Tips and advice on how to get the most out of your time in Sydney
15 Minute Read
Having visited Sydney five times, and after now being connected to this amazing city by multiple family ties, I thought it would be a good idea to put all this insider knowledge into a comprehensive guide! I want to start off by saying that Sydney is easily one of my favourite cities in the world. The first couple of times I went, I didn’t really give it a fair chance and used it as more of a springboard for travelling to other areas. It was only as I continued to return and spend more time getting to know all its nooks and crannies that I realised how incredible it is. In this Sydney travel guide I’m going to be covering the following topics:
- How to Get Around
- Where to Stay
- Top Sites
- If You Have Time
- Best Beaches
- Best Walks
A lot of travellers only skim through here at the start of a bigger trip – yet strangely – most people who come to Australia for a working holiday go to either Sydney or Melbourne to live. The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive! Even if you’re only travelling in Australia for a short time you should give Sydney the attention it deserves! However, there are a lot of things that are easy to overlook when you go to Sydney. Due to its strange geography, the area seems too great to cover in a brief period. But I’m here to give you all the tips and tricks to ensure you maximise your stay and come away feeling like you’ve experienced the full scale of this fantastic city.
If you’re planning on backpacking up the whole of the east coast check out my detailed travel guide below for tips/advice on a 4 week itinerary!
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1. How to Get Around
Upon arriving in Sydney you might want to get an Opal Card. They act in a similar fashion to Oyster cards in London and can be topped up with credit and used as a travel card. This is particularly useful as you will be using a lot of busses and ferries to get around the city and its suburbs! However, the system is gradually updating and some ferries accept debit cards directly, so soon this might not be necessary!
Just like in Hong Kong, an integral part of Sydney is the network of ferries that zip about the harbour. They aren’t just a tourist attraction, and in fact, many people use them to commute and travel around as an everyday part of life. There are 32 of them in total covering 8 different lines and accessing 29 different wharves. They are responsible for transporting 14 million people across Sydney Harbour every year!
Like most places in Australia, trains aren’t as pivotal to city life as you would expect them to be. The metro system is new and well connected but even though I’ve visited Sydney many times I’ve never found a use for it. Most metros are only used by locals commuting from the western suburbs into the CBD. The only time you might consider using the metro is to get to Bondi Junction (where you then have to change to a bus to reach the beach). Mostly, I try to take the ferries whenever I can to enjoy the novelty and then opt for busses if it’s somewhere further inland. You can also walk to a lot of the sites in the inner city as the area is quite clustered!
2. Where to Stay
I’m mostly considering backpackers looking for hostels in this section as that’s what I have the most experience with! I always use Hostelworld as I’ve found it has the best selection of accommodation options and loads of user reviews. Make sure to read these reviews when looking for somewhere to stay just to make sure it sounds like the kind of place you would enjoy being in! If you’re really stuck for somewhere to go Base and YHA hostel chains go up most of the east coast and are a pretty safe bet for stray travellers.
Kings Cross
Kings Cross is where most of the party hostels are located. You’ll likely come to this area for a night out at some point during your stay anyway. It just depends on whether you want to visit the area or be immersed in it! If the latter, then definitely book somewhere in this neighbourhood.
Central
Sandwiched between the Central train station and Hyde Park are a whole load of hostels. This is pretty convenient as you can get on the train from Sydney International Airport to Central and find your hostel in no time. If you’re exhausted after a mammoth flight then it’s nice not to have to look far for somewhere to crash!
But be aware, some of the hostels in this area are for people on working holidays trying to get jobs and settle down in Sydney. I accidentally stayed in one of these on my first trip (pretty sure it was “Wake Up!”) and the people in my room were in a very different mindset to me, so it was a bit strange. No one wanted to do any sightseeing which meant I did pretty much all of it by myself! If you are eager to meet people then make sure you don’t make this same mistake.
Bondi and Manly
Bondi is another really cool area but I have to say it’s pretty poorly connected to the rest of the city and is kind of annoying to get to. People on a working holiday tend to settle either in Bondi or Manly depending on how high a priority surfing is (if high, choose Bondi). Both areas have loads of young people and travellers with a great atmosphere in the bars, cafés, and shops. There are fewer options for hostels in these areas, as they’re more of a day trip location if you’re only staying in Sydney for a short while. But I’m sure if you’re adamant about staying in these areas you can find places on Airbnb.
3. Top Sites
Sydney Opera House
I challenge anyone to be shown an image of the Sydney Opera House and not know what it is. The pearlescent white sales (which are actually more creamy in colour up close) stand magnificently over the central harbour. Seeing this iconic building for the first time won’t fail to fill you with admiration. Make sure to spend some time walking by it and getting up close as it seems to change shape from different angles. Then spend some time looking at it from a distance when on the Harbour Bridge, and outer city coves. If you’re really eager and don’t mind splashing a bit of cash you could book to see a show/concert there, just be sure to book well in advance as tickets do sell out.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Another city icon is this incredible 20th-century steel bridge that connects the south of the harbour to the north. Due to its focal location, many people want to climb the bridge for its incredible views over the surrounding area. However, for a backpacker, the price is way over the average budget. It can cost anywhere between $200-400 AUD to climb, which I think is outlandishly high.
But fear not, I have a great tip for this too! There is another viewpoint on the bridge from the Pylon Lookout. It only costs $19 AUD and you also receive access to a small museum and get the chance to learn a bit of history about how the bridge was built. It obviously isn’t as tall as the main bridge climb but I think as a compromise, and for the money saved, it’s an amazing deal.
Taronga Zoo
Three things make this one of my favourite zoos in the world. Firstly, the jaw-droppingly impressive view of the cityscape. The second, arriving at Taronga via ferry is a tourist attraction in itself and feels a bit like you’re entering Jurassic Park. And lastly, the wonderful range of Australian animals on display. It’s a conservation zoo, so you aren’t just marvelling at caged creatures for amusement. They are often rescued and are kept under great care. If you want to get a view of famous endemic marsupials such as kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, and koalas, then this is your chance.
Don’t miss the cable car that takes you over the top of many of the enclosures. You have a bird’s-eye view onto some of the animals whilst getting yet another opportunity to admire the Sydney skyline. The entrance ticket is pretty pricey at $44 AUD but I think it’s seriously worth it!
Circular Quay
This spot gets a few mentions as it’s the central hub for ferry departures and arrivals in the city. Ahead of you to the right is the Opera House, and to the left is the Harbour Bridge. In between is the deep blue water and shiny white ferries docking in and out of the pontoons. Crowds of passengers rush on to be distributed all about the harbour in this fantastic nautical network.
Manly
The cool surfer suburb in the north of the harbour. As the main beach faces the open ocean the swell brings monstrous curling waves perfect for swimming and surfing. However, sometimes they’re too big and the lifeguards are forced to close the beach (this same rule applies to beaches all over Sydney)! Manly also has a great shopping district and if you’re looking to stock up on surfer brands such as Quicksliver, Billabong, and Ripcurl, this is your place to do so. On top of this, there are plenty of great restaurants and cafés by the beachfront and along the wide pedestrian-friendly streets. Make sure you take a ferry from Circular Quay to get there so you can enjoy the ride over.
Watson’s Bay, Hornby Lighthouse, & The Gap
This is probably my favourite set of views in all of Sydney. A location that is again reachable by ferry (or by bus if you want to take one type of transport out and another back). This is the last area before the deep blue of the Pacific beyond. On one side, in Watson’s Bay, you can see back across the harbour to the city in the distance. At the Beach Club, you can sit outside by the sparkling water with a cold drink in hand and a plate of delicious fish & chips in front of you. What could be better?
After lunch, take a walk up to the Hornby Lighthouse for a view across to North Head which is the opposite headland acting as the other entrance/exit to the harbour. Lastly, walk up to The Gap where there are stunning views out into the vast ocean from a lofty set of cliffs. At certain times of year, you might be lucky and see the spray of migrating whales in the distance. It’s an amazing day out and when the weather is beautiful, one of the best places to be in Sydney.
Coogee to Bondi walk
A stunning coastal walk culminating in one of the world’s most famous beaches. I cover this walk in more detail below. For now rest assured, this is obligatory for any trip to Sydney.
4. If You Have Time
Sydney Sea Life Aquarium
This is a good spot to go on a rainy day or if you’re at a bit of a loose end. But the area is little like a touristy theme park, which isn’t really my scene. Having said that, the Aquarium itself is great, so don’t be deterred if you are desperate to see some of the Australian aquatic life. They even have a platypus which I thought was so awesome to see! It’s situated by Darling Harbour which means you can also walk along the pontoon looking at the bobbing boats and the pelicans basking in the sunshine. It’s a bit pricey costing nearly $40 for your entry and if you’re split between going to this or Taronga, definitely choose the latter.
Royal Botanical Gardens
Most people skip this out when they visit the Opera House which I never really understood because they’re so close to one another. The gardens are massive and fantastically maintained showcasing a wide range of local Australian flora. The gardens lead right up to the front of the harbour so you get lots of opportunities to glimpse through the trees at the shimmering water.
During summer there is an open-air movie theatre with the most incredible backdrop imaginable. If you happen to time your trip for when it’s open, then don’t miss out! Also, every New Years Day an outdoor music festival called Field Day takes place right next to the gardens. So if you can, make sure to nab a ticket for that!
North Head
Just like Watson’s Bay, this headland is positioned by the harbour’s entrance with one side facing out to the Pacific ocean and the other back into the city, except in this case, it’s on the north side (duh!). One of the advantages it has over Watson’s bay is the elevation of the cliffs. When you walk along the edges and look way down into the crashing waves below, with the salt wind lashing at your skin, you’ll feel the true wrath of the sea. It’s clear how important these cliffs are to protecting the calm waters that make Sydney such a successful harbour! Unfortunately, it’s a pretty difficult area to access as you need to get to Manly first before heading out to the sanctuary on the headland. If you want to do a loop walk of the headland it takes around 3 hours, starting and finishing in Manly.
North Head is home to one of the quirky areas in Sydney in the form of an 19th-century Quarantine station which was used as a temporary holding area for travellers arriving in Sydney suspected of carrying infectious diseases. Not to worry, it’s no longer used in that capacity and is instead home to a hotel and restaurant!
Sydney Fish Market
Positioned a little outside the city centre is the bustling Sydney Fish Market. I love to eat lots of local food when I’m travelling so I often go to markets to see what’s on offer. In the case of Sydney, it’s whatever they can haul up from the ocean. The overall quality of the fish in Sydney is fantastic and deliciously fresh at most places in the city. But if you want the best of the best, where better to go than the source. You can either walk around just admiring the incredible range of fish on offer, or you can choose to eat from any number of mouthwatering stalls.
Barrenjoey Lighthouse & Palm beach
As much as I enjoy visiting this place, it’s pretty far from Sydney for an average day trip. Taking just under 2 hours in public transport, it’s a bit much. If you’re willing to take a 2-hour venture anywhere I would instead recommend taking the train to Katoomba for the Blue Mountains National Park (see my east coast travel guide for more details).
If you have access to a car then the drive takes under an hour, in which case it’s definitely worth it. There’s a beautiful walk up to the lighthouse which juts out atop a headland. Following this, you can spend the day sunbathing and swimming on the serene Palm Beach. It’s much less busy up here than on the Sydney beaches so this is a great place to go if you’re looking for a bit of peace and quiet. If you get hungry you can grab some lunch or a cold drink at The Boathouse. It’s a great cafe on a pontoon that’s sandwiched between Barrenjoey Beach and Station Beach.
5. Best Beaches
Bondi
Undoubtably one of the best beaches in the world, and with this prestige comes no lack of crowds. It’s the busiest beach I’ve been to in all of Australia but that isn’t without good reason. Most people come just for the waves. The sea is packed with body borders, surfers, and swimmers all struggling to get their fill. Luckily the area is huge, but take caution if you’re an inexperienced swimmer. The rip currents and swell are extraordinary, so do pay attention to the life guards and swim between the flags, they aren’t just there for show!
Sometime to avoid the crowds I like to go first thing in the morning, my cousin even goes for an early morning surf before work! You will be alone (other than a few other dedicated swimmers) so it might be worth considering.
Manly
Another great swimming and surfing beach. Probably the second busiest beach in Sydney but visually not as impressive as Bondi. The waves are amazing but the area on the sand is smaller and backs onto a concrete promenade making the beach not as scenic. If you’re going to Manly it’s good to walk around the shops and visit some of the hip bars and cafés rather than just lounging about sunbathing all day as there are better beaches in Sydney for doing that!
Shelly
For example, beaches like this one! Shelly is just around the corner from Manly and is little more than a snippet of sand wedged between a forested cove. But as it’s protected from the wind, the beach is very peaceful and the water beautifully calm. You can go snorkelling in the search for fish or simply bask in the sun like some of the lizards you are likely to see on your walk from Manly. This is a great beach to relax on, to wind down, to sleep and read the day away. If you feel like a snack or drink I again recommend going to The Boathouse. It’s actually a chain with a few locations in Sydney that if nearby are worth visiting!
Curl Curl and Dee Why
North of Manly are two other beaches populated almost entirely by locals. Very few tourists go here either because they don’t know about it or because it’s a bit out the way so they don’t care to explore. If you have the time they’re both worth visiting for the idyllic coastal walks or big surfing waves.
Balmoral
I am truly biased here as this is the closest beach to where my family lives. But hey, don’t they say write from the heart? In any case, we actually visited this beach many years ago before they moved out there and I remember it being great back then! Don’t expect any waves because it’s entirely enclosed from the open ocean. As such, it’s wonderfully tranquil. The best reason to go here is if you are doing a walk to Middle Head or one of the longer walks I discuss below.
6. Best Walks
Coogee to Bondi – 6km
If you are going to do one proper walk in Sydney (you should probably do more) then this is it. It’s sort of a two birds with one stone scenario as this walk and Bondi Beach are both considered “must do’s”, and it’s easy to group them into the same trip! The route takes you around 2-3 hours (unless you decide to stop at the beaches along the way for a swim) and follows a path that hugs the coastline. It weaves in and out of coves, past sandy beaches, above crashing waves, and along artificial sea pools. If you’re lucky you might do the walk during a Sculptures by the Sea exhibition where a range of art installations are placed along the route for walkers to admire.
Coogee is a little tricky to get to as it’s quite far out from the city. You have to take a bus or taxi to get there to start your walk. The most direct bus lines to use are the 372, 373, and M50. From the city centre the journey will take you around 45 minutes.
Spit Bridge to Manly – 10km
It’s a great walk for exploring the suburban coves hidden amongst the vastness of the harbour. It seems worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre and feels a lot closer to nature. As such, it’s easy to imagine what the area would have been like hundreds of years ago when only the Aborigine people traced these hidden tracks. Ducking amongst the mottled trees and camping at night, lighting their fires beneath the overhanging rocks. Now at least, the track is well marked and easy to follow, and in fact, for a lot of the route you follow a cliff path with a view of Manly in the distance!
To get there take a bus to Spit West Reserve, Spit Rd bus stop which is on the south side of the bridge; then, walk across to the other side where there is a path to start the trail. Alternatively, you can hop in a taxi from the city centre if there are a few of you wanting to go from a hostel or hotel. The route should take no more than 4 hours and at the end, you can grab a beer and go for a swim at Manly before taking a ferry back to the city!
Balmoral to Sydney Harbour Bridge
This isn’t necessarily a famous or well marked walking route like the other two. In fact it’s a section of a longer walk that you could technically do between Manly and Sydney Harbour Bridge. It’s also possible to shorten the walk or start/end in different areas as there are a few ferry pick-up points you go past if you want to hop on a boat back to the city (Taronga, Mosman, Cremorne, Kurraba, Neutral Bay).
I’m fond of this because because I love the view from each of the headlands as you get close and closer to the city. Near the end the route passes through some residential streets where it isn’t as scenic but then you finish the trail by crossing the Harbour Bridge. Which although noisy, is an incredible experience (it’s also a good time to consider going up the Pylon Lookout I mentioned earlier).
To start the walk take a bus to Mosman from the city centre. You can then head down to Balmoral and spend the morning on the beach before starting your walk from there in the afternoon.
Thanks to my family for bolstering my gallery of photos and helping me with extra tips for this Sydney travel guide!
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Excellent guide to Sydney! Don’t forget about the brunch, coffee and beers! Also free BBQs on the beaches are a must for travellers 🙂
Hi Ben, thanks for your message! Good point – Sydney is great for coffee shops and brunch spots. Anywhere you recommend? I have another post coming soon on East Coast Australia and I mention the trusty beach BBQs there. But, you’re right they’re not to be missed in Sydney either!
Few recommendations:
Three Blue Ducks (Bronte)
Coogee Pavilion
Harry’s Bondi
The grounds of Alexandria
Paramount Coffee (Surry Hills)
Boathouse (Balmoral)