Sydney is an awesome city made even better by the surrounding neighborhoods and beach towns. It’s clearly a must when visiting Australia!
The Harbour City Tips:
Take the train to and from the airport into the city, it’s super easy to use and quick—Just snag an Opal card at the airport train station. The Opal card works on the buses as well as the trains in the CBD and the neighboring beach towns.
Definitely plan to spend some time at the various beaches surrounding the city. The sand is soft and the water is relatively warm year-round.
I preferred the city scene of Melbourne over that of Sydney, but Sydney’s beaches > Melbourne’s beaches
The sun is strong, don’t mess around! No one wants a sunburn to ruin their vacation so plan for success
Check out my Melbourne recommendations here!
Adventures & Ales Top Sydney Recommendations:
Spit to Manly Walk: An awesome scenic walk that I highly recommend! Check out my full guide to the walk here!
Manly Beach: North of Sydney, this was my favorite beach in the Sydney area.
4 Pines Manly: A brewery with an outdoor balcony and frequent live music. Overall a cool spot.
Manly Beach: You’re at the beach so…go to the beach. Admire the surfers and be on the lookout for Jaws (it is Australia after all)
Manly Wine: SO adorable. Beach views, awesome vibes, a great Happy Hour, and plus they have cheese plates!
Take the ferry back to the City Center at the end of your time at Manly. I would recommend you time it with sunset for the best views of the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, and CBD. Sit outside in the front for the best views but beware of sea splash!
Take a day trip to The Blue Mountains! Check out my full guide here for recommendations on how to plan your adventure!
All Hands Brewing House: Located right on King Street Wharf so you can gaze at the boats from their abundance of outdoor seating. They’ve also got a full food menu.
Redoak Beer Boutique: Restaurant on one side, brewery bar on the other. They’ve got good Happy Hour deals and are located right in the City Center. It’s a cute spot and their beer wins tons of awards.
Wayward Brewing: Located in the Camperdown neighborhood, this brewery is definitely off the beaten path, but it’s a cool spot. It exudes ‘local bar’ vibes in the garage-style set-up. They’ve got free popcorn, occasional food trucks, guest taps, and good beer.
Yulli’s Brews: In the industrial section of the Alexandria neighborhood, this garage-style brewery makes some delicious beers! They’ve got a full kitchen and really friendly staff!
Spit to Manly Walk
Coogee to Bondi Walk: Another great coastal walk! This one is definitely more 'traditional beach walk’ and you follow the coastline the the whole route. Overall it is about two miles from Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach.
Start your day with breakfast at The Diver Cafe at Coogee Beach—it is delicious!
End your walk at The Bucket List Bar on Bondi a great place to sip a beer and watch the surfers!
The Marrickville Neighborhood Brewery Hub:
Batch Brewing: Solid beers, food trucks every night, chill vibes, good prices
Stockade Brew Co.: Some of the best beer in Sydney. A cute taproom with a burger food truck that lives onsite
Note that it is quite literally a one minute walk between Batch and Stockade so be sure to plan to visit both because why not?
Sauce Brewing: A really nice outside area/beer garden and lots of good IPAs
The Grifter Brewing Co.: A very interesting space in a dark basement with old school vibes. but the beer is good!
There are a few more breweries in this neighborhood that I didn’t get to visit but they are in this same hub:
Willie the Boatman—They were closed for moving while I was in town
Wildflower Brewing and Blending—Unfortunately they are only open on Fridays and Saturdays
Young Henry’s—They close at 7pm every day so if you definitely want to visit be sure to head there earlier in the day
While in this area Enmore Road is a lively street with lots of bars and restaurants
The Opera House from the ferry
Top Touristy Spots in Sydney Actually Worth Visiting:
Ms. Macquaire’s Chair: The chair isn’t what you’re here for, it is the gorgeous views! If you walk up from the east side of the peninsula it is a gorgeous walk along the water, then you can soak in the views from the tip of the peninsula, then walk south through the The Royal Botanic Garden. Follow the water’s edge around the peninsula to the Opera House
There are lots of runners here, don’t get run over yo
Sydney Opera House: The Sydney classic. It is quite expensive to tour, so unless you’re really into opera just soak in the views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge
Keep your eyes peeled for the ‘Seagull Patrol’ at the restaurant right next to the Opera House. The ‘patrol’ is an adorable dog running around scaring the seagulls away from the patrons
The Rocks Neighborhood: A historic neighborhood just North of the city center. There are tons of bars and restaurants in this area to check out
Squire’s Landing: Drink a beer and gaze at the Harbour Bridge at this outpost of James Squire Brewing. Not the best beer in the city and definitely touristy, but the views are great!
Walk the Harbour Bridge: Take in cool views of the Opera House, Harbour, and CBD. It’s nothing Earth-shattering but it’s something you’ve got to do!
You can also climb the bridge if you’re feeling adventurous, but that does come at a steep price
Sydney Town Hall: Pop by and check out the gorgeous architecture
The Queen Victoria Building is right across the street and also a super gorgeous building to admire
The Blue Mountains
Other Things To Do in Sydney:
John Mantagu Cafe: A cute coffee shop in the Woolloomooloo neighborhood (yes that’s a real name). A good starting point to walk up to Ms. Macquaire’s Chair if you want to take in the wharf and full peninsula. The cheddar and sage toastie is simple but delicious!
Rocks Brewing: This brewery has a nice outdoor space and a full food menu. Heads up it is located in a weird industrial complex in the Alexandria neighborhood, so when you walk/drive up don’t be discouraged
Sydney Brewery Surry Hills: Kinda weird vibes because it’s technically a hotel bar. Solid beers but nothing out of this world
Glider Cafe: A cute coffee shop right near Kings Cross Station in the Potts Point neighborhood
Observatory Hill Park: A quick stop on the way to the Harbour Bridge walk. Just a different perspective of the bay and Bridge
Darling Harbour: A touristy area with restaurants and shops, not super impressed
Frenchie’s Bistro and Brewery: Located inside The Cannery Rosebery, this brewery is a small spot with food and average beers. I would recommend you go during the day so the other shops are open, it’s got weird vibes at night because it’s empty
