Are you planning a weekend away to Bowral and Berrima with kids? You have come to the right place! In this article you will find ideas for family-friendly activities and family accommodation too. Grab a cup of tea and let’s go!
10 Fun Things To Do in Bowral and Berrima With Kids
By Fiona Kirsch
We have been to the Southern Highlands quite a few times. It is such a pretty place and there is plenty to explore.
This time we decided to hit the road and take our young boys on an overnight road trip to Berrima and Bowral. Kids can have such fun in these Southern Highlands villages and adults can too.
Bowral and Berrima Map
Bowral is approx 1.5 hours from Sydney so is very accessible for a last-minute weekend away. The trip from Bowral to Berrima is only approximately 10 minutes by car.
Here are our top picks of Berrima and Bowral things to do with the family.
Things To Do in Bowral With Kids
Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame
This is one of the top Bowral for kids picks! When we arrived into Bowral we headed to Glebe Park which is right next to the Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame. The park has a fully fenced cricket inspired playground.
There is also a large Mary Poppins statue for fans, which states that the author P.L Travers lived in Bowral for a period of time. Mary Poppins is one of my favourite childhood movies so I loved finding out about this connection.
Once you leave the playground head towards the cricket oval and walk left towards the museum. There is a beautiful little garden near the Donald Bradman statue and toilets if you need a stop.
The museum was very busy on the day we visited. Some of our party spent time at the museum and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Since the kiddies in tow were just interested in running, I grabbed a coffee from the museum’s cafe and headed back to the playground.
If you have cricket enthusiasts they should definitely visit the museum, otherwise there is the beautiful park and playground to enjoy.
Address: St Jude St, Bowral NSW 2576, Australia
Phone: +61 2 4862 1247
Bradman Museum website is here
Corbett Gardens
Corbett Gardens was next on the Bowral with kids list and to say it is beautiful is an understatement. The tulips were in full bloom when we visited and it is a true feast for the eyes. Walking through the gardens is tranquil.
The kids loved following the paths and exploring. A Tulip Festival runs for two weeks in mid to late September and incurs an entry fee, but the gardens are always open and are free of charge outside of the festival.
Address: Wingecarribee St, Bowral NSW 2576, Australia
Read more about Corbett Gardens here
Lunch at Briars Lodge
After the beautiful park we set off for lunch at Briars Lodge. I have been told many times this is a great place to visit and it didn’t disappoint.
The pub is a beautiful historic building that started out as a coaching inn. It now has a gorgeous restaurant and bar area, and also has accommodation available. There are lots of delicious options on the menu, including lunch specials.
The kids are taken care of with a specialised kids menu, and Briars has a small fenced playground with swings to keep the young ones entertained. The lovely waitress also brought out paper and textas for the kids.
We chose to sit outside on the terrace as it was a lovely sunny day and close to the playground.
All of our meals were fresh and delicious. Ranging from beer battered fish and chips, to a crunchy noodle salad, to bangers and mash, everyone was satisfied.
After lunch we explored the grounds and even had a round of totem tennis on the front lawn of the lodge. This is definitely a place I’d love to visit again.
Briars Lodge
Address: 653 Moss Vale Rd, Bowral
Phone: +61 2 4868 3566
A Stay At Gibraltar Hotel
For our overnight stay in Bowral we looked at www.booking.com , and chose the Gibraltar Hotel Bowral.
Address: Boronia Street (off Centennial Road) Bowral NSW 2576
Phone: (02) 4862 8600
Check prices and availability here
The hotel is set overlooking a beautiful golf course and is very welcoming to families.
Features like the heated indoor swimming pool, kids golf clubs available for hire and kids meals available in the hotel restaurant please the little ones.
The adults can indulge in the day spa and delicious restaurant/bar too.
Bush Walks Around Bowral
A big bonus of staying at the Gibralter is the proximity to a fantastic walking trail leading to the 90 Acre Hill Lookout.
Our family enjoys a bush walk and this one didn’t disappoint. Pick up a map from the hotel reception and start the walk up beside the hotel golf course.
There are different trails to take depending on the length of walk you like, but for us we walked the two hours return to get to the lookout and it is a truly beautiful walk.
We saw so many beautiful bush flowers, along with an echidna and too many wombat burrows to count. If only we had seen a wombat!
There are also other walking trails and lookouts to visit in the area. The Mt Gibraltar Reserve also has several trails and lookouts to explore.
We visited the Bowral and Mittagong lookouts which didn’t disappoint, with beautiful views of the valley below.
Things To Do in Berrima With Kids
Berrima’s Lolly Swagman
After our visit to Bowral our next stop was to Berrima, an historic town approximately 10 minutes drive from Bowral.
The Lolly Swagman was first stop on the list, with the kids loving every minute in that store. Lots of traditional and modern treats for many ages to be enjoyed.
Address: Old Hume Highway, Berrima NSW 2577
Phone: +61 2 4877 1137
Berrima’s Courthouse
Berrima also has the historic courthouse open daily from 10-4pm. We started the tour with an interesting short movie about the history of the area and the courthouse.
It is then a self guided tour through the various rooms and cells, finishing up in the courtroom with a reenactment video of an olden day court case. The kids really enjoyed the courthouse, it was both educational and fun.
Address: Corner Argyle and Wilshire Street, Berrima
Phone: +61 2 4877 1505
Berrima Coutrhouse website has more info
Berrima Marketplace Park Playground
Walking further down the main street brings you to the Berrima Marketplace park. The playground has a flying fox, various swings, and a castle inspired play gym. This playgrounds counts as one of the top Berrima attactions for little kids!
The park was a firm favourite with the kids. There are toilets in the park and a few cafes across the road from the park.
Berrima River Walk
Another great thing to do in Berrima is the Berrima River Walk. There are signs and photos to outline the history of the German Internment Camps that were situated along the river. (The movie at the courthouse goes into greater detail.)
It is very tranquil at the river and very beautiful. There are also toilets and a playground in the carpark where the walk starts.
The entire walk is approx one hour return with a map at the start to outline the trail.
Accommodation Deals in Bowral and Berrima
Check out current deals and specials for Bowral here:
Booking.comFind more Southern Highlands deals and specials for here:
Booking.comFurther Reading
Read the Southern Highlands tourism website here
Berrima Village website has more to read, find it here
A Weekend Away in Berry With Kids.
We enjoyed our visit to Bowral and Berrima so much, we are already planning our next adventure to explore more of the wonderful things to do in the Southern Highlands.
Where will we visit next?
Where do you recommend?
We hope that you are inspired to visit Bowral and Berrima with kids too!
PPS Find other terrific ideas for weekends away from Sydney or week long family holidays on these posts:
