Travel: Sydney with a Toddler

Sydney is probably one of the nicest places to visit with children. Everything in the city is accessible by foot and it's stroller friendly. There are parks, museums, aquarium, zoo, shopping centers, and harbors - all within walking distance. Not to mention, I love the food there! We stayed at Four Points Sheraton, which is located right on Darling Harbor. We stayed there for a week and it's perfect.

What We Did

Day 1

We walked around Darling Harbor and visited Wild Life Sydney Zoo and Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, both located in Darling Harbor. The zoo features animals that are unique to Australia like the koalas and kangaroos. (If you have more time, you can visit Taronga Zoo.)

Lighthouse in front of the Maritime Museum at
Darling Harbor

View of Darling Harbor at night

Koalas at the Wild Life Sydney Zoo

Day 2

We went to the Sydney Fish Market in the morning. They had fresh seafood for sashimi, fish and chips, etc. We also enjoyed fresh cherries (Elin's favorite!). 

Then we went to the Powerhouse Museum. It was quite a walk but this place is a must-go. It has a large area for children and it showcases just about everything you can think of: a section on design, airplanes, science, fashion, music, ecology, space, cinema, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. You can spend the whole day just in the science lab.

Day 3

We went to Superbee Honey Shop to buy Manuka Honey and pure Australian honey. It's a lot cheaper there than in Singapore. Then we made our way to Sydney Observatory for a short tour learning about the space, telescopes, and such and had lunch outdoor, overlooking the city.

Day 4

We explored Hyde Park area and see the malls nearby (David Jones and Westfield Malls). One of our favorite things to do in a foreign city is to go to their local supermarkets and just see what they sell. I was so happy to find that grass-fed milk is sold in the supermarket at a low price (compared to Singapore).

Day 5

We purchased a tour package to go to the Blue Mountains and see the Three Sisters. We did a short escorted hike and enjoyed the scenery surrounding the mountains. It was Elin's first hike too! In the afternoon, we were dropped off at Olympic Park and took a one-hour ferry ride to Circular Quay, where you can see the Sydney Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Right on Circular Quay, there is the Museum of Contemporary Art, which we visited and it was free of charge.

Blue Mountains National Park

You can take the cableway to view the national park.

Elin's first hike

Taken on our ferry ride back from Olympic Park to
Circular Quay

Day 6

We took a ferry to go Manly Beach. Our trip wouldn't be complete if we don't witness any of the white-sanded Australian beach while we are there and Manly Beach was just it. Lovely place to relax and play. We tried a fish and chip nearby. In the afternoon, we took a ferry back to Circular Quay and explored the Botanic Gardens located next to it. 

Where We Ate

Cafe Morso at Jones Bat Wharf for brunch or lunch. It's my favorite place to eat there. I went there three times during my stay and tried their gnocci, quesadilla, pasta, and fish an chips. They were all excellent.

Pizzas at The Australian Heritage Hotel. We just had to try what kangaroo, crocodile, and emu meat pizzas while in Australia. If you're feeling adventurous, don't miss this place!

Hurricane's Grill. Mouth-watering ribs.

Italian pizza and pasta at Ventuno Restaurant. Delicious Italian food.

Thai food at Chat Thai. Food was great but the desserts were outstanding. I love every bite. I don't even have pictures to show. I was too hungry to take pictures :D

San Churros. A friend recommended to try this place which is known for their churros and its chocolate dip. It was a treat!

I love Sydney and will go back there again next time!