We just got back from the most magical family trip to Japan and Singapore, filled with so many special moments I’ll never forget! If you’re wanting to dip your toes into Asia, I truly think Singapore is an easy and fun first destination. It’s incredibly family-friendly, filled with rich culture, home to amazing food, and one of the safest places we’ve ever visited.

During this trip, we traveled with our sons, who are eleven and thirteen. But now that I’ve seen firsthand how easy Singapore makes everything for families, I honestly wish we had taken this trip even sooner!

In this post, I’ll be sharing our complete Singapore travel guide, including where to stay, the best restaurants, how to get around, the top things to do in Singapore, what to wear, and more. I hope it helps make planning your own trip just a little bit easier!

Singapore Travel Questions

When sharing our trip on Instagram, I received so many questions about everything from the best time to visit and how to get there to important travel tips and more. So before diving into all of our favorite things to do in Singapore, I thought it might be helpful to answer some of your most frequently asked questions.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Singapore?

I believe the best weather is in the spring, when it’s a bit drier and slightly cooler. But no matter what time of year you visit, it’s always warm. Summer is hot and humid, but I found it manageable, especially since I’m used to that type of climate.  

How to Get to Singapore

After spending a few days with friends in Seattle, we embarked on our longest flight yet. From Seattle, it was a little over 15 hours, landing us in Singapore around 5:30 p.m. I will say, I actually don’t mind these longer flights compared to the ones from Florida to Europe because you don’t have to rush to get to bed. You can eat, watch a movie, get a decent amount of sleep, and wake up just in time for landing and another meal. Even though I got some good sleep, I was definitely ready for bed by that evening!

Another travel perk worth mentioning is how easy customs was. You fill everything out ahead of time and then simply walk through a gate that scans your face. It was by far the easiest customs experience I’ve ever had.  

How Many Days Should You Spend in Singapore?

We spent eight days in Singapore and felt like we were able to see and do a lot. That said, I think four to five days would also be a great amount of time if you’re hoping to experience many of the city’s highlights without feeling too rushed.

How Can You Get Around Singapore?

Before traveling to Singapore, be sure to download Grab. It’s their version of Uber, and it’s incredibly easy to use. We never had trouble getting a ride. We also took the subway, which was very easy to navigate and so clean! But in general, we walked as much as we could.

Additional Singapore Travel Tips

Here are a few additional Singapore travel tips I noted after our trip.

• Go to the airport early just for the experience—it’s incredible! The boys did a ropes course, and we spent some time shopping.
• Singapore doesn’t have the same tipping culture as the United States. If someone provides exceptional service, it’s customary to give them a small tip, but be sure to hand it directly to that person.
• On the metro, you don’t need to purchase a separate ticket. Simply tap your credit card when you enter and again when you exit. If you’re traveling with kids, each person will need to tap a different credit card when entering and exiting the metro.
• Chewing gum is illegal in Singapore, and you can be fined for it. We were told this law came about after the authorities found gum on a new metro a week after it opened.

Overall, Singapore was a wonderful place to visit. We felt incredibly safe the entire time. It’s even common for locals to leave their belongings at hawker center tables to reserve their spot!

Where to Stay in Singapore

For this trip, we stayed at the Shangri-La, located just off Orchard Road. I loved that there’s so much to do around this luxury hotel, while still feeling a bit removed from the busier parts of the city. If you’re wondering where to stay in Singapore, I think this is an excellent option, especially for families.

There’s an incredible kids’ club, children’s cooking classes, a pool and splash pad just for kids, and even a breakfast buffet designed at their height with everything they could possibly want!

This trip was with my husband’s company, so all of our accommodations were pre-booked by their travel team. And gosh, it was so nice not having to do much besides show up!

Things to Do in Singapore

I must say, when planning this trip, it was tricky to narrow down our itinerary because there are so many wonderful things to do in Singapore. But as always, I did a ton of research, asked around, and eventually came up with a list of activities that I thought our family would enjoy most.

We experienced a little bit of everything—shopping, iconic attractions, family-friendly activities, beaches, and more. In the end, these seven spots ended up being our favorite places to visit in Singapore.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

One of our favorite things to do in Singapore was spend a morning exploring the Singapore Botanic Gardens. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the grounds are absolutely enormous, stunning, and filled with so much to discover. There’s an incredibly well-thought-out children’s garden, a beautiful orchid garden, and plenty of restaurants to duck into when you need a break from the heat.

Had my boys been younger, I honestly think we would have gone back multiple times just for the children’s garden. There’s a splash pad, changing areas, showers, and so much more. The playgrounds were truly incredible!

We loved it so much that we visited on two separate days. My biggest tip is to go early in the morning to help avoid the hottest part of the day.

Chinatown in Singapore

Chinatown is one of the most vibrant and culturally rich places to visit in Singapore. Here, you’ll find a beautiful Buddhist temple, plenty of shopping, and a bustling hawker center.

We toured the temple, and it was such a special experience—it was my first time visiting a Buddhist temple! There was someone stationed at the entrance offering visitors a wrap to cover up before going inside, which I thought was so nice.

Natureland

One of my blog readers lives in Singapore and recommended Natureland to me—and I’ll forever be grateful! They give the most AMAZING massages and foot massages, and they’re surprisingly affordable. If I had this at home, I’d be there way too often.

This place truly deserves a spot on any Singapore travel guide. If you’re visiting, do yourself a favor and add it to your itinerary. You won’t regret it!

Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay is likely at the top of every list of things to do in Singapore, and for good reason. These gardens are absolutely breathtaking and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. This visit was planned by our group, and we enjoyed a guided tour followed by dinner inside the Flower Dome. I honestly could have spent hours exploring this area alone. We also loved the Garden Rhapsody light show!

One thing to keep in mind is that Gardens by the Bay is very popular and can get quite crowded. I always like to be mentally prepared for busy attractions, especially when traveling with kids.

Timezone Arcade & Family Entertainment Center

Speaking of traveling with kids, Timezone was at the top of my boys’ list of favorite things to do in Singapore. This massive arcade and family entertainment center features bumper cars, virtual reality experiences, bowling, arcade games, and so much more. It was the perfect place to let the kids burn off some energy and take a break from sightseeing. Our boys especially loved a Pokémon game called Mezastar!

Sentosa

We found ourselves going back to Sentosa multiple times during our trip. This island is packed with public beaches, beach clubs, restaurants, and countless activities, making it one of the most fun places to visit in Singapore. It’s about 30 minutes from our hotel, and if I could do it again, I would dedicate an entire day to exploring the island instead of making multiple trips. Otherwise, no regrets!

While we were there, we rode the Skyline Luge (a super fun downhill go-kart experience), tackled HydroDash (one of those giant inflatable obstacle courses on the water), relaxed at Tanjong Beach Club for swimming and lunch, raced at HyperDrive (intense go-karting that was a little too much for me—but JB and the boys loved it!), and enjoyed dinner at Bob’s Bar at Capella Singapore. Clearly, there’s no shortage of things to do on Sentosa!

Night Safari

This is on my short list of things we didn’t do, but I really wish we had. So many people recommended visiting the Night Safari, which is a zoo and safari where you get to experience nocturnal animals. I know we would have enjoyed it so much!

Unfortunately, we just weren’t able to make time for it. It’s definitely at the top of my list for our next trip.

On a similar note, we also skipped Universal Studios. Honestly, I was perfectly happy not to do that one, lol!

Where to Eat in Singapore

One of the best parts of traveling is experiencing new restaurants. I love exploring different foods, unique atmospheres, and dining together as a family. It’s always so fun and a welcome break to sit down, relax, and visit for a bit in the middle of a busy sightseeing day.

We enjoyed some wonderful restaurants during our time in Singapore. Here are my top recommendations!

Park Side

Located inside the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Park Side is a casual all-day café with simple, delicious food. They’ll even pack an adorable picnic basket, blanket, and thermal flask for you to borrow and enjoy in the gardens. I especially loved their matcha!

Haidilao Huoguo in Marina Square

Haidilao Huoguo is a hot pot restaurant that our friends said we needed to try, so we gave it a go. There are multiple locations, but we visited the one inside Marina Square. They have robots that deliver the food, which made it such a memorable meal for my boys! Plus, the mall has so much for kids to do, so they loved the entire experience!

Lagnaa

If you love Indian food, this spot is a must! Lagnaa is a one-of-a-kind Indian bistro where you take off your shoes, sit on the floor, relax, and enjoy your meal. The food was wonderful, as Indian cuisine is always a hit with our family. Plus, you can spend some time exploring Little India after your meal!

Raffles Long Bar

It’s overpriced, you’re surrounded by tourists, but it’s still iconic and fun! Raffles Long Bar is where the Singapore Sling was created. The entire Raffles Singapore property is gorgeous, and it’s definitely worth wandering around the hotel for a bit after enjoying your Singapore Sling.  

Hawker Centers

Hawker centers are one of the best ways to experience Singapore’s incredible food scene. These open-air food halls are filled with individual vendors serving everything from local favorites to desserts and drinks. Visiting one is one of those things to do in Singapore that should be on everyone’s list! It’s such a fun experience!

We ate at Chinatown’s hawker center and the classic Lau Pa Sat. There’s no air conditioning at either location, so be sure to bring a fan. They had countless food stalls with so many delicious options, and we ordered several different dishes to share.

Our tour guide told us that if there’s a line, it’s usually worth the wait—and we found that to be true! My personal favorite was the dumplings from Yuen Lee Dumplings.

Bob’s Bar

Bob’s Bar is located at the Capella Singapore hotel on Sentosa. They serve everything from burgers and pizza to pasta and local favorites. This spot has a beautiful view, and we even had a peacock join us for dinner!

PS.Cafe

Brunch lover? If so, you’ll definitely want to add PS.Cafe to your itinerary. And if brunch isn’t your thing, they also have an all-day menu with a great variety of food, drinks, and desserts!

There are multiple locations throughout Singapore, and we visited the one in Dempsey Hill on Harding Road. This was such a cute area to explore!

What to Wear in Singapore

When it comes to packing for any trip, I always start by looking over my personal travel tips. These include everything from having our itinerary on hand and checking the weather to sticking to a color palette and so much more. I truly believe starting with these simple tips makes packing so much easier!

I also did a little research on what people typically wear in Singapore. Overall, I’d say the style is very casual—much more casual than Japan. I didn’t see many people dressing up. However, I did opt for dressier outfits during the more formal evenings with my husband’s company.

Here are the outfits I wore around Singapore!