Best things to do in Sydney, Australia

Sydney is Australia’s biggest and probably most famous city. Despite popular belief, it’s not actually the capital of Australia! That doesn’t mean it’s not a great place to visit, though; it’s definitely one of the best places to visit in Australia. It’s really easy to spend at least two days in the city itself, plus it makes a great base to travel a little further afield to places like the Blue Mountains or the Central Coast. But in this post, I’m going to focus on the CBD. These are the best things to do in Sydney, Australia!

Walk around Circular Quay and enjoy a drink at the Opera Bar

Circular Quay is home to Sydney’s most iconic views of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. As you walk around, you’ll get to see both structures from all different angles. The Opera House in itself is worth a visit, especially if you have the time and money to go see a show or hop on one of their tours. It’s also home to the famous Opera Bar, where you can get a nice cool drink after a fun day of exploring the city. When I visited, I sat inside, which meant I didn’t have to wait for a seat. However, it did mean I didn’t get the famous view. So if you’re wanting a spot out on the deck, you’ll need to arrive outside peak times or be prepared to wait.

Of course, there’s also the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge climb! I’ve never done it, but it’s quite high up on my bucket list. Depending what time of day you choose to climb, the experience can be quite pricey. The cheapest climb as at Feb 2023 is $268 AUD either at night or climbing the inside of the arch. If you’re after a more budget experience, you can walk across the bridge for free. There is a high barrier (for obvious reasons) but it’s still possible to get a nice view over the harbour and Opera House as you walk along.

Experience history and markets in The Rocks

The Rocks is a very historic area of Sydney with lots of old buildings and even ruins to check out! Underneath the Sydney Harbour YHA there is a dig site where you can see the foundations of old houses and some of the artefacts that they have uncovered there. Even if you don’t stay at the hostel, you can go in to the public access area to have a look!

The Rocks is also host to weekend markets! These run every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm and stalls can be found on both George and Playfair Streets. There is a great variety of stalls at The Rocks Markets, which makes it a great place to find a locally-made souvenir. It’s also a great place to grab a snack or maybe even some lunch from one of the many food stalls.

Learn about Sydney’s convict history at Hyde Park Barracks

If you’re into history, a visit to Hyde Park Barracks should definitely be on your to-do list. Entry is free and includes an audio tour which will tell you about the different exhibits. This place is also great for families with kids (or the young-at-heart like me!) with some interactive features. Keep your eyes peeled for the rats who have fun facts attached to them! The only downside is young kids may be frightened by the sound-effects. I certainly thought it gave a pretty creepy feel.

Explore the Darling Harbour precinct

If you don’t love the craziness that comes with Circular Quay being a transport hub, then Darling Harbour is for you. Whilst you won’t be able to see the Opera House or Harbour Bridge from here, there are lots of nice restaurants and other tourist attractions to check out.

I highly recommend checking out the Chinese Garden of Friendship. The garden is open from 10am to 5pm every day except Christmas and Good Friday, and entry costs $12 AUD for an adult (as at Feb 2023). That money is a direct donation to maintaining the gardens! It is super peaceful to wander around all the greenery and it almost feels like you’ve left the city behind. Except for the high rises towering above you of course!

Feeling active? Tackle the Bondi to Coogee walk

Arguably the most famous walk to take in Sydney is the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk. My friend and I decided to tackle this one together, but made the rookie error of thinking it’d only take us an hour! It is possible to undertake smaller sections of this walk individually, as it passes a couple of other beaches (and therefore bus stops) along the way. But to do the entire walk between the two beaches takes around two to three hours. It is well worth the effort, though, as there are a number of great swimming spots and some stunning views! If you’re planning on heading out, especially during summer, make sure to pack lots of sunscreen, drinking water and a hat as there’s not much in the way of shelter.

Grab some fish and chips or an ice cream at Manly

A trip out to Manly beach is a great way to either start or end your day in Sydney. There’s plenty of restaurant choices for dinner or lunch. I personally recommend fish and chips on the beach – is there anything more Australian than that? Manly is also home to the best ice cream/gelato shop I have ever visited. It’s called Anita Gelato and you can find it in the middle of the shopping mall. The gelato is delicious and they’re super generous with their scoops. You know when you go to a gelato shop and there’s all those nice toppings on top, but you rarely ever actually get them in your scoop? Doesn’t happen here. They add those toppings right before scooping for you! Anyway, highly recommend.

If you’re looking for a beach walk with nice views but that is less strenuous than the Bondi to Coogee, the walk from Manly to Shelly Beach is a good choice. From the beach, walk along to your right towards Cabbage Tree Bay and Shelly Beach. The walk is very flat but provides great views of Cabbage Tree Bay and Manly Beach. This area is also supposed to be great for snorkelling! If you’re feeling a little more energetic, you can continue up onto the headland where you’ll find a couple of nice lookouts overlooking the ocean.

Where to stay

When considering where to stay in Sydney, look no further than Sydney Harbour YHA in the Rocks. It’s the nicest hostel I’ve stayed in anywhere in the world and is in the perfect location – only a short walk from Circular Quay! I have stayed in both the shared and private rooms and would recommend either. All shared rooms have an ensuite (so you’re only sharing with 8 other girls rather than the entire female population), which is really nice. When choosing a private room you can pay a couple of extra dollars to get a view of the opera house. I chose this option when I visited for Vivid! There is also a full kitchen with fridges for storing food.

The best part of the hostel is the balcony overlooking the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House! It’s a seriously beautiful place to sit and watch the sunset/sunrise/the lights/the boats go by during the day. It’s a little more expensive than other hostels but it’s worth the few extra dollars for the awesome balcony and location.

Getting around

As a general rule, when I visit a new place I’m more likely to catch public transport rather than get a taxi or Uber. This is especially true when I’m travelling around Australia, because the public transport is the same pretty much everywhere. Walking is also a great option in Sydney, as places like Circular Quay, the Botanic Gardens, the Rocks and Hyde Park Barracks are all quite close to each other.

Accessing public transport

Each state (at least on the East Coast) has its own transport card. In New South Wales, this is the ‘Opal Card’. It’s now also possible to simply tap on and off with your credit card. It is also still possible to buy paper tickets on some services but generally these are more expensive. If you don’t have a credit card that is compatible with the system, I do still recommend buying an Opal card. They don’t expire and you can always set up auto top-up if you’re worried you’ll forget to keep it loaded with money. However, now that the card tap-on is an option, I feel as though that’s slightly easier.

Public transport is quite expensive in Sydney, unfortunately, but it is very convenient to use the trains and ferries to get around. In particular, the train from the airport to Circular Quay is great. It’s a super easy way to get from the airport into the city and the services are frequent. I’ve never had to wait for more than a few minutes after getting off the plane before a train turned up! The ferries are also really nice because you get to travel over the water and get great views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge no matter what direction you travel in!

Even more reasons to visit Sydney and surrounds!

In this post, I have covered the best things to do in Sydney at any time of year. However, Sydney hosts some really great events! I especially love the Vivid light festival that’s on from May to June every year. I will be sharing a whole separate post on how to make the most of your night at Vivid so keep your eyes peeled on my socials or by signing up for my newsletter. Sydney is also home to one of the biggest and most famous New Years Eve celebrations in the world! Unfortunately at this time of year there is a minimum 5-7 night booking for accommodation in the city which makes it hard for a resident of Western Sydney like myself to make the trip out. BUT it is on my bucket list for 2023 so stay tuned on that one too.

Sydney also makes a great base to travel out a little further afield. Katoomba in the Blue Mountains is an easy day trip from Sydney, and can be accessed by car and train. Beware if you are driving though, the vast majority of Sydney’s highways are toll roads. You can check out my weekend guide to Katoomba and the Blue Mountains here.

---

Did you know that you can subscribe to my blog newsletter? If you love travel and wildlife just like me, I recommend you sign up below! Each month, you’ll get a little update from me containing my latest blog posts, a wildlife fact feature and secret travel and blogging tips that I will share ONLY with my subscribers! You’ll also have access to my free resource library! Interested? Just enter your first name and email below! I’d absolutely love to have you.