Hi guys,
visiting Sydney early November with the family……never been there….planning to stay close to Harbour so we can spend some time there….
can you guys pls recommend must do activities and accommodation close to Harbour….we are staying there for 2 nights…
thanks
Jump on Manly Ferry see the beautiful harbour and have lunch on the pier once there, we do this every time we visit Sydney.
Take a picnic lunch to Observation Point. It's a great view of the bridge and harbour. A walk through the botanical gardens is good too as you will pass directly in front of the opera house. Bondi Beach is only about 20-30 minutes away and will be good swimming weather at that time of year.
I agree with the Manly Ferry trip. Then, a nice walk is along the Manly beach front and around to Shelly Beach.
Another nice walk is across the Harbour Bridge, and can have fish and chips at Milsons Point sitting on the lawn overlooking the Harbour. F & chip shop in Fitzroy Street near corner of Broughton street. Opposite to Bangkok Sidewalk Restaurant. Can walk both ways, or one way and catch train from/to Milsons Point/Wynard stations.
If you do not need to stay in CBD then check out Glenferrie Lodge at Kirribilli, I have not stayed there myself, but seems a good location, and a room is under $130 pn for 2 persons B & B.
Try geocaching.
If you're there on a Sunday, and have kids in the family, then you can get the Family Funday Sunday travel tickets - $2.50 pp for unlimited travel on trains, light rail, buses and ferries (govt and some private). You could use that when going to Manly, or even to the Blue Mountains!
Other things to do:
What sort of things do you and you family like to do?
unfortunately we are not there on Sunday…we are 4 adults and 1 kid…. see we would prefer very relaxed trip and i think that's why trip to Manly beach via Ferry sounds good….can you pls point me in some direction to where i can find out abt the Public transport and fares in Sydney for our situation….
thanks all for your response, much appreciated…..we are there for 2 nights…
Combo pass to (SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium + WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo + Sydney Tower Eye + Madame Tussauds + Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary) looks good and cheaper as well ($288 for 5 ppl)…..but I am not sure if it will be worthwhile…..you see we'll be in Sydney on our way from Gold Coast (theme parks visits)to Melbourne….do you guys think coming fresh from Theme parks is it worth going to above attractions????especially Aquarium & SEA LIFE Sanctuary…..
what about Opera house tour, Harbour Climb is it worthwhile???
Can you guys pls suggest economical accommodation where we've have easy public transport connection to Harbour….accommodation in CBD is damn expensive…
thanks
I must admit I haven't been to any of those attractions (except to the Sydney Tower observation deck, many years ago). But I have heard that the Bridge Climb is good (even if you spend most of it being briefed about safety.)
We have stayed in the YHA hostel in the Rocks, and it was great - although we were a four-person family so were able to have a room to ourselves. With five you'd have to mix it up a bit, but the price is good and the location is excellent. You can self-cater too which helps with costs, and they have a great deck overlooking the harbour that is fantastic.
EDIT: I presume you're driving down? Not sure what arrangements are available for car parking if you do stay at the YHA. I think it was free street parking after a certain time, and paid parking during the day.
Driving?! With so many Tiger/Jetstar pricebeat deals? lol
My guess was they were flying, hence the questions about public transport. Good suggestion on YHA, backpackers often have private rooms that are a fraction of the cost of hotels.
thanks guys….we'll not be driving hence planning to stay around city close to all of these attractions(SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium + WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo + Sydney Tower Eye + Madame Tussauds + Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary)….also free shuttle bus in Sydney CBD should help just in case…
Thanks for the accommodation suggestions….I like YHA and also found Big Hostel Sydney….both of these has 5 bed family room with Private bathroom….I am more towards the Big Hostel as it is coming bit cheaper than YHA..
we'll have to arrange our transport from airport to accommodation…i was thinking of getting a cab rather than train as it seems like Airport train stations has more costs associated with it…
On our last day in Sydney we are thinking of renting a car and drive to Melbourne with the stopover @ Canberra…haven't even thought of planning that part of trip….oh God I feel exhausted already…might get urs help on that as well…
My Advice is there is much better things than going to Canberra. Its not much of a stop over just government buildings and a big lake…
I'd recommend swinging into Batlow then Tumbarumba then back to the Hume highway.. it will add up to 2 hours to your trip though… But its a spectacular drive!
While in sydney if you're looking for interesting cheap eats get over to king st Newtown or Surry Hills.
more info on locations/activities between Sydney to Melb drive pls…..will save me creating new forum topic…..we were planning to stay overnight in between then drive to melbourne…..
walk around "The Rocks"…recommend food at the Glenmore hotel (nice Opera house view on the rooftop patio)
if you have time, walk along the east coast from coogee to bondi, then get lunch in bondi (takes about 3-4 hours, but well, well worth it, and quite an easy walk)
My two cents.
thanks….walk around "The Rocks" is on cards….
The Rocks definitely is excellent. It's a shame that you are not there on weekend. They have markets on Saturday and Sunday. Have a walk around, settle down in Lowenbrau Keller for a litre of wheat beer, a pork knuckle or roast pork belly and watch the world go by.
actually we are checking out on Saturday and planning to go to Manly then…may be along the way we can catch up with Market @ Rocks….
I'm going in Feb and the advice I've had is to stay at the beach. Around Coogee rather than CBD. Anyone agree?
i would have prefer to stay away from CBD…but it just that most of the activities are in CBD….and accommodation is Sydney is damn expensive…..i finally booked Big Hostel family room…not cheap but will save me in Public transport costs…
Depends what you want to do while in Sydney. If it's sightseeing, you'll be battling traffic to get from Coogee back to the city. But if you just want to sit on the beach, then you could do worse than Coogee.
The Aquarium and Wildlife park at the harbour is quite nice! I always go there with the missus whenever we visit Sydney :)
http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au/
There is also Madam Tussauds was museum! Went there last time :D they're all pretty close to eachother and you can buy a combo ticket