24 Hours In Sydney With A Toddler: Things To Do & Itinerary

Spending 24 hours in Sydney with a toddler can be so much fun. You will have time to see some of Sydney’s top sights, explore the city, enjoy nature, get out on the water, and eat delicious food. Having previously lived in Sydney, it was lovely to enjoy it from a tourist and toddler perspective. So here is our 24 hours in Sydney Itinerary with a toddler including some of the best things to do in Sydney with a toddler and places to eat.

Contents

24 Hours In Sydney With A Toddler Itinerary
Best Things To Do In Sydney With Kids
Things To Know Before Going To Sydney With A Toddler
Where To Stay In Sydney For Families

24 Hours In Sydney With A Toddler Itinerary

The itinerary below is written in the order of the things we did, starting mid-morning and ending after breakfast the next day. It includes all the places we ate and how we moved from place to place.

Hotel Check-In (or drop bags)

We arrived in Sydney mid-morning and were lucky that we could check straight into our hotel. If this isn’t possible, it’s still easy to drop your bags off and continue on.

We were so happy we could check in because it meant our toddler could have her nap and then we could go out and explore. But as the travel lover she is, Clara sensibly decided that napping as soon as you arrive at your destination is definitely not the best way to start, so off we all went to begin our 24 hours in Sydney.

We stayed at Meriton Suites on Campbell Street. This was in a great location for us, as we could walk there from Sydney Central Station, it’s located in Chinatown (which we love) and a short walk to Darling Harbour.

Fish Feeding At The Chinese Garden Of Friendship

We intended on visiting The Chinese Garden at Darling Harbour, which we have been to before and loved. They do fish feeding daily at 11.30 am but the timing didn’t work out so we decided to skip it.

It’s a beautiful thing to do in Sydney though, and super easy to fit into your itinerary as it’s so central.

Address | Pier Street (corner of Harbour Street), Darling Harbour

Opening Hours | Every day from 10 am to 5 pm

Entrance Fee | $12 adult, $8 child, $30 family, children under 5 are free

More Information | Chinese Garden Of Friendship

Walk Around Darling Harbour

We continued walking around the lovely Darling Harbour waterfront, ending up at King Street Wharf. If it’s your first time visiting Sydney with a toddler, then I’m sure you will end up in Darling Harbour at some point as it’s a great place for the whole family.

We walked past some of the best things to do in Sydney with kids if you’re looking for indoor activities, like the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium and Wild Life Sydney Zoo. But our focus for the day was outdoors, fun, and easy.

Gelato At Rivereno Barangaroo

We popped into Rivareno to get some gelato, it was delicious. I first tried Rivareno in Milan, so I was very excited to see one in Sydney. At home, we keep things pretty healthy for Clara, but she loves a good gelato when we travel. Unfortunately, this is the same time she fell asleep in her pram (which she never does, but she was exhausted from skipping her nap). So I very guiltily ate a cioccolato gelato whilst Clara slept. Luckily, we had another gelato planned later on with Clara.

Address | Shop 4, 33 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo, Sydney

Opening Hours | Sunday to Thursday from 12 noon to 10 pm + Friday & Saturday from 12 noon to 11.30 pm

More Information | Rivareno Official Website

Darling Harbour To Circular Quay Ferry

We then went on a Sydney ferry ride from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay (via a few other stops). As Clara was still sleeping for the entirety of the ferry ride, we also took the ferry back later in the day.

You could also walk this, but a short ferry ride is more fun, especially on a beautiful day.

We saw the always stunning Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge on the ferry and walked around them later in the day.

Walk Around Circular Quay & The Rocks

We got off the ferry at Circular Quay and walked around to The Rocks, a lovely historic area of Sydney, with great cafes and restaurants.

Lunch At Aslan Coffee Roasters At The Rocks

We went to Aslan Coffee Roasters at The Rocks for a coffee break, iced chocolate and some lunch. We loved the avocado bruschetta on sourdough. Everything on their menu looked delicious.

The location is also super cosy, down a little laneway hidden from the busyness of The Rocks.

Address | 25 Nurses Walk, The Rocks

Opening Hours | Monday to Friday from 7 am to 3 pm + Saturday & Sunday from 8 am to 3 pm

More Information | Aslan Coffee Roasters Official Website

Gelato At Gelato Messina

Clara finally got her Gelato at Gelato Messina in Circular Quay (there are a few locations around Sydney). It was worth the wait. The gelato from here was delicious, and the flavours are really interesting. We chose the coconut and lychee gelato and it was so refreshing on a sunny day.

Address | Shop G-10, Gateway Plaza, 1 Macquarie Place, Sydney

Opening Hours | Sunday to Thursday from 12 noon to 10.30 pm + Friday & Saturday from 12 noon to 11 pm

More Information | Gelato Messina Official Website

Sydney Opera House & Sydney Harbour Bridge

Although Circular Quay is busy and touristy, it’s always soothing to see the beautiful Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Especially seeing it with Clara for the first time.

Wander Around The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney is such a lovely green space in the city. I’ve always loved coming here and it’s the perfect nature escape with young children.

We explored for a little while, then settled in for a snack, took our shoes off and ran around in the grass. We were also lucky to see one of the large cruise ships sail out to sea. You can also see some of the best views of the opera house and harbour bridge from here.

Circular Quay To Darling Harbour Ferry

We then got the ferry back to Darling Harbour, which Clara really enjoyed. It’s also a great length trip for a toddler, around 20 minutes.

An alternative to this would be to walk or catch the light rail to QVB. Here you can explore the Dymocks Book Store, and admire the beauty of The Strand Arcade and the QVB Building – a shopping mall.

If you’re staying in the same area as us (Chinatown/Darling Harbour), you can then walk back or get the light rail.

The Playground At Darling Quarter

Once back in Darling Harbour, we spent some time at The Playground at Darling Quarter. This is a large playground with many different areas, Clara’s favourite was the water play area. Here she splashed in the water and under the water spouts and had the best time. We didn’t come prepared so she ended up soaked but it was absolutely worth it.

Dinner At Fratelli Fresh In Darling Harbour

A short walk from here we went to Fratelli Fresh in Darling Harbour for dinner. Fratelli Fresh is a great toddler-friendly restaurant in Sydney. Italian food is such an easy option for younger kids (and adults). We enjoyed the pizza and pasta dishes. There is also a kid’s menu here. The service was so friendly and they were great with Clara. High chairs were available.

Address | 2/14 Darling Dr, ICC Sydney, Sydney

Opening Hours | Monday to Thursday from 12 noon to 9 pm + Friday 12 noon to 10 pm + Saturday 11.30 am to 10 pm + Sunday 11.30 am to 8.30 pm

More Information | Fratelli Fresh Official Website

Chinatown

A little walk through Chinatown on the way back to our accommodation was lovely (we also walked through here in the morning).

Chinatown and Haymarket have undergone such a transformation since our last visit. There is still the Chinatown I know and love, but there are also many more little modern ‘lanes’ filled with restaurants and there were always people around from morning to night, making it such a lovely atmosphere.

Breakfast At Edition Roasters In Haymarket

The next morning we had time for a quick breakfast before going to the airport for our Hobart trip.

It was a short walk to Edition Roasters at Haymarket. We loved our breakfast here. The scrambled eggs had a smooth, silky texture and delicious flavour. We also enjoyed the banana bread with lemon curd. The drinks were lovely too. We had a great coffee, chai latte and babycino.

Address | 60 Darling Drive, Haymarket

Opening Hours | Every day from 8 am to 4 pm

More Information | Edition Roasters Official Website

Best Things To Do In Sydney With A Toddler

So here’s a quick little recap of all our favourite things we did with our toddler in Sydney…

Fish feeding at The Chinese Gardens in Darling Harbour
Walk around Darling Harbour
Ice cream at Rivareno
Darling Harbour to Circular Quay ferry
Walk around The Rocks
Lunch at Aslan Coffee Roasters at The Rocks
Gelato at Gelato Messina in Ciricualr Quay
Sydney Opera House & Sydney Harbour Bridge
Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney
Circular Quay to Darling Harbour Ferry
Darling Harbour Playground
Dinner at Fratelli Fresh in Darling Harbour
Wander through Chinatown
Breakfast at Edition Roasters at Haymarket

And here are some more fun things to do in Sydney with kids if you have more time…

Dymocks Book Store
QVB Building & Shopping Centre
The Strand Arcade
Manly Ferry & Manly Beach
Taronga Zoo Sydney
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Luna Park
Bondi to Coogee coastal walk
Art Gallery of NSW
Australian Museum
Australian National Maritime Museum
Museum Of Contemporary Art Australia
WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
Visit the Grounds Of Alexandria
The Rocks Markets
Paddys Markets
Sydney Fish Market
Sydney’s Beaches (Bondi Beach, Camp Cove Beach, Balmoral Beach, Little Manly Cove, Shelly Beach, Palm Beach)

Things To Know Before Going To Sydney With A Toddler

How To Get Around

Sydney is a very walkable city, well, at least the CBD is. If you stay in Sydney CBD you can walk to most other parts of the CBD. But with a toddler, you might also want to break this up with public transport.

Public Transport in Sydney includes ferries, light rail, trains and buses.

The light rail is great for getting around the city centre.

The ferry is an easy way to get to places like Luna Park, Taronga Zoo and Manly. We also love it as a fun way to go from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour (and vice versa).

Trains are great for going to other areas of Sydney, as are buses, depending on where you are going.

Google Maps is great for figuring out how to get around, but there is also the Transport NSW trip planner for public transport that gives some helpful details.

How Many Days Do You Need In Sydney With A Toddler?

Before going, I wondered if 24 hours in Sydney with a toddler was enough. Well, it was absolutely worthwhile. So I would say anywhere between one day and one week would be a good amount of time.

With more time you could venture out to other areas of Sydney, like Manly and Bondi, enjoy the beaches, take your time or see more sights. You could even add a day trip from Sydney, like the Blue Mountains (although this is probably best for families with older kids when done as a day trip).

Where To Stay In Sydney With A Toddler

If it’s a first-time visit to Sydney we recommend staying in Sydney CBD. Many areas make up the CBD, but some of the most central as well as our favourites include Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, Chinatown and The Rocks. Below you can see our picks for the best places to stay in Sydney with a toddler.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at Meriton Suites on Campbell Street. There are many Meriton Suites in Sydney. Meriton Suites Campbell Street was a great location for us, as we could walk there from Sydney Central Station, it’s located in Chinatown (which we love) and a short walk to Darling Harbour.

Meriton Suites are studio and one-bedroom apartments with a fully equipped kitchen including a fridge, stovetop, and dishwasher. They also have a washing machine and dryer (for a one-night stay we didn’t think we would need these, however after playing in the water at Darling Harbour playground, we did). Meriton Suites are perfect for family stays in Sydney.

24 Hours In Sydney With A Toddler: Things To Do & Itinerary