Making the most of a week in Sydney
Sydney, Australia
You could spend years exploring Sydney. Like a lot of big cities around the world, it’s divided into little neighborhoods communities that each have their own distinct atmosphere. To us, the city as a whole felt like a mix between Los Angeles and San Diego, half working city and half beach vibes. We spent four days here before heading over to New Zealand’s south island for two weeks. It wasn’t enough time to take in an entire sprawling city, but here are the things that made our visit so memorable.
You could spend years exploring Sydney. Like a lot of big cities around the world, it’s divided into little neighborhoods communities that each have their own distinct atmosphere.
Circular Quay
The most important thing to know is that “Quay” is pronounced like “key.” Saying it any other way will either elicit a laugh from locals or confuse the heck out of your cab driver. This district is a bit of a hike from the airport, but it’s where you want to stay if you’re interested in the harbors and the Sydney Opera House. We spent our entire first day on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Opera House and exploring the Queen’s Botanical Garden, which is as well maintained and varied as Central Park. We also found our favorite restaurant in the city in Circular Quay: Mr. Wong. It’s a dim-sum place with spectacular, shareable dishes, and a fried ice cream that is indescribably delicious. If you want to do something fun and don’t mind being a little touristy, the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb is a thrilling way to see the city from a new perspective.
This district is a bit of a hike from the airport, but it’s where you want to stay if you’re interested in the harbors and the Sydney Opera House.
Beaches and Walks
The best way to spend a day in Sydney is on one of the many coastal walks that surround the city. There are a ton, but our personal favorite was the Bondi to Coogee walk. We took a bus out to Bondi, had some great Mexican food at the Beach Burrito company and then started along the boardwalk. The walk takes you through several beaches, each of which is a great place to stop and take a swim. There are also gorgeous cliffside views and public pools, including one that directly overlooks the ocean. Our second favorite was the South Heritage Trail, which ends in Watson’s bay, one of the most beautiful places to watch a sunset. We ate some phenomenal fresh fish from Watson’s Bay to cap that trip.
The best way to spend a day in Sydney is on one of the many coastal walks that surround the city.
Day Trips
Sydney is a lot like New York in that there are some amazing day trips just outside the city that not enough people take advantage of. We decided to take a full day trip to Blue Mountains National Park, which is about an hour outside of the city. The day we went was pretty ugly, unfortunately, but on clear days you get a great view of the Three Sisters, which is a significant site in aboriginal culture. On the way back, we stopped at Featherdale Wildlife Park and got to see all kinds of wildlife. We even got to pet little kangaroos. There are tours that will take you to both places and on a little ferry ride near the Olympic Village, but you can skip that. There are plenty of other opportunities to take ferries around Sydney.
Sydney is a lot like New York in that there are some amazing day trips just outside the city that not enough people take advantage of.
