Visiting the land of plenty [Archive]

adrianandkate

13th Sep 2007, 18:12

You say you are going to Sydney like you are just driving a few miles up the M1.

In spite of living in Sydney for more than a year, I never thought there was much to "see". You can't really miss the bridge and the Opera House. The attraction of Sydney is the buzz and the doing. I doubt there are any hidden gems although there may be a good Land Rover club.

So, in no particular order, things to do rather than see are:

The best thing about Sydney is its natural setting. Try and go on the water, the harbour cruise was great. One minute you are leaving a trendy modern city, the next you are out looking at inlets and bays that look as though they have never been touched. (Unless they have suddenly put up new blocks of flats there in the last few years:rolleyes:).

If you don't feel like a full cruise, try getting the boat over to Manly, wander round (Manly was never exciting), have a beer or a coffee depending on your preference, and come back, but at least you have seen Sydney from the water.

Or go to Palm Beach - also on the north side, (quick google shows it) long white sandy beaches, and easy to get to by public transport.

Football. Always worth checking for a good rugby match. Good atmosphere and sometimes good matches, best we saw was an interstate one between NSW and Victoria. Even better - try getting an entree into an RSL club. Cheap drinks and food. Some of them had (swimming) pools too.

Walk round. Suggested daytime route - Circular Quay, Opera House, botanical gardens (good), Wooloomooloo Bay, The Cross (Kings Cross), Elizabeth Bay, Rushcutters Bay, and Double Bay (for rich living and beautiful boats). The Cross is busy at night. (We used to live there and in Potts Point).

Trips out. Katoomba and the Three Sisters (Blue Mountains Nat Pk). You can get there by public transport, but if you have a car its faster. Similarly, the other National Parks, Royal National Park (second oldest in the world after Yellowstone), and Kurangai Chase.

Other beaches (not really beach weather yet) are Coogee, Bronte, Randwick - the Eastern Beaches.

If you like old buildings, Parramatta has Government House, but as I remember not much else.

I would not go to: Bondi, or The Rocks. Easy to say as I have been to both.

My top recommends assuming you end up down the Opera House/looking at the Bridge would be
1) harbour cruise
2) the Cross
3) a national park (Royal for preference)

Almost forgot, Paddington has nice architecture and Oxford St.

IMHO, the usual suspects are usually the ones worth seeing. And the night life was great - don't miss it:p. Have a great time.

Kate & Adrian