The Best Family-friendly Things To Do In Watsons Bay

Don’t Miss Family-Friendly And Gorgeous Watsons Bay On Your Next Visit To Sydney

Who doesn’t want to spend a day of vacation letting the kids play in the sand or climb on an awesome playground while you enjoy the breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour?

Throw in two gorgeous and accessible coastal walks, a delicious fish n’ chips picnic, cap it off with a night time ferry ride to admire the lights of Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, and you have a pretty perfect day right?

Heads Up: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you. We don’t do sponsored posts, free trips, or accept items for reviews. We only link to things we like and use personally. Read more about our philosophy.

Where Is Watsons Bay In Sydney?

Located in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Watsons Bay is a spectacularly situated place at the end of the South Head peninsula.

South Head is one of the 3 headlands marking the entrance to Sydney Harbour, meaning the town has gorgeous views of Sydney and the Pacific Ocean. (The other 2 headlands are North Head and Middle Head–creative naming, huh?)

Why Should I Go To Watsons Bay?

Because Watsons Bay has stunning views, a big park with a playground, great restaurants, stunning views, beaches, coastal walks, stunning views….

Not only does Watsons Bay have the views from South Head itself, but the peninsula narrows to a mere 250 meters separating the Pacific Ocean and Sydney Harbour. You can can take amazing panoramics of the harbour, the ocean, South Head, and the cliffs, all by just spinning around in place. It is a photographer’s dream.

But families will love Watsons Bay for more than its scenic beauty. It also has a lovely park and playground, beaches with calm water thanks to its location on the harbour, kid friendly restaurants, and easy access from central Sydney through the ferries.

We like to hang out in the park, letting the kids play while the adults soak up the views. We get fish n’ chips from the famous Doyles on the Wharf and have a picnic. If you can stay late, watching the sunset over the Sydney skyline and the harbour is mesmerizing. It also makes a fantastic backdrop for the family Christmas card.

* Trivia Alert- If you are wondering why Australia seems to be missing all of its apostrophes on its place names, it is because the Geographical Names board starting removing them in the 1960s, arguing that these places don’t belong to their namesakes. As in Watson doesn’t actually own Watsons Bay. It drives the grammar gremlins crazy. Read Who Took The Apostrophe Out Of Badgerys Creek to see what I mean.

Things To Do In Watsons Bay With Kids

1. Play in Robertson Park

Watsons Bay has one of my favorite parks in all of Sydney, the excellent Robertson Park. Basically a giant green space on a slight slope extending almost all the way across the isthmus separating the Pacific and Sydney Harbour, Robertson Park has views for miles from every part.

Bring a football (or soccer ball if you are American), frisbee, or just let the kids attempt to climb the huge trees. Spread a blanket on the grass (if you can snag one from your lodgings) or sit at one of the picnic tables and enjoy the scenery and people watching.

The playground is large and shaded, and the public bathrooms are right behind it. My kind of setup.

The playground has a toddler section and is enclosed by a fence, so helpful for those with escape artists masquerading as children.

The other section of the playground is probably best for elementary school kids and unfortunately, there isn’t much for the middle school crowd.

2. Go for a Swim At One Of The Beaches

Because the beaches at Watsons Bay are situated on the harbour side of the peninsula, the water is relatively calm compared to the ocean beaches of Bondi or Coogee. They are perfect for families with smaller kids who want to splash about without getting knocked over by waves.

Check out the strip of sand next to the ferry wharf, in front of the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel. Or you can walk down to nearby Camp Cove for a larger, sandier beach. Camp Cove has a seasonally open kiosk for snacks and drinks and you’ll find a small public bathroom up the steps at one end of Camp Cove inlet where the South Head Heritage Loop starts.

If you have bigger kids who love to jump off platforms, head to the Watsons Bay Baths. These are Olympic- sized enclosed swimming areas (with shark netting), surrounded by floating pontoons. Water polo games are held here and it is a great place to sit for awhile and hang your feet in the water. Bathrooms can be found across the street next to the Watsons Bay Tea Rooms/ Watsons Bay Library (they share the same building).

3. Explore The Gap And A Coastal Walk To Maquarie Lighthouse

The Gap is the narrowest point of the peninsula, where the cliffs drop in height to look like a pseudo entrance to Sydney Harbour if you are approaching from the ocean. Many boats have mistaken The Gap for the actual entrance to Sydney Harbour, much to their detriment.

Maquarie Lighhouse is about a mile walk away from The Gap on a spectacular coastal path with views of the harbour and ocean. It isn’t particularly hard but there are sets of stairs so it is not stroller friendly or doable for people with mobility issues.

From the ferry wharf, simply walk to the top of Robertson Park, cross Military Road, climb a few stairs, and you will arrive at The Gap. Admire the view and be prepared to take a lot of photos.

You can turn left and head north up the stairs to get to an overlook where you can see South Head, the entrance to Sydney Harbour, and all the way to North Head by Manly Beach.

There is a military installation just beyond the overlook that prevents further progress, so to walk to the tip of South Head, you have to backtrack to Robertson Park and then walk along the harbour side of the peninsula. (More on that walk below.)

Or, you can turn right from The Gap and head up the coastal path heading south. This is Gap Park, a nature reserve packed with outstanding views of the Pacific Ocean, Sydney Harbour, and Watsons Bay below.

Look for the large anchor at one of the overlooks just south of The Gap. It commemorates the Wreck of the Dunbar, a frigate that wrecked here in 1857 when the captain mistook The Gap for the entrance to Sydney Harbour. 121 souls were lost but one crew member survived clinging to the cliffs until he was discovered 2 days later and rescued.

Coastal Walk to Macquarie Lighthouse

A 1.7 km (1 mile) walk from The Gap, this is a bit of an uphill (and up stairs) climb but doable for most families sans strollers. Its short length and majestic views more than make up for the little bit of huffing and puffing it may require.

Most of the walk goes through Gap Park, a natural area, and follows the oceanside cliffs. Eventually it will join up with Old South Head Road as a sidewalk for a short bit before splitting off again to enter the park around Maquarie Lighthouse.

Macquarie Lighthouse is Australia’s oldest and is still used today. Designed by a convict, Francis Greenway, (he was an architect but was sentenced to deportation for check fraud), it came out so well that he earned a pardon and went on to design a number of buildings in Sydney.

4. Walk The South Head Heritage Loop

If you want to stroll out to the very tip of the peninsula, then take the South Head Heritage Loop for an easy, fairly flat (but still has a few stairs) stroll.

*The 3 penisulas marking the entrance to Sydney Harbour are (creatively) called: South Head, North Head, and Middle Head.

The Heritage Loop is 0.6 miles (1 km) long around South Head and you have to walk about 650m each way from Watsons Bay Ferry Wharf to get to the Loop, making a roughly 1.4 mile (2.3 km) trip total.

From the ferry wharf, walk down Marine Parade along the beach in front of the Beach Club restaurant, then cut right over to Cliff Street. That will end at Camp Cove where you will see a sign and stairs at the edge of the beach for the Heritage Trail.

From there just follow the path to South Head where you will find another lighthouse marking the entrance to Sydney Harbour and fantastic views across to North Head.

* Pro Tip– Lady Bay is a small beach along the Heritage Trail and it is a nudist beach. Most of the beach is below the path and obscured by trees but it is something to be aware of if you are visiting on a busy summer weekend and have an observant kid.

Places To Eat In Watsons Bay

Doyles on the Wharf

Robertson Park is a popular spot for picnics given the views and have no fear if you didn’t bring food with you, Doyles on the Wharf is right there.

This takeaway fish n’ chippie is a Sydney legend, so much so that the guy next to me on the plane said Doyles was the one thing he always visited when he came home. Not sure what that says about his family but it is pretty tasty fish for a decent price.

Order at the take-out window of Doyles, then grab a place on the lawn or at one of the picnic tables in the park. You can also sit on their small deck, behind the takeout window. Be aware that the take-out window is cash only and it closes at 5pm! Alcoholic drinks are sold but for onsite diners only. There is an ATM in the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel if you need cash.

*Pro Tip– If you want a bottle of wine to sip on your picnic, I recommend buying something before you arrive in Watsons Bay. There is a bottle shop at the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel next to Robertson Park, but it is not large and can be expensive.

Restaurants Along The Beach

Besides Doyles On The Wharf, there is also Doyles On The Beach – a nicer, more expensive, table service version of the takeaway shop. It gets lower reviews though, maybe because fish and chips was always meant to be a cheap, informal sort of meal.

The Beach Club at Watsons Bay has a more extensive menu than Doyles but the same gorgeous scenery. A good option if you want more than seafood and it has a kids menu. Order at the window and find a seat with a view while you wait for your food. It can pretty busy and is definitely more of a bar crowd as the night wears on. Part of the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel.

Restaurants At the Top of Robertson Park, Along Military Road

You’ll find a couple of cafe/ coffee shops on this stretch as the Milk Bar, a combo general store/ coffee place/ cafe . This is a great place if you want snacks for a picnic.

Getting To And From Watsons Bay

Getting There

The ferry is the easiest way by far. The F4- Cross Harbour does a loop through the harbour, with stops in Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and North Sydney every 15 minutes throughout the day. The ride from Circular Quay takes about 25 minutes and costs AUD $6 adults and AUD $3 youth on your Opal Card.

There is also a private ferry, Captain Cook Cruises. It costs a little more but the boats are a little faster, nice if you are prone to sea sickness. $7.50 adult,$5 kid, can use your Opal card, 20 min ride. They have boats leaving every 15- 20 min all day from roughly 7am-7pm during the week and 10am- 520pm on Sat/Sun. (They have later boats running to Barangaroo Wharf, see the timetable for details.)

Other options besides the ferry include rideshares (Uber/ Lyft), taxis, or public buses. Another option would be to walk there from Bondi Beach. It is a magnificent coastal walk for much of it (some of it goes through a neighborhood).

Getting Back

Definitely take the ferry if you can. Seeing Sydney Harbour by night is a treat as the ferry goes right by the Opera House if you take it back to Circular Quay (the main ferry terminal in the center of the city).

The last public ferry (the F4- Cross Harbour) leaves Watsons Bay at 419 pm on weekdays. On Saturday, the last ferry leaves Watsons Bay at 1119 pm and on Sundays/ holidays, the last boat is at 919 pm. See the timetable for exact times.

If you are leaving later than 419 pm on a weekday, then you’ll have to pay a little extra for the private ferry, Captain Cook Cruises. Their last boat leaves Watsons Bay at 655pm.

* Pro Tip- Always double check sailing times online or at the wharf when you get to Watsons Bay. Timetables change because of weather, maintenance, or seasonally.

After 655pm on weekdays, you have to take bus 324 down to nearby Rose Bay to catch the F4- Cross Harbour. The ferry runs until 929 pm on weekdays (1129 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, 929 on Sundays) from Rose Bay back to Circular Quay.

You could Uber down to Rose Bay to meet the ferry as well, it isn’t far.

Or if you are really into walking, you can walk the 8km to Rose Bay from Watsons Bay. Part of the walk is on sidewalks but part is along the extremely pretty Hermitage Foreshore Scenic Walk. Plan on 3-4 hours to do this and go way before sunset. You will find restaurants and snacks in the commercial district of Rose Bay along New South Head Road so you can find something for dinner there. Read the description of the Harbour Walk on the Woollahra Municipal Council’s website.

Where To Stay

In Watsons Bay

Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel If you think everything you have read about Watsons Bay so far sounds fantastic, then go ahead and plan on making this your home base while you are in Sydney. The hotel has loft rooms with one double bed and 2 singles in the loft. Refrigerator and kettle included but no kitchenettes. Free parking. There can be noise, especially on weekends, from the incredibly popular bar downstairs so be sure to ask for a quiet room when you book if you are a light sleeper.

In Sydney

Stay as near to Circular Quay and Sydney’s CBD (Central Business District) as you can afford. It will make getting to the majority of the major tourist sites much easier as you can walk or take the ferries (a fantastic and cheap way to see the city).

Try to get a place with a view of the Opera House and/or Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is worth the extra money to be able to relax after a busy day of sight-seeing and enjoy both of those architectural icons lit up at night. Preferably with a glass of tasty Australian wine in hand.

If nothing is available in the city centre, then try for one of the beach suburbs like Coogee, Bondi, or even farther out like Watsons Bay or Manly. There is good bus and ferry service to these larger suburbs, plus restaurants, coastal walks, and, of course, the beaches. Other options include North Sydney as it is a quick train stop from Central Sydney.

Hotels

Best Western Stellar A nice hotel in an excellent location by Hyde Park. Has rooms with 2 queens plus kitchenette for one of the best prices you’ll find in the CBD.

Hyde Park Inn has hotel rooms and mini- apartments, all with kitchenettes, in an excellent location near the Museum train station. Splurge for the deluxe family room with 1 double and 2 singles plus a balcony overlooking the park. Simple continental breakfast delivered to the room each morning and free parking.

Veriu Broadway has a Family Tribe Suite with a double bed, bunk bed, and sofa bed plus a full kitchen, sitting area, and washer/ dryer. Located in Ultimo, about a 15 min walk from Central Station or the light rail lines near Paddy’s Market.