Budget Picnic with a Million-Dollar View: Marina Bay Singapore with Kids

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We're a full time travel family that love to travel. But, travel with 4 hungry mouths to feed can be expensive! Eating out every meal (whilst is much cheaper to do in Bali or South East Asia) it's not the way. And we're always looking at ways to stay in budget and 'live' somewhere, rather than eat meals out like it's a holiday. And honestly, it's these simple moments that become the best of all our travel life memories, so much so that we also still do these things even when we're on holiday (because you can really get a feel for a place just doing these normal life things). This is why you'll see us picnicking whilst we travel. But it's turned into a bit of a 'thing' because our picnics are legendary. We have 2 main criteria: a picnic with a view (we're here for that instagram view). And there must be next level food. BUT it has to be cheap and cheerful, because we do this to save money on our daily budget. But it absolutely cannot be lame, we're here for a good time, not a lame time! OK, so you get my point.

And today's picnic was no exception! We took a Japanese themed bakery to one of the worlds most expensive luxury views: Marina Bay Sands!

This is our experience of Marina Bay, with practical advice for fellow travelling families like us or Mum's and Dad's feeding lot's of hungry mouths.

Budget Picnic with a Million-Dollar View: Experiencing Marina Bay Sands with Kids Without the Price Tag

Singapore is often seen as a luxury destination—with glittering hotels, designer shopping, and rooftop cocktails—but we’re here to prove it can be explored on a budget, especially as a travelling family.

During our 72 hours in Singapore, one of our favourite moments was our simple family picnic overlooking the iconic Marina Bay Sands. It cost us just a few pounds, yet gave us one of the best memories (and views!) of our whole trip.

Here’s exactly how we did it, and how you can too.

🧺 Our Simple, Scenic Marina Bay Picnic

After a morning on the Singapore City Sightseeing Bus Tour—a fantastic way to explore the city without dragging tired kids from MRT to MRT—we took advantage of the hop on / off tickets and hopped off near The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, one of the city’s most famous malls. While it’s packed with high-end boutiques, there are also budget-friendly gems tucked inside. Including the star of today's cheap picnic with a view!

We grabbed some fresh pastries and treats from a Japanese bakery (Gokoku) inside the mall (a favourite of ours wherever we travel), and headed outside for our makeshift picnic.

Where did we eat? Not in a fancy restaurant. We found a quiet, shaded spot on the Helix Bridge, overlooking the sparkling Marina Bay, the futuristic skyline, and the beautiful waterfront promenade. It was perfect. Check out our Singapore Marina Bay Picnic (skip to 8 mins 30 seconds for bakery and picnic)

📍 Where We Had Our Picnic: Helix Bridge Area

Helix Bridge is a pedestrian bridge shaped like—you guessed it—a double helix, and it connects Marina Centre with Marina Bay Sands. There are viewing pods along the bridge offering fantastic city and waterfront views, and it’s a great place for photos and relaxing.

Why it’s great for families:

• Safe and pedestrian-only

• Stunning views without spending a cent

• Nearby toilets and shaded areas

• Easy access to the MRT and public transport

• Space for the kids to explore and stretch their legs

🥐 What We Ate (on a budget!)

We ducked into Gokoku Japanese bakery (famous for serving the best pastries in Singapore) inside Millennia Walk shopping mall and picked up a selection of pastries (savoury and sweet from their pick n mix style counter):

• Fresh melon pan (sweet bread)

• Curry buns

• Cheese tarts

• Iced teas and juices

There's no shortage of Things to Do In Singapore or Places to Eat that are really really cheap and great! But for this afternoon in the Sun with spectacular views, we spent around S$20 (approx £12) for a picnic lunch for four. Compared to restaurant meals in Marina Bay that could easily cost 3–4x that, this was an absolute win! Click on map to be taken to Google Maps Bakery location

🗺️ How to Get to Marina Bay (Easily & Affordably)

🚌 Option 1: We took This City Sightseeing Hop-On Bus

• This was part of our day of sightseeing with the kids. Tickets start from S$33/adult (discounts for kids), and it's a relaxed way to see all the top attractions.

• The Yellow Line and Red Line both stop at Marina Bay Sands.

• Great for families with tired little legs!

• Plus we got a day sightseeing ALL the major Singapore sights.

🚇 Option 2: MRT (Subway)

• Closest MRT Stations:

  • Bayfront MRT (CE1/DT16) – Exit directly into Marina Bay Sands/The Shoppes

  • Promenade MRT (CC4/DT15) – A short scenic walk from the other side

• The MRT is fast, clean, stroller-friendly, and affordable (S$1–S$2 per ride)

💡 Family Tips for Enjoying Marina Bay on a Budget

• Pack reusable water bottles – Fill them at the mall or MRT water stations. Also tap water is drinkable in Singapore so fill up your bottles before heading out for the day. Go check out our Ultmate First Timers Guide to Singapore for more tips like this one.

• Visit in late afternoon or early evening – It’s cooler, and the lights begin to glow

• Stay for the free night light show – Spectra, the free nightly Marina Bay light and water show, starts at 8PM and 9PM most nights

• Bring a picnic blanket or small towel – There are green spaces too nearby if you want to spread out. We chose the bridge purely for that wow view but there are better grassy patches nearby better for kids (but view not as great)

• Combine with nearby attractions: Gardens by the Bay, ArtScience Museum (great for kids), and the Merlion are all very walkable from here - a couple of mins.

🏙️ Why This Was One of Our Favourite Moments

It wasn’t just the stunning view or the warm pastries. It was the pause. A break from the buzz of sightseeing. A simple family moment, soaking in Singapore’s incredible skyline without needing a fancy restaurant or pricey experience.

Sometimes, it’s the smallest moments that leave the biggest impact. Even as we continue our travel adventure... it's still the little things.

Final Thoughts

Traveling Singapore as a family doesn’t have to mean splashing out on every meal or attraction. Our budget picnic at Marina Bay was:

• Affordable

• Easy to plan

• Fun for the kids

• Memorable and scenic

Next time you’re in Singapore, skip the food courts and rooftop dining—grab some goodies, walk to the Helix Bridge, and make your own memory with a million-dollar view. No reservations (or big budgets) required.

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Want help planning your Singapore adventure? Let me know in the comments & I can help you create the perfect itinerary for you. I hope you found this post helpful. In the meantime keep up with our daily updates below:

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💡HELPFUL PLANNING TOOLS FOR YOUR SINGAPORE TRIP 💡

✈️ - FLIGHTS - We use this flight checker to search cheap flight tickets for our Singapore trip and got flights from Bali to Singapore for just £33 each! Amazing. Use to check dates and flight costs to Changi Airport Singapore now or go to our Flight Planning Page fore more

🏨 - ACCOMMODATION - We use this hotels checker to search hotels and accommodation for our Singapore trip. Use to check dates and costs to hotels and hostels in Singapore now or go to our Accommodation Planning Page for more

🧭🗺️👣 - SINGAPORE TOURS & GUIDES - We use Get Your Guide for all of the trips in Singapore. But we also love Klook too. TIP: Use both to compare offerings.

This post includes affiliate links that we may receive a small commission from at no extra cost to you. Thank You for supporting our blog!