Written by Anna Tabrah
Singapore is a small city that refuses to act like one. In the space of a single day, you can walk through a climate-controlled cloud forest, ride a rollercoaster at Universal Studios and watch the sun go down over the Southern Islands from a catamaran. The city doesn’t ask you to choose between experiences; it just keeps offering more of them.
Best family-friendly things to do in Singapore
The top family-friendly things to do in Singapore largely cluster around two areas: Sentosa Island, which has Universal Studios, Singapore Oceanarium, Adventure Cove Waterpark and the SkyHelix gondola all within easy reach; and Gardens by the Bay, where the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome can fill a full day. Both are accessible by MRT.
SkyHelix Sentosa open-air gondola
Singapore’s highest open-air ride is less about thrills and more about the view: a gently rotating gondola that ascends to 79 metres above sea level, with your feet dangling over Sentosa, Keppel Bay and the Southern Islands. Hold your drink steady on the way up. Children over 1.05 metres are welcome.
Dessert for all ages
Pandan kaya ice cream, pistachio sponge, coconut and brown butter tuile: this is the kind of dessert that takes a moment to eat and longer to forget. Celebrated chef Janice Wong’s 2am Dessert Bar in Holland Village is open from the afternoon into the late evening (closed Mondays), serving artistic sweet treats to please all ages and dessert cocktails for the grown-ups. You don’t have to stay until 2am, but you might want to.
Sentosa’s theme parks
Sentosa is essentially a theme park island, and the options make choosing tough. Universal Studios Singapore has rollercoasters, Hollywood sets and enough to fill a full day. The revamped Singapore Oceanarium spans 22 immersive zones and is home to one of the world’s largest aquarium collections. Adventure Cove Waterpark does waterslides, lazy river rides and ray feeding. Pick one, or stay overnight and do it all.
Night Safari calls
The world’s first nocturnal wildlife park, Singapore’s beloved Night Safari offers insights your average daytime zoo visit doesn’t. A tram ride carries you through 40 hectares of open habitat where leopards, tapirs and fishing cats are genuinely active rather than asleep in the shade. Walk the four trail loops afterwards if the tram leaves you wanting more. Book tickets in advance and arrive at opening time to beat the queues.
Hawker-style family dinners
No visit to Singapore is complete without a hawker centre dinner. These open-air food courts are where the city actually eats (satay skewers, oyster omelettes, rice dumplings, char kway teow), and the prices reflect it. Makansutra Gluttons Bay at the Esplanade is one of the most atmospheric options: the smell of meat on the grill, the noise of a hundred conversations, the heat of a Singapore evening pressing in from all sides. Two things to bring: cash and a packet of tissues to reserve your table the Singapore way.
Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay does what most hyped-up tourist spots can’t: it genuinely surprises its visitors. The Cloud Forest hides a 35-metre waterfall inside a climate-controlled mountain of tropical plants. It’s cool, misty and completely unlike anything outside. The Flower Dome offers ever-changing, family-friendly exhibitions and holds one of the world’s largest collections of plants under a single roof. It’s worth pushing bedtime to watch the Supertrees (steel structures threaded with living plants) light up after dark.
Spectra light and water show
Every night at 8pm and 9pm, the waterfront by Marina Bay Sands transforms into a free 15-minute show of synchronised fountains, lasers, light projections and an orchestral soundtrack. It sounds like tourist-trap territory until the show starts and the kids go quiet. Arrive 10 minutes early to claim a spot on the Event Plaza steps or stay for the later show on Fridays and Saturdays, when the crowds thin slightly.
Best adults-only things to do in Singapore
Adults-only Singapore runs from rooftop yoga at Marina Bay Sands and Art Deco cocktails at Atlas, to a sunset catamaran cruise around the Southern Islands and a Forbes five-star spa on Sentosa. Fine dining, exceptional bars and spa rituals informed by the lunar calendar, all within a city you can cross in 30 minutes
Yoga in the sky
The SkyPark Observation Deck at Marina Bay Sands runs yoga classes 56 storeys above the city. Think Hatha and Vinyasa sessions on an open-air platform with unobstructed views across Marina Bay. It’s a reasonable argument for rolling out of bed early. Sound meditation and movement classes are also available for those who prefer stillness to sun salutations.
Dinner on the 57th floor
Spago Dining Room by Wolfgang Puck sits on the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands, and the view across Marina Bay makes this a hot spot on Singapore’s dining scene. The kitchen blends California cuisine with Singapore flavours – the Sea Bream “Laksa” with local herbs and calamansi is the dish that makes the point most elegantly. Book a terrace table for sunset, and stay for the cocktail list.
After-dinner art deco cocktails
To visit Atlas is to get as close as possible to a real-life Great Gatsby moment. The Art Deco interiors are so theatrically beautiful that every seat feels like the best in the house. The gin wall behind the bar glimmers with over 1,000 bottles – order a gin-led signature or let the bartender guide you. While the iconic bungee-style flying waitresses of grand opening times have been retired, the roaring 20s vibes remain. Walking in and taking your chances is half the fun. Just make sure you’re dressed to earn it.
Catamaran sunset cruise
A three-hour catamaran cruise around Singapore’s Southern Islands is one of the city’s more quietly impressive experiences. The route passes St John’s Island (calm enough to disembark for a swim) before turning back toward the city as the sun drops behind the skyline. Soft drinks and snacks are included; upgrade to champagne if the occasion calls for it. The view of Marina Bay from the water at dusk is worth the early boarding time.
Singapore’s first Forbes five-star spa
Escape to Auriga at Capella Singapore, the only place on Sentosa where the kids can’t find you. It is not cheap, but it is worth it. Auriga has held five-star status from the Forbes Travel Guide for over a decade, the only spa in Singapore to do so. The bespoke wellness menu spans nine treatment suites, with rituals informed by the lunar calendar and ancient local healing techniques. Rejoin the little ones for Italian family cuisine at Fiamma afterwards.
Timeless afternoon tea
Afternoon tea at the Grand Lobby of Raffles is one of Singapore’s most enduring rituals, and one that improves considerably with champagne. The ceilings are colonial-era high, a harpist plays and the tiered stands arrive loaded with finger sandwiches, scones and patisserie. Dress accordingly.
Singapore River after dark
In the daytime, it’s stroller walks and wobbly bicycle rides; at night, Clarke and Boat Quay come alive. Clarke Quay is the louder of the two precincts – converted 19th-century warehouses now housing bars, clubs and restaurants that run along the waterfront – while Boat Quay, a short walk downstream, comes without the full club-night commitment. Since August 2025, a government pilot has extended last drinks to 4am on Thursdays and Fridays, which tells you something about the ambition for the area.
