Sydney: Three Days, Three Ways
By Melissa Biggs Bradley, Indagare
Day 1: Sydney Overview
Morning
Begin your day getting a lay of the land either with a harbor cruise or a seaplane tour. If you are traveling with kids, they will adore one of the wild and wet Oz Jet boat tours, a half-hour spin around the harbor with spins, fish-tails and other boat tricks.
Lunch
Classic: Doyles on the Beach, on Watsons Bay
Great View: Aqua Dining, on Rose Bay
On the Water: Catalina Rose Bay, under the Harbour Bridge
Tip: Don’t drink any wine or Champers, as the Aussies call Champagne, with lunch if you are doing the BridgeClimb; they administer an alcohol breath test.
Afternoon
Spend the afternoon scaling new heights, literally, with an unforgettable BridgeClimb on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the largest single arch steel bridge in the world. For kids too young to climb the bridge, an afternoon at the very retro amusement park Luna Park can be fun.
Dinner
Big Night Out: Rockpool
Relaxed but Refined: Sailors Thai
Evening
Consider a performance at the Opera House. There is much more on offer than just opera but concerts, dance and theater. On a weekend night, you might be treated to fireworks over the Opera House.
Day 2: Beach Day
Morning
Sydney’s two most famous beaches sit to the south (Bondi) and north (Manly) of the Sydney cliff head. Both offer fun days at the beach Oz style. A great way to start the day is with the Bronte to Bondi Walk, which takes about 40 minutes and passes some of the city’s great sweeping beaches with stunning views and pretty park land. If heading to Manly, take the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly to enjoy the views from a boat.
Lunch
Hot Spot: Icebergs, on Bondi
Casual but Cool: Sean’s Panorama, on Bondi
Family Friendly: Hugo’s, on Manly Wharf
Afternoon
Make like a local and sign up for surf lessons. Both the Manly Surf School and Let’s Go Surfing (Bondi) are excellent.
Kids also might enjoy a trip to the Taronga Zoo, which can be reached via ferry from Circular Quay. It is worth signing up in advance for a Koala encounter to get close to the famous bears. The Sky Safari tram offers some of Sydney’s best views.
Dinner
Foodie Favorite: Tetsuya, but make a reservation months in advance
Power Scene: Otto’s
Neighborhood Place: Bistro Moncur
Day 3: Town or Country
Morning
Explore one of the shopping districts such as the historic fashion arcade in the CBD the Queen Victoria Building, which now features enough international brands to please all ages. Those in search of fashion, should head to Paddington, which has lovely tree lined lanes with small boutiques. Families can head to the Sydney Aquarium.
Lunch
Hot Spot: Mr. Wong, in the CBD
Neighborhood Place: Lucio’s, in Paddington
Family Friendly: Eat Love Pizza, near the Aquarium
Afternoon
If staying in the city, take a tour of the Opera House or a stroll in the Royal Botanic Gardens if you haven’t yet. Or visit the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Alternatively, make a day trip to the country by the sea or in the mountains. Hop a seaplane in Rose Bay and fly up to Palm Beach where you can spend the morning cruising aboard a 33-foot catamaran. In the afternoon, you can go for a bush walk and learn about the aborigines while exploring one of the national parks. Have a private barbecue dinner in Waratah Park Earth Sanctuary and then a nocturnal wildlife tour before heading home. See Day Trips.
Another option is to head into the Blue Mountains (a 90-minute drive from Sydney) to visit Aboriginal sites before having a barbecue lunch in the bush. Spend the afternoon exploring stunning valleys and quaint towns and a national park where you will see kangaroo in the wild.
Dinner
Evening
Go to a local sporting match. Australian summer is cricket season and winter is rugby season.
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