Visiting Sydney soon?
Well here are my top tips on what to do when here! Pick and choose or just look at the pretty pictures.
This blog is dedicated to my dear friends Laura & Dave Camfield… who’s wedding I missed when I moved to Sydney and who arrive the day I depart. I hope this helps you plan your honeymoon visit to Sydney.
9) Visiting the beaches
Before I came to Sydney, I had only heard of Bondi Beach. But now I know there’s sooooo many more, perhaps even better beaches than Bondi to spend the day.
So one of my favourite things to do is to pick a beach, get there and spend the day. It’s a great place to people watch (surfers, selfie takers), try out a new lunch spots and just enjoy the sound of the waves.
8) Coastal Walks
Linking with beaches, I’d recommend doing a coastal walk. The Bondi to Coogee walk is the most famous and it’s incredible, it’s 6KM so takes around 2-3 hours but if you’re not up for it the walk from Bondi to Tamarama alone is stunning and only takes around 30-45 mins! A few other great walks are:
- Coogee to Maroubra
- Maroubra to Little Bay (You walk across a golf course which is bizarre)
- The Federation Walk: Bondi to Watson Bay
- Coogee to Bondi (yes, the same walk, but the other way around but still worth doing)
7) Outdoor Pools
There’s a few around the city as well as ocean pools you can take a dip in all year round. I was lucky enough to live across the road from Wylie’s Bath and McIver’s Bath (women only’. These are lovely if you want a pool with ocean water but a bit of privacy.
My personal favourite is the North Sydney’s Olympic Pool. It has history, it’s has a nice art deco feel to it and it’s just so photogenic (see below)! I had the most relaxing day there soaking in the sun, then watching the sun set and there’s a little cafe or a restaurant called Aqua next door!
It makes an excellent photo as it’s next to the Harbour Bridge – Entry Fee $8 (Extra cost for shower tokens).
6) Harbour Bridge
You could spent $258-298 to walk the Famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, OR you could walk across it for free next to the road. But what I would recommend is this… Do the Pylon Lookout instead. It has a fantastic 360 views of Sydney, a view of the Opera House and a museums of the history of how the bridge was made: Entry fee $15.
5) Drinking coffee
I rant and rave about this a lot (probably too much), but I love a coffee (particularly a flat white) in Australia so much more than any other country I’ve ever visited.
In Australia barista coffee is half the price as the UK and twice as good. So my recommendation to you would be to find an independent cafe – look out for the ‘Campos’ logo (they’re a good coffee make) and see what you think! A word of warning, never go to a Starbucks (or a chain) in Australia, it’s a very ‘un-Australian’ thing to do!! I’d recommend going to a suburb like Newtown, Annandale, Surry Hills and finding an Independent cafe.
If you want to take it one step further – I’d also recommend doing a Barista Course for the day and being certified in making coffee.
Please don’t judge me on my Latte-art.
4) Experience the Brunch Culture in the Eastern or Inner West Suburbs
Living or visiting in Sydney then comes with endless options of independent cafe’s with unique menu’s to try. But the brunch is what I really enjoy (especially as most cafe’s close around 3pm). Revolver, Black Toast & Nelson’s Nest were my favourite’s in Annandale, I loved Harry’s and Speedo’s in Bondi and The Little Kitchen in Coogee are worth checking out!
The showstopper for brunch… The Ground of Alexandria. It can get very busy and it’s in the middle of a suburb out of the main city, but it’s really incredible. Walk in, book a table and during the likely 30-45 minute wait make sure you explore the grounds. You’ll be snapping instagram posts for hours.
3) See the city from a Ferry
The view of Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge are stunning from many angles, but if it’s your first time in Sydney, I’d choose the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly OR to the zoo.
Standing on the upper deck and just looking out on the view is a different view to experience the city.
I think it’s a $10-12 round trip (depending on if you go via your opal or a private boat company).
2) Day Trips/Weekends Away:
For those with more time to kill in Sydney, I’d recommend a day or weekend trip out of central Sydney.
Newcastle (2/3 hours north of Sydney):
Jervis Bay
(2/3 hours train South from Sydney), for this I’d recommend ‘I could have parked there’ Tours by Ellen (contact me for details):
Northern Beaches
(North of Sydney – Obvs – 1-2 hour drive depending on how north):
Austimer
(South of Sydney – 1 hour drive):
Blue Mountains
(West of Sydney – 3 hours train):
1) Different view’s of the city
It can get a bit crowded and overwhelming in the ‘CBD’ but there are some lovely spots to get a great view of the city:
Sydney Cafe:
A bit pricey (for my budget) but it’s a lovely treat and a unique view!
Wendy’s Secret Garden:
The secret maybe well and truly out…Tucked away in the shadow of office towers is this wonderful little gem. When Wendy Whitley lost her husband she funnelled her love and grief into transforming a disused, derelict train yard space. It’s really worth visiting with a packed lunch.
The view from Bradley’s Head
(Day and Night):
I hope this helps you plan your trip to Sydney!
