Little City Trips

What to pack for Sydney

Based on our insider knowledge, we’re here to help you prepare what to pack for Sydney.

Sydney has distinct seasons. In summer you will definitely want your sunglasses and sunhat, while in winter you should be prepared that it can be cold enough to need a jacket.

Click here to read more about the best time to visit Sydney.

Sydney Australia Packing List

Some of our favourite travel essentials for your Sydney packing list are highlighted below. We have included links to Amazon to make your pre-travel shopping super easy and have all your travel essentials delivered to your door.

You can download a full printable packing list at the bottom of the page, with checkboxes to tick items off as you put them in your suitcase.

Travel accessories for Sydney

Baby Carrier

If you are visiting Sydney there will be times when a baby carrier will come in useful. With mostly warm weather in Australia, we suggest something lightweight and with breathable fabric.

If you plan on spending time at the beach, you may also want to pack a waterproof wrap for young children, the perfect way to keep infants safe with you in the water.

Stroller

There is plenty of walking to be done around the city. Look for a lightweight stroller that is easy to fold, and also look for things like good storage and the ability to recline for naps.

Portable booster seat

You will more than likely use taxis to get around in Sydney. (You can see more on how best to get around Sydney here). A portable booster seat is a great investment to keep your little ones safe and is high on our list of things to bring to Sydney if you are travelling with younger kids.

Note Australia has quite strict car seat safety laws for children.  If you are privately hiring a car, you will need to bring with you or hire from your car rental company a high back booster for all children between 4 and 7 years old. Under 4’s must be in a full forward-facing car seat; a booster is not allowed.


Daypack

Having a daypack is always a good idea for city trips with kids, so that you can carry all the wet wipes, snacks, tissues, sun cream etc and still keep your hands free to keep hold of the kids. Look for a lightweight backpack that can be easily packed in your suitcase when not needed.

Collapsible water bottle

Do your bit to save the environment and bring your own refillable water bottles with you instead of relying on buying plastic bottles of water every day. We love a collapsible water bottle that can easily be packed in the suitcase when not needed.

Travel gadgets

Multiple charger

When you are traveling as a family, it is inevitable that you will end up with multiple accessories needing charged: phones, tablets, cameras, kindles etc. Don’t ruin the holiday by fighting over the charger; opt for a multiple charging station instead.

Travel adaptor

The standard electrical voltage in Sydney is 230V all electrical sockets take the Australian Type I 3 Pin plug.  If you are traveling from a country with different style plugs, make sure you bring a travel adapter.


Portable Charger Power Bank

Have you ever been caught out sightseeing with a low-battery phone and not been able to take photos? Or found your child’s iPad has run out of battery half way through a long haul flight? Don’t let it happen again! Go prepared with a portable charger power bank, a great tool to have in your travel arsenal.

Waterproof/shockproof camera

Of course you have to record all your happy holiday memories, and having an easy-to-use waterproof and shockproof camera means everybody in the family can share in the photo taking, without having to worry about the camera getting damaged.

Toiletries

Bug Spray

Although not a constant nuisances, bugs in Sydney certainly like the same outdoors weather that we do, so you will find mosquitoes are prevalent, especially in the evenings and if you are near water.

Hand Sanitizer

It’s always good to have some hand sanitizer in your bag when you are travelling, for times when you can’t wash your hands before having a snack, or have been traveling on public transport.


Sun Cream

You should always include suncream on your Sydney packing list. Even in the winter, you can experience sunny days when the sun can be stronger than you realize.  The UV rays in Australia really can catch tourists unaware so best to lather the kids up before heading outdoors, no matter the time of year.

Books and Games

Sydney Travel Guide Book

No matter how much research you do online before you travel, it can still be handy to have a travel guidebook in your bag.


Kids travel activity books

It’s always handy to have a few activity books in your bag for your kids, for airports, flights, or when they just need some downtime after a hard day of sightseeing.

Travel Games

The family that plays together stays together! Pack a few fun travel games for fun family evenings, rainy days or airport layovers.

Clothes for Sydney in summer

We recommend including the following for your Sydney outfit:

  • Cotton t-shirts
  • Shorts or skirts
  • Cotton trousers
  • Sandals
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Nicer clothes/shoes for more upmarket restaurants
  • Sunhat
  • Sunglasses


Clothes for Sydney in winter

Dressing for Sydney in the winter is fairly similar to summer, though temperatures are cooler you will definitely want to rug up with at least one more layer of clothing and rain can be expected.

We recommend including the following for your Sydney winter outfit:

  • Jeans
  • Sweater or hoodie
  • Lightweight jacket
  • Sunglasses
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Nicer clothes/shoes for more upmarket restaurants


Travel accessories for the plane

Multiple Passport holder

A multiple passport is invaluable for keeping all the family’s passports together in one place. Look for one that makes it easy to remove the passports, and that has space to store luggage tags, frequent flier cards etc.

Travel Pillow (neck support)

We all know how uncomfortable it is trying to sleep on the plane. While we can’t promise you a good sleep, we can recommend using a travel neck pillow to help ease your aches and pains once you get to your destination.


Travel Pillow (leg support)

Travel leg rest pillows have been a bit of a game changer for long haul flights with small kids. These inflatable pillows allow you to fill the leg gap between the seats, allowing small children to stretch out or even lie down flat. Note that some airlines have banned the use of these travel leg rest pillows. Check with your airline before you go to the airport.

Headphones

We highly recommend headphones for everyone in the family. Noise cancelling headphones for mums and dads are great for cutting out the ambient sound of the plane, while kid-sized headphones with volume limits will ensure kids can watch their iPads without disturbing others, and without damaging their eardrums.

Packing Accessories

Suitcase

If you’re looking for a new suitcase for your Sydney trip, we love the foldable luggage from Biaggi – these can be folded down into a small pouch for easy storage and saves you from having to step over your suitcases in your hotel room. We love the easy-glide spinner wheels on them too.

Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are so useful when you are traveling with kids. There is nothing worse than spending every morning rummaging through your suitcase looking for a matching outfit. Packing cubes allow you to segregate clothes into their own cubes, making it easy to find what you need. Look for cubes with a peekaboo window so you can easily see what is inside.


Electronics Organiser

How many times have you found yourself rummaging around in your suitcase looking for a phone charger? An electronics organizer can save you plenty of time and frustration by keeping all your chargers, cables, memory cards, headphones and adapters in one handy pack.

Ziploc Bags

Ziploc bags are a parent’s secret weapon when travelling. You can use them to store snacks, dirty clothes, nappy changing kits, puzzle pieces, small toys, crayons and leaky shampoo bottles. Be sure to add a few to your case!

Take me to the full Sydney City Guide.

FREE DOWNLOAD!

Be super organized for your next city trip. Download our fully comprehensive printable packing list, with checkboxes to ensure you don’t forget anything.

Click here to download the packing list

Travelling to Sydney? City travel experts Little City Trips talk you through all the most important items you need to pack for Sydney. Print off our Sydney packing list for your next city trip.

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