Sydney Zoo, Sydney

Sydney Zoo makes a great day out if you are looking for a day out in Sydney with Kids to see some wildlife!

Sydney Zoo

We are spoilt for choice when it comes to fabulous zoos to visit in Sydney.

The famous Taronga Zoo is a highlight, sitting right of the foreshores of the harbour and offering up some spectacular views. Sydney Wildlife Zoo is another great day out too.

Sydney Zoo only came about a couple of years ago, but since opening it has attracted visitors from far and wide – and for good reason!

Just off the M2 motorway, it’s nice and easy to get to no matter where you’re coming from in Sydney.

And our favourite part about this zoo – it’s so easy to get around with kids. It’s nice and flat and easy for little legs to navigate.

You can spend just a half-day wandering around at a leisurely pace, while still soaking up everything on offer.

What to see at Sydney Zoo

The zoo is almost split into two, and as soon as you enter, you’ll find yourself walking down the middle alongside the primates. We did this and then came back up one side, then made our way back down the other to complete the circuit.

Primates

There’s something about the cheeky monkeys that kids just adore! It’s the perfect place to start in the zoo and we hung around, learning about the biggest rodent, the Capybara, and watching the monkeys swing around from tree to tree.

The enclosures are nice and big, but better yet, they have plenty of viewing space.

You didn’t have to worry about waiting for others to move on just so you could see better. There was plenty of space to get up close and see these entertaining primates.

South East Asia

Did you know that you can tell an African and Asian elephant apart by the shape of their ears? The kids learnt that fun fact on one of the many signs around the zoo and enlightened us all with that.

The tiger and the elephants were a standout in this section, and our kids loved reading all the facts she could at each enclosure.

Reptile House

The Reptile House felt like a never-ending game of Hide-and-Seek. All indoors, it stretched and wound around for ages with so many insects and reptiles to discover at each turn.

Our 3 kids aged 7, 5, and 3 turned it into a game of who could spot the creature first, which proved quite difficult in some enclosures with camouflaged snakes, stick insects and more.

Above each one was a TV screen with more information, which was great for keeping the kids informed about what they were looking at.

They’re full of fun facts to keep it nice and interesting. After all, who doesn’t love discovering the most poisonous snake in Australia!

Australia

If you’re hoping to get up and close to the animals, then you’re in luck in this section.

The kangaroos and emu roam freely around you, generally sticking to the grassed space (which you can’t walk on).

It’s great for the kids to see them up close like this, and you can even check out the koalas snug in their trees just above you.

Aquarium

I do always love an aquarium, but this one is in a league of its own. You won’t find an array of colourful and pretty fish here. Instead, there’s barramundi, cod, bull sharks and more. They certainly keep things interesting!

We happened to be walking around at the time someone was cleaning out the penguin enclosure (as they all huddled at the edge), which the kids loved watching.

Africa

This boardwalk has to be the best feature of the park. You walk up onto the boardwalk and have animals either side of you. Lions, zebras, camels, rhino and more.

We spent a while on this walk and even stopped to have a snack on one of the seats, as it was such a great viewing point and no-one wanted to leave.

Ferris Wheel

It’s hard to miss, but there in the middle of the zoo is a Ferris Wheel! It’s such a great way to enjoy a bird’s eye view of all the animals and enclosures. It does, however, cost extra and tickets.

Tips for your Visit to Sydney Zoo

Purchase online tickets
Not only will this save you the hassle of queuing up on the day, but the tickets are actually cheaper when you buy them online!
Check out talks
As soon as you walk into the zoo, you can scan a QR code and see all the talks taking place that day. It can help to plan your trip around the zoo around any of the talks you want to listen to. We managed to do one loop and make it back for the primate talk, which the kids just loved listening to.
Arrive Early
It’s the easiest way to beat the crowds! We walked in at 9am on the dot and there was no-on there. We were the first ones on the Ferris Wheel, with no lines in sight. We also headed across the boardwalk straight after and there weren’t many people around.
Pack hats, sunscreen and water bottles
There isn’t much shade around the zoo and it gets very, very hot. Come prepared with hats, sunscreen and water bottles to get through the day.
Bring snacks and lunch
There’s a couple of cafes scattered around where you can pick up food (including some very tempting waffles!) or you can just bring your own food to save money.