Family Fun in Bondi During Sydney Marathon Week

If you're in town for the Sydney Marathon and travelling with kids, Bondi is one of the easiest, happiest bases you can pick - a short hop from the finish-line action, but calm enough that little legs can recover on the sand while the runners recover on the couch. The marathon itself winds through the city and around the harbour to the Opera House rather than out here, so Bondi stays its usual laid-back self all weekend: safe kids' swimming, a beachfront playground, family-friendly cafés and plenty of gentle walks.

I've hosted a lot of race-week families, and the trick is simple: plan the big city moments around one or two easy Bondi anchors a day, and let the beach do the rest.

Best for

Runners' families & spectators

Getting here

Bus/train + the 333/380 bus to Bondi

Race day

Expect CBD road closures - check Transport for NSW

Cost

Beach & playground free; ocean pools a few dollars

Safe swimming for little ones

Bondi is famous for its surf, but the two spots I always send families to are the calm ones. At the northern end there's the shallow children's pool, a sheltered wading pool built for little kids - gentle, protected from the swell, and near the flagged, patrolled section of the beach. Down the southern end, the Bondi Icebergs complex has a separate shallow children's pool alongside the famous ocean pool, so toddlers can splash while you soak up the view.

Playground, sand and easy walks

Right beside the Bondi Pavilion and metres from the sand, the beachfront playground is the reliable winner - climbing frames, swings and slides, with shade, seating and a coffee kiosk close by. It's a brilliant meeting point too, if half your family is off cheering runners and the other half wants to stay put.

When you're ready to stretch the legs, you don't need the whole Bondi to Bronte coastal walk. The section from the beach around to Tamarama is short, mostly gentle and impossibly scenic, and Tamarama itself has a little playground and café. For a flatter option, stroll the promenade to North Bondi and back. Keep children close on the cliff-top paths, and skip the walk altogether if it's wet or windy.

• Beachfront playground by the Pavilion - shade, swings and sand in one spot
• Bondi to Tamarama - a short, pretty taste of the coastal walk
• Promenade wander to North Bondi - flat, pram-friendly and easy
• Sandcastles and beach cricket on the wide flat sand at low tide

Where to refuel with kids in tow

Bondi's café scene is far more family-friendly than its cool reputation suggests - high chairs, prams and sandy feet are all part of the furniture. My one piece of advice: eat early. Bondi cafés fill fast on weekends, and marathon Sunday brings extra crowds, so a 9am breakfast or an 11:30 lunch saves you a queue with hungry, tired kids. A takeaway coffee and a picnic on the grass at the north end is honestly my favourite move.

A rainy-day backup

Sydney can turn on the weather, so keep a wet-plan handy. The heritage Bondi Pavilion often runs exhibitions, workshops and community events - worth checking what's on that week. Failing that, the city's big family attractions near Darling Harbour are an easy ride away and pair well with a finish-line visit.

That's the beauty of basing yourself here for marathon week: the running belongs to the city, and the recovery belongs to Bondi. Whether you ran the 42.2 or cheered every kilometre, the beach quietly keeps the whole family happy.