Sculpture By The Sea runs from Friday 21 October 2022 to Monday 07 November 2022. This is the largest free and public outdoor sculpture exhibition in the world, with over 100 sculptures along the 2km walk between the south end of Bondi and Tamarama beach.
Sounds great, yes?! Well, it is, but it can also be bloody hard to manage with children, mainly because of the massive crowds and because it can be hard to get to, and almost impossible to find a parking space if you choose to drive.
More than 450,000 visitors are expected to descend upon Bondi and Tamarama over the days of the exhibition!! The combination of crowds, open water and cliffs is enough to turn any parent’s hair white.
So how to have a fun trip to Sculpture By The Sea with the family in tow?
The photos that I have popped up here are just a tiny fraction of what you will see along the 2km walk and up in Marks Park. Personally, I do not feel I can take it in on a signle visit. You can easily go two or three times to Sculptures By The Sea.
Sculpture By The Sea Family Tips
Think about leaving the littlest kids at home. Sculpture By The Sea is fun and there are plenty of wonderful things for kids to see. Older children who love to take photos will get a huge amount of enjoyment from it. But will your toddler really appreciate the finer points of each sculpture’s intent? Could you possibly leave tiny ones at home? Do swaps with a friend?
Pack up brekkie the night before and leave super early. If the kids get up at 6am go then. The big crowds start around 8am – 9am but it isn’t too bad before then.
Remember there are sets of stairs: a baby carrier is much better than a stroller!
Start at Tamarama rather than Bondi: this might help beat some of the crowds.
Go midweek rather than at weekends, the crowds really are smaller. But still go early or go late!
There’s no shade as you walk. Hats and water and sunscreen are a must… even when going early or late, do take them all.
Pamela Nordman says:
I’ve gone the last few years in the hour before sunset to avoid crowds and have a chance at parking. But with babies or toddlers, I parked twice as they can’t walk the whole way.
Julie Jones says:
Go early in the season before the social media hype. Be prepared to circle for parking or pay for parking at Bondi Beach. The club at Icebergs, the pub-style area, is great for a meal before or after.
Getting To Sculpture By The Sea
There are council car parks at Bondi by the beach and some free street parking around Bondi and Tamarama too. But Sculpture By The Sea does encourage people to take public transport if they can.
Check out the Sculpture By The Sea website for advice on how to get there, this is a must.
Access & Inclusion
There are special access and inclusion tours available. Plus the website has informatiomn about physical access. Do get to know the website well and plan ahead. The route has a lot of steps and is busy and twisty. Ask advice to make sure that the needs of all members of the family are catered to.
Sculpture By The Sea Map
Sculptures By The Sea is an excellent event to visit with your teenagers, find more great fun for teenagers in Sydney here.
Check out more things to do in Bondi with kids here.
And check out Eastern Suburbs kid-friendly cafes here.
Photos of sculptures from previous years
