My favorite ten Adventures in Sydney, Australia

Of course you have to go to the Opera House and look at the Harbor Bridge, and so did we, but here are my ten personal favorites, collected over the four years that I lived in Sydney. Some of them you will know already, but hopefully others are not so obvious and will make it onto your Syndey list as well!!!

(Disclaimer: I don’t know what the situation is right now after the fires)

From Sydney you can take a train (or drive) to the small mountain town of Katoomba, the starting point for all Blue Mountain adventures. The Blue Mountains have something for everybody: you can walk, hike, go kayaking, canyoning, rock climbing, abseiling and so much more. Back when I lived in Sydney you cold still rock climb the Three Sisters, the most famous rock formation in the Blue Mountains, but unfortunately that’s not possible anymore.

 

The Sydney Harbor Bridge is impressive. It’s fun to drive over it, walk over it or take the ferry alongside it, but the best experience is to actually climb on top of it. I did it with my dad, at night, with wonderful views over the harbor and the city.

 

It’s actually not my personal favorite as I get really scared on these little boats, but it’s a must when you visit Sydney. There is no other more beautiful harbor anywhere in the world, and you should go out and explore it on a boat.

And if you are there over Christmas Break, don’t miss watching the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race that starts on Boxing Day each year.

 

Royal National Park is situated just south of Sydney. It offers beautiful hikes through coastal cliffs, secluded beaches and eucalyptus-rich bushland. One of the hiking trails leads to Bungoona Lookout, with gorgeous views of Hacking River. If you are lucky you will see kookaburras, lyre birds and echidnas. It’s a huge area and rarely did we see people when we hiked there.

 

 

Coogee is a beautiful beach South of Bondi Beach. Smaller, harder to get to, less famous and therefore less crowded. It has its own little rock pool and is great for kids and adults alike. It has plenty of laid back al fresco restaurants and bars, and happens to be the Southern end of the cliff walk from Bondi.

And should you stay at the Crowne Plaza which is right at the beach, check out the top floors….back in the days when we stayed there the top two floors were used for new mothers to recover after giving birth. Surely a nicer option than a hospital room…

 

 

 

An extravagant adventure, but if you are planning to propose to someone, this might just be the way to go! And if you simply want to have an unforgettable day, then I’s worth it as well. We did both and still think of it fondly! Our plane had eight seats and several stops on the Northern Beaches or, our stop, the Hawkesbury River. We landed right next to a river front restaurant, the Cottage Point Inn, and enjoyed a delicious lunch. We also got engaged during that lunch, which made the day even more special!

Wended the day with a celebratory dinner at Café Sydney at Circular Quay, overlooking the Harbor Bridge. If you go, try the Moreton Bay bugs…..

 

It’s called the “Spit-to-Manly walk” and you can do it in either direction or both ways if you are so inclined. The Spit-to-Manly is a 6 mile scenic walk along the coastline including stretches of board walk and beach. Bring a towel as you will have plenty of opportunities to hop in the water on your way. Prepare yourself for the most beautiful coastal views during this unbelievable hike.

 

While at Spit Bridge, rent a kayak and kayak to Balmoral Beach.

We used to do this all the time. Kayaing the coastline from Spit Bridge to Balmoral is beautiful and a great workout. Once you get to Balmoral, park your kayak, visit the beach and eat one of Australia’s famous burgers with beetroot at “Bottom of the Harbour”. It’s called the Balmoral Burger. And if you are not into beetroot….they also happen to be famous for their fish and chips. Before you leave, have a drink at "The Boat House"and enjoy the views. 

 

 

I was tempted to make this my number one choice. The views from Watson’s Bay toward the city are unbelievable. We spent one New Year’s Eve here to watch the fireworks over the bridge – an unforgettable experience!!

Once you make it to Watson’s Bay walk up the hill to visit the South Head, the southern opening point of the harbor into the ocean (“The Gap”). It’s the most calming experience, and if you are ever stressed, that’s where you should go and just sit for a while.

After visiting the South Head turn back and reward yourself with a glass of Semillon and some fresh fish at Watson Bay’s most famous restaurant: Doyle’s.

 

This has to be my personal number one! Wake up early and settle in at the North end of the beach. Have some breakfast at Speedo’s, a favorite with locals and tourists alike. Don’t be afraid to try the Turkish bread with butter and vegemite! It’s an acquired taste my family tells me, but I acquired it full heartedly!

After breakfast take a walk along one of the most famous beaches on the planet. Once you hit the Southern end of the beach, keep walking on the Bondi to Coogee cliff walk. You can hit Tamarama Beach (also called “Glamarama Beach”), Bronte Beach, Clovelly Beach and eventually Coogee Beach, just depends how much walking you have in you. This used to be my jogging route when we lived in Bondi – no better way to start the day.

After your walk, take a swim at the famous Icebergs Pool in South Bondi and eat at one of the Iceberg’s restaurants afterwards. There is a low key bistro and a more upscale restaurant you can choose from. Both are great and it all depends on the mood you are in.

Spend the afternoon at the beach and get ready to have a beer close to the RSL at the North end of the beach.

Every day at sunset the RSL Club and all its visitors show their respect to the troops that fought the German forces in WW2  by standing silently and facing to the West.

End your day with dinner at Sean’s Panaroma, while enjoying the sunset!

It’s been a while since I have been back to Australia, and I can’t wait to check off every item on this list myself!