Top 10 Things to do in Sydney

Darling Harbour at night

Have you ever wanted to visit one of the world’s most liveable cities? Then take a visit to Australia’s most populated city. New South Wales Capital city, Sydney.

Sydney has a bit of everything. The architecture ranges from new modern skyscrapers to old heritage-listed buildings and laneways. There are beaches, markets, shopping, and not to mention world-class food.

We have put together a list of top ten things to do on your next visit to Sydney.

1 Sydney Opera house

Sydney Opera house, and Sydney Ferry Circular Quay

A visit to Sydney would not be complete without seeing the iconic Sydney Opera House, located in Circular Quay. It is one of Australia’s most famous landmarks.

The Sydney Opera house was initially Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, in 1957. However, the building was completed by an Australian architectural team headed up by Peter Hall, and opened to the public 15 years later in October of 1973.

Sydney Opera house has many performances weekly. For those wanting to go have a look. You can wander freely around the grounds, or head to the Opera Bar, located on the water’s edge overlooking not just the Sydney Opera House but the Sydney Harbour bridge.

2 Sydney harbour bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge Circular Quay

Every year at New Year’s Eve, the world watches the amazing fireworks light up over the impressive Australian Heritage listed Steel Arch Bridge that links the CBD with Sydney’s North Shore.

The Sydney Harbour bridge took 9 years to construct and was opened in March in 1932.

What is so great about the bridge is it not only allows cars to cruise across but also, Bicycles, pedestrians and also trains.

For the daredevils amongst us, you can also climb up to the summit of the bridge, and see the city from a different perspective.

3 Ride a Ferry

Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Sydney Ferry Circular Quay

Something relatively cheap and a lot of fun is to take the Ferry from Darling harbour to Circular Quay. See the Bridge from the water without all the crowds as you ride underneath it. There is something magical about the view when you see the view of the Opera House lined up perfectly underneath the Grand Sydney Harbour bridge.

Sydney Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay
Close up of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

4 – Explore the Streets of Sydney

A visit to Sydney wouldn’t be complete without wandering around the streets of the CBD, explore the amazing Dymocks book store. Located in the historic Dymocks building on George Street. This building built around the 1930s is possibly the largest book store in Australia. Set over three floors it stocks a huge range of stationery, gifts, games, a cafe and of course books.

Another iconic building on the horizon is the Westfield Shopping Centre, The Sydney Tower is the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere, and Sydney’s tallest building. The Sydney Tower has been lighting up the skyline for the last 40 years and was opened to the public in September 1981.

The Sydney Tower stand 305m tall and has 420 windows giving you a great view of Sydney. From the observation area you can see 360 degree views of Sydney. You can also step into the open air outside and walk around the tower with the skywalk located 268m up the tower.

There are also dining options, Infinity at Sydney Tower, a high-end dining experience, that is either 5 or 6-course dining experience, or Skyfeast a buffet-style dining.

Westfield Tower

5 Sealife / Wildlife Park

If you want to see over 700 different species of fish, and over 13000 individual fish, sea and water creatures then Sealife Sydney is for you. Located in Darling harbour near the Wildlife Park and Madame Tassuads.

Sealife Sydney has multiple different zones and interactive exhibits.

  • Day and Night on the Reef
  • Penguin expedition
  • Shark Valley
  • Dugong Island
  • Discovery Rockpool
  • South Coast Shipwreck
  • Sydney Harbour
  • Jurassic Seas
Wildlife, Madame tassuads and Sea life aquarium at night. All lit up.

If you want to visit some of Australia’s iconic animals then go no further than Wildlife Sydney, an air-conditioned zoo that is a great place to see Koala’s, Wombat, Kangaroos, Platypus, Tasmanian devil, Quokka, numbat and even giant Saltwater Crocodile.

Koala reaching out.

6 Madame Tassuads

Madame Tassuads is a name synonymous with wax figures all around the world. There are 17 locations around the world and Sydney is Australia’s location. It covers a huge variety of different historical figures, from Bollywood stars, Stars of Justice League, Marvel cinematic universe, Film and Television, History and World Leaders, Music, Sports, Fashion and even royalty.

Wonder Woman, Madame Tassauds

Madame Tassauds is interactive and whilst their has been some changes die to COVID restrictions, it is a lot of fun for Children and Adults alike.

Madame Tassauds Sydney

Madame Tassuads was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud in London in 1835, however the Sydney location was opened in 2012.

7 Circular Quay

Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay

Circular Quay is probably Australia’s most famous Harbour. It started as a working Port however now is a hive of tourism, a heritage area, transport node and international passenger shipping port.

Circular Quay is a great place to see the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour bridge.

8 Theatre

Theatre, Hamilton flags

March 2021 has seen Sydney host the Australian Premiere of one of the Decades most talked about Musical “Hamilton” by Lin-Manual Miranda and a visit to Sydney wouldn’t be complete without being in the ‘room where it happened” at Sydney lyric theatre.

9 Luna Park

Luna Park, Sydney

Luna Park Sydney is a heritage-listed amusement park, opened on October 4th 1935. Luna Park is based on the successful American Luna Park built in 1903 at Coney Island, New York. It style is 1930’s Art deco, it was the third Luna Park built in Australia. Melbourne in 1912, Adelaide in 1930 and Sydney 5 years later.

Luna Park closed temporarily in January 2021, as it is in the process of installing 9 new rides. A huge upgrade to a heritage-listed amusement park.

So for now you will have to wander past and stare at the large Art Deco face staring back at you.

10 Stroll around Darling Harbour

Take a stroll around Darling Harbour at night.

Darling harbour was initially known as Long Cove and Cockle Bay until 1826. When the then Governor Ralph Darling decided to change its name, to Darling Harbour, to name it after himself.

Home to the Harbourside Shopping Centre, including the Hard rock Cafe, and King Pin. IMAX theatre, restaurants, nightclubs, cafe, Star Casino, The ICCS, (International Convention Centre Sydney), the Australian Maritime Museum, Powerhouse Museum, not to mention previously mentioned, Sydney Wildlife Centre, Sealife Aquarium and Madame Tussauds Wax museum. There are great hotels for most budgets, as well as a great variety of Street Performers that entertain the crowds.

You can spend hours wandering around, eating great food and experiencing all that Sydney has to offer.

11 Bondi Beach

Now I said top ten things to do in Sydney, but I would be remiss to not add on Australia’s favorite pastime. Spending a lazy day at the beach. Catching some surf and sitting relaxing on the beach.

Bondi Beach, located only 7km from Sydney. is one of Australia’s most iconic beaches. Famous for its surf, and also made famous by the Bondi Beach rescue TV show. As a result, Bondi Beach is listed as one of Australia’s top visited tourist sites in Australia. It is only a 1km stretch of beach, but has two Life Saving clubs, the Bondi Surf Bathers life-saving club, and North Bondi Surf Lifesaving Club, and is manned 365 days a year. It is a very popular destination for international and local tourists. Bondi Beach also made Trip advisor’s list of Top Ten Australian beaches in 2019.

Have you visited Sydney? Is there anything that I have missed? Let me know in the comments below.

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