Kiama family holiday planner with a three-day plan for kids

Plan your Kiama family holiday around three easy days

Kiama is small, so you never spend long in the car. The beaches, ocean pools, Blowhole and town playground are all within a few minutes' drive of each other, and the two big days out sit 20 to 25 minutes inland. Here are the numbers that shape the plan.

If you want a list of every activity rather than a plan, see our things to do in Kiama with kids. This page is about putting the days together.

Spend day one on the beaches and rock pools

Keep the first day close to home so everyone settles in. From Kiama Ridge Waters, walk 15 minutes down to Easts Beach. It faces east between two headlands, and the shallow Munna Munnora Creek at the south end is where small children paddle while the older ones swim.

From Easts, follow the Kiama Coast Walk north to the Little Blowhole, about 20 minutes from the apartments, and on to Kendalls Beach. Kiama Council lists a playground, toilets, showers, picnic tables and a barbecue at Kendalls, so it makes a natural lunch stop.

After lunch and a rest, drive about 9 minutes south to the South Werri (Ourie) rock pool at Gerringong. Kiama Council lists a separate concrete wading pool for children beside the main pool, plus change rooms and toilets. Our guide to the Kiama rock pools compares all four.

Make day two about the Blowhole and the Lighthouse

Day two is Blowhole Point, about 5 minutes' drive from the apartments. The Kiama Blowhole is free and open 24 hours, but it only performs when waves push into the sea cave, and Destination Kiama says it works hardest in a south-east wind and swell. Check the swell the night before. If it is coming from the north-east, swap to the Little Blowhole.

Kiama Lighthouse, built in 1887, stands right beside the Blowhole. On a weekend, add the Pilot's Cottage Museum, which Destination Kiama lists as open Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 3pm (check before you go). Then cool off in the Blowhole Point rock pool on the north side of the point, which has a shallow wading area off to the side for young children.

The reserve has barbecues, picnic tables and a playground, so pack lunch or grab fish and chips near the harbour. In the afternoon, drive 4 minutes into town for Hindmarsh Park on Terralong Street, the playground Kiama Council rebuilt in 2024 with climbing towers, an inclusive trampoline, an accessible carousel and a sand and water play area.

Choose Jamberoo Action Park or Minnamurra Rainforest for day three

Day three heads inland. Pick one, as each deserves a full morning.

Jamberoo Action Park suits school-age kids and teens. It only opens on set days: it opens Friday to Sunday through October, 10am to 5pm, and is closed on Monday 7 December 2026 for a private event. The park lists Billabong Beach, a splash area for kids 10 and under, and most big slides need riders over 100 cm or 120 cm, so measure the kids at home. Children 3 and under are free. Read our Jamberoo Action Park guide for prices and tips.

Minnamurra Rainforest suits younger kids and grandparents. The 1.6 km Lyrebird Loop crosses suspension bridges over the river. NSW National Parks lists the gates as open 9am to 5pm, with entry $12 per vehicle. The centre can close at short notice if the car park fills, so arrive at 9am and avoid the 11am to 2pm peak. The rainforest cafe is closed until further notice, so bring lunch. See our Minnamurra Rainforest guide.

Swim at patrolled beaches, and know the dates

Kiama Council's beach patrol timetable for the 2026 to 2027 season lists these dates. Outside them, the beach is unpatrolled.

The timetable doesn't give daily hours, so check BeachSafe on the day for patrol times and conditions. Swim between the red and yellow flags. Outside the Christmas holidays, Surf Beach is the safe default with kids. Kendalls Beach also has an Emergency Relay Beacon that connects you to Surf Life Saving NSW.

Start toddlers in the ocean pools

For children who aren't ready for waves, the ocean pools are calmer, but none has a lifeguard. Two have spaces made for little ones: the wading area at Blowhole Point and the children's pool at South Werri (Ourie).

Kiama Council closes pools for cleaning and posts their status online, so check the public pools and rock pools page on the morning you go. Ocean pools take waves at high tide and in a big swell, so aim for the lower half of the tide and keep toddlers within arm's reach.

Time the trip around NSW school holidays

The NSW Department of Education lists these Eastern division school holidays, which cover Sydney and Kiama:

• Summer: Friday 18 December 2026 to Wednesday 27 January 2027
• Autumn: Monday 12 April to Friday 23 April 2027
• Winter: Monday 5 July to Friday 16 July 2027
• Spring: Monday 27 September to Friday 8 October 2027

Summer is the only time Easts and Kendalls are patrolled, which suits families staying on the south side of town, but it is also the busiest time to book. Winter holidays fall in whale-watching season, but Destination Kiama lists Jamberoo Action Park as open from September to April, so plan a winter inland day around Minnamurra. See Kiama weather by season and Kiama events before you lock in dates.

Pack for sun, wind and wet rock

• Sun gear: hats, rash vests and sunscreen for every outing, including cloudy days.
• Shoes with grip: reef shoes or old sneakers for rock pools and wet rock platforms, and water shoes for Jamberoo.
• A warm layer: the headlands are windy, even in summer.
• Refillable bottles: Destination Kiama points to free water filling stations along the Coast Walk and around town.
• A carrier for toddlers: the Coast Walk has steps at Easts and Kendalls.
• Swim nappies: required at Jamberoo for anyone in nappies.
• Rain jackets: the rainforest walk still works in light rain.

You don't need to pack towels or linen. Each apartment has a washer and dryer for sandy beach gear, so bring a little laundry liquid.

Keep a rainy-day plan ready

Have one wet-weather day up your sleeve. Kiama Leisure Centre, about 5 minutes' drive (3.5 km) away, has a heated 25 m indoor pool and a heated toddler pool, and Destination Kiama says its giant inflatable runs all year. Kiama Library runs art workshops and kids' activities, and Destination Kiama sells a Kiama Passport for Kids at the Visitor Information Centre.

A big swell on a stormy day also makes the Blowhole put on a show from behind the railings. Our rainy day things to do in Kiama has more, and the apartments have ducted heating, Wi-Fi and a TV with streaming apps for a movie afternoon.

Eat out with kids, or cook in

With kids, lunch out and dinner in usually works:

• Sails Bistro, Kiama Leagues Club: on Terralong Street, the club lists two designated kids play areas.
• The Courtyard at The Co-Op, Gerringong: Destination Kiama lists a children's play area, open Friday to Sunday, walk-ins welcome. Pair it with the Ourie pool on day one.
• Fish and chips by the water: take them to the grass at Kiama Harbour or Blowhole Point. See Kiama fish and chips.
• Picnic and barbecue: Kendalls Beach and Blowhole Point both have barbecues and picnic tables.

Opening days change, and many Kiama venues close on Monday or Tuesday, so check before you go. For more, see where to eat in Kiama.

Book a three-bedroom apartment that fits the family

A family holiday runs better when the kids have their own rooms. At Kiama Ridge Waters, early bedtimes happen behind a closed door, and with two bathrooms there is no long queue for the shower after the beach. Every apartment has three bedrooms: a king, a queen and two singles, or a king, a queen and a double in 3-Bed with Alfresco Dining. You also get a full kitchen with oven and gas cooktop, a dining table for six, a laundry with washer and dryer, and secure garage parking for two cars.

Check-in is from 3pm and check-out by 10am. If grandparents or another family are coming too, book apartments together on the same site at 2 Surfleet Place. See family accommodation in Kiama, compare the three-bedroom apartments, or check availability for your dates.