Hotels in Sydney - Koala at Featherdale or Taronga Zoo

Things to Do in Sydney: Hotels in Sydney travel guide on the best things to do in Sydney. Have a look below for more details on Sydney Attractions, restaurants, nightlife, bars, clubs, events and shopping.

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Top things to do and Attractions in Sydney:

Things to do in Sydney Australia are fun for all kinds of people. The many offer you the chance to spend time with nature or the arts, and sometimes both. Sydney Harbour, beautiful beaches, and wildlife preserves bring the wonder of nature—Australian style—to anyone looking for authentic experiences. You’ll also find a world-class city home to cultural events, galleries, and museums. When you add in the excellent shopping and great food, Sydney is a dream spot for vacations.

Beaches:
Up and down the coast, Sydney and its neighborhoods are home to some truly amazing beaches such as Manly Beach, Coogee Beach, and Cronulla Beach.

Surfers consider these beaches some of the best places in the world to catch a wave, especially the southern end of Bondi Beach. Plenty of surf schools are available to teach newbies the proper way to have fun and navigate the waves.

Of course, surfing is just the beginning of the things to do along the beach; there are plenty of opportunities for sunbathing, swimming, and other traditional beach-side pursuits. You’ll also find cafes, art galleries, and restaurants all within in steps of the sand and surf.

Sydney Harbour Bridge:
Many of the world’s great bridges are just about transportation, but the Sydney Harbor Bridge has always been a place for tourists. The bridge sees its share of automobile traffic, but every day, the museums and bridge climbs are some of the best things to do in Sydney.

The visitor center tells the story of this world landmark through multimedia exhibits and films. Exhibits also are located the Pylon Lookout, a fantastic perch for admiring the views of the city skyline and the Sydney Opera House. The visitor center is one the free things to do in Sydney, while the lookout requires a small entry fee. For an insider’s view of the bridge, consider embarking on one of the bridge climbs, a guided adventure you won’t soon forget.

Sydney Opera House:
One of the most famous buildings in the world is packed with interesting things to do and events. Any given week, the schedule includes rock concerts and ways to celebrate high culture.

Beyond the concerts, the opera house also offers a full slate of behind-the-scenes tours that offer you a peek into the daily operations. Many visitors combine a tour with a high tea, an experience designed by a local chef. Other packages add a speedboat tour or visit to the Taronga Zoo to the VIP tours.

Cruises:
While there’s a lot to experience on the mainland, stepping aboard a cruise is an excellent way to experience the views and visit some of the interesting islands just off the shore. Whether you’re taking for a sightseeing cruise at sunset, an afternoon jetboat tour, or one of the other cruises, you’ll see the sights from from a whole new vantage point. The Sydney Harbour National Park, home to some best things to do in Sydney, encompasses many of the islands. Shark Island is a great place for a picnic, while Fort Dennison will intrigue history buffs. Some cruises allow you to some island hopping so you can see as much as possible in one day.

Hotels in Sydney - Sydney Aquarium & Maritime Museum

Sydney Maritime Museum:
The museum, one of the the free things to do in Sydney, is popular with families and anyone who’s interested in learning more about Australia’s maritime roots.

If you want to see some of the ships up close, you will need to pay a small entry fee. But if you don’t want to pay, there’s still plenty to explore.

The hands-on exhibits at the Sydney maritime museum were designed to set imaginations, both young and old, on fire.

After you’ve had a chance to see the indoor exhibits, you can head outside to enjoy even more things to do in Sydney Australia, including climbing to the top of a lighthouse or stepping aboard a replica of the sailboat that brought Captain Cook to the harbor.

Opposite the Maritime Museum is Sydney’s famous aquarium, where you can get up close to a Shark and swim with a Dolphin. Touch a starfish and watch in awe at a Killer Whale!

Featherdale Wildlife Park:
When you’re looking for the best things to do in Sydney, it’s hard to beat the chance to see native animals. Nestled in western Sydney, the Featherdale Wildlife Park provides a natural habitat for local creatures to call home, and place for visitors to see them without leaving the metro area.

If you’ve always wanted to see how soft a koala really is or hand feed a wallaby, you can live your dream with a visit to Featherdale. For young visitors, the wildlife park is one of the free things to do in Sydney.

Older kids and adults do need to pay an entry fee, but the daily activities and animal encounters are free once you’re inside the gates.

You can also view Koala’s and Kangaroos at Taronga Zoo, which is only a 5 minute ferry ride across from the Opera house. You can hold a Koala and pat a kangaroo. Prices are very reasonable and it’s a full day trip if you want to make the most of all the Australian wildlife on show. However, Featherdale gives you a much more up close and personal view of Australia’s wildlife, but it is a little of a trip to get to.

Some of the top attractions in Sydney include…

Hotels in Sydney - The Harbour Bridge Climb

Sydney attractions run the gamut from beautiful beaches and scenic drives to museums and art galleries. No matter your interest or what time of year you plan to visit Australia’s biggest city, you’ll find a diverse lot of things to do and places to explore.

The most famous Sydney Australia tourist attractions are without a doubt the beaches. The city was settled along the harbor for good reason. Providing shelter from the storms and moderation for the weather, the Sydney Harbour is lined by beautiful stretches of sand where people gather to soak up the sun in every season. While it’s a little chilly for swimming in the winter, all four seasons have perfect weather for surfing and snorkeling.

During the summer, which starts in December in Sydney, you’ll find plenty of warm summer days perfect for a day at the beach. If you’re not the type who wants to deal with sand and sunburns, you could include a drive along the coast to admire the scenery and see what Sydney attractions you may find along the way.

Two of Sydney’s most vibrant neighborhoods are found along the harbor. Both The Rocks and Darling Harbour are home to a large proportion of the Sydney Australia tourist attractions. The Rocks, which has an irregular coastline, was built in part by the convicts the British sent to Australia. This one-of-a-kind story is waiting to be discovered at the Hyde Parks Barrack Museum. This impressive building, once built to house the incoming prisoners, was expanded over the years, including the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s reign. Within in steps of the barracks, you’ll find many art galleries and shops that round out a visit to the visitor attractions in Sydney. Bistros and restaurants also are clustered along the harbor offering meals with a view.

Other visitor attractions in Sydney along the harbor include museums exploring the country’s maritime history and others talking a look at the wonders of the world around. The Australian National Maritime Museum, one of the best free Sydney attractions, has exhibits designed to capture the imaginations of visitors young and old. After you’ve seen the indoor exhibits, you can sign up for a guided tour of the Cape Bowling Green Lighthouse or step aboard a replica of the ship Captain Cook guided to the shores of Sydney.

The Harbour Bridge instantly became one of the most iconic visitor attractions in Sydney when it opened in 1932. The visitor center, which debuted at the end of 2009, is chocked full of interesting exhibits and films that explain how the steel bridge became the symbol of a nation. You also can soak in the views from the Pylon Lookout. A local tour company leads several different trips to the top of the bridge. Through a series of catwalks and stairs, you can climb to the top of the inner arch—no special gear needed. Longer and more adventurous climbs are offered, too, and whoever makes it to the top is rewarded by some panoramic views.

Whether you’re standing on the bridge or looking out the window of one of the inbound flights, you won’t be able to miss the iconic Sydney Opera House. Truly one of the best known buildings in the entire world, this cultural center had been making a splash ever for decades. Designed to echo a ship sail open to the wind, the opera house is actually a network of stages and event spaces. On any given day, you’ll have the chance to catch a concert or embark on a tour of this amazing place.

Events and Festivals in Sydney:

Hotels in Sydney - Things to Do

Sydney events fill the calendar with with exciting opportunities to turn your holidays to Sydney into something even more special. Imagine gathering with people around the world to celebrate the arts or to catch a wave. Whether you’re planning to attend a surfing festival or one of the Sydney Opera House events, you’ll have the chance to add a distinctly Australian experience.

In the spring, the month of October in this part of the world to be exact, food lovers and gourmets gather for one of the best festivals in Sydney. The Crave Sydney International Festival also offers family-friendly fun, so people of every age can have fun and enjoy great food. One of the best-attended Sydney events happens on one of the Saturdays—breakfast on the Harbour Bridge. Thousands of people gather for a morning meal with a view and chance to experience some of the most amazing scenery in all of the city.

After Breakfast on the Bridge has passed, the Crave festival still has plenty of fun things to do on the schedule. For two weeks in October, the Night Noodle Markets draw families and others who come to enjoy the reasonably priced street food, live music, and amazing atmosphere. Other Sydney events during October include a chef’s showcase, a picnic on Clark Island, and chances to dine at the local restaurants.

While the month-long culinary celebration is one of the best events in Sydney, it’s just the beginning of the fun. No matter your answer to the question of when to go, chances are good you’ll visit the city at a time when something special is happening. At the end of January (the beginning of the summer season for Sydney) many people gather to celebrate for Australia Day. Independence celebrations are held throughout the neighborhoods and surrounding communities on January 29 each year. Neighboring Wollongong hosts a daylong celebration packed with live music, good food, and plenty of fun, all proving that the best events in Sydney don’t need to take place in the city proper. You’ll also have the chance to watch a sailing regatta and enter the sand sculpture competition right along the beach.

It’s not unusual to find some of the best events in Sydney along its beautiful beaches. Surfing competitions draw the biggest crowds. Even if you’ve never stepped on a board before, you can still join in the fun and cheer on your favorite rider. Many of the surf events include special fun just for kids and lessons for newbies. Held in November, the Manly Festival of Surfing is many people’s choice for the best festivals in Sydney. A celebration of the entire surf culture, this festival is packed with four days’ worth of fun, including surf contests, of course, along with music and movies.
While beach bunnies and sun worshipers rank the surfing festivals on the top of the list of the best festivals in Sydney, the city has a rich cultural scene. Throughout the year, the galleries and museums host an array of open houses and special exhibits, while the performing art venues brings all types of arts to their stages. The options for Sydney Opera House events are as diverse as the city itself. This collection of stages, all gathered under that distinctive white roof, hosts all kinds of concerts, everything from the symphony orchestra to punk rockers. You’ll also have the chance to take behind-the-scenes tours to learn more about this amazing world landmark and see up close where the Sydney Opera House events take place.

Bars, Clubs and Nightlife in Sydney:

Hotels in Sydney - Bars, Clubs, Dancing and Drag Shows!

Sydney nightlife is, in a word, diverse. Once the evening gives way to night, restaurants, clubs, and more come to life. Whatever your style, you won’t need to give up on having fun once it’s dark. In fact, Sydney Australia at night is an excellent time to discover the culinary scene.

Dining in Sydney is like a trip around the world. Whatever type of cuisine you’d like to sample, you’ll find it among the restaurants, cafes, and markets sprinkled throughout the city. Many of the restaurants play with the concept of global cuisine, mixing in fresh, locally grown food and Australia-made wine with more traditional recipes.

Once the sun has set, you have a wide range of choices, whatever your tastes or budget. Many of the casual eateries and street vendors provide a perfect first stop before heading to the Sydney night clubs or help fulfill a late-night craving for some good food.

In recent years, the Sydney nightlife scene has been made even more diverse with the addition of wine bars. Many of these upscale-yet-casual hangouts can be found in the nearby suburbs and in neighborhoods like Darling Harbour and the City Centre. Visitors have a chance to sample some of the bounty of wines grown and crafted in Australia and taste small bites a food, similar to tapas in Spain. For some visitors, this is the beginning and end of their plans for Sydney Australia at night, while others are ready to keep the party going well into the wee hours of the morning.

If you’re not one to turn in early, or you just want to pack as much as possible into your vacations, the Sydney night clubs will provide a place to have fun after midnight. If you’re looking for a place with DJs and hot beats or a more laid-back place with some soft jazz, you can find a club that perfectly suits your tastes. If you change your mind mid-stream, there’s nothing wrong with doing some club hopping.

Many Sydney night clubs are clustered along Oxford Street, a perfect place to visit when you want to see more than one club in one visit. This premiere shopping district by day is reborn after dark as one of the best places to dance, drink, or chat away the night. The clubs, brewpubs, and restaurants along Oxford Street provide a place for all types of people.

While Oxford Street is one place to find the best nightlife in Sydney including the home to Australia’s top gay scene, bars, clubs and much more, but it is just one of your options. Many night owls would place The Rocks high atop the list of places to enjoy the Sydney nightlife. Hugging the harbour, this sprawling neighborhood is a draw for artists and people who come to admire the views. At night, the lights along the water look simply amazing.

One of the best places to enjoy the scenery and the lights is the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay. Even if you’re not planning to step onto a cruise, you can visit one of the most exciting places to enjoy Sydney Australia at night. This waterfront venue is home to several places where you relax the night away and watch the harbour after the sun has set.

A casual bar hosts live music several nights a week, while the cocktail bar is a fantastic place to unwind and enjoy the company of your traveling companions and some of the locals.

The adjacent restaurant tempts taste buds with modern Italian-inspired food, and a special event space is truly something special. Whether you’re planning a quiet night of Italian food or want to fill the night with driving beats and hot clubs, you’ll find the perfect place throughout Sydney to spend time once the lights go on in the city.

Restaurants and Dining in Sydney:

Hotels in Sydney - Restaurants and Dining in Sydney, BBQ King.

Sydney restaurants specialize in all types of fare. If you’re in the mood for some fresh seafood, authentic global cuisine, or something unlike you’ll find at home, you’ll find it this city. As the largest city in Australia and one of the world’s most diverse, Sydney is one of the most exciting culinary destinations in the entire country.

The Sydney dining scene is what you make of it no matter your budget or what you’re packing into your vacations, you’ll have the chance to enjoy meals that perfectly suit your tastes.

During the Crave Sydney International Food Festival, visitors and locals have an entire month to celebrate the Sydney dining scene.

The month of October is packed with culinary events to suit all types of palates, everyone from families with young children to the most discriminating gourmets. The calendar of events includes farmers markets and the Night Noodle Markets, one of the most popular events of the entire festival.

After dark, crowds gather at Hyde Park to experience Sydney’s version of an Asian market specializing in street food at a great price.

The other signature event is Breakfast on the Bridge, which is exactly what it sounds like: a chance to gather on the Harbour Bridge for a morning meal with thousands of your closest friends. During October and the other eleven months of the year, Sydney restaurants focus on locally grown food, celebrating the rich harvest created within 100 miles of Australia’s biggest city.

In the past few years, more and more wine bars have joined the list of options for Sydney restaurants. As the entire country’s wine scene gains more and more fans around the world, the wine bars and best restaurants in Sydney Australia are serving local vintages from wine country.

A lot of the wine bars are found in chic neighborhoods like The Rocks, close to galleries and performing arts venues. Some of the smaller bars are perfect for a glass of wine or a cocktail before a show or reservations at one of the local restaurants. Other wine spots specialize in education, hosting seminars and wine flights that can turn a newbie into a wine expert.

If you’re looking to pair some amazing views with your wine, consider visiting one of the Sydney Tower restaurants. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant at the Sydney Tower is located in the city’s highest free-standing structure and an icon of the skyline. Along with the chance to visit the Skydeck and spend time at the observation deck, you’ll have the chance to enjoy a meal your choice of Sydney Tower restaurants.

The main one offers an hour and a half long dining experience in a revolving space, high atop the one of the most distinctive buildings found anywhere. Diners can step up to the casual buffet and fill their plates while they’re enjoying the views.

The group of Sydney Tower restaurants also includes the a lounge, which overlooks the the water and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. You also can enjoy some Sydney dining from on high at the adjacent bar, 80 stories from the city center district. This too has a revolving dining room as well as top-notch service and distinctive Australian cuisine created by well-trained chefs.

Shopping in Sydney:

Hotels in Sydney - Shopping in Sydney

Shopping in Sydney is a mix of chic style and the down to earth, much like the city itself.

Home to some of the best deals in the entire region of New South Wales and upscale shopping centers, Sydney offers plenty to delight all types of shoppers. All types of shops, everything from gift stores in museums to surf shops and discount stores, are easy to find no matter where you vacation plans take you.

Some of the best shopping in Sydney is found along the waterfront, especially in the Darling Harbour neighborhood and The Rocks.

Both of these exciting districts are draws for the scenery as as well for the arts. Throughout these neighborhoods, you’ll find an abundance of one-of-kind boutiques and galleries. Many of the shops specialize in Australian-made crafts and souvenirs, including wide-brimmed hats and Bondi Beach wear.

Not far from the exciting nightlife of The Rocks, you’ll find excellent shopping opportunities at the Broadway Shopping Centre Sydney. This indoor shopping center has everything you need to enjoy a full day of shopping in Sydney, including fashion retailers, coffee shops, and boutiques.

Housed in a former department store, one that would look right at home in London, the Broadway Shopping Centre Sydney has helped spur redevelopment since it opened in 2007.

While shopping and dining may be the primary pursuits here, the Broadway hosts special events throughout the year to add some value to your visit. It’s not uncommon to find cooking demonstrations led by a local culinary expert or special workshops designed for kids.

The Broadway Shopping Centre Sydney also has some restaurants that stay open late and offer dinner-and-a-movie packages. This Queen Anne-style domed building may look old fashioned, but the events and shopping will delight even the trendiest visitor.

Oxford Street Shopping in Sydney is another favorite for locals and visitors alike. Packed with fun things to do once the sun sets, Oxford Street is home to an array of restaurants and nightclubs. Many of the stores stay open late, so you can add some shopping to your evening adventures.

No matter what time of day you make it to this district, you’ll be bound to find some great stores to visit. It’s easy to get here. Buses run several times a day from Circular Quay, making it easy for passengers from cruises to sample some of the best shopping in Sydney.

This thoroughfare runs through the city center, so it’s easy to access from the downtown hotels as well as the cruise ship terminal. If you’re visiting on Saturday morning, you can experience some of the best Oxford St shopping in Sydney when you add a trip to one of the Paddington Markets.

No matter the weather, merchants and crafters take their place at one of the stalls, ready to sell their wares and tasty treats. The center of the indoor/outdoor market is set aside solely for Australian goods. When it’s time for a break, you’ll have the chance sample Aussie barbecue, Thai food, and even Himalayan cuisine. Coffee and tea are also easy to find while doing some Oxford St shopping in Sydney.

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