Orin Pash

Choose accommodation with enough floor space, simple food options and a manageable walk to a park or transport. Check that restaurants can seat the family at your child's usual meal time.

Check the walking distance between the Gallery and Library and from each stop to the entrance. Leave time for security, exhibitions and a meal.

Check where the conference ends, then compare a hotel in a dining area with the transfer back from the venue. A lively block is valuable only if the room is comfortable for sleep.

Compare Braddon and Kingston by the meals, friends and transport you will actually use. Both can be pleasant bases, but neither places every national institution on your doorstep.

Choose a hands-on attraction for the main morning and leave the afternoon for a playground or easy walk. Check weekend opening and session times.

Keep the evening for dinner near your hotel and one easy walk. Save the lake or a viewpoint for morning daylight instead of trying to photograph several sites in the dark.

Check the airport's current ground-transport page for actual routes and hours. A service described in an old thread may no longer run or may not stop near your hotel.

Check pool temperature, supervision rules, parking and nearby play space directly. A photograph of a pool does not tell you whether it suits toddlers.

Plot each destination separately on an up-to-date cycle map. The central museum and lakeside rides differ greatly from trips to the zoo or sports precinct.

Check whether it offers dine-in, reservations and the style of pizza you prefer. Some highly rated counters are designed mainly for takeaway.

Choose the War Memorial as one day's anchor and limit the other day to two major institutions. Guided tours and security can take more time than the map suggests.

Compare whether you will have a car or rely on buses and taxis. Parking charges and evening transport can change which central area feels convenient.