500 fruits from across the world grown on this 200-acre farm and visitors will get plenty of opportunities to taste a few.

There is even a Wildlife Boat Cruise and a few friendly animals in the Fauna Park such as kangaroos and emus. Tropical Fruit World ticks all the boxes and has more than enough to keep the kids entertained. They may even learn a thing or too.

Sand Boarding

The Stockton Sand Dunes are among the largest in Australia, located in Port Stephens. Join this fun off-road 4WD adventure from Birubi Beach and you’ll be taken to the dunes to try sandboarding down the dunes. It’s pretty simple, grab a board, climb to the top of the dunes and away you go. Jump remember to keep your mouth closed otherwise you might end up with a mouth full of sand as you scream with delight.

Treetop Adventures

Ready for a treetop challenge? The Treetop Adventure Park fits the bill with over 115 individual challenges and 8 different levels of difficulty to choose from for adults and kids. If your little ones are small but fearless then this may also be suitable for them too. Children aged three and above are welcome to tackle the kid-friendly courses as long as they meet the minimum height requirements and a parental guardian is watching closely.

You could easily spend a whole day here if you have the energy and there are even a few flying foxes scattered throughout the courses. The park is open daily and bookings are recommended.

Australian Reptile Park

Elvis resides here. He’s missing a few teeth and is possibly one of the crankiest crocodiles in history but the king loves a good feed. The Australian Reptile Park in Somersby is an expansive park with all things creepy, crawly like spiders, lizards, snakes, alligators and crocodiles.

They’ve also got a few shy platypus, a creature notoriously hard to spot in the wild plus a tranquil nature walk and komodo dragon exhibit. What’s not to love about. If you are holidaying in the Central Coast these school holidays, then pre-purchase your tickets to the Australian Reptile Park here.

Mogo Wildlife Park

Did you know that Mogo Wildlife Park has Australia’s largest collection of endangered and exotic species? Located near Bateman’s Bay, you can feel like you have been on an African safari without having to board a plane.

Wander the unique Savannah and spot all your favourite African and Asian animals right here in Australia such as lions, Lemurs, Cheetah, Monkeys, Ostrich, Zebra, Red Panda, Sumatran Tigers and Giraffes. Speaking of Giraffes … you can even hand feed them here. How many people can say they have fed a Giraffe before? Book your tickets to Mogo Wildlife Park and make this year the time you tick off this experience.

Are you still searching for ideas on how to fill your days these New South Wales school holidays? Head to our school holidays page for more ideas.