Christine Knight, Author at Adventure, baby!

Christine Knight

Christine is the editor of Adventure, Baby!

The Best Things To Do In NYC With Kids (Or Without!)

June 26, 2019 / New York / 0 comment

The Big Apple might appear to be a playground made for adults. However, the city that never sleeps also caters very well for our little ones who might similarly never rest, which makes it the perfect vaycay when you think about it! There are plenty of things to do with kids in NYC – so many so that you’ll need to extend your trip to fit them all in!

Things To Do In NYC With Kids

Upper West Side

Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Located on the Upper West Side, the Children’s Museum has several levels of interactive exhibits for kids of all ages. Cafe Lalo, right across the street, was in the movie You’ve Got Mail and does an amazing frozen yoghurt with fresh berries. If you’ve got a rainy or cold day, the Children’s Museum is a perfect activity to add to your list of things to do with kids in NYC.

Read more about our experience at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan here.

American Museum Of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is home to the largest collection of dinosaurs in the world. It’s also a great place for hot/cold days to let kids run free. Check out the Titanasaur, the 122-foot long dinosaur skeleton and the amazing blue whale suspended from the roof.

Kids will love the Discovery Room, which is a hands-on area for little ones to explore science. The room is available for certain time slots every day only.

If you have a dinosaur fan, then a visit to the AMNH absolutely must be on your list of things to do in NYC with kids.

Read about visiting the American Museum of Natural History here.

Central Park

The incredible Central Park is 843 acres of sprawling lawns, large rocks, playgrounds, gardens lakes and sculptures. There is so much to see and do in the park, for adults and also kids. It is without a double one of the best things to do with kids in NYC.

Central Park Carousel

It’s a bit pricier than the other carousels at $3 a ride for kids and adults accompanying them, but all horses go up and down and super fast. We regularly seek out carouses and New York has them in spades. Ticking them all off your travel bucket list is a really fun way to experience New York with kids.

Central Park Conservatory Water

This is the pond where you can rent little remote control sailboats boats that you’ve seen in movies, and then climb all over the nearby Alice In Wonderland statue. The sailboats are pricey to hire and are slow to navigate but lots of kids really enjoy sailing them.

Alice in Wonderland Statue

A beautiful bronze statue that kids love to climb on top of (and adults too!). Saying “hello” to Alice is a memorable way to visit New York with kids.

Hans Christian Anderson Statue

Another bronze statue in the same area.

Bethesda Fountain and Terrace

Bethesda Fountain and Terrace overlook the lake. The angel on top of the fountain is beautiful to behold. The terrace often has buskers performing.

Playgrounds

There are 16 to explore! While you might never visit them all, they are a truly local experience, and a good addition to any list of things to do with kids in NYC. Our faves are:

Heckscher Playground

The oldest playground in Central Park, Heckscher Playground is also the largest at nearly three acres. Best suited for kids aged 6-12, it features a variety of slides, swings, and seesaws, a water fixture and giant rocks for climbing.

Ancient Playground

Located just north of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the playground features pyramids, obelisk and sundial, inspired by the museum’s collection of Egyptian Art. The playground is located on 85th Street right off of Fifth Avenue. The playground features equipment for kids of all ages.

Find more playgrounds in Central Park here.

Belvedere Castle

This miniature castle offers great views of the park and also turtle spotting in the water below. The castle is currently used as a visitors centre.

Central Park Zoo

In the main part of the zoo, kids love watching the seals and penguins. The attached Tisch Children’s Zoo is where you can feed animals. There’s also an Imax theatre if it’s a hot/cold day. Kids will also love the Delacorte Music Clock, near the children’s zoo, which plays music every half hour from 8am until 5pm daily. It plays a total of 44 songs that change with the season.

Row a boat

Rent a boat at the Loeb Boathouse and row around the Central Park Lake. What an iconic experience, straight out of the movies! A really fun way to create memories in New York with kids.

Get more tips on things to do in Central Park with kids here.

Ice Skating (seasonal)

Is there a more iconic experience in New York than skating in Central Park? The Wollman Rink is located on the east side, close to the Central Park Zoo. The rick is open from late October to early April. Skate hire, bathrooms and lockers are available.

Upper East Side

Dylan’s Candy Bar

Read more about visiting Dylan’s Candy Bar here.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan’s Museum Mile, is the largest art museum in the United States and one of the world’s largest and most visited art galleries. With over two million works spread throughout seventeen departments, you could easily spend an entire day inside and still not see everything the museum has to offer.

It is very do-able with kids as it is absolutely massive and has plenty of space for strollers, with no requirement to be super quiet. You can read more about their offerings for families here.

Be sure to visit the rooftop garden if it’s open for a stunning view and their latest rooftop culture offering.

Read about visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art here.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, often called “The Guggenheim” is renowned for its spiral design by A Frank Lloyd Wright. The museum is extremely kid-friendly, with activity packs, family activity guides, Find and Flip cards and a variety of family programming including stroller tours, which we did several of. Note: kids under 12 are free. Don’t let them run down the ramp!

Read about visiting the Guggenheim here and the Guggenheim family programmes here.

Roosevelt Island

For a sunny-day outing that’s out of your regular routine, catch the sky tram to Roosevelt Island. This narrow island is situated in New York City’s East River, between Manhattan and Queens.

It’s a tiny island, running from Manhattan’s East 46th to East 85th Streets, and is only about 2 miles (3.2 km) long, making it an easily conquerable size for a fun day trip with young kids.

Read more about visiting Roosevelt Island here.

Museum of the City of New York

The Museum of the City of New York preserves and presents the history of the city, including important artefacts. They often have excellent exhibitions that are family-friendly. When we visited, the exhibition was on local author Mo Willems.

Dimenna Children’s History Museum

The Dimenna Children’s History Museum is located inside the Museum of the City of New York. It is an excellent hands-on area for kids to learn about New York City.

Read about visiting the Museum of the City of New York here.

Midtown

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

One of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world is also one of the most welcoming to children. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is a place to take kids to encourage their creativity, let them explore and, most importantly, have fun.

Read about visiting the MoMA here.

Ellen’s Star Dust Diner

This iconic diner with singing waitstaff is a bit of a tourist trap and the food is average, but it’s an amazing experience that the whole family will enjoy.

Read about visiting Ellen’s Star Dust Diner here.

See a Broadway Show

Seeing a Broadway show is always number one on my priority list when we visit New York City – and there are plenty of kid-friendly ones to choose from. Check here to see which kid-friendly shows are playing during your visit. I advise booking tickets in advance from Broadway.com or directly from the production’s website. You can also score cheap tickets if you’re lucky – info on how to get cheap Broadway tickets here.

When booking tickets to see a Broadway show, I highly recommend checking the age requirements and suggestions on the production’s website. Each show has it’s own requirement (meaning kids under a certain age are not permitted) and suggestions (its advised kids are a certain age or over but they will permit younger kids).

Remember that Broadway shows are aimed at entertaining adults and are long – usually around 2 hours 45 mins or 3 hours. They may contain adult language, concepts and visual content. Please consider the rest of the audience as well before taking young children into full-length Broadway shows.

Times Square

An absolute tourist trap, Times Square is a throbbing hum of people and should be approached with caution. Yes, walk through it and see the famous lights, however keep your wits about you, your bags zipped and kids tightly in hand or a stroller. There are lots of pick pockets in this area who love to target tourists.

Keep an eye out for people dressed as characters. If you take a photo with them they will harass you for money.

Disney Store

If you do visit Times Square, you must visit the Disney Store. It is absolutely massive and jam packed with everything Disney.

Hard Rock Cafe

We dined at the Hard Rock Cafe and really enjoyed the experience, despite it being a bit touristy. It’s a great place to grab dinner before a show and is packed with amazing memorabilia. They have a great range of kids meals and food the whole family will eat.

The Plaza Hotel

The Plaza Hotel is the perfect fancy outing for little girls. Take older kids to try the Eloise-themed high tea in the famous Palm Court upstairs, or enjoy a preschooler- and toddler-friendly rawther fancy tea party in the special Eloise room inside the Eloise store on the lower level of the Plaza Hotel. In our opinion, this is a classic experience and a must when visiting New York with kids.

New York Public Library

It’s free to enter this iconic library – with nearly 53 million items, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States, and fourth largest in the world. It has a great children’s section downstairs.

Read about visiting the New York Public Library here.

Bryant Park

Right behind the New York Public Library is Bryant Park. It features a fountain, lush gardens and a carousel. In winter the park has an ice skating rink and large Christmas tree. The park is a fantastic spot to sit down and eat lunch or just take a break from the busy city.

Bryant Park Carousel

Le Carrousel in Bryant Park was especially created to complement the park’s French classical style. An homage to European and American carousel traditions, the carousel is quite tiny but feature really sweet animals to ride like a rabbit and cat.

Bryant Park ice skating (Seasonal)

The ice skating rink at Bryant Park is open seasonally, along with the Winter Village. Typically the rink it open around October to April.

Rockefeller Center

The historic Rockefeller Center is a must visit – and one of the top things to do in NYC with kids in my opinion. The centre itself is magnificent to behold, and there are plenty of family-friendly activities to do there.

I love the seasonal displays leading down to the amphitheatre that holds the skating rink in winter.

Ice Skating (seasonal)

The Rink at Rockefeller is another iconic spot to ice skate during the winter months. Skate hire, bathrooms and lockers are available.

LEGO Store

The LEGO Store features incredible LEGO sculptures, pick-a-brick areas and consumer-friendly play areas.

American Girl Place

American Girl Place is the flagship store for the iconic doll brand. The store stocks the full range of American Girl dolls, clothes and accessories, a cafe and salon where girls and their dolls can get their ears pierced and receive spa treatments.

Read about visiting American Girl Place and dining at the cafe here.

FAO Schwarz

The iconic toy store re-opened in late 2018 in this new location. It’s an absolute must add to a list of things to do with kids NYC, even if you’re not planning to buy anything. Make music on the giant piano, hug a larger-than-life plushie, play with cars on the racetrack and much more.

Read about FAO Schwarz here. Thank you to Have Wheelchair Will Travel for the pics.

The Top of the Rock

Top of the Rock Observatory sits at the top of the Rockefeller Center in the heart of New York City. From this incredible location, the Observatory offers breathtaking views of the city including the Empire State Building and Central Park.

Read about visiting The Top Of The Rock here.

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan, is an Art Deco masterpiece. Built in 1931, the skyscraper is 102-stories tall and features the highest open-air observatory in New York City.

Read about visiting the Empire State Building here.

Union Square

Murray’s Bagels

New York does bagels like no other city. It’s something to do with the water. My favourite place for bagels is Murray’s. Just don’t ask for it toasted.

Union Square Playground

This is a really quirky playground, featuring a gleaming hemispherical dome, checkerboard rubber flooring, slides, spiral climbers and horns that seem like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.

14 St – Union Square Station

Oddly, the station is actually fun for kids. There are lots of the quirky Tom Otterness sculptures to spot everywhere and there are always street performers, usually musicians or dancers, performing.

Flatiron

Flatiron Building

The Flatiron Building, which was originally called the Fuller Building, is a triangular 22-story, 285-foot tall building located at 175 Fifth Avenue. It might not seem like one of the top things to do in New York with kids, however in my experience kids love it because the triangular shape is so unusual.

LEGO Store

The LEGO Store is near the Flatiron Building. It is a smaller version of the Rockefeller store, featuring small play areas and plenty of LEGO sculptures.

Dylan’s Candy Bar

A small outlet, it’s worth dropping by if you can’t make it to the original Dylan’s Candy Bar uptown.

The National Museum of Mathematics

The National Museum of Mathematics or MoMath is the only hands-on science center in Manhattan. Dedicated to mathematics, the museum explores math through dynamic exhibits and fun activities. You’ll never look at math the same way again!

Read about visiting the National Museum of Mathematics here.

Madison Square

This little park has a great playground and the original Shake Shack, and is right across the road from Eataly (delicious kid-friendly place to grab lunch, coffee or gelato).

Read about things to do in Madison Square and dining at Eataly here.

Chelsea

Ample Hils Creamery

If you love ice cream then you must try Ample Hills Creamery, located near Chelsea Market. The name for the creamery came from a Walt Whitman poem, who liked to wax lyrical about what an awesome place Brooklyn was back in the 1800s (he was an early adopter). The poem goes: “I too lived. Brooklyn of ample hills was mine…” And thus, Ample Hills Creamery was born, using only the freshest local and hormone-free ingredients. The dairy and eggs come from farms in upstate New York. There are tables inside to side and enjoy your scoop.

Read about visiting Ample Hills Creamery here.

Whitney Museum of American Art

Located at the foot of the High Line, the Whitney Museum of American Art is an art museum focusing on 20th- and 21st-century American art. The Whitney is very family-friendly and their Whitney Family Programs offer interactive tours, art making workshops, and special events, with a focus on encouraging kids and adults to enjoy art together.

Read about visiting the Whitney here.

Chelsea Market

Chelsea Market is an indoor food court and office building located under the High Line. It’s a great spot to grab a bite to eat or wander through on a cold or rainy day. There are restrooms and elevators inside and the food offerings range from grab and go to sit down.

Read about visiting the Chelsea Market here.

The High Line

This public park is elevated above street level. It’s a fantastic spot to stroll above the city through greenery and public art – with a stunning view of the streets below.

The High Line was created on the former New York Central Railroad and features points of interest along the way such as sculptures and murals and plenty of trees and plants.

The entrance at 34th street and 12th avenue has a great little area thats been designed for kids to play in. There is also a ramp at this entrance.

Read about visiting the High Line here. Get information about access points including elevator access here.

SoHo

Books of Wonder

Book worms will adore New York’s oldest children’s bookstore (founded in 1980). Books of Wonder stocks a vast selection of books for kids of all ages: board books, picture books, novels, reference books, YA books, collectible first editions and rare children’s books. Pull up at a table and read away a wet and rainy day.

Read more about visiting Books of Wonder here.

Dominique Ansel Bakery

This bakery is a must-visit. The bakery was made famous by cronuts, however I prefer their made-to-order mini madeleines, which are served hot and fresh.

I also loved their cookie cup filled with milk – perfect for kids.

Read about visiting the Dominique Ansel Bakery here.

Vesuvio playground

Located right behind right behind Dominique Ansel, this is a fab playground to run off steam between eating and shopping.

Children’s Museum Of The Arts

This gorgeous SoHo facility has an all-ages drop in for their art studio, full of materials for kids to just explore and create messy masterpieces. They also have a ball room to jump in with big balls and story and music times. Older kids will love the clay studio.

Read about visiting the CMANY here.

TriBeCa

Rockefeller Park & Tom Otterness “Real World” Sculptures

A truly unique park that is worth visiting, Rockefeller Park is home to an incredible collection of Tom Otterness sculptures.

The installation, entitled “Real World” was opened in 1992. Wander though this whimsical park and enjoy the fine detail in these sculptures, which are a mix of stylised human and animal characters with reference to the financial world.

There is an excellent fenced playground near the park as well.

Washington Market Park & Playground

This beautiful park is an oasis of green in the city. The actual garden itself is fenced, and there are no further fences inside. Washington Market Park features a large playground with a section for older kids and one for younger.

There is a cute little wooden train to play on too. The park also features a butterfly garden.

Pier 25

Pier 25 is an excellent little recreation spot on the Hudson River. It features miniature golf, bathrooms, food options (seasonal) sand volleyball and play areas. The playground at Pier 25 is excellent. It was recently renovated and has eight seasonal water features.

Financial District

National September 11 Memorial & Museum

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum commemorates the September 11, 2001 attacks, which killed 2,977 people, and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed six. The Memorial Pools are free and open to the public to wander around. The museum is ticketed. We’ve been to the Memorial with our daughter when she was a baby and then as a seven-year-old. Babies and toddlers I would take with no hesitation as they are too small to understand what it’s about. Older children I would take with caution as they will want to have the circumstances of the Memorial explained. I would only take much older children into the Museum.

Read about visiting the National September 11 Memorial & Museum here.

One World Observatory

Climb to the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, the One World Trade Center, in New York City. The One World Observatory is located on the 100-102 floors with breathtaking views, restaurants and exhibits on offer.

Read more about visiting the One World Observatory here.

Oculus

This incredible structure is a train station and shopping center, and I highly recommend a visit and walk inside to explore. It feels like walking inside a whale skeleton. The glass-and-steel structure was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava to look like a dove in flight.

There is also some very cool street art outside.

Fearless Girl Statue

The Fearless Girl statue has been adopted as a symbol of female empowerment. It was originally placed in front of the Charing Bull sculpture, but has since been moved in front of the stock exchange.

Imagination Playground

Imagination Playgrounds are famous for the blue, foam blocks that they have in the playgrounds for kids aged two and up to play with. They’re basically huge shapes made out of non-toxic lightweight foam.

The blocks are only one feature of this great, Nautical-themed playground. At one end lies a huge sandpit, with a ramp running over the top and a twisty slide that ends up back in the sand. In the afternoons, this section is fully shaded, so gives a great respite from the heat if you can just get your kid to stay there.

Read more about visiting the Imagination Playground here.

Statue of Liberty

The iconic Lady Liberty was a gift to the United States from France. If you want to see her up close, your options are the free Staten Island Ferry, which goes past the island but does not land on it, or the ticketed ferry which lands on the island.

You can get all the information you need on visiting the island, including tickets and how to access the crown and pedestal here. A grounds only ticket is the easiest to get – tickets to the pedestal and crown are limited and sell out very quickly in advance. Crown tickets often sell out six months in advance.

Children must be at least four (4) feet, or 1.2 meters, tall to visit the crown but there is no height requirement to visit the pedestal.

SeaGlass Carousel

Take a magical underwater spin on the SeaGlass Carousel – a fish-themed carousel in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City that opened in August 2015.

Read about visiting the SeaGlass Carousel here.

Governor’s Island (seasonal)

A fun day trip during summer: catch the ferry and spend the day. Get food from the food trucks, bring a ball to kick around, lounge in the giant hammocks. They have a lot of events so look on their site for anything fun happening. Ferries go from the Financial District and Brooklyn.

Read more about our experience on Governor’s Island here.

Bronx

Bronx Zoo

It’s not as far to get to as you’d think – a fast train trip and a good option if the kids are going a bit crazy in the city. They have a fun monorail type thing where you watch all the animals around the park, a revamped kids’ zoo with a bug carousel, and a lot of space for kids to run free.

New York Botanical Garden

A great trip out of the city for the day, the New York Botanical Garden is particularly beautiful in spring when all the flowers and cherry trees are blooming. Check what’s on as they always have great exhibitions. The food is pretty average so I’d pack my own and have a picnic lunch.

The gardens are so easy to get to by train. The B, D or 4 are all nearby, and it’s a short walk from the station to the garden. The gardens are MASSIVE. There is a tram to get around, but we always walk and haven’t found it too large for strolling between each area.

Read about visiting the New York Botanical Garden here.

Brooklyn

New York Transit Museum

Climb aboard the transport of yesterday at the New York Transit Museum. There are plenty of trains and buses to pretend to drive as well as fascinating historical artifacts and information for adults.

Read about visiting the New York Transit Museum here.

Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge joins Manhattan to Brooklyn, spanning the East River. Since its completion in 1883, the bridge has become one of the city’s most famous icons. Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the best ways to explore the city’s neighbourhoods and experience breathtaking views along the way. The whole route is stroller-friendly.

Read about walking across the Brooklyn Bridge here.

Brooklyn Bridge Park

This beautiful waterfront park wraps around the Brooklyn shoreline from DUMBO to Brooklyn Heights. It has numerous sporting fields and green spaces, gardens and playgrounds spread across six piers. Bring a picnic lunch or buy lunch at one of the many restaurants along the way. Brooklyn Bridge Park is extremely stroller-friendly!

There is a toddler playground at Pier 1 that is excellent for little ones.

For older kids, the nautical-themed Main Street playground on Plymouth Street is a great bet.

Walk further along the entire length of the park if you have time to explore all of the green spaces and playground.

Pier 6 is home to a variety of playgrounds including the Water Lab, Swing Valley and Sandbox Village.

Pier 6 is also where the ferries to Governor’s Island depart.

Read about visiting Brooklyn Bridge Park here.

Jane’s Carousel

Jane’s Carousel opened in the Brooklyn Bridge Park on the East River on September 16, 2011 after a full restoration. The carousel itself actually dates back to 1922.

The carousel is cheap at only $2 a spin on our last visit. Check their opening days and hours carefully as they change seasonally.

Read about visiting Jane’s Carousel here.

DUMBO Brooklyn Eats

If you’re walking around DUMBO, be sure to check out some of the amazing cafes and restaurants in the area. I highly recommend: Jacques Torres chocolates, One Girl Cookie (they make amazing layer cake and cupcakes), Almondine (famous for croissants and fruit tarts), pizza! (Juliana’s is the best of them all), Superfine (a bar that is super kid-friendly, has a pool table and also makes amazing cocktails).

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

A bit tricky to get to due to its location in the residential area of Crown Heights, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum was founded in 1899 and is the first children’s museum in the United States (possibly also the first one worldwide).

The museum features plenty of hands-on play for kids including a brooklyn-themed area, water play and sensory room.

Read about visiting the Brooklyn Children’s Museum here.

Prospect Park

The sprawling Prospect Park was constructed between 1865 and 1895 by the same designers who created Central Park. The 585-acre park feels a lot more natural than Central Park, with plenty of foresty areas and lots of trees. The park features sporting fields, running paths and playgrounds and is simply magnificent to visit in the fall.

Attractions in Prospect Park include the bandshell, Audubon Center, the zoo and Grand Army Plaza.

Read about visiting Prospect Park here.

Children’s Corner

This area of the park is home to several features that are excellent for kids, including the historic Lefferts Historic House, Zucker Natural Exploration Area, Prospect Park Carousel (one of the few wheelchair-accessible carousels in the world) and the zoo. The Children’s Corner is located near the Willink entrance, at Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard.

Prospect Park Carousel

This beautiful 1912 carousel is only open between March and November. It features hand-carved horses, dragon-pulled chariots, a lion and a deer, and only costs $2 a ride.

Read about visiting the Prospect Park Carousel here.

Prospect Park Zoo

The Prospect Park Zoo makes up the Wildlife Conservation Society along with the Central Park Zoo, the Queens Zoo, the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium. Home to 400 animals of over 80 species in environments that have been designed to imitate their natural habitats.

Kids will love the Barn and Garden area with farm animals who can be fed grain.

Read about visiting Prospect Park Zoo here.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

A must-visit during spring when the cherry blossoms are in full, stunning bloom. The 52-acre garden is located next to Prospect Park. They have strict rules about sitting on lawns so choose where you sit wisely.

Read about visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens here.

Ample Hills Creamery

Possibly the best ice cream of all time. Crazy flavours and reasonable prices, this Brooklyn ice creamery is worth the trip to Gowanus, but you can also enjoy a scoop in Chelsea.

Read about visiting their Gowanus store here.

Coney Island

Catch the train to iconic Coney Island to people watch swim at the beach, ride the Cyclone rollercoaster or try one of Nathan’s famous hot dogs.

You can also get some of the best pizza in New York here – don’t visit Coney Island without trying a slice from Totonnos.

Read about visiting Totonnos here.

New York Aquarium

The New York Aquarium is the oldest continually operating aquarium in the United States. It opened in Castle Garden in Battery Park, Manhattan in 1896, and was relocated to the boardwalk in Coney island in 1957. The aquarium was hit hard during the 2012 hurricane and was closed afterwards for renovations (it has since reopened). It features otters, seals, sea lions, walruses and a Giant Pacific octopus.

You can read about our experience visiting the aquarium before its renovation here.

The Cloisters, Washington Heights

During the warmer months, a perfect family day trip is just north of the city at The Cloisters.

The Cloisters museum and gardens is the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to medieval European art and architecture. The building and its gardens are located in Fort Tryon Park, in Washington Heights, just a hop, skip and a jump away on the A train. Kids will love running around the gardens and smelling the herbs in the medieval garden.

Read more about visiting the Cloisters here.

Rockaways, Queens

The Rockaways are a beachside community located around an hour and a bit from Manhattan. It’s a quiet spot, popular in summer, and is easily access by train.

Read about a day trip to the Rockaways here.

Splash Parks

There are splash parks all over the city in summer, so if you’re visiting then, bring lots of sunscreen as there are very few playgrounds with shade. Also pack shoes that the kids can run in the water in (like crocs).

Read about visiting splash parks in NYC here.

Helpful information to navigate NYC with kids

Eating Out With Kids

You can find my top list of kid-friendly restaurants in NYC here, and all of my reviews on kid-friendly restaurants here

Cupcakes

There are so. many. cupcakes. My favourites are Georgetown, Magnolia, Two Little Red Hens, Butter Lane.

What to pack

Comfortable shoes are a must. For most seasons, I suggest wearing sneakers that have already been worn in. In summer sandals can be worn – but be warned that the streets are filthy and your feet will be dirty at the end of the day.

Dress in layers as the weather can change unexpectedly. I always pack jeans, light tees, light jumpers, then a light jacket for visiting in late spring and early fall. Summer – light dresses, shorts and light tees. If you’re visiting NYC in winter, you will need some serious cold weather gear. Get suggestions on what to pack when visiting NYC in winter.

A backpack or a crossbody bag with a zip is also a must – both to prevent pick pockets and also to carry all your stuff while you’re walking many miles a day.

If you’re visiting from outside of the US you may need a power adaptor or convertor. Read more about using electronics in the USA and what adaptor you’ll need here.

Getting around

Use the subway! Get a weekly pass and take kids in either an umbrella stroller or baby carrier. Find accessible subway stations here. Up to three children 44 inches tall and under can ride for free on subways and local buses when they’re accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

If you need to get a car, call Uber and request a car seat.

Tipping

Tip a minimum of 15% for service in restaurants. You’ll also need to tip in bars, hotel staff, cabs, nail salons etc.

Looking for more ideas on things to do in NYC?

After some cheap holiday ideas around the USA? Check out this list.

11 Kid-Friendly Restaurants in NYC That Adults Will Enjoy Too

June 18, 2019 / New York, New York Food / 0 comment

New York is a city to eat your way through, one cronut at a time. It’s also the perfect spot to introduce junior diners to the finer things in life, such as ramen burgers and artisan cannolis, not to mention some of the best pizza money can buy. Enjoy your next foodie outing at one of these kid-friendly restaurants in NYC where the food is so good, you’d happily visit sans kid!

11 Kid-Friendly Restaurants In NYC That Adults Will Enjoy Too

Rosemary’s

Freshly grown and picked fare is what you’ll get from Rosemary’s, an Italian restaurant with a rooftop farm in the heart of Greenwich Village. Rosemary’s is a large restaurant where they have space to stash strollers and a rooftop garden for little ones to stroll around while waiting for food to arrive. Take them to the veggie patch to identify what’s on their plate! Kids are also offered colouring sheets and crayons on arrival. Rosemary’s is one of the best kid-friendly restaurants in NYC.

Read more about Rosemary’s here.
18 Greenwich Ave, New York

Balthazar

The famous French bistro in SoHo loves children (even the Cheerio-tossing kind). The friendly staff happily pick up dropped cutlery over and over again (even with a grin on their faces!) and bring out fresh slices of house-made bread for kids to gnaw on. The dining room is squishy to the highest degree (hello their neighbour!), so take wriggly little ones downstairs when they need a break. Let them climb into the plush armchairs outside the restrooms and make sure you snap a pic to ‘Gram the occasion: “Baby’s First Balthazar!”.

Read more about Balthazar here.
80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain

Brooklyn Farmacy - kid-friendly restaurants, Carroll Gardens, NYC — The perfect grilled cheese.

This beautifully restored 1920s pharmacy in Carroll Gardens is home to one of the best grilled cheeses in New York. The friendly, hip staff offer kids long pretzel sticks to gnaw on at the counter while waiting on their egg creams and malted shakes. There are plenty of quirks to love at the Farmacy, including their single high chair that may also date back to the 1920s. Strollers can be parked at the tables or left at the front door. Order grilled cheese for everyone! Brooklyn Farmacy is an absolute must-visit, and is always a top choice for a kid-friendly restaurants in NYC.

Read more about Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain here.
513 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Sugar and Plumm

With decor and a menu right out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Sugar and Plumm is a visual delight that will please adults and kids alike. They have all the usual kid-friendly necessities (kids’ menu, high chairs, change table, stroller storage, special cups and crayons for kids), plus a gift shop that will induce a sugar high just by looking at it. The restaurant is popular so on busy weekends, order takeaway and eat at the communal table at the front of the restaurant.

Read more about Sugar and Plumm here.
377 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

Table 87 Coal Oven Pizza

Some of the best pizza in Brooklyn can be found at Table 87, as it’s often called by the locals. This cosy pizzeria treats their customers like extended family members, welcoming its youngest customers with kind smiles and giant slices of pizza (sold by the pie or by the slice) dripping with house-made mozzarella. They’ll offer to cut up your slice into little bite-size pieces for the kids, too. After chowing down on their speciality margherita pizza or calzone, take the kids to run off steam at the playroom in the nearby Moxie Spot or take a stroll through Brooklyn Bridge Park. Walk down Atlantic Avenue to the playgrounds at Pier 5, then north to Brooklyn Bridge for a calorie-burning stroll with a view. Pizza is always a good choice for kids, making this one of my fave options for kid-friendly restaurants in NYC.

table87coalovenpizza.com
87 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Lucali

The legendary pizza at Lucali is worth waiting for, even with kids in tow. DO what the website suggests to minimise the wait. Show up before 5. Put your name on the list. Go for a walk. They’ll call you when your table is ready. Lucali serves thin-crust pizza to die for and is popular with locals as well as celebs. They are also kid-friendly, which isn’t surprising for a pizza joint. When we visited they gave our miss a piece of pizza dough to make her own “pizza” while we waited for our order to arrive. Kids can also watch their dinner being made. Diners can bring their own wine and beer, and the restaurant is cash only.

lucalibrooklyn.com
575 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY

Bareburger

Enjoy healthy burgers and fries at this restaurant chain where the ingredients are organic and free of pesticides and hormones. Bareburger is perfect for picky eaters with their build-your-own-burger option and the Cubby Menu provides healthy options for kids, like the quinoa veggie burger with apple slices. The menu can be coloured in with the crayons provided.

bareburger.com
Various locations

Sarabeth’s Tribeca

We love all the Sarabeth’s, but our fave is the Tribeca branch. Sarabeth’s is an elegant restaurant, the kind you would have dined at pre-kids, with the right amount of trendiness and kid-friendly atmosphere to make this a firm family-fave in Manhattan. Adults love their “Extraordinary Eggs And Omelettes” and the kids can’t get enough of the fresh pastries. Sarabeth’s also takes reservations, which makes for a super easy dining experience with no queues in sight. The Tribeca Sarabeth’s is right across the road from the gorgeous Washington Market Playground and close to the Hudson River Greenway pedestrian and bike path.

Read more about Sarabeth’s Tribeca
339 Greenwich St, New York

Read more about Sarabeth’s West
423 Amsterdam Ave, New York

Alice’s Tea Cup

Kids are welcomed at the door with their own pair of fairy wings to borrow for the occasion and a sprinkling of pixie dust, which sets the scene for the dining experience to follow. Tiny diners will love the $20 Wee Tea at Alice’s Tea Cup which includes a small pot of herbal or fruit tea (or any other beverage), one scone, any item from the Menu for the Small and the White Rabbit dark chocolate mousse. Their scones are an absolute must to try! The Alice-inspired illustrations on the walls are divine – make sure to visit the bathrooms to see them all. Kids are also given a little item to play with – on our visit it was Wix Stix. So thoughtful!

alicesteacup.com
102 W 73rd St, New York
156 E 64th St, New York

Dylan’s Candy Bar

The world’s largest confectionary emporium and lifestyle brand, Dylan’s Candy Bar is a real-life candytopia. The original flagship location on New York City’s Upper East Side features three floors of delicious treats, including a cafe on the top floor. The cafe has candy-inspired decor, including oversized cupcake booths, and well-priced, delicious food, both savoury and sweet.

Read more about Dylan’s Candy Bar
1011 Third Ave (at 60th St.) New York

The Plaza Hotel

A rawther fancy way to enjoy a day in New York City is with the Eloise afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel. The Eloise Afternoon Tea is served on exquisite china that has been hand-painted for The Plaza Hotel. It can be purchased from the gift shop downstairs if you want to take home a special souvenir. The afternoon tea includes sandwiches, savouries, scones, pastries and a big ball of pink cotton candy, plus the option to order a pink lemonade.

Read more about the Eloise afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel, 768 5th Ave, New York

Do you have a fave kid-friendly restaurant in NYC?

More things to do in Manhattan

Find more sweet spots in Manhattan here.

High Tea Parramatta: Gatehouse Tea Rooms:

June 11, 2019 / High Tea, Parramatta, South West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Gatehouse Tea Rooms: High Tea Parramatta

Enjoy high tea in the historic Gatehouse, located in beautiful Parramatta Park. Choose from a traditional high tea, savoury high tea or kids high tea. Gluten-free high tea, dairy-free high tea and vegan high tea are available.

Parramatta Park is rich in colonial history. In 2007 the park and Gatehouse building were granted World Heritage Listing by UNESCO.

Built in 1887, the Gatehouse is one of the oldest high tea venues in Australia, and my favourite spot for high tea in Parramatta.

There is indoor and outdoor dining available. The outdoor dining has a lovely view of the park but I imagine could be a bit cold in winter and a bit hot in summer.

There are several high tea options at the Gatehouse.

Traditional High Tea
Finger sandwiches*
Tiny pastries (bacon is the standard quiche served. I received cheese instead).
Scones with jam and cream
Homemade petit fours and sweet bites
Tea or coffee
($44 pp or $49 weekends. Add $5 for sparkling)

*Cucumber and cream cheese, chicken are the standard options. I received mixed vegetables as my vegetarian alternative.

Royal High Tea
The Traditional High Tea served with a piccolo of Moet & Chandon champagne
($74 pp or $79 on weekends)

Savoury High Tea
Freshly prepared finger sandwiches
Pumpkin, carrot and zucchini muffins with cucumber yoghurt
Savoury pastries (included goats cheese, mushroom and one meat-filled pastry)
Coffee or tea
($44 pp or $49 weekends)

We requested as well as the muffins.

High Tea for Tin Lids
(3-12 years)
Mini sandwiches (cheese)
Fairy bread triangles
Mini cupcake and assorted sweet bites
Juice or soft drink
($24pp or $29 on weekends)

Add $5 for gluten-free or dairy-free and $10 for vegan

The Traditional High tea was an absolute delight. Warm scones, plenty of jam and cream. fresh sandwiches and delicious sweet treats. They included a red velvet cupcake, fruit tart, caramel slice, dark chocolate tart and passionfruit cookie.

The addition of the Savoury High Tea to the menu is extremely welcome as several members of our family prefer savoury to sweet. We all tried a bit of the muffin and it was delicious. You can ask for the muffins to be swapped with scones if you prefer that.

The Kids’ High Tea is an excellent option and it was completely devoured. Lovely to have the mini muffins and cupcake as the “sweets” (plus a marshmallow that is hidden). It was the perfect size for our almost 8 year old. They even served her orange juice in a teapot.

The service at the Gatehouse is top notch. I appreciated that the staff came to check on us and brought us extra boiling water to refresh our tea.

Parking is next to the Gatehouse. It is $3 per hour, $14 all day or free after 12pm Saturday and all day Sunday.

There is lots to explore in Parramatta Park so set aside the whole day. Near to the Gatehouse is the Pavilion Flat Playground which has been newly renovated and is about to reopen.

About a 20 minute walk away is the excellent Domain Creek Playground. You can read more about the Domain Creek Playground here.

We absolutely loved this tea and highly recommend the Gatehouse for high tea Parramatta.

Gatehouse High Tea Rooms
Macquarie St Gatehouse,
Parramatta Park,
Parramatta
Tue-Sun 8am-4pm
(02) 9635 1515
gatehousetearooms.com.au

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids here.

Find things to do in Sydney for free here.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney here.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

Find the best high teas in Sydney here.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day here.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney here.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney here.

Pie Time in the Southern Highlands NSW

June 7, 2019 / Australia, NSW, Southern Highlands, Travel / 0 comment

Pie time in the Southern Highlands is the most delicious time of year. Located only an hour and a half southwest of Sydney, the Southern Highlands make for an easy day trip. Throughout the month of June the region is host to a plethora of delicious pie experiences.

Pie Time in the Southern Highlands, NSW

The Big Pie and Visitors Centre, Mittagong

The Southern Highlands is the home of Australia’s newest Big Thing – the Big Pie! Located at the Southern Highlands Welcome Centre in Mittagong, the Big Pie has been erected in recognition of pie month in the Southern ‘Pie-lands’ during June. The Big Pie sits at over 2 metres wide by 1.5 high. Following Pie Time ‘The Big Pie’ will be positioned in the forecourt of the Southern Highlands Welcome Centre to promote the year-round Southern Highlands Pie Trail.

Drop into the Southern Highlands Welcome Centre while you’re there to read up about the history of pies and try their award-winning toilets.

Stones Patisserie, Bowral

This beautiful bakery is lovingly run by owner Mark Stone, turning out award-winning pies and delicious dishes daily. After winning the Best Pie and Best Artisan Pie 2018 for NSW/ACT with Stone’s ‘head to tail’ pie, this bakery is a must to try their hero pie created for pie month, the Superman pie (a beef bourguignon with peas, bacon, mushroom and a veal jus). There are also vegetarian options to be found at the patisserie, and I particularly enjoyed their apple crumble pie.

stonespatisserie.com

Heatherbrae’s Pies, Sutton Forest

The iconic roadstop pie shop serves up small batches of handmade pies, baked under the watchful eye of owner and pie man Russell Cox. Each filling is cooked to a specific recipe rather than a generic base being made with flavours added to it. The result is the most delicious pies that keep people coming back time after time. As well as a large range of savoury pies and sausage rolls, Heatherbrae’s has a fantastic range of retro sweet pastries.

While the Jillaroo (beef, bacon, cheese and onion) is a popular savoury pie, I highly enjoyed the vegan Red Lentil Curry pie and will be going back for more. Cox commented that the vegan pie is the fasted growing pie on the menu in terms of popularity.

heatherbraespies.com.au

Cuttaway Hill Wines, Exeter

Cuttaway Hill is the place to stop to try the Pie Time Festival’s Pies and Pinot. Enjoy a Cuttaway Hill Pinot Noir or Pinot Gris with a specially made Heatherbrae venison pie. Vegetarians can enjoy the Sweetie Pie and Bubbles for Pie Time, where you can enjoy their traditionally-made sparkling with a sweet Heatherbrae pie.

Families are welcome at Cuttaway Hill and are catered for during Pie Time. The Pie in the Sky event looks particularly fun, where you can enjoy a glass of wine, a Heatherbrae’s pie and peering at the stars through telescopes from the vineyard.

cuttawayhill.com.au

Southern Highlands Winery, Sutton Forest

Drop by for the Pie and Pinot and stay for the spectacular views from the cellar door restaurant at the Southern Highlands Winery.

Head chef Marco Salvestrin has crafted a rabbit and Pinot Noir pie for this special time of year, for a bargain $22. There are vegetarian options on the menu. I enjoyed the eggplant parmigiana and spinach. Kids also are catered for on the menu.

southernhighlandswinery.com.au/

Centennial Vineyards, Bowral

Choose between the Pie and Pinot with a braised beef brisket and tunnel mushroom pie or Sweetie Pie and Bubbles with a apple, ricotta and mulberry pie and glass of the vineyard’s Brut Rosé for only $15 during pie time.

centennial.net.au

Military Vehicle Tours and Centennial Vineyards

Take a vineyard tour with a difference at Centennial Vineyards with restoration expert and owner of Military Vehicle Tours Vinh Tran. During Pie Time he is offering visitors a 15-minute drive around the vines in a refurbished personnel carrier or jeep. All money raised from the tours goes directly to Vietnamese orphans and people affected by the Vietnam War. Tours go every 30 minutes during Pie Time.

Book your tour here.

Fairground Follies, Bowral

This warehouse of wonders is usually closed to the public. Fairground Follies is a collection of antique musical machines from the 1800s onwards, and is open this Pie Time on June 1 and 15 with a 1.5 hour tour by curator and owner Craig Robson with an apple or fruit pie and a hot drink. With proceeds going to Meals on Wheels, this is an incredible opportunity as well as a good cause.

Highlights from the collection include the original steam-powered carousel from Luna Park, pre-clockwork gravity-driven musical machines, a 1950s Decap Robot Orchestra and the grand Taj Mahal.

fairgroundfollies.com

Glass Café, Mittagong

Housed inside a 1890 heritage building, the Glass Café is hosting a special Paint Pinot event for Pie Time, with alpaca pie and Pinot Noir from award-winning winery Artemis. Paint your own alpaca using pie condiments such as ketchup, brown and yellow mustard.

glasscafe.com.au

Cycle Tours NSW

Burn off the pies on an e-bike with Cycle Tours NSW. Kick off and let the battery kick in, giving you power-assisted peddling. The tours take visitors through the regions breweries, wineries and restaurants and commence at the Mittagong Visitors Centre.

cycletoursnsw.com

Gumnut Patisserie, Berrima, Bowral and Mittagong

This famous patisserie attracts day trippers like us from Sydney and a line out the door is not an uncommon sight. Gumnut Patisserie are famous for their savoury pies and exquisite pastries. Their individually-made single-serve cakes and tarts are masterpieces, but we also loved the nostalgic, old school pastries like their vanilla and caramel slices.

gumnutpatisserie.com.au

More things to do in the Southern Highlands

Find plenty more things do to in the Southern Highlands here.

Find things do to in Bowral here.

Find things to do in Robertson here.

Find things to do in Berrima here.

Pie Time runs from 1st – 30th June. Get the full run down of Pie Time events here.

I experienced these Pie Time activities as a guest of Southern Highlands Tourism.

Sydney Cafes Reviews: The Innocent Kitchen

June 4, 2019 / Inner West, Sydenham, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Innocent Kitchen

The Innocent Kitchen is a sweet and simple cafe run by two sisters in Sydney’s inner west.

The menu is basic and located on a blackboard. Choose from items like a bacon and egg roll and toasted sandwiches. Kids can order fairy bread, raisin toast, vegemite or peanut butter sandwiches and toasties. The babyccinos are free!

I suggest trying a fancy milkshake and some of their delicious baked foods. The cakes look amazing.

The Innocent Kitchen is also home of Marshmallow Club and is a 2 minute walk from Sydenham Station.

The cafe is bright and cheerful and has drawing materials for kids. There is a bathroom around the side of the building but no changing area.

The Innocent Kitchen
288 Unwins Bridge Rd, Sydenham NSW
Hours: Mon-Wed 7am-12pm, Thur & Fri 7am-2pm, Sat 8am-1pm, closed Sundays.
Prices: $
Online

Get Directions

Sydney Cafes Reviews: The Tiny Giant

June 4, 2019 / Inner West, Petersham, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Tiny Giant

This tiny little cafe in Sydney’s inner west is a hot spot for pretty and tasty dishes.

Expect creative and delicious breakfasts including their famous brioche toast which is completely clouded in bright-pink fairy floss, berries and cinnamon ricotta.

Pancakes and waffles also come with fairy floss, and in an excellent decision, the kids also get a fancy (but not too fancy!) version of the waffles.

The Tiny Giant also features all-day breakfast, as well as a lunch menu, free WIFI, Campos Coffee and pastries.

The Tiny Giant
110 Audley St, Petersham
Mon-Fri 6:30am-3pm, Sat & Sun 7:30am-3pm.
Ph: 02 8065 4684
thetinygiant.com.au

Get Directions

Where To Find The Best Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants In Sydney

June 3, 2019 / Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

It’s hard to choose the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney – there are so many to try! As a long-time vego I’ve been slowly making my way through the best plant-based food Sydney has to offer. This list of fine dining, restaurants and cafes, desserts and high teas will give you plenty to choose from.

Where To Find The Best Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants In Sydney

Fine Dining

Yellow – Vegan and Vegetarian – Potts Point

Try this European-style vegetarian bistro and sample a range of exotic veggies. Vegetarian and vegan degustations are available.
yellowsydney.com.au

Bentley Restaurant and Bar – Vegan and Vegetarian – CBD

The award-winning Bentley is well-known for their top notch cocktails and fantastic vegetarian and vegan degustation menus. Bentley is consistently featured in the Top 20 of Gourmet Traveller’s Top 100 Australian restaurants.
thebentley.com.au

Aria – Vegan and vegetarian menus – CBD

The team at Aria believe that everybody should be included in the dining experience and offer extensive, vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and other special dietary menus. We dined at Aria for our 5th wedding anniversary and I loved how I was presented with my own vegetarian menu rather than feeling like an inconvenience.

Read my full review of Aria here.
ariasydney.com.au/vegetarian

Otto – Vegetarian Menu – Wollomolloo

Vegetarians and vegans are looked after with dedicated six-course menus at this fine Italian restaurant, located on the Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf.
ottoristorante.com.au

Paperbark – Vegan – Waterloo

Paperbark is a modern, plant-based restaurant, focussing on native Australian ingredients. Their innovative tasting menus are the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion, or take a seat at the bar and try the simple bar menu with a drink.
paperbarkrestaurant.com

Quay – Vegetarian menu – The Rocks

For our 6th wedding anniversary, Alec and I dined at Quay Restaurant – Australia’s most awarded restaurant, and one of two Australian restaurants on the prestigious S. Pellegrino World’s Top 50 List. The menu, created by chef Peter Gilmore, is modern Australian with Japanese and Chinese influence. Quay has won several awards in Australia, and has appeared in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants several times.

Read my full review of Quay here.
quay.com.au

Restaurants and cafes

Bad Hombres – Vegan – Surry Hills

This Mexican-inspired, all vegan eatery is popular for their classic margarita cocktails served with delish food. The baked cauliflower is a popular dish.
badhombres.com.au

Badde Manors – Vegetarian and Vegan – Glebe

This old-school cafe is a popular spot in Glebe, known for their global vegetarian dishes and desserts. The Badde Manors menu features dishes from Asia, North Africa, Middle East, Latin American and Mediterranean regions and have meals that cater to changing dietary needs such as Low Calorie diets, Gluten Free products, Nuts Free meals and Vegan meals. The breakfast menu is my fave – be warned that they are strict with menu changeover time.
baddemanorscafe.com.au

Bodhi – Vegan – CBD

Our long-time go-to restaurant for vegan yum cha, Bodhi is a family-owned restaurant located in the middle of Cook and Philip park under St Mary’s Cathedral in the heart of the CBD. Bodhi is great for groups, with long tables underneath ancient Moreton bay fig trees. As well as offering a completely vegan menu, Bodhi also has great gluten-free options.

bodhirestaurant.com.au

Bread and Circus Wholefoods Canteen – Notable Vegetarian & Vegan Options – Alexandria

Bread and Circus is a bright and fresh cafe that features a healthy menu with plenty of raw, organic, handmade, and gluten-, soya- and dairy-free options to choose from. Their breakfast many is mostly vegan / vegetarian. All of the dishes are designed to be nutritious and ethically-produced.
breadandcircus.com.au

Cornersmith – Vegetarian, Vegan options – Annandale

This ethical, family-run eatery serves up sustainable food with a focus on fresh, local produce. Cornersmith opens onto Annandale parkland so there are also DIY picnic boxes and a small deli to cater to picnickers. There are even picnic rugs to be borrowed. Kids will love the cinnamon waffles made with Pepe Saya buttermilk.
cornersmith.com.au/pages/annandale

El Chapel – Vegetarian, Vegan options – Marrickville

A new, small veg cafe by the folks who own Two Chaps, El Chapel features lots of sweet and savoury baked goodies, both savoury and sweet. Try the raw caramel slice.
facebook.com/twochapscafe

Gardener’s Lodge Cafe – Vegan – Camperdown

This little cafe recently opened in the Gardener’s Lodge inside Victoria Park. Gardener’s Lodge is a plant-based cafe and vegan cheese deli inside an historic sandstone building.
gardenerslodgecafe.com.au

Gigi Pizzeria – Vegan – Newtown

The pizza at Gigi’s is so good, you won’t even miss the cheese! Gigi Pizzeria serves up authentic Italian cuisine – 100% vegan. Gigi has been open for 8 years but went vegan more recently – which has seen its popularity skyrocket. A line reaching down the street mid-week is not an unusual sight.
gigipizzeria.com.au

Golden Lotus – Vegan – Newtown

Golden Lotus is a small and busy restaurant in Newtown with a huge menu of vegetarian Vietnamese dishes. Tara of VegeTARAian says the satay ‘beef’ and ‘chicken’ satay were highlights on her visit. Golden Lotus is 100% Vegan Vietnamese cuisine with a focus on fresh, healthy and delicious food.
goldenlotus-vegan.com

Govindas Cinema and Restaurant – Vegetarian, 80% Vegan – Darlinghurst

Drop by for the vegetarian Indian buffet, stay for a movie! Govindas is a cosy spot offering a buffet with 80% vegan Indian cuisine, attached to a small movie theatre. 80% of the food on offer is gluten-free as well. I loved trying a little bit of everything from the buffet, then settling back into a comfy beanbag and watching the movie for a top night out.
govindas.com.au

Green Gourmet – Vegan – Newtown & St Leonards

Green Gourmet is an old favourite for veggos. When we lived on the North Shore, the St Leonards branch was a local fave for us. GG is a great spot to order in and enjoy their 100% plant-based food or fill up a container from the take away section. Green Gourmet offers vegan yum cha, mains, buffet and cakes, with lots of mock meat on the menu.
greengourmet.com.au

Grill’d – Noteable vegetarian and vegan options – various locations

My go-to for heatlhy veg burgers! With three vegetarian burgers (patties are vegan!) and six Beyond burger options on the menu (including two vegan burgers), Grill’d is a sure bet when you’re dining out with non-veggo friends and you all badly want a burger. Grill’d are great at customising your burger to suit your needs, too. They also offer a vegetarian salad and a large vegan hot chips menu. The veggie delight is my fave,
grilld.com.au

Harvest Vegetarian – Vegan and Vegetarian – Rozelle

In the back streets of Rozelle you’ll fine Harvest Vegetarian, a fancy-ish restaurant only open for dinner, offering modern Australian dishes in a cosy environment. harvestvegetarianrestaurant.sydney

Kindness Cafe – Vegan – Darlinghurst

A vegan Thai eatery specialising in meat-free curries, stir fries, sides and salads, made from quality fresh fruit and vegetables. No fake meat here! Gluten free options are available for most dishes.
kindness-cafe.com

Lentil as Anything – Vegan – Newtown

Get your fill of hearty vegan food on a budget Lentil As Anything, where everyone is welcome to come in for a meal and contribute whatever amount they can afford to pay. Lentil As Anything is a not-for-profit organisation whose restaurant and grocery store have no set prices.
lentilasanything.com

Little Turtle Thai Restaurant – Vegan – Enmore

A Thai restaurant with a focus on fresh, health conscious food, Little Turtle is a new vegan restaurant to the Inner West scene. Tara of VegeTARAian enjoy the pineapple fried rice, sticky sesame wings (sweet soy cauliflower) and the BBQ tofu satay on her last visit and suggests going with a group to sample more dishes.
littleturtlerestaurant.com

Mary’s – Vegan menu – Circular Quay

The entire Mary’s menu can be recreated vegan at their new Circular Quay restaurant, in an effort to be inclusive and welcoming to everyone. Choose anything off the menu and ask for it vegan. The vegan “fried chicken” (fried cauliflower) is supposed to be excellent. I tried a vegan cheeseburger with a vegan patty packed with mushrooms, carrots, beetroot, raw white beans (“for crunch”) and a little soy protein. The kitchen has a dedicated meat-free grill and fryer, and all vegan ingredients are stored in a meat-free fridge.
facebook.com/maryscircularquay

Peppe’s – Vegan – Bondi

A brand new Italian restaurant, Peppe’s has a simple pasta menu thats completely vegan. The pasta is made in-house daily, with a special focus on the gnocchi. Recent sauce varieties include pesto with green pea, Peppe’s pomodoro and the gnocchi bianchi.
peppelovesgnocchi.com.au

Petty Cash – Notable Vegan and Vegetarian options – Marrickville

Petty Cash Cafe is a cosy, retro cafe that has become an unintentional go-to for inventive vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. Located directly across the road from the playground in leafy Enmore Park, it’s a great spot for families to dine in or pick up some take away. We dined in and enjoyed the vintage, mismatched chairs, tables and crockery. The cafe has a slightly hippy feel to it and is a bit disorganised. This either adds to its charm or can be irritating, depending on how hangry you are.

Read my full review on Petty Cash here.
facebook.com/pages/category/Coffee-Shop/Petty-Cash-Cafe-163033108963

Pilgrims – Vegetarian, Vegan options – Cronulla

A wholesome dining option near Cronulla beach, Pilgrims serve up hearty, healthy meals. I love their brunch menu, but their lunch burgers are also popular, and at night they serve up Mexican cuisine. Pilgrims is an extremely accessible vego joint that even meat-eaters will enjoy.
pilgrims.cafe

Ruby Lonesome – Vegan – Petersham

A newcomer to the vegan scene, Ruby Lonesome serves accessible vegan dishes for breakfast and plenty of muck meat for lunch. Tara of VegeTARAian enjoyed a hearty plate called What the Duck which featured mock duck pieces, Asian greens, brown rice and a special sauce.
facebook.com/Ruby-Lonesome-138164536853058/

Shift Eatery – Vegan – Surry Hills

Sydney’s first vegan deli, Shift Eatery serves up tasty sandwiches, salad bowls and all-day brekkie.
shifteatery.com.au

Soul Burger – Vegan – Glebe, Parramatta, La Perouse, Newtown

The plant-based burgers at Soul Burger are so good! It’s hard to believe everything on the menu is plant-based, making it a good option to take your non-vego friends to. Who knew burgers could be so healthy?
soulburger.com.au

The Green Lion – Vegan – Rozelle

Sydney’s first vegan pub is absolutely worth a visit. Their hearty menu features pub classics like burgers, hot dogs and tacos – all 100% plant-based. There’s even a kids’ menu here. thegreenlion.com.au.

Two Chaps – Vegetarian – Marrickville

The tiny Two Chaps cafe is a very basic affair. Almost everything is made from scratch, most of the produce is organic and sourced from nearby or made by in house. Two Chaps offers a Mediterranean-influenced vegetarian menu featuring daily house-made doughnuts, cakes and muffins, two seasonal salads and two sandwiches. We tried the breakfast menu at Two Chaps and found the food to be wholesome and generous.

Two Chaps is also open two evenings per week (Thursdays and Fridays) for dinner, serving fresh pasta and local cheeses.
twochaps.com.au

Yulli’s – Vegan, Gluten-Free – Surry Hills

Yulli’s is an old staple for vegos and vegans, offering a casual, well-priced dining experience that’s hard to beat. The menu features mainly Asian fusion dishes, with some Mexican and Moroccan options. They have recently released an entirely vegan menu including their own locally-made vegan beers. A gluten-free menu is also available.
yullis.com.au

Takeaway

Flyover Fritterie & Chai Bar -Vegan, Gluten-Free, CBD

This little hole-in-the-wall fritterie is located in Temperance laneway in Sydney’s CBD and is a bit tricky to find. It’s well worth the hunt however, because their fritters are delicious. The menu is small and bade-to-order, so expect to wait a few minutes for your delicious, fresh food. Flyover Fritterie serves crunchy chickpea flour & vegetable pakoras (fritters) in a cone, salads, fritter burgers with house pickles and chutneys – all vegan and gluten-free.
flyoverfritterie.com

Lord of the Fries – Vegan – Parramatta, Newtown, Central Station, George Street CBD

Vegan fast food! Check out the famous burgers, hot dogs and fries that put this joint on the map. Lord of the Fries is a little hole-in-the-wall joint best for take-away. They serve veggie burgers, onion rings, nuggets and hot dogs. I love their standard burger and sweet potato fries.
lordofthefries.com.au

Dessert

Earth to Table – Vegan – Bondi Junction

This organic, raw, vegan cafe serves juices, smoothies, cold press coffee, salads and raw vegan meals and desserts.
facebook.com/earthtotable

Gelato Blue – Vegan – Newtown

Gelato Blue switched to a 100% per cent plant-based menu after gradually replaced their dairy products with coconut milk-based items in a response to customer demand. Popular flavours include the mint choc-chip, espresso swirl, carrot cake and milk chocolate chip cookie.
facebook.com/gelatoblue

Little Raw Food Co – Vegan – Delivery

A premium raw, organic dessert shop, Little Raw Food Co delivers Sydney-wide. Their dessert range is made from plant based ingredients and are also gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegan and paleo.
littlerawco.com

Nutie Donuts – Gluten-Free, mostly dairy-free and Vegan – Balmain, Surry Hills

We love Nutie’s wide selection of cakes, brownies, tarts, cookies and doughnuts. They’ve managed to make delicious lamingtons, lemon meringue pies and s’more cookie sandwiches gluten-free and mostly vegan. Nutie’s Surry Hills store offers breakfast and lunch as well as their famous baked goods.
facebook.com/wearenutie

Pana Organic – Vegan and Gluten-Free – Alexandria

Chocolate made healthy! Enjoy chocolate that’s full of antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, without preservatives, that’s vegan, gluten free, dairy free, soy free and refined sugar free. Pana Organic makes chocolate using organic ingredients with no refined sugar, and produced using minimal heat (raw).
pana-organic.com

Treat Dreams – Vegan – delivery and markets

I discovered Treat Dreams at the Sydney Vegan Markets and couldn’t believe their delicious cakes were all dairy free and egg free, with some gluten free and nut free options.
treatdreams.com.au

High tea

While every high tea I’ve eaten at in Sydney so far offers a vegetarian option, there are only dedicated vegan high teas:

Radisson Blu

The delicious high tea looks like a standard one but has almost hidden vegan ingredients. Scones, sandwiches, savoury pastries and sweets are all served on a three-tier platter.

Read my full review of the vegan high tea at the Radisson Blu here.

Alibi at Ovolo Wolloomoloo

Alibi’s high tea encompasses chef Matthew Kenney’s clean food philosophy and a combines classical and innovative cooking techniques to give locally sourced plant-based ingredients a creative makeover. The high tea menu features both sweet and savoury options.
alibibar.com.au/your-high-tea

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

Locally sourced plant-based ingredients are given a creative makeover in this vegan high tea. An array of sweet and savoury delights are on offer such as currant & blueberry scones, roasted vegetable panini and spinach and mushroom tofu quiche
sofitelsydney.com.au/veganhightea

Other vegetarian and vegan food options

Suzy Spoon’s Vegetarian Butcher – Vegan – St Peters and online store

Suzy Spoon hand makes 14 delicious vegan products including sausages, burger patties, seitan, schnitzel, bolognese, lasagne, veggie balls, pepperoni, smokey rasher and even a special festive roast for Christmas and Easter. Spoons products are sold in health food stores and small supermarkets across Australia. Personally I love their sausages. They taste so much better than the regular supermarket brands.
ssvb.com.au

Sydney Vegan Markets

The SVM runs the third Sunday of every month at The Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park. The markets are sprawled in several sections of the Entertainment Quarter, with the main area being reserved for savoury food. Don’t miss the dessert section!
sydneyveganmarket.com

Additional images thanks to Yelp and Vegetaraian.

Hyams Beach Australia: Home to the whitest sand in the world

May 20, 2019 / Australia, Jervis Bay, NSW, South Coast, Travel / 0 comment

On the NSW South Coast, around 3 hours south of Sydney, you’ll find the whitest sand in the world at Hyams Beach. Located in the Jervis Bay Marine Park of the Shoalhaven region, Hyams Beach is one of 16 stunning white sand beaches in the area, however has shot to fame in recent years after it was awarded the Guinness World Record for the whitest sand.

Hyams Beach is a quiet residential beach with fine white sand and clear, gentle water. It’s the perfect family beach.

While most beach seekers choose to just lie on the sand or paddle in the water, Hyams Beach is also good for snorkelling, paddleboarding and fishing.

On the southern shores of the splendid Jervis Bay Marine Park, Hyams Beach is a charming seaside village in the Shoalhaven region with an eponymous stretch of fine white sand. Gentle waves from the bay lap onto the beach, a beautiful area for rolling out your towel and relaxing on the soft sand.

We love the north end of Hyams Beach which is a smaller little bay area that is very well protected from the ocean, and has rock pools at its south end.

Hyams Beach is also the last stop on the White Sands Walk includes Hyams Beach, which starts at Nelsons Beach in nearby Vincentia and takes you through Blenheim Beach, Greenfield Beach and Chinamans Beach before ending at Hyams Beach. The walk takes around 90 minutes one way.

To the south of Hyams Beach is the stunning Booderee National Park. You can read more about the Booderee National Park as well as other things to do in Jervis Bay here.

If you’d like to stay in Hyams Beach there are plenty of holiday homes available for rent. You can find out more regarding accommodation options in Jervis Bay here.

There is just the one cafe in the area: the Hyams Beach Store and Cafe. They are renowned for their excellent coffee.

If you are headed to Hyams Beach be aware of the limited parking situation. On busy days the streets are blocked off and rangers patrol the area. There is also only the one public toilet.

Dogs are permitted but must remain on leash at all times.

Top Tips For Visiting and Photographing Vivid Sydney 2019

May 16, 2019 / Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Vivid Sydney is, without a doubt, one of my favourite times of year. 2019 marks the 11th anniversary of Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas. From 24 May to 15 June the event lights up Sydney over 9 precincts, each featuring their own unique light sculptures.

Top Tips For Visiting and Photographing Vivid Sydney

What’s on at all 10 precincts

This year Vivid Sydney is spread across 9 precincts. Each features their own specific light installations.

Barangaroo

Recognising the spirit and strength of First Nations Women For Vivid Sydney 2019, Exchange Place in Barangaroo will transform into Winter Camp, where visitors will experience layers of light, sound and puppetry reflective of the land and water, and inspired by changing seasons. The magnificent, six-metre tall puppet Marri Dyin (Great Woman) will return this year,
accompanied for the first time by a school of captivating fish puppets.

This incredible, giant puppet, was made by Erth, the creators of Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo.

Cristin from artsplorers.com reports as been to Barangaroo and has this to report:

“The main attraction at Barangaroo is the six-metre tall puppet, Marri Dyin. She begins the night at a huge cave-like structure at the Napoleon Plaza part of the Barangarroo walk (next to the lifts that come down from Wynyard Station). Thursday through Sundays, she is manned by several puppeteers, making a slow walk down Barangaroo Avenue (away from Darling Harbour). She’s quite impressive to see, though younger children may find her scary. This is the same puppet that was at Barangaroo last year, so if you saw it then, it won’t be new to you. We also saw a fun roving school of glowing fish, worked by several puppeteers. They don’t have a fixed location, so you just have to catch them as they make their rounds on the Barangaroo walk.”

Read about Vivid Sydney at Barangaroo

Chatswood

Chatswood is a top pick for taking kids to see Vivid – lights go on at 5:30pm at Chatswood, perfect for taking the kids. Grab some food at around 5pm and you’ve got yourself the perfect early night Vivid experience.

This year my top pick looks like the super-sized trumpet flower garden that allows you to play the trumpet keys and make your own light and sound show.

Read about Vivid Sydney at Chatswood

Circular Quay

The lightwalk stretches 3km from The Rocks around Circular Quay and to the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Sydney Opera House

The lights on the Sydney Opera House are always a highlight of Vivid. This year the display was created by Los Angeles-based artist-filmmaker Andrew Thomas Huang. Huang collaborated with choreographer Toogie Barcelo, dancer Jenna Moroni and animation design team Bemo to create Austral Flora Ballet, a hypnotic tribute to Australia’s native plant life.

The best view of the Sydney Opera House is from the Overseas Passenger Terminal.

Customs House

The light show on the Customs House is always a favourite of mine. Kids can sit entranced watching the lights play across the giant canvas. This year the display is Under the Harbour, a surreal underwater encounter witan octopus stealing the sun.

There are lots of interactive light sculptures around Circular Quay this year which are perfect for engaging kids. We loved the The Harp of the City, a series of a giant public instruments that produces sound and an interactive light show.

Samsung Electric Playground

The Samsung Electric Playground is also a massive hit and extremely popular. I suggest lining up around 5:30 on weekends for this popular experience and being the first ones inside when the lights go on at 6pm.

It’s contained in a fenced in area that you will need to line up to enter and consists of several different zones inside that include an Infinity Slide and light up hula hoops.

Galaxy Studio

The Galaxy Studio is inside the Samsung Electric Playground. The entrance to the queue to get in is near the Infinity Slide. The Studio is basically a big sell for the Galaxy phones, but it’s fun to test out one of the phones and compare it to whatever your device is. Inside the Studio are two “insta-worthy” rooms that you have to borrow a Samsung device to see inside. The process is simple but time-consuming and makes this an experience that takes a while to get inside.

The two experiences are Field of Hearts, where you share your heartbeat with a friend and Ocular Odyssey, which turns your eyes into kaleidoscope art. Both experiences are entered one group at a time, hence the long wait.

After taking photos on your borrowed device you can save 10 images to your own phone and leave. You can take as many photos and videos on your own device as well but both experiences are on timers and are very short.

Campbell’s Cove

My absolute favourite light installation this year is Ballerina, which dances across Campbell’s Cove to music that sounds like an old music box. Just stunning.

There are also a few interactive and fun installations north of Campbell Cove worth walking up to see, including the excellent Beat-loon interactive balloons, Regal Peacock and sparkly Let It Snow, which is the last installation as you walk around the circuit. Walk back through The Rocks to experience even more installations.

Read about Vivid Sydney at Circular Quay

Darling Harbour

This year Darling Harbour will feature plenty of space-themed installations, with many of the sculptures being interactive and especially designed to be inclusive to give people of all ages and abilities an inclusive and accessible experience.

Robot SpaceLAND looks incredible – meet electro-automotive super-bots that have been sent to sow the seeds of a brighter, greener tomorrow.

Vivid Sydney’s inclusive playground Tumbalong Lights is back. Inspired by the next frontier, playSPACE will bring together super-scale installations that give intrepid explorers an opportunity to walk Under the Milky Sky, play with Spaceballs, and share different perspectives with See What I See. Low-sensory sessions will be catered for too.

Cristin from artsplorers.com has visited Tumbalong Lights and has this to report:

“The sensory-friendly play space at Tumbalong Park has been revamped this year. Rather than one fenced area with a single entry, there are six free-standing installations, all with a space theme. Kids can get a “passport” card to have stamped after doing each activity, which my 6 year old and her friend got pretty invested in completing.

The passport may be turned in at the end of the night for a chance to win Hoyts movie tickets. There is a a wheelchair ride (younger children will need help from an adult), a musical ‘alien’ mushroom, a glowing large scale pinball inspired game, an alien face maker, a short movie, and a star-themed installation. Including queues, it took our kids about an hour to do all of the stations and fill up their passports.”

Read more about Vivid Sydney at Darling Harbour

Harbour Lights

Harbour Lights turns the waters of Sydney Harbour into a light spectacular, with many vessels moving across the water in a gentle, synchronised lighting display. A cruise is a great way to see Vivid Sydney lights.

Read more about Vivid Sydney Harbour Lights and cruises

Luna Park

The entire Amusement Park comes alive with brilliant shapes, patterns and colours that light
the Midway promenade and enhance high-octane rides such as the new family thrill ride –
Volaré. Coney Island celebrates the unique history and magic of Luna Park with a grand projection on its exterior.

Read more about Vivid Sydney at Luna Park

Taronga Zoo

We attend Vivid at Taronga Zoo every year. Their “Lights for the Wild” display focuses on animal conservation. Over 100 sculptures are ready to be discovered on a light trail through the zoo.

Read more about Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo

The Rocks

Duck in and out of historic laneways and discover a treasure trove of light sculptures.

Museum of Contemporary Art

Pull up a seat out the front of the MCA to watch Claudia Nicholson’s Let Me Down illuminate the front of the building. It’s mesmerising.

Argyle Cut

We loved the Pixar: 30 Years of Art & Animation light show at the Argyle Cut. The characters from Pixar Animation Studios most beloved stories come alive in this beautiful installation that spans Pixar’s history and shares glimpses of the art behind the films.

There are even behind-the-scenes sneak-peek at images from the upcoming Toy Story 4, which hits cinemas June 20, 2019.

Pieces of fake grass are on the cement to lie down on and watch from the floor.

We loved Bug Hunt, which lets viewers “hunt” for bugs projected into a building and Bubble Magician even though it was broken.

Read more about Vivid Sydney at The Rocks

The Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney

Always a beautiful location to see light sculptures by the ocean, with the Sydney Opera House in the background, the Royal Botanic Gardens are a fave of mine at Vivid Sydney every year.

While most of the light sculptures this year in the gardens are interactive, making this a hot spot for families, the highlight for us was Beetopia, a giant glowing bee hotel with oversized, colourful native bees crawling all over it. Specifically designed to be inclusive and accessible for people of all abilities. Push the bees’ bottoms to make them buzz!

The mesmerising firefly field is back, and there are several sculptures that respond to sound and movement.

There is also a pop up food court in the middle of the light walk.

Read more about Vivid Sydney at The Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney

General Vivid Sydney Tips

Arrive BEFORE the lights turn on

Find a prime position near the lights that you want to see the most without a hoard of people and wait patiently until the lights get switch on. BAM – lights minus the crowds.

Lights go on at 6pm at all locations other than Taronga Zoo, where the lights go on at 5:30pm.

Hit up the most popular installations first

This has always been a key for me in conjunction with the point above. I circle back to those that it’s easy to see even with a crowd last, such as the Customs House, MCA and Sydney Opera House.

See the lights without the crowd

There are a few spots where you can see Vivid lights that are away from the general crowd. For a good view of the Harbour head to the top of the Cahill Expressway (lift at Circular Quay).

Sydney Tower Eye is the city’s tallest building and offers the best view of VIVID up above – especially to witness the moment the city light’s up at 6pm. There’s also a range of activities taking place on the Observation Deck such as: free glow-in-the-dark face painting for all ages, every night during VIVID (24 May to 16 June) on the Observation Deck from 5 to 7pm and capture the ultimate snap in the mesmerising pop-up light box, Endless Lights which offers a unique illusion of great height and depth.

Lastly, walk over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It’s free to walk the pedestrian and bike path. I would suggest walking in one direction from The Rocks to Milsons Point, and catching the train back again.

Dedicate several nights to see it all

I’m sure it’s possible to see everything in one go, but why do it if you can spread it out? With so many locations, Vivid really needs at least three nights to see everything. Break it down into sections that can be covered together. Taronga and Chatswood or Luna Park, Circular Quay, Martin Place and Botanic Gardens plus Barangaroo and the Rocks, and lastly Darling Harbour, which can be done with another of the options with a bit of commuting in between.

Rug up!

It gets cold at night, especially near the water. Dress warm including a coat and a beanie and gloves.

Take the kids to Taronga

This is my pick for kids because it’s ticketed, so less people, and the lights go on earlier than the other locations.

Read about what to expect from Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo here.

Don’t bypass the smaller Vivid locations, especially with kids

With kids in tow, the locations such as Darling Harbour and Chatswood are also an excellent idea as these spots don’t get as large crowds as the CBD does.

Chatswood is excellent as it is right next to the station and lots of restaurants for a pre-Vivid dinner and easy getaway – and lights go on at 5:50pm.

Darling Harbour has lots of interactive and accessible installations.

Pick a quiet day to go

We always go the first weekend or Monday to Thursday. The first few days are always the quietist, before photos start appearing in the news and reminding people that it’s on. The second weekend, from Friday onwards, is when it starts to get really busy. If there is a big event on elsewhere while Vivid is on, that is also a great night to go!

Take public transport to the city or pre-book parking

Pre-book a car spot if you ca’t take public transport as parking is an absolute nightmare. When taking public transport, be aware that Circular Quay train station might be busy and be prepared to walk to another station if needed.

This year we packed near the Langham Hotel in a four-hour parking zone on a Saturday so it was pretty reasonably priced.

Find the best places to park for Vivid here.

Bring carriers or strollers for kids

This is for two reasons – one, because it’s night time and little people get tired, but also to keep them out of the way of being stepped on by adults.

Eat food first

We always arrive early in the city and eat before the lights even turn on. My pick is Gateway Sydney for casual, great food. There is a pop up food court at the bottom of the Overseas passenger Terminal which is great to hit up early in the evening but is a nightmare to try to buy anything from later in the evening.

We also ate at the food trucks for the first time this year and found the quality to be excellent. I highly enjoyed the vegan gnocci for $16, feta, spinach and sweet potato gozleme for $15 and a mango green tea bubble tea in a light up bulb for $13. It was great to see several vegan and vegetarian options.

Tips for seeing Vivid with kids

Take them to Taronga or Chatswood, where lights go on at 5:30pm instead of 6pm and the crowds aren’t as bad. Darling Harbour, with its interactive light playground, is an excellent choice for families as well.

Take a stroller or baby carrier for little ones.

Feed them first or bring plenty of food for on the go.

Pick up free Lost Child Wristbands for the kids at info booths located on near the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Customs House and Darling Harbour.

Dress kids in high visibility clothing and keep them in sightline at all times.

Pick one area to see at a time and return another night to see more.

Photography Tips

Take a good camera

Take the best one you have. If you have an SLR, bring it. If the best you have is a point and shoot or your phone, then that will do. One of my old photography teachers once said “the best camera is the one you’ve got” and I’ve always remembered it!

A better camera will however produce better results, so when you’re in a tricky lighting situation such as an event after dark, I find it’s always worth bringing the best camera you’ve got.

Turn off the flash

Please, please, please turn off your flash! A good flash on an SLR camera only has a range of about a metre, so a flash on a phone is even more ineffectual. Use light from the installations to illuminate your subject matter rather than the flash.

Caveat: If your subjects are standing in front of an extremely large light sculpture and you want them facing the camera with the object BEHIND them, then this is the one time when I would suggest using the flash. There is a photography op at Taronga with gorillas that is exactly this circumstance.

Use the sculptures to light faces

Instead of using the flash, position people near the sculptures with the light directing onto them faces. Move yourself into a position where you can see the faces illuminated. Then take the photo.

Take a tripod

Obviously this is a “if you have one” scenario. In any lowlight situation a tripod is your best friend to providing camera stability and resulting in sharper images without needing to over compensate for the low light by adjusting other camera settings as much.

Lean on fences or props

If you don’t have a tripod or, like me, don’t take one because they’re quite hard to manage with a crowd or you’ve got kids in tow, wedge your camera on solid, immovable objects to get sharper shots. I use fences, the backs of chairs, you get the picture.

Bump up the ISO

If you have manual settings on your camera, bump up the ISO A LOT. I bump mine way up to ensure that the photos are in focus. The photos are grainier as a result, but at least they’re in focus.

Give kids an old camera or phone

I gave Cheese my iPhone to shoot with this year and I loved the photos she came up with. Kids have a different perspective to adults so the angles and perspectives she shot were completely different to mine.

Get more info on Vivid Sydney here.

Additional images thanks to Destination NSW.

InterContinental Sydney Double Bay High Tea, Sydney

May 13, 2019 / Eastern Suburbs, High Tea, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

InterContinental Sydney Double Bay High Tea

Indulge in a luxe high tea at the Intercontinental Sydney Double Bay. Choose from the Signature High Tea, Oriental High Tea or Kids’ High Tea.

High tea at the Intercontinental Sydney Double Bay is an elegant affair. Located upstairs in the Stillery, high tea is served daily between 11am and 4pm.

Adults can choose between the Signature High Tea and Oriental High Tea, while children have a special Kids High Tea on offer to them.

We chose the Signature High Tea with the option to add a glass of chilled Champagne.

The High Tea arrives on a very traditional three tiers, with sweets on top, sandwiches on the middle and hot savouries on the bottom.

I love sweets but as I’ve gotten older I’ve found that I enjoy the savoury and scones in larger quantities and my ability to eat sweets has lessened, so this type of high tea with its food ratio is my idea of perfection.

Each high tea is also served with your choice of tea of coffee, served in a pot that gives about 1.5 cups.

Signature High Tea

Something Savoury
Sage lemon chicken, watercress on multigrain*
Wild Mushroom Bruschetta, grilled leek, pecorino
Cold smoked trout, ricotta, black caviar, blini*
Meredith quiche, goat cheese, caramelised onion

* Vegetarian options: avocado and cucumber sandwich and a vegetable wrap.

Intercontinental Double Bay High Tea, Sydney, Australia
Something Sweet
Lemon myrtle cheesecake, wattleseed crumble, meyer lemon curd
Strawberry & basil, white chocolate, macadamia crunch
Lemon lime bitter macaron, Angostura bitters, chocolate fizz
Mascarpone mousse, crab apple jelly, Anzac biscuit
Homemade cranberry & sultana scone served with cream & jam

Intercontinental Double Bay High Tea, Sydney, Australia

Signature High Tea $59
High Tea with a a glass of Perrier-Jouët Champagne $69
High Tea with three mini martinis $79

Children’s High Tea

Intercontinental Double Bay High Tea, Sydney, Australia

Sandwiches
Fairy Bread, Pepe Saya butter, 100’s & 1000’s
Chicken & cheese toastie, multigrain bread, cheddar cheese*

* Vegetarian alternative: avocado and cucumber sandwich

Something Sweet
Chocolate fudge brownie, chantilly, Weiss dark chocolate, walnuts
Watermelon lollypop, compressed watermelon, desiccated coconut
Banana & chocolate cupcake, Nutella, Smarties
Smiley macaron, French salted caramel
Strawberry fondue, milk chocolate, fresh strawberries

Children’s High Tea is $25.

We adored this high tea. The sandwiches were delicious and fresh, the scones warm, the jam absolutely divine. Hubby wanted to take the jam home.

The sweets were excellent. A great variety and unusual flavours. My fave was the lemon myrtle cheesecake with wattleseed crumble and meyer lemon curd. It was slightly tart, fresh and sweet. I could have eaten more!

The kids’ high tea was a very happy addition to the menu. Cheese often finds the food on the regular high team menu to be too fancy, so she likes to have her own high tea where the food caters to simpler taste palates. Her fave was the chocolate fondue with strawberries. She loved it so much we had to ask for more strawberries.

Intercontinental Double Bay High Tea, Sydney, Australia

The service at the InterContinental was just as you would expect. Efficient and friendly, making for an extremely pleasant dining experience. Highly recommend the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay High Tea!

InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
33 Cross Street, Double Bay, Sydney NSW
Bookings recommended (you can book online)
Website