Personally, I’ve never really thought of Sydney too much as a ‘leisure holiday’ destination, I guess because I lived there in the late nineties for a few years and still travel there regularly for business. But I have lots of amazing friends who reside there and whenever I do go to visit, I always try to take in the unique sights of Sydney, whilst catching up on the social scene.
One of the best adventures is definitely the Bridge Climb, an amazing and awesome experience! Definitely not for the faint hearted or people who are afraid of heights, but a fantastic few hours for those who are game. The views are brilliant and whole experience is something that is unique to Sydney.
Another great day out is to take the ferry from Circular Quay across the majestic Sydney Harbour over to Taronga Zoo. On arrival a cable car takes you up to the Zoo entrance, giving you the opportunity to savor the magnificent views of the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the bays of the Eastern Suburb areas. The Zoo itself is great; a menagerie of animals set in beautiful surroundings and the zoo is home to some of the best views in Sydney.
Spend another day heading to Manly and take in the beautiful beach area and enjoy an amazing lunch – Moo Gourmet Burgers is a fantastic two level café set along the beachfront and offers every type of burger you can think of. My chorizo burger was to die for! The variety is brilliant… perhaps the Duck and Bacon Burger, or the Double Decker Wagyu Beef might take your fancy? Fish and chips on the beach is another great way to have lunch and finish off with an ice-cream or sundae.
Of course it wouldn’t be a trip to Sydney without a visit to the Opera Bar (which is alongside the Opera House and now stretches quite a distance so that you can order food and drinks whilst enjoying the spectacular views of the harbour), a stroll through The Rocks (fantastic Sunday markets and there are a couple of great pubs here!) or a wander around Darling Harbour. Circular Quay and Darling Harbour are the main tourist areas, so always bustling and filled with activity, but both of these spots never fail to disappoint, and they now have fireworks every Saturday evening which is great.
Other must do’s – Doyle’s at Watson’s Bay for superb fish and chips, a trip to Bondi Beach, and a walk through the Botanical Gardens. Take in a show or a concert – there is always a great choice to select from. The Art Gallery and Powerhouse Museum also offer great entertainment and usually have seasonal exhibitions to visit.
We ate at “Jamie’s Italian” one night, nestled in the heart of the city and a great experience, but it’s always hard to get past two of my favourite eating places – The Rangoon Racquet Club (a fantastic Indian restaurant which is British Colonial India themed, located in Crow’s Nest) and Crow Zone Café, which serves the best Eggs Benedict ever and is also located on the North Shore. Sydney’s restaurants are terrific and there are so many to choose from.
Well, I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface on what Sydney has to offer, it really is a great city. Sydney is also the gateway to the Blue Mountains, Bowral, the Hunter Valley and the Central Coast so you could easily spend days taking in these destinations also, they are each only a short drive from Sydney. A long weekend is definitely not long enough to do this world famous city justice but it’s a good start!