Sydney - thoughts welcome plz

[numtumfutunch]

G'day

Me and the missus have a bit if time to kill in Sydney next February

Obvs the climate will be a little different to Leeds when we get off the plane

Tips welcome on what to do as we have no idea other than some pics of the opera house
I have actually done some research and the Opera House has nothing scheduled during our prospective stay which we'd be interested in seeing
Same for sports events too around the city

So what would you suggest we 'need' to see in Sydney and how long would we need to stay there?

We have a slightly fluid schedule of 3 days to a week there but the rest of our Australia trip is more rigid

Cheers

[limpsfield]

I was there in May/June for 2.5 weeks seeing my son and that included a 6 day roadtrip down to Melbourne and back.

I spent some time just wandering around Sydney, very walkable city I thought, although not loads to see like, for example, in a European city.

I also did a trip out to the Blue Mountains - around 2.5 hours on the train but well worth it.
https://www.australia.com/en-gb/places/sydney-and-...

The ferries are great from Sydney - Manley Beach is worth a trip, around 30 minute ferry ride.

And of course Bondi beach as well.

[Guyr]

Sydney Zoo is quite good.

[Jader1973]

Fly to Melbourne and spend time there instead

[Rich135]

limpsfield said:

I was there in May/June for 2.5 weeks seeing my son and that included a 6 day roadtrip down to Melbourne and back.

Was the drive down to Melbourne worth doing? We are visiting my daughter in Sydney and wondering whether to drive between the two. My wife and I have been to both before but flew, and fancied a road trip this time.
Many thanks
Rich

[PomBstard]

Catch the bus to Spit Bridge and walk Spit to Manly, then ferry back to the city - it’s a couple of hours. Don’t do this the other way round - all the pubs and cafes are in Manly and the ferry is a good way to end the day.

Ferry to Manly, walk up to North Head and around or up the beach and over to Freshwater.

Palm Beach and walk to the lighthouse followed by just sitting on the beach. Bit of a bus ride but B Line to Mona Vale and then change makes it a lot quicker.

Taronga Zoo if that’s your thing - views of harbour

Coogee-Bondi walk - though it’s fairly easy - and then carry on to South Head.

Bridgewalk over the top of Harbour Bridge - expensive but one of those “where else can you do it” things esp if you go at night

Breweries - either round Marrickville/Sydneham or Brookvale, concentration of small breweries in industrial areas - good fun!

Blue Mountains either drive or train to Katoomba - can be a good day out

Rent a car and drive to Bathurst, lap the Mountain as many times as you like for free (beware speed limit) and go to the Motorsport Museum next to the circuit. About 3 hrs each way and can stop at different towns in Blue Mountains on the way. Come back along Bells Line Of Road for fun.

Rent a couple of mountain bikes and I’ll take you around Manly Dam

Apparently there’s stuff south of the harbour that’s not Bondi, but I don’t go there…

[limpsfield]

Rich135 said:

Was the drive down to Melbourne worth doing? We are visiting my daughter in Sydney and wondering whether to drive between the two. My wife and I have been to both before but flew, and fancied a road trip this time.
Many thanks
Rich

I did enjoy it, but I do like a roadtrip.I'd been in Sydney for around a week and half and fancied a change.

There were some lovely little towns and beaches on the way down. I spent around 4.5 days driving down to Melbourne and then just motorwayed it back to Sydney in a day and half.

Some stunning scenery. If I was there and had the time I would do it again:

[Rich135]

limpsfield said:

I did enjoy it, but I do like a roadtrip.I'd been in Sydney for around a week and half and fancied a change.

There were some lovely little towns and beaches on the way down. I spent around 4.5 days driving down to Melbourne and then just motorwayed it back to Sydney in a day and half.

Some stunning scenery. If I was there and had the time I would do it again:

Thanks Limpsfield, that really useful to know - lots of people say don't bother, but I have a hankering to do it :-)

Rich

[limpsfield]

Rich135 said:

limpsfield said:

I did enjoy it, but I do like a roadtrip.I'd been in Sydney for around a week and half and fancied a change.

There were some lovely little towns and beaches on the way down. I spent around 4.5 days driving down to Melbourne and then just motorwayed it back to Sydney in a day and half.

Some stunning scenery. If I was there and had the time I would do it again:

Thanks Limpsfield, that really useful to know - lots of people say don't bother, but I have a hankering to do it :-)

Rich

No problem Rich, I really enjoyed it. Some of the towns are like stepping back into the 1980s, but that is not necessarily a bad thing!

Which reminds me of a joke I heard out there:

Whats the difference between a pint of milk and Australia? Leave a pint of milk outside in the sun for a few decades and it will develop its own culture.


I had never been before and had a great time.

[Rich135]

Very good! I will use that one when I visit.

To add further to the thread, we did the Bridge walk (a must) as well as the walk from Coogee Beach to Bondi - beautiful but not that long.

We had a catamaran trip around the harbour which was great, with seafood lunch included - well worth doing.

Also check out Darling Harbour for eateries etc - it was good 20 years ago!

[Mr Magooagain]

I’ve also driven from Sydney to Melbourne and back. We had a great time and just booked somewhere each day using booking.com. (2015). Stayed in all sorts of places including mobile homes. Got stuck in a snow storm on the Blue mountains on the way back! Good memories.

[PomBstard]

Rich135 said:

Also check out Darling Harbour for eateries etc - it was good 20 years ago!

Not so good now - much better to follow that part of the harbour area the other side of Sea World, towards the development at Barangaroo, where the new Crown tower is - some v good restaurants and bars there now

If you fancy a decent meal out though, see if you can get to Pilu at Freshwater and have the degustation with wine - Sardinian restaurant with a cracking wine list, on the beach…

https://pilu.com.au/

[Rich135]

PomBstard said:

Not so good now - much better to follow that part of the harbour area the other side of Sea World, towards the development at Barangaroo, where the new Crown tower is - some v good restaurants and bars there now

If you fancy a decent meal out though, see if you can get to Pilu at Freshwater and have the degustation with wine - Sardinian restaurant with a cracking wine list, on the beach…

https://pilu.com.au/

Thanks Pom, that's now on my list!

[saveloy]

If you get time book a table here:

www.firedoor.com.au

The food is amazing!

Kyri

[PomBstard]

Rich135 said:

PomBstard said:

Not so good now - much better to follow that part of the harbour area the other side of Sea World, towards the development at Barangaroo, where the new Crown tower is - some v good restaurants and bars there now

If you fancy a decent meal out though, see if you can get to Pilu at Freshwater and have the degustation with wine - Sardinian restaurant with a cracking wine list, on the beach…

https://pilu.com.au/

Thanks Pom, that's now on my list!

No probs - rode past it this morning - it’s the large white ‘house’ in the middle-right, just back from the beach…




Not cheap but, I think, worth it

[numtumfutunch]

Thanks all

We did Coogie to Bondi which was a nice jetlagged wander and had fish and chips in Manly via the ferry on our second day

Other than that pottered around exploring bars/cafes and restaurants and 'did' the bridge

5 days felt about right, with the first one starting at 8am at the airport

Top tip - theres a fee for using the airport station over and above the train fare making it pretty much cost neutral getting an Uber if theres two or more of you. It wasnt obviously advertised on arrival, we realised when we were there

Cheers

[durbster]

I do appreciate it when people report back on these threads, thanks numtumfutunch.

[OldPal]

Taronga zoo

I cant remember the name of the casino i stayed in but it was on part of the harbour and was good fun.

Sydney harbour bridge climb

The general nightlife was great also, i ended up going out myself to meet an old mate and felt perfectly safe travelling to,from and in between pubs and nightclubs.