Laura-Jane Adventures

If I were to move to Australia right now, I would choose Sydney as my city of choice. It is a vibrant international hub with stunning coastal beaches and, not to mention, the world-renowned monuments. A big pull to Sydney for me would also be the fact that I have family there – a lot more family than I had realised before this trip!

Arriving in Sydney was a shift in pace from Perth, where I had previously been with my mum, dad and sister, Sarah. Sydney was more hustle and bustle, with busy streets, and it felt a lot more internationally connected. In the taxi from the airport to our Airbnb, I remember taking in the sights and feeling an excitement that only comes from the urge to explore busy cities. To me, Sydney is a blend of London and New York City, condensed into one. Some areas have a Federal style of architecture, whilst others have the Modernist style.

We stayed in Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD), the hub for business and shopping. Situated close to Darling Harbour, it was a perfect location for tourists looking to do excursions and be centrally located.

As mentioned, Sydney was a ‘shift in pace’. We had gone from a quite relaxed itinerary in Perth to a packed itinerary where we tried to fit a lot into the little time we had. We had 6 full days there, which isn’t a tiny amount of time, but it was for how much there is to see and do. Despite that, for it being my first time there, I feel as though I gained a valuable overview of what Sydney has to offer.

If planning a trip, I would recommend asking yourself how you want to feel and what things you would feel disappointed to miss out on seeing. This will help you craft a plan around your own travel goals.

That being said, sharing recommendations is what I love to do, and so here is what I recommend you add to your Sydney Itinerary on a visit down under.

Manly vs Bondi

Both of these beachside suburbs in Sydney are beautiful and filled with great places to eat, shop and wander. Bondi is the more well-known of the two, and for that reason, people are often more drawn to it. However, a friend from Manly told me about all of the things to do there and places she and her sister loved. Recommendations from locals always highlight the true nature of a place. Therefore, I of course added a day in Manly to the travel itinerary, and I am so glad that I did. If you can visit both places, then make sure to, but if you only have one day to spend by the beach, I would seriously consider Manly over Bondi.

Bondi: for the waves, Icebergs Swimming Club & shopping

Whilst there, make sure to check out:

• Icebergs: I was in awe of the waves and surfers on Bondi Beach as we watched them from the restaurant in Bondi’s iconic swimming club.
• Bondi Markets: stroll around these markets and find some incredible local businesses.
• Gould Street: head here for boutique shopping.

Manly: for a more laid-back atmosphere & local eateries

Whilst there, make sure to check out:

• Hugos Manly: The perfect waterside bar and restaurant for a cocktail and fries.
• Palmó Artisan Açai: This was some of the creamiest açai I have ever had!
• Rollers Bakehouse: heavenly almond croissants and great coffee.

Kayaking under Sydney Harbour Bridge was a bucket list experience and something I feel so grateful to have experienced. We booked our experience through GetYourGuide with a company called Sydney Kayak Experience.

I chatted to one of the instructors and learnt that the business was set up during COVID when friends found an old kayak, fixed it up and experienced the tranquillity of kayaking on the harbour.

The ticket includes your kayaking experience and breakfast afterwards. It is a truly breathtaking way to start a day in Sydney, and I cannot recommend it more. The emotions I felt kayaking alongside my little sister with a view of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House will stay with me for a lifetime.

Blue Mountains Day Trip

Another excursion that you can book with GetYourGuide whilst in Sydney is a day trip to the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains is a World Heritage region located west of Sydney. The ‘Mountains’ themselves are actually a canyon due to the rock formations and are called ‘Blue’ due to the blue haze that surrounds them when viewed from a distance.

The tour was operated by Anderson’s Tours, and our Guide, Jay, was fantastic. My parents could not stop talking about how good a tour guide he was! Jay is also a Sony Digital Imaging Advocate, and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting to him about photography.

The day tour includes pick up from a central point in Sydney, guided tours of the Scenic World and rainforest boardwalk (where you will get to ride the world’s steepest railway), lunch, and a river boat ride back to Sydney. It was a memorable family day out and part of our Sydney trip.

Sydney Tower Eye

One thing my mum wanted to do as a family was enjoy dinner at the top of the Sydney Tower. She did this when she was in her twenties on her first trip to Sydney and wanted us to all experience it too.

At the top of the Sydney Tower is a 360-degree revolving restaurant called SkyFeast – a buffet-style restaurant. However, if you do fancy more of an elevated dining experience, opt for Infinity at Sydney Tower (contemporary Australian cuisine minus the revolving). Additionally, there is also Sydney’s highest bar in the tower – Bar 83, which is a good spot to end the night.

We had dinner at SkyFeast and then headed up to Bar83 on our last night in the city. Whilst the food might not have been the best meal we enjoyed in Sydney, it was a great way to end our trip before we all parted ways and meant a lot to my mum that she could show us something she did when our age.

More recommendations on what to do when in the Emerald City

Run across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and by the Sydney Opera House! I am a broken record, but running is my favourite way to explore a city! On our first morning in Sydney, I dragged Sarah out for a 10k run and wow, was it the best way to start the trip. Running across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, seeing a double rainbow as we stopped to take in the views, and ending with a coffee after we spotted an Australian Love Islander at the Sydney Opera House – none of that would have happened if we hadn’t chosen to get some miles in.

Enjoy a Harbour Dinner Cruise! This is something else that can be booked through GetYourGuide. We enjoyed our dinner cruise, but I would say the food was a little underwhelming, and the experience could have been more tailored. So if this tickles your fancy, be sure to shop around for a good one.

Go to the Opera Bar and watch the sunset! There are some sunsets in life that you will always remember, and this was one of them. The Opera Bar is in the perfect location, surrounded by iconic landmarks, helping to create an atmosphere of gratitude amongst the crowds.

Eat a pie at Harry’s Cafe de Wheels! This was a recommendation from Jay, our Blue Mountains tour guide, for famous Australian pies and hot dogs.

When I reflect on May’s trip to Sydney, it is filled to the brim with quality family time where we had the opportunity to experience new things together, beautiful views, and enjoy life’s simplicities. The memories made on this trip will stay with me for a long time, and now that my little sister lives in Australia, I really do hope we have the chance to head back to Sydney, enjoy another cocktail at the Opera Bar this time with cousins I can only hope to get to know better, and maybe even see another double rainbow.

As always I am very type-A and have saved the places recommended here as well as many more on a Google Maps List – happy planning!

Lots of love,

Laura-Jane x