PLACES TO VISIT
The most interesting and beautiful places to visit.
In and around Sydney
Circular Quay
The very first thing you should do when you arrive in Sydney and have a full day is take the train to Circular Quay. Here you will find your basic tourist destinations that will start your trip off with beauty and excitement. You will find the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Royal Botanic Garden, and much more!
Bondi Beach
The most famous beach in Sydney is certainly Bondi. I wanted to go back every weekend after my initial visit. Its glitz and glam definitely leave an impression. To vamp up your trip to Bondi, you could do a coastal walk starting Maroubra, Coogee, or Bronte. The coastal walk leading up to Bondi is breathtaking.
The Grounds of Alexandria
The Grounds of Alexandria is a must do if you are into cafés or gardens. Located a half an hour outside of Sydney via train, the Grounds is the most gorgeous garden with beautiful flowers and neon signs everywhere. They even have a small farm with animals and produce attached to it. We spent five hours there when we went. There is also a sister café that I didn’t get to check out called the Grounds of the City located directly in Sydney CBD.
Chinatown and Paddy’s Market
Paddy’s Market is a very unique and HUGE flea market that sells practically anything you could think of and for cheap. There is a lot of clothing, aboriginal art, and souvenirs for sale. I got a couple boomerangs when I went! Right across the road is Chinatown, which is another cultural experience on its own. The food was delicious and beautiful Chinese music filled the air as I strolled through.
Darling Harbour
Even though Darling Harbour is less famous than Circular Quay, it is definitely not any less amazing. With a beautiful view of the city and entertaining parks within, there is something for everyone at Darling Harbour. There is also a shopping center and hundreds of restaurants. Not to mention, the night life on the harbour is extremely fun!
Cronulla Beach
This beach was a very interesting one. It took me an hour from Central Station on a train to reach it. It was very beautiful when I got there and I would have liked to spend more time on the beach. I did the coastal walk to Kurnell, so I immediately walked away from Cronulla. At the end of the walk, we returned to Cronulla for dinner and restaurants lined the boardwalk. The place was buzzing with people. It was a very cute town!
Palm Beach
The view over Palm Beach was by far my favorite view in Sydney. Getting to Palm Beach was a little more difficult as it took me roughly 3 hours on multiple buses to get there, but it was well worth the trek. The beach itself was extremely gorgeous and there was a fun little market along the beach. In order to get up to the Barrenjoy Lighthouse to see the remarkable view, I had to hike up a mountain which was quite rigorous and exhausting. The beach is located on a peninsula, so the view of the lighthouse was over the peninsula with two bodies of water separated by a strip of land. It was stunning.
Taronga Zoo
I did not get to go to the zoo, but every native I spoke to insisted it is worth the money. Apparently the walk to the zoo itself is worth it as there are spectacular views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.
Morisset Park
Morisset Park is your opportunity to get up close and personal with kangaroos! A two hour train ride from Central will drop you off at the Morisset station. From there, a shuttle is offered (based on popular tourist demand) to the park. If you are planning on getting an Uber, taxi, or walking it, type in Morisset Hospital for directions, as it is actually a park located outside of a hospital. The kangaroos were very friendly and this was one of my favorite experiences in Australia!
Blue Mountains
Going to the Blue Mountains was extremely fun. A train took me directly from Central in under an hour. I visited Wentworth Falls, a magical waterfall, and hiked around for three hours. I actually ran out of daylight and was unable to keep going to the Three Sisters rock lookout, but I have seen photos of it and it is also an amazing view!
Manly Beach
Manly Beach is another iconic Sydney beach. In addition to the fun of the beach itself, a ferry must be taken to get there. The ferry ride was awesome, riding directly beside the Opera House and looking at the skyline. When I went to Manly, “A Taste of Manly,” a food and art festival, was taking place which made my trip even better!
Port Stephens
It is sort of a long journey to get to Port Stephens, but it is definitely worth it. Port Stephens is made up of several beaches and the Tomaree National Park. I visited Shoal Bay, Zenith Beach, and Anna Bay. There were (what looked like) endless sand dunes at Anna Bay. It was a change from your typical beach and a very interesting area. As a weekend trip, Port Stephens is a must!
Chinese Garden of Friendship
For a cheap, beautiful experience, you should definitely check out the Chinese Garden of Friendship. It is located right beside Darling Harbour. The plants in the garden are beautiful and the Chinese buildings are awesome. It is a wonderful, serene garden dropped in the middle of a bustling city.
Maroubra Beach
For a fun little getaway, Maroubra Beach is the spot. It has the coolest giant Rubik’s cube planted on the beach, which makes for great photos! There is also a nice pool that you can swim in during low tide. I got to experience Maroubra at sunset and the pink sky made the beautiful beach that much more magical.
Royal National Park
Royal National Park provided the grounds for the best camping and hiking experience. It is an hour train ride from central. If you do travel to Royal National Park, be sure to check out the Figure 8 Pool! It is a rigorous hike to get there, but it was a fantastic scene! Located a couple of hours away is the Wedding Cake Rock, which is also gorgeous and worth the walk!
Westfield Shopping Center
Although it is just a shopping center, I enjoyed every time I visited Westfield. The streets are filled with street performers (my personal favorite was a gentleman who played the grand piano wonderfully) and the food court is massive and contains any type of food that you could imagine. I don’t think I ever actually bought anything from Westfield, but window shopping was enough!
The Sydney Observatory
If you ever have an open night and a clear sky, the observatory is a great way to spend it. The domes available let you see the moon and other constellations and planets. I was never really into astronomy, but after my visit to the observatory, I fell in love with the beauty of the sky and it has now peaked my interest!
Glebe Markets
On a Saturday morning, you have to be sure to check out the Glebe markets! Glebe is a very interesting part of Sydney with a hippie vibe. The markets are typically resale clothing, art, and accessories. Not to mention, the food at the food booths in Glebe are delicious. Usually, acoustic guitar fills the markets and many young adults sit on the lawn listening and eating. Glebe is certainly a boho treat.
Throughout Australia
Brisbane
In order to hold a koala, you need to leave New South Wales. This is what led me to Brisbane, located in Queensland. Although I did not get to go to the beaches in Brisbane, the city was beautiful and I wish I had more time to get its full experience. After just seeing the city, I highly recommend Brisbane.
Byron Bay
Byron Bay was one of my favorite places I visited on my trip. It is located a couple hours up the coast from Sydney. Although the area is sort of small, the lighthouse, mountains, and beaches felt gigantic. You will only need a weekend in Byron, but it will be full of sunshine and happiness, I can promise that!
Gold Coast
If you keep going up the coast from Byron bay, you reach Gold Coast. Gold Coast is exactly how it sounds: a sunny paradise. Not only are the beaches and city beautiful, Gold Coast is the theme park capital of Eastern Australia. If you are travelling up the coast to Brisbane, Gold Coast is definitely a stop you want to make.
Cairns
In far north Queensland, Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. This is the closest exposure of the Reef to Sydney. Cairns is tropical, so even if you go to Sydney in the winter, it is a tropical and HOT escape. I did a snorkeling expedition while in cairns and it was surreal. I am very lucky to have seen one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I also hiked the rainforest while in Cairns and went to Palm Cove, a picture perfect palm tree beach.
Other cities
Although I didn’t have the time or money to visit any more cities outside of Sydney, I highly recommend trying to hit all of the states if you can. I heard great things about Melbourne (even though it’s even colder than Sydney in the winter) in Victoria and Adelaide in South Australia. Apparently, Melbourne is extremely hipster with rooftop bars and cool cafes. Perth, located in western Australia, has a completely different vibe than anywhere in the east, so that would be interesting to see in person. I also had a friend travel to Darwin (located in the Northern territory) and back with several exciting stories. He insisted everyone who comes to Australia should go. Tasmania is an Australian island and state that looks stunning with beaches and mountains. Tasmania was high on my to do list, but unfortunately I couldn’t make it happen.