three days exploring Sydney Australia

Post Author: Rachel

About this time last year, we were on a two week adventure down under! The first week we spent in Australia and the second in New Zealand. It was hands down the greatest trip we've taken. Whenever we travel, we always try to do everything on a budget and pack in as much as possible in a limited window. For the first part of the trip we stopped in Sydney and tried to see and do everything in just three days, so here's the rundown of what to do, where to eat and what to wear! 

When we got back to the states I put together a few blog posts recapping our entire visit, but I wanted to summarize it all for you here if you are traveling to Australia anytime soon. Oh and don't forget, you DO need a visa to enter Sydney! We were able to buy one at the ticket counter before departing and it digitally linked to our passports. 

SYDNEY

CAIRNS

MELBOURNE

QUEENSTOWN

AUCKLAND

What tO DO 

• Bondee to Coogee walk - one of the most spectacular trails with gorgeous views every step of the way. Oceans, rock formations, beaches, parks...this trek has everything. 
  
  
• Bondi Icebergs Club - Pool and sauna is $7 pp. It has the most gorgeous views, but beware, it's called Iceberg Club for a reason, the pool temperature is freezing! 
  
  
• Sydney Bridge Climb - This is an absolute must-do. It was such a blast and an incredible way to see the city from above. 
  
  
• ​Sydney Opera House - Iconic and beautiful. We didn't have time to do the tour inside but we did get up very early one day to watch the sunrise over the top of the Opera House. It was an absolutely gorgeous sight. 
  
  
• Grab a drink at The Opera Bar - One evening, after walking and exploring all day, we grabbed drinks at the bar right outside the Opera House and enjoyed the company, the live music and of course, the amazing view of Sydney. 
  
  
• Hop on/off bus tour - This is a great way to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. 
  
  
• Darling Harbour - Gorgeous area filled with shopping and waterfront dining. 
  
  
• Circular Quay and The Rocks neighborhood - We walked through this area to enjoy the sunset and some of the local landmarks.
  
  
• Sydney Observatory - Home to telescope domes, a 3D Space Theatre and the Sydney Planetarium.
  
  
• Catch a 25 minute ferry to Manly Beach - Breathtaking beach, plus the ferry ride gives you a unique way to see the city. This is also where the Australian Open of Surfing is held in February
  
  
• 4 Pines Brewing Co - Stop by for a flight of their local brews. All of them are brewed there in Manly and they didn’t disappoint. Great beers!

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Where to Eat

• Kansas City Shuffle - Obviously we had to try a place in Australia that has the name Kansas City in it! The restaurant owner is a big “Lucky Number Slevin” fan, hence the name. The place had a hipster vibe, and the coffee is off the charts good. Sydney loves their coffee, and they do it all with care. Coffee is an art form in Sydney and you won’t be disappointed with the results! We split the brisket & waffle meal, which was wonderful.
  
  
• Motown Coffee Brewers - Highly recommend this place for breakfast. We ordered a croissant and egg sandwich with some amazing coffee. 
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• Fish At The Rocks - A very cool spot near the Sydney Bridge. The food was really good, but a heads up, everything in Sydney is pretty expensive. The oysters were delicious but really salty and they don’t serve cocktail sauce either.  We split the seafood pasta for dinner, which was fantastic. .
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• Australian Hotel - A neat bar and grill that has over 100 Australian beers and a lot of local flavor. We split a kangaroo burger, which was interesting but we had to try it, and ordered some local brews. Delicious meal.

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What to Wear

We visited Sydney in April and it was unbelievably, record breaking, hot! This portion of the trip consisted of tanks and shorts. In order to save time and money, we each only took a backpack so we had to be extremely thoughtful about what we brought. I put together a list on Amazon and linked all my outfits on LIKEtoKnowIT. 

TIPS

• Keep in mind, your meals with take much longer than they do in the states. It is not customary to tip in Sydney so there's much less of an incentive to be speedy or helpful. Allow plenty of extra time for meals and have some patience. We allotted about two hours per meal and we even split most meals. 
  
  
• Instead of thank you or your welcome, they say "cheers." 
  
  
• Budget well and be ready to spend a pretty penny as Sydney is a very expensive city.  
  
  
• Bring sunscreen and aloe vera! 
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• Don't forget a hat, sunglasses and comfortable walking shoes.
  
  
• Enjoy the espresso! They have some of THE best coffee in the world. Coffee is an art form in Sydney and you won’t be disappointed with the results!

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