Sydney, Australia is the most iconic city of this enormous country and is world famous for its iconic landmarks of the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour, and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Beyond the icons, the city has a strong beach culture, making it a unique balance between coastal and urban lifestyles. There is so much to explore and here are some of the top things to do in Sydney.
Free Walking Tour of Sydney's Central Business District
A free walking tour of the Central Business District and the Rocks will gives you a good introduction to the history and culture of the city and takes you through some of the important areas of Sydney’s center. The tour with I’m Free goes through the major sights and also gives you a good jumping off point for visiting some of the other parts of Sydney. This is one of the top things to do in Sydney to get an introduction of the city.
Top Things to Do in Sydney: the Harbor Bridge
Crossing the Sydney Harbor Bridge by Foot
The Sydney Harbor Bridge is one of the icons that define Sydney’s skyline. Crossing it by foot is a great way to experience the bridge and a top thing to do in Sydney to see the beauty of the harbor around you. It is a great way to see the bay with all the boats moving through and the city surrounding it.
Going up the Pilon of the Sydney Harbor Bridge
On the southside of the bridge, there is one pilon that can be climbed. For $30 AUD, you can visit a museum that explains more about the construction of the bridge and get to the top of the pilon where you will have 360 views of the entire city and harbor.
Going up and Over the Top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge
One famous way to cross the bridge is to climb over the top of the bridge. The 1.5 hour option (the shorter option) costs $200 AUD and gives you a bucket-list experience with an incredible view. There are a few things to note about this experience. You cannot take your phone or camera onto the bridge with you but there will be a photographer who will do the experience with you. However, you will have to pay additional money to get those photographs. (We think that climbing up the pilon gives you a similar view but you get to keep your phone and take your own photos.)
Top Things to Do in Sydney: the Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is the icon at the front of the harbor in Sydney. When visiting the city, it is hard to miss as it can be seen from so many different viewpoints. Heading to the quay in front of the opera house is great for beautiful views and is one of the top things to do in Sydney.
Getting Inside for Free: To see the interior of the opera house, you can go into the lobby of the building for free, where you can find the ticket office, a small cafe, and the restrooms.
Visiting the Interior of the Opera House
The opera house provides daily tours that allow you to go into some of the different halls, as long as they are available to enter. With this tour, you will get more information about the history and architecture of the building. However, the interior was not as impressive as the iconic exterior until it was recently renovated during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you just want to see the interior and are not necessarily interested in the architectural facts, then you can find a show that you want to see and enter the opera house to see the show.
Top Things to Do in Sydney: Bondi Beach and the Icebergs
Bondi Beach is one of the most famous beaches and one of the top things to do in Sydney, with a long and beautiful beach lined with restaurants, boutiques, and shops. This area is one of the most desired neighborhoods in Sydney. The Icebergs are pools along the coast at Bondi Beach and have become iconic. They have an entry fee if you want to go into the facilities and swim in the pools. However, the bar above the pools has great views overlooking the pools and beach.
Walk between Coogee Beach and Bondi Beach
The walk between Coogee and Bondi is one of the most popular walks for local Sydney residents who live in the region. It is a beautiful walk along the coast that takes you through different neighborhoods and coves, allowing you to see some of the incredible coastal homes and beaches that give Sydney so much character. We think that this is one of the top things to do in Sydney and a great active way to explore the city.
The pools along this walk are the Wylie Baths, the McIver’s Ladies Baths (for women and children only at Coogee Beach), the Giles Baths, the Bronte Baths, and the Icebergs (the most famous baths located at Bondi but they do have an entry fee).
Sydney Tower Eye
Have you seen the tall skinny tower with the saucer on top in Sydney? The one that looks like the tower in Seattle or Toronto? Well you can go up that tower to get a 360 view of the city from one of the highest viewpoints. The tower is located above the Westfield shopping mall in the CBD of Sydney. You will need to purchase a ticket to go to the top but the view is worth it. Around the entire tower, there are tablets with information about the different buildings that you can see from that angle. Buy your tickets in advance here.
Sydney Observatory Park
The Sydney Observatory Park is located in the Rocks and gives an unexpectedly great view of the Sydney harbor. If you find yourself in the Rocks, make your way to the gazebo of this park to get a great view of the historic neighborhood alongside the Sydney icons.
Sea Life Aquarium
Sea Life is Sydney’s downtown aquarium is a popular destination for families to see many varieties of fish, shark, and other marine animals in beautiful displays and habitats. Many know it for the tunnels that go through the different aquarium cases, which are among the largest in the world. You can see sharks and rays swim over and alongside you as you travel through these tunnels. They even have a dugong (manatee) that has not been able to rehabilitate to the wild.
Sea Life is a popular attraction for families who visit Sydney. If you are looking to go, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance at the Sea Life website and choosing an entrance time that is early in the morning when the crowds will be the smallest.
Top Things to Do in Sydney: Walks Along the Coast
Spit Bridge to Manly Beach
If you are looking for a hike that takes you to some of the more isolated and local beaches of Sydney, then this is the hike for you. This 6 mile walk winds you along the coast of the bay, giving you great views of the city and cliffsides that are so emblematic of Sydney’s harbor. Here is the link of the walk on AllTrails. At the end of the hike, you can enjoy the pool at the end of Manly Beach. If you have the time, make sure to do this walk as it is one of the top things to do in Sydney and a quieter alternative to the Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach walk.
Gap Bluff Walk
This small walk from Watsons Bay, linked here on AllTrails, gives you great views into the immense cliffs that fall into the ocean outside of Sydney and views of the Sydney skyline in the distance. It takes you to the edge of where the city meets the ocean outside of the bay.
After seeing the cliffs, you can walk to the lighthouse at the end of the small peninsula and get some great views of the Sydney skyline. This area is unexpectedly one of the top things to do in Sydney.
The Circular Quay to Mrs. Macquarie's Chair
The walk along the Sydney Harbour waterfront from the Circular Quay to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair gives you a beautiful view of the harbor and the Opera House against the skyline and harbor bridge. It also takes you towards the Royal Botanic Gardens where you can wander within a beautiful park.
The Blueprint Travelers Hiking Staples
The Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains are a mountain range located 50 kilometers outside of Sydney. The area is full of dramatic landscapes, trees, waterfalls, cliffs, and valleys that can be explored through hikes or at different viewpoints. The mountains got their name due to the blue haze from the oil that is emitted by the abundant eucalyptus trees. The area can be explored independently (with public transportation or by renting a car) or with a tour group where you will get more information about the region.
Hunter Valley Wine Tasting
Do you love wine or are interested in the production and flavors that make up the complexity of wine? Then you may want to spend a day exploring the Hunter Valley. This is one of the most famous and popular wine regions in Australia and is only 2-3 hours away from the city. The region is also home to delicious food, which pairs perfectly with a great glass of wine.
