If you are looking for the best places to visit in the upcoming holidays, Sydney should be on your top list. It is a cosmopolitan city with the most popular tourist attraction sites for locals and visitors alike, making it quite hard for one to decide where to visit. Even so, you cannot afford to miss setting your foot on beaches like Manly, Bondi, and Coogee.
And if you love exploring the water, you cannot miss cruising by boat through Sydney Harbour. Cruising through Sydney Harbour will also allow you to get the best sceneries of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, which are the city’s top popular landmarks.
Besides the beach and water tours, there is plenty to explore when in Sydney, Australia.
Read on to learn more about the best places to visit in Sydney, Australia.
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Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is one of the world’s most popular buildings. The building has a design of a sailboat and was designed by Jorn Utzon, a Danish architect. It is among the world’s top architectural icons and happens to be in UNESCO World Heritage Sites’ record.
The building has four roof shells with over one million tiles which house top-notch acoustic music venues and six theaters.
While at the building, you will get the best view of the Sydney harbor bridge and the harbor itself. If you love taking photos, sitting on the steps of this iconic building and have few photo shots taken on you is a must-do! It offers the best photo background.
If you love concerts, there are music concerts in the building that you cannot afford to miss, this, however, you will have to pay for it. There are restaurants where you can dine or take casual drinks, cinemas, exhibition rooms, concert halls, among amenities.
It is recommended that you take one of the two tours offered in the Opera House daily.
The main tour can take a one-hour walkthrough in the historic building, anytime from 9 am to 5 pm. Alternatively, you can take the 7 am backstage tour, which involves breakfast and a two-hour tour to the property’s different venues.
The best thing about visiting the Sydney Opera House is you can visit it any time of the day and year, enjoy your walk around the building and gain entry into some areas at no cost. With the right binoculars such as the vortex crossfire one can be able have the best view. Check out the vortex crossfire binoculars comparison.
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Sydney Harbor BridgeouseHouse
The locals call it Coathanger; it is Sydney’s iconic landmarks and its position next to the Sydney Opera House. The bridge features in the list of the largest steel bridges in the world.
Its popularity in the world can also be attributed to the fact that it’s one of the finest fireworks displays on New Year’s Eve every year.
Actually, this bridge is the renowned symbol of Australia in the world. Completed in 1932, the bridge is about 134 meters over the harbor and spreads to about 500 meters, connecting its central business district to the city’s North Shore.
For a memorable experience, consider signing up for a bridge climb for you to get at the top of this iconic bridge.
It is a must-do experience when touring Sydney. While on the top, you will get the best sights of the Sydney skyline, the harbor, and the Opera House. Do you have a fear of heights? You can still enjoy the bridge’s best eyesight and the Opera House by walking across the bridge.
For breathtaking views of the Sydney Harbor, consider visiting this place during the summer, early autumn, or spring. You will not be charged to walk across the pedestrian walkway.
However, for the bridge climbing experience, charges start from $174 for adults and $100 for children. The charges may vary depending on the length of the tour and the time of the day.
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Sydney Harbour
Sydney Harbor is considered the most good-looking natural harbor with about 150 miles of shoreline and over 30-square miles of water. Beautiful scenery to watch.
To enjoy its panoramic views, you should catch the famous Sydney ferry that passes by the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. For the best and lively views, try catching the ferry at sunset.
Apart from the ferry, there are yacht and kayaks that can take you around the sparkling waters surrounding the harbor.
On a sunny afternoon, you can enjoy relaxing on a chartered yacht found in one of the harbor’s bay. You can also choose to take a walkthrough around the harbor and enjoy the harbor’s scenic beauty. In the evening, you can dine aboard a cruise boat.
Also, take your time to visit Sydney Harbor National Park.
The coastline offers different spots for watching whales bouncing as they migrate past Sydney. The annual migration of whales is from May to November, so if you want to enjoy their bouncing in numbers, be sure to be at the park during that season. To access the park is free; however, you may be charged parking fees.
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Royal Botanic Garden
It is a 74-acre piece of land full of bright and colorful plants and animals. The park is divided into several areas, including;
- The Palace Rose Garden: This is a common wedding venue in Sydney, and it houses close to 1,800 roses.
- The palm Groove: This section of the garden is home to the tallest trees found in the entire Royal Botanic Garden.
- Australian Rain Forest Garden
Royal Botanic garden is a perfect place to enjoy various plantations on exhibition, greenhouses, and expansive landscapes.
Neighboring the Sydney harbor foreshore and Sydney Opera House, the garden also offers spectaculars views of the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge.
You can visit this garden any time of the year.
However, you will find the garden at its best during the spring and summer in the middle of September and February. During the summer, the gardens operate from 7.00 am to 8.00 pm and 7 am to 6 pm throughout winter. You will not be charged to access the gardens.
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The Bondi Beach
If you love surfing, then you must have heard about Bondi beach. It is among the top surfing destinations in the universe, thanks to its gnarly waves.
You can stroll from Bondi Beach to Coogee beach as you enjoy stepping on the white sand, which most visitors enjoy.
You can also enjoy swimming and sunbath. When swimming, take care of the strong rip tides which can sweep you out to the sea.
However, some flags will guide you on which areas are safe for you to swim; ensure to adhere to them. You are allowed to sunbathe without a top provided you are in an area secluded from children. If you want to sit and enjoy the scenery, get there early and book your space on the sand.
Besides the beach’s beauty, you can also enjoy skate parks, Sundays market, and ocean pools. Along the coastal; strip, you will find restaurants, shops, and cafes. The best time to visit Bondi beach is during spring and summer. During these seasons, you will enjoy fabulous sunshine, sublime surfing, and blue skies. Accessing this beach is free.
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Australian National Maritime Museum
For a harbor city to be complete, it should have a maritime museum. Sydney has one of the best maritime museums in the world. The museum has docked ships that you can board and explore.
Take an opportunity to look at remarkable vessels like;
- The HMS Vampire which was a destroyer ship
- HMS Onslow, a submarine ship
- 1800s racing yacht, the Akarana
The knowledgeable guides in this museum will give you a wealth of knowledge about the ships. If you have kids, the museum has a wide of activities that will keep them entertained.
The museum opens daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm and 6 pm during summer. The museum has an admission fee of about $23 for adults, and around $14 for students or children above 4 years old, while below 4 years are not charged.
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Taronga Zoo
It’s a not-for-profit organization that champions wildlife conservation.
You can get to this zoo via a ferry ride which may take you about 12 minutes from Circular Quay. The zoo has over 4,000 animal species, including giraffes, Asian elephants, Sumatran tigers, chimpanzees, and gorillas. There are also daily shows to keep you entertained whenever you visit the zoo.
You don’t have to worry about finding accommodation in one of the hotels; the zoo has safari-style tents where you can sleep over.
Spring and summer are the best seasons to visit the Taronga Zoo, from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Charges apply to $32 for adults and $18 for children.
Conclusion
There are several great places that you can visit when in Sydney, Australia. Remember to get a reputable tour company in case you need to make some reservations.
For the best experience, you should also have a flexible budget, unforgettable activities such as climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and getting a chance to see a submarine ship; the HMS Onslow requires some payments.
Check on Covid-19 regulations before traveling to Sydney, Australia; this will give you a scope of what you can and can’t do when in the city.
