Winter School Holidays

From skiing in the Snowy Mountains to whale watching on the coast, you’ll find plenty of activities to keep the family entertained during the winter school holidays. Visit one of the many zoos and museums, go bushwalking in the national parks or take a family road trip in New South Wales.

Check out the events calendar when planning your escape, as museums and stargazing observatories put on special exhibitions for kids during the school holidays. You'll find plenty of things to do throughout NSW, and accommodation options are available to suit a range of budgets.

Zoos and wildlife parks are great for young explorers. See alligators, snakes and lizards at the Australian Reptile Park on the Central Coast, or elephants and big cats at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo.

Bushwalking in national parks is popular too. Take the family to Echo Point in the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains or Skywalk in Dorrigo National Park, part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests.

Another outdoor adventure for the whole family is whale watching along the spectacular coast of NSW, from Byron Bay on the North Coast to Eden on the South Coast. You can spot humpback whales from headlands or take the family on an exciting whale-watching cruise.

For fun in the snow, take the family to the majestic Snowy Mountains, home to Australia's five highest peaks including Mt Kosciuszko. Enjoy a great range of snow activities, including skiing, snowboarding and snowtubing, and have fun building snowmen and riding scenic chairlifts.

The outstanding alpine resorts - Charlotte Pass, Perisher, Selwyn Snowfields and Thredbo - are all located within the breathtaking beauty of Kosciuszko National Park. You'll find plenty of learn to ski and snowboard classes, and challenging runs and terrain parks for the experienced skier or boarder.