Things to do in Sydney
Sydney is one of those cities that grabs your attention long before you discover it.
Bodyboarding on Bondi Beach, taking a ferry ride under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or visiting the incredible Sydney Opera House are great experiences you’ll want to book for your big trip to the southern hemisphere.
Once you’ve done that, it’s time to explore what else the city offers you. Here are the best things to do in Sydney, whether you’re visiting for the first time or the tenth.
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Enjoy great food and service in Sydney
Sydney’s food set has never been more creative and thrilling. Restaurants serving dishes from all over the world, often with a unique Australian flavour, can be found in every corner of the city.
Okay, maybe it’s a little trendy and perhaps too filled with great chefs, but it wouldn’t be Sydney if there weren’t some big names here. Fortunately, the food market manages to strike a balance between style and substance.
Fine dining restaurants such as Quay and Oncore by Clare Smyth are world-class, from the look to the service and the gourmet menu.
Other popular Sydney spots – no less incredible for their cuisine and hospitality – include NOMAD, Mr Wong, Cafe Paci, Long Chim and seafood pioneer Saint Peter. However, Sri Lankan takeaways or cheap noodles with unlimited wine can just as quickly be your best Sydney food experience!
If you can’t live without excellent food, wine bars, and fresh air, we recommend the famous Hunter Valley Wine Tour around Sydney.
Discover Sydney by foot, bike, or climbing the Harbour Bridge
Sydneysiders adore this giant cantilever, which opened in 1932. The most pleasing way to discover this majestic structure is on foot. Stairs and lifts go up to the bridge on both sides and lead to the sidewalk on the east side (a bike path on the west side). Take the train from the nearest train station to Milson’s Point station and walk towards the city for outstanding views. Climb the southeast tower to the Pylon Lookout or the arch on the famous Bridge Climb route.
Explore backstage at the Sydney Opera House
Designed by Danish designer and architect Jorn Utzon, this eye-catching building is one of Australia’s most iconic milestones. Visually reminiscent of the sails of a yacht, it is striking in its grandeur and includes five halls for dance, concerts, opera and theatre.
You can wander outside at your leisure, but the best way to discover the interior is to attend a performance or enjoy the guided tour (available in several languages)! Several different tours are on offer, including a backstage tour, a gastronomic tour, and a tour dedicated to the architectural talents involved in the building’s creation.
You can surf or watch Icebergs at Bondi
Bondi is one of the most famous beaches in the world, with constantly high waves and a warm sea. It’s also a wonderful place to learn how to surf!
Let’s Go Surfing is a well-known surf school based in North Bondi that offers classes for almost everyone. There are courses for young surfers (locals call them “grommets”) aged 7 to 15, for adults and women only.
You can also book a private lesson for two people – prices are lower outside the peak summer period. Respect other surfers and swimmers – Australians are pretty tolerant but not on the water, so watch out for local surfing etiquette!
Visit Watsons Bay for stunning beaches and stunning views
Watson’s Bay was once a tiny fishing village found east of the city centre and north of Bondi. Old houses are spread along the narrow streets of the suburb, but now they are much more expensive. There is a great day trip on the ferry from Circular Quay, and you can explore South Head and enjoy a leisurely lunch at Doyles on the Beach or a beer at sunset in the garden of Watson’s Bay Beach Club.
On the ocean side, the spectacular clifftop viewpoint The Gap is at the top of the cliff. On the harbourside, closer to Watsons Bay ferry, you can find the secret Camp Cove beach to take a dip.
Take the ferry to Cockatoo Island
The fascinating UNESCO-listed Wareamah Island opened in 2007 and offers a regular ferry service, camping, rental accommodation, and cafes. Information panels and audio guides tell a story about how the island was once a prison for convicts, a shipyard, and a naval base.
A dreadful tunnel runs through the middle of the island, where you can explore the remains of the former prison. During the Second World War, most original sandstone buildings were stripped of their roofs and turned into shelters from radioactive fallout. The isolation chambers were discovered here after they were filled in and forgotten about in the 1890s.
Explore a women-focused street art tour
Several tours research Newtown’s street art and murals, or you can do it yourself using Google Maps! Local Sauce has developed a self-guided tour that goes further and highlights the work of women artists who are often ignored, starting at Redfern Station.
As well as showcasing the artists behind the work, they recommend cafes to grab a bite to eat along the way. Their street art and food tours will also take you to some of Newtown’s best restaurants.
Attend a drag show
Sydney is Australia’s self-proclaimed LGBTIQ+ capital city, so don’t miss the chance to see a drag show. Since RuPaul popularised the art of drag in the Drag Race show, a broad audience has been introduced to the provocative performances of drag queens and kings.
In Sydney, you can dine out while watching a show or go to an evening of bingo, trivia or drag competitions. It’s in the internal and eastern suburbs of the city where you’ll find most of Sydney’s LGBTIQ+ platforms, from Universal nightclub on Oxford Street to the more alternative Bearded Tit in Redfern.
Discover Aboriginal rock art
It may be surprising to find an antique art form in such a modern city, but Sydney is built on a giant gallery of Aboriginal art. Until recently, little awareness was paid to it, and many works were covered up or destroyed.
Now that dot drawings from faraway deserts are being honoured, Sydneysiders have begun to realise what a treasure lies in their backyard. Look for rock paintings of the original custodians of this place on specific points around the harbour, on the sandy shore and in nearby national parks such as Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
We’d also like to recommend the incredible Blue Mountains Tours to lovers of mountainous scenery.
Visit the Art Gallery of New South Wales
With its neo-classical Greek facade and modern back, this much-loved organisation plays an essential role in Sydney society. It regularly hosts high-profile international interactive exhibits and special events.
While the permanent collection includes many 19th-century European and Australian works of art, particular highlights include the modern indigenous gallery in the basement and the collection of twentieth-century Australian art, with some outstanding paintings by leading names in the local painting scene.
Visit the White Rabbit Gallery
White Rabbit, believed by many to be the best contemporary art gallery in Sydney, is located behind the Central Park development in Chippendale. It is the brainchild of billionaire and philanthropist Judith Neilson, who has assembled one of the world’s largest collections of cutting-edge Chinese art (on display since 2000).
There are so many works in the gallery that only a few of them can be shown at the same time. Here, you will find poignant, funny and distinctive art.
Explore Sydney's Victorian-era arcades
Sydney’s shops are centred around George Street and Pitt Street, then spread into arcades and side streets. Among the many glittering places to indulge in intense shopping therapy, there are some exquisite Victorian-era passageways to admire while you shop.
The luxurious Queen Victoria Building (QVB) occupies an entire city block and boasts nearly 200 stores, including well-known international brands, spread across its five levels. The building is arguably Sydney’s finest shopping centre, a masterpiece of Victorian neo-Gothic.
Admire the balconies, Byzantine copper domes, glass windows, mosaic floors, replicas of the crown jewels, ballroom, baby grand piano (available) and the hyper-kitschy animated Royal Clock, which shows the Battle of Hastings and the beheading of Charles I every hour.
Nearby, the Strand Arcade Gallery is home to many Australian designers and the old-fashioned basement branch of JB Hi-Fi, which sells electronics, DVDs and vinyl records.
Go kayaking to a hidden beach
A hidden gem near Manly, the charming Stor Beach is only accessible by sea. Hire a boat or kayak from Manly Kayak Centre and then take the half-hour or 45-minute journey to the 200-metre-long, tree-lined, sheltered beach. The view of the verdant North Harbour will make you feel like you’ve left the city altogether.
This place is a breeding ground for tiny blue penguins, so access is prohibited after dusk when the birds fly away for the night. Don’t forget to bring snacks, sunscreen and plenty of water!
Hike along the coast of Manly and North Head
This magnificent coastal walk consists of A 10 km western section between Manly and Spit Bridge and a 9.5 km eastern loop around North Head. The west section follows the complex harbour shoreline through affluent suburbs and a spectacular Sydney Harbour National Park stretch. It emerges near Clontarf and leads to Spit Bridge.
The eastern loop is known as the North Head Circuit Track and takes between 2.5 and 3.5 hours to complete. Travel through the bush to the stunning Fairfax Lookout at North Head. From there, follow the Fairfax Loop and return via Australia’s Memorial Walk and World War II gun emplacements to the Bluefish Track, which drops steeply to Shelly Beach. You can return to Manly Beach via the scenic Fairy Bower Beach. Download a map or pick one up at the information centre by the pier.
Discover Aboriginal history at the Royal Botanic Garden
Located southeast of the Opera House, this garden was made in 1816 and contains plants worldwide. The garden has greenhouses with palm trees and ferns, and the “Cup” is an impressive exhibition space with a curved greenhouse gallery with a green wall and temporary exhibitions on plant themes. Don’t forget to pick up a park map at one of the main entrances to the gardens.
The garden holds the site of the colony’s first European vegetable garden, but its history goes back much further. Long before the prisoners came, it was a place of initiation for the Gadigal people.
Book a guided daily tour with a First Nations guide who will share their knowledge of local bush foods.
Explore Palm Beach and Pittwater for a day
Palm Beach’s long, beautiful beach is the Crescent of Happiness, famous for being the location of the TV series Home and Away. The Barrenjoey Lighthouse, dating from 1881, pierces the northern edge of the cape in the annex of the Cape Verde National Park. The suburb of Palm Beach has two sides: an excellent ocean shore and a pleasant strip on Pittwater, where more peaceful beaches are suitable for children.
There are ferries to other scenic spots in Pittwater, including different park parts. To get to the lighthouse, you have two options on foot – a short staircase or a winding path – for the steep climb to the top, but the majestic views of Pittwater and the peninsula are well worth it. It is also an excellent place to watch whales in winter.
Run or ride a horse in Centennial Park
Carved out of the sand in 1888 in a tremendous Victorian style, Sydney’s largest park is a winding 189-hectare stretch of wide formal walkways, ponds, sculptures and a maze. During the warmer months, the park is filled with joggers, cyclists, rollerbladers and horseback riders.
There is also a riding school offering rides for children and adults. No previous riding experience is required, but reservations are mandatory. If pony rides aren’t for you, kids will love the adventures at the Ian Potter Wildlife Children’s Garden.
Explore The Rocks' colonial history
The story of Australian convicts began in an area known as The Rocks, with muddy canvas shacks on a rocky shore. Its notorious reputation lives on in the atmospheric lanes lined with historic buildings, many of which are still in operation as pubs.
It’s full of koala toy shops and tourists but also home to a great museum and art gallery. The Glenmore is a famous pub in the old Rocks district, with a rooftop view of Sydney’s city centre.
Walk along the Bondi to Coogee cliffs
The sensational 6km Bondi to Coogee Walk starts at Bondi Beach and heads south along the cliffs past Tamarama, Bronte and Clovelly bays, interspersed with panoramic views, lifeguarded beaches, sea baths, coastal parks and plaques telling the story of Aboriginal people and their history.
The hiking trail starts at the end of Knotts Avenue and leads to the northern end of Coogee Beach, where you can choose from three ocean pools to swim in if the waves are strong. Bring a picnic, plenty of water and a bathing suit.
Enjoy luxury at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
2.5 km from Sydney’s central corporation district, in the wealthy enclave of Rushcutters Bay, the historic Cruising Yacht Club of Australia hosts the annual Sydney to Hobart regatta. To experience local Sydney life, head to the members-only Sundeck Café for vast portions of fish and chips and a glass of riesling while watching the multi-million dollar yachts.