This is the perfect park for kids and big kids alike! The newly built playground is fantastic and…read morealways full of Energetic kidlets! Spend an afternoon with family and have a BBQ - the park has 2 electric BBQs with shelter and tables.. Bring down some bread and feed the beautiful ducks, swans and if your lucky try and spot my mate "Eel" - he's massive and loves eating bread!!

Awesome park for kids and families. There's always a lot to do. There is plenty of parking near by…read more My sister bought her kids here several times to feed the birds. The BBQ shelters are a great addition.

Been walking around this lake for many years and came back recently after almost a decade of being…read moreaway. The walk has been improved with walkways and paved paths. There is a fair bit of it on muddy paths along the route and it's an 8k walk pretty much flat all the way around. Cyclists are a bit of a nuisance here as many of them don't ring their bell and zoom by announcing absolute last minute "coming through". You have a bell use it 50m behind and warn walkers, it's a small path split in two and, not the autobahn :-) It's a pet friendly walk and our gorgeous dog loved it. I am sure he will love a dip when it's hot outside. It's one of my favourite areas to walk around in and always interesting flora and fauna around here.

Little Bay Beach is a gorgeous little spot, still not very well known. It's the last sand beach…read morebefore Botany Bay. Because it's a sheltered cove, there isn't any surf, but the place is great for paddling and snorkeling. Don't be put off by its proximity to Long Bay Gaol, or by its proximity to Malabar sewage treatment -- they've got that stuff all sorted out now, right? Little Bay Beach has wonderful sandstone outcrops, perfect for having a picnic with friends, and a nice mix of sun and shade. The abundance of little outcrops and cave-like spaces means you often find canoodling couples in various states of undress, spread out on towels and picnic blankets, with grapes, hummus and watermelon strewn about ... it gives the whole place a relaxed, bacchanalian sort of feel. There was an old hospital in Little Bay (long since closed down), which used to make the entrance to the beach quite creepy. In recent times they've built a housing subdivision at the old Prince Henry Hospital site, so the place isn't quite so spooky or derelict, but the development isn't too close to the foreshore, so you can't see buildings when you're sitting at the beach. It was quite a creepy hospital: used during the Bubonic plague in 1900. There are still a few heritage hospital buildings around, otherwise the rest of the structures are very new. There is a golf course nearby, but the risks of getting hit on the head by a golf ball are probably lower than your average Sydney bluebottle sting risks, so I reckon it's worth it. Little Bay achieved art-world fame back in 1969, when Christo wrapped it up in fabric. The whole bay. There are some great photos of it here: http://kaldorartprojects.org.au/project-archive/christo-and-jeanne-claude-1969 Little Bay's remoteness means that you can still find a park, if you drive there. But it is also accessible by bus. Just go down Anzac Parade, almost forever... The best bit? Feels like a holiday retreat, but it's in Sydney. The worst bit? No waves. Flat as a tack.

If I had to describe this beach in one word it would be WHOLESOME…read more Perfect beach for the whole family. We got there around 1030am on a Saturday and found street parking right away. I hear that some like to park in the church parking lot but that sounds a bit sinful doesn't it? After we made our way down the stairs past the golf course, we had the tough decision of either going right which has more sand but densely populated or left which is a bit rockier but not as crowded. We went left and it was the best decision. Don't expect to be hanging ten out here as the waters are almost as calm as a lake. You'll find little schools of tiny fish swimming around at your ankles as you make you way out deeper into the ocean. The water was colder in some areas than others which was a perfect escape from the searing heat. People snorkeling, parents giving their children an oceanography lesson, cuties sunbathing and just a laidback vibe in comparison to Bondi. Bring your swimmers, your sunblock, your good vibes and get ready for a good time!

150 acres of bushland and a big lake within a few km's of Parramatta CBD - what else needs to be…read moresaid? Lake Parramatta is like a little piece of the Blue Mountains in suburbia. It's tucked away between James Ruse Drive, Pennant Hills Road and North Rocks Road and surprisingly there are even locals that don't realise its there or haven't been there. The lake has only just re opened for swimming this year (2015) and there is a smallish roped off swimming section with a few life guards watching. (Not sure if these are only there on the weekends though). Plenty of people were swimming elsewhere anyway and the area off the wharf at the Southern end seems popular for people to swim with their dogs and the rocks on the North Rocks Rd side popular with kids for jumping off the rocks into the water. If you drop in during the week, especially in the morning, its like a 'who's who' of govt departments and local tradies. They all seem to drive there and pull up for the morning coffee and newspaper overlooking the lake. Weekends in summer are extremely busy and parking within the reserve can be a struggle. A vacant picnic table is about as rare as a flying unicorn unless you get there early so bring a rug as there is plenty of grassed areas to lay about on. In terms of facilities there are BBQ's, kids play ground, toilets, and a cafe serving decent food, okay coffee, and gelato. There are also great marked bushwalking trails right around the perimeter of the lake. Great place to escape the hustle and bustle without needing to go too far!

Nice on lead dog walk with the opportunity for a good dog swim. Depending on our walking pace it…read moreshould take just over an hour.

Don't feed the waterbirds. (So says the sign). Do sit under…read morea tree. Do bring the kids to play on bright, shiny new play equipment including a pirate ship. Do bring a picnic, or food to bbq. Do keep an eye out for the endangered Blue Mountains Water Skink. Do marvel (well, be slightly impressed) at the 'hanging' swamp on the hillside. Didn't know swamps were capable of hanging. Do bring canoes. Do walk around embankment to the far side and seethe with envy at the people who live there. Do watch kids jump from ropes attached from trees into the tea-coloured water, or have a go if you consider a millisecond of flight worth the risk of major spinal cord injury. Do appreciate the organic stone carvings that look like they've just popped up from the depths of the earth. Do let the kids run around near one of the very few largish bodies of water in the Mountains.

This place is massive. By massive I mean 55 hectares. There is so much stuff here it is worth…read morechecking out their brochure/map (pdf) http://frid.co/qFdcqE I have only been here a few times, and that was for the Hornsby Bushland Shire Festival which is on once a year around September. It is always a crowd pleaser. Heaps of food stalls, arts and craft, and shows for the kids makes the day pass pretty quick. This year my boys enjoyed the Sponge Bob Square Pants show the best. While the $5 entrance fee (per car) on the day of the festival is a donation, I believe on any other day the park entrance will still cost you $5. Though for a picnic area this huge, with ponds and bridges, play areas and sand pits, gardens and paths... you will not lack for things to check out. It even has BBQ facilities. You might even want to bring along the push bikes for the kids and let them ride around. Certainly worth checking out if you are in the area.

A top location to take the family for a BBQ, picnic or just a stroll with the kids. There are a few…read moreparks scattered across this large well maintained park and also some nice lakes to feed the ducks. For those in need of a coffee there is also the opportunity to grab one at the cafe near the main park!

Not as pretty as the Botanic Gardens in the city or at Mount Tomah but a lot more space to spread…read moreout, go for walks or ride your bike among the native plants & trees including several separate gardens & some fun mountain bike tracks that are graded green, blue & black depending on your skill level. Several BBQ & picnic areas which you can rock up & use or book if your having an event or if you prefer someone else to do the work the restaurant is quite reasonable for a coffee & snack or meal & drink & much cheaper than the ones in either of the other Botanic Gardens.

These gardens are a wonderful asset to the area. To make entrance free was a great decisions and…read moremeans I am now visiting regularly for work meetings at the cafe or enjoying the beautiful environment and wildlife. Great for inspiration for art. Also a winner for people visiting for overseas. So glad the stolen generation garden has been included. Have used the garden for a number of Aboriginal events.