The Top Things to Do in Sydney 2020

Located in the beautiful and iconic Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Harbour Bridge overlooks the magnificent blue waters that help to make the Harbour a spectacular sight. Nicknamed "The Coathanger" because of it's steel arch-based design, the Harbour Bridge boasts 8 traffic lanes, 2 railways and a pedestrian and bicycle lane, transporting both locals and tourists from the Central Business District (CBD) to the North Shore. Visitors interested in getting the best view from the bridge can do so with the help of the BridgeClimb. Climbers can choose to climb either the outer arch or the inner arch of the bridge for spectacular views and an unforgettable experience. The bridge also plays a special part in the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks displays, where hundreds of spectators travel from near and far to gather on the shore and on the water to watch the festivities each year.

The Sydney Opera House is Australia’s preeminent cultural center. Famous for its cutting-edge architecture, the building’s series of white-tiled sails jut into the harbor at Bennelong Point, perched on a platform of pink granite. The iconic structure was designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, and Australians have been divided about its design ever since it opened way over-budget in 1973. Recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the opera house has a range of venues under its sails.

Almost on the edge of Sydney, and visible on a clear day from the city's observation towers, the beautiful World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains are the perfect destination for an idyllic day trip from the hustle-bustle of downtown Sydney. The Blue Mountains offer the stunning scenery of rugged sandstone outcrops, cavernous valleys and towering eucalyptus forests. Take advantage of Scenic World's cable cars and tramways to see the best of the Blue Mountains, including the Three Sisters rock formation. Glide between cliff tops and over the rainforest on the Scenic Skyway tram; descend into the Jamison Valley on the Scenic Railway; explore the rainforest along the Scenic Walkway and climb back to the top with unbeatable views on the Scenic Cableway. The area offers scenic drives, manicured gardens, shopping and pampering at spas and luxurious accommodations. Other attractions include the Zig Zag Railway, Norman Lindsay Gallery at Springwood and the Jenolan Caves.

The largest city in Australia, Sydney is often considered one of the best cruise ports in the world, making it a must-see for anyone heading Down Under. Founded in the late 18th century as a British penal colony, it is also one of the oldest European settlements in Australia. Modern and cosmopolitan, Sydney is also laid-back and welcoming, with a variety of culture, history, art and nature to enjoy.

Cuddle a koala, handfeed a kangaroo, and watch penguins waddle at Featherdale Wildlife Park, just 40 minutes from central Sydney. Celebrating Australia’s unique animals and birds, Featherdale presents all kind of native fauna in a natural bush setting to delight local and international visitors alike. Home to the world’s largest collection of Australian native animals, more than 2000 critters live at Featherdale, including saltwater crocodiles, bats, bilbies, wallabies, wombats, emus, and reptiles. The various feeding times at the park are a highlight. The wildlife park’s facilities include a cafe, souvenir shop, and picnic areas with barbecues for cooking up a typical Australian lunch to complete the all-round Aussie experience.

With its Georgian sandstone buildings, narrow alleyways, historic pubs, and regenerated warehouses, The Rocks is one of Sydney’s oldest and most popular precincts. Set back from Circular Quay, it was one of the earliest parts of Sydney to be settled. Formerly a raffish area, today this city-center quarter has been gentrified and given a good polish. You’ll find Sydney’s oldest pubs here, a vibrant weekend street market specializing in handicrafts, historic Cadmans Cottage, the Sydney Observatory, Museum of Contemporary Art, and a swag of shops and boutiques. Some of Sydney’s best restaurants are also here, including Sailors Thai, Altitude, Neil Perry’s Rockpool, and Doyles at the Quay. The best way to get a feel for The Rocks is to just follow your nose down 200-year-old cobbled laneways like Playfair St, Mill Lane, and Nurses Walk.

Taronga Zoo's inhabitants have habitats with views overlooking Sydney Harbour, with especially prized panoramas being nabbed by the giraffes. The zoo's lively program of events includes sleepovers, daily presentations, animal encounters, and guided tours. Have your photo taken with a koala or owl, meet the reptile keeper, follow the bush bird trail, speak to a gorilla, or say hello to the elephants. Twilight visits reveal the animals at their most active, and a fully cooked Aussie breakfast is served at morning sessions. This summer you can enjoy the 'Dinosaurs in the Wild' exhibition! Get up close to lifesize and lifelike dinosaurs like the Triceratops, Dilophosaurus, and of course, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Learn about these prehistoric creatures, their extinction, and how we can help modern-day species avoid a similar fate. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the special dinosaur themed activities including Dinosaur Keeper Talks, the Fossil Pit and a competition to win some great prizes

In addition to the Bridge Climb, there is a cheap alternative to get the famous view from the top of town on the Sydney Harbour Bridge–the Pylon Lookout. The bridge walkway leads to the South East Pylon and to the entrance of the lookout, from where 200 steps lead up to the viewing platform located 285 feet above sea level. From here enjoy fantastic panorama views of the Opera House, Circular Quay and the two arches of the Harbour Bridge. You'll also be able to observe the daring bridge climbers. The Pylon Lookout doesn't only consist of the viewing platform though, but is made up of three levels of exhibits. A visit to the small museum located inside the Pylon is included in an admission ticket and includes information about the history and construction of the bridge, including the dangerous working conditions of the riveters, stonemasons and riggers who constructed it. Hear incredible stories, such as the tale of a worker who survived a fall from the bridge.

The Sydney BridgeClimb is a memorable way to mark your visit to Sydney and Australia. Taking you up and over the huge arch of iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, you can gaze out over the city and spectacular Sydney Harbour from 134 meters (440 feet) above the water. Described by those who have done it as “incredible” and an absolute “must-do,” the climb is the ultimate adrenaline fuelled way to see Sydney. There are three guided climbs that you can choose from: The Express, The Discovery and The Bridge Climb that all take you to the summit of the Bridge via different routes. The Express Climb is a smaller group tour (up to 12 climbers), with fewer stops on the Bridge, that allows you to explore its length in just over two hours. The Discovery Climb takes three and a half hours and is a chance to explore the heart of the bridge and learn more about its history and engineering.

Sydney Fish Market is the largest working fish market in the Southern Hemisphere, even rivaling some of Japan’s biggest fish markets in the variety of seafood that’s traded every day. Not only does the market shift an incredible 52 tons of seafood per day, it also hosts a wide variety of restaurants, cafes and food retailers to ensure that visitors get to sample Australia’s freshest fish straight off the boat. Open for breakfast, lunch or an early dinner, the fish market is the best spot to see and enjoy Australian seafood at affordable prices. You can either eat in or head to the wharf outside to enjoy a meal overlooking Blackwattle Bay. The market is also home to one of Australia’s leading cooking schools: the Sydney Seafood School. It offers a wide range of classes for all levels and abilities and is suitable for those who simply want to brush up on their skills or become a bit more creative with adventurous seafood such as mollusks and crustaceans.

As one of the world’s great waterfront destinations, Darling Harbour is a visitor’s dream! The harbour is considered an entertainment and tourism hub with restaurants, bars, museums, theaters, shops, parks and more! All sites are walking distance from one another, as this ring of attractions is connected by walkways and boardwalks that face the water. Worn out from an exciting day in the harbour? There is also a little train that loops the area for visitors with children or anyone who would like to relax and enjoy the seaside sights.

Australia’s most famous beach is a curving golden stretch of pale gold sand and turquoise waves. Attracting beach bunnies, surfer dudes and beach lovers alike, it’s one of Sydney’s favorite hot spots for catching the sun and people watching. Lifeguards patrol the often pounding waves, so it’s important to swim between the patrolled red and yellow flags. The sands of Bondi Beach are a popular spot for surfing lessons, beachside volleyball, yoga and community festivities, and the beach is overlooked by a stream of shops, restaurants and cafes for post-beach dining and relaxation. Picturesque coastal walks lead from Bondi over the seaside cliffs to the neighboring beaches of Clovelly and Bronte, and to the romantic Victorian cemetery overlooking the coast at Waverley.

Sydney’s transport and scenic heart, Circular Quay is also the city’s birthplace, flanking the waters of Sydney Cove where the First Fleet settlers landed on Australian soil in 1788. The rectangular stretch of water is lined with attractive pedestrian walkways running from the Sydney Opera House, past the Circular Quay ferry terminals, around to the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The historic laneways, interesting shops, old pubs and stylish restaurants of The Rocks precinct, one of Sydney’s most popular tourist areas, run behind the Museum of Contemporary Art. Circular Quay is one of the major vantage points for Sydney’s famous New Year’s Eve fireworks.

This unique landmark—a massive rock fashioned into a cozy bench—was carved from sandstone in the early 1800s by Gov. Lachlan Macquarie for his wife Elizabeth. As the story goes, when the weather was warm and the sun high, Mrs. Macquarie loved to relax at the point of this scenic peninsula and stare out over the ocean. Today, travelers enjoy a leisurely walk to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair from the iconic Opera House or wander over to this historic attraction after a visit to the nearby Royal Botanic Garden. In a bustling city that’s alive with energy, the stone bench offers visitors a perfect place to unwind, relax and take in the some of the best views of Sydney Harbour.

Australia’s wild and wonderful aquatic life is highlighted at the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, one of the world’s largest aquariums and amongst Sydney’s top visitor attractions. There are several exhibit areas representing Australia’s varied habitats and ecosystems, including platypus from the Southern Rivers, salty crocodiles from the Northern Rivers, dugongs in the Mermaid Lagoon, little penguins from the Southern Ocean, and tropical fish from the Great Barrier Reef. Sharks swim overhead glass tunnels, there’s a tropical touch pool and corals in the Great Barrier Reef, and daily activities include glass-bottom boat shark feeding, talks with the dugongs, penguin feeding, and Reef Theatre displays.

Historic, picturesque, and relaxing, the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens cover 74 acres (30 hectares) running along the harbor from the Sydney Opera House to Woolloomooloo. A true inner-city oasis, the gardens combine exotic plantings from Europe, tropical rainforest, woodland, flowers, grasses, the Indigenous First Encounters garden, and rare horticultural exhibits. A program of events includes activities, workshops, courses and lectures, plus there are entertaining guided walks throughout the year. The gardens are laced with leafy walkways and harbor lookouts, and they also boast a fernery, camellia garden, palm grove, and herb garden. For a walk through history, the Mrs Macquaries Bushland Walk traces a path along the coast, re-creating the landscape as it appeared when the early settlers arrived in Sydney in the early 19th century. Don't forget to stop off at Mrs Macquarie's Chair, a bench carved out of sandstone, to get amazing views of the Sydney Harbour.

No trip to Sydney is truly complete without a full embrace of the ocean water. Day or night, the Sydney Harbour's Tall Ships set off providing passengers an authentic Australian experience, watching over the city harbour over some genuine barbecue. With a variety of different services, meal offerings, and specials, you can choose which time of the day and price setting best suits you, either choosing to share a romantic date with a loved one or giving the kids something to brag about, as you set sail on these majestic tall ships. The scenery is spectacular, with most boats providing amazing views of some of the city's great landmarks, including the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Fort Denison, and even the Taronga Zoo, so be sure to bring a camera!

Straddling the peninsula of North Head on Sydney Harbour, the town of Manly is Sydney’s most popular seaside resort. It offers the best of both worlds, with calm harbor beaches on one side and wild ocean waves on the other. Linking the two is The Corso, lined with cafes and restaurants. Along with swimming, surfing, wining and dining, Manly’s most popular attraction is of course Oceanworld, on Manly Cove Beach on the harbor side of the town. Sharks and rays swim overhead curving walkways, or you can don a wetsuit and go diving with these monsters of the deep (if you dare!). Manly is surrounded by gorgeous beaches linked by scenic seaside walkways. Boating, kayaking, surfing and cycling are popular pastimes in summer, while winter is a good time to visit the historic former quarantine facility Q Station or take a North Harbour walk to Shelly Beach or The Spit.

Locals know this beautiful beach as the backdrop for the Aussie soap opera "Home and Away," but travelers love the quiet cove on the Pacific Ocean near the Tasman Sea for its white sandy shores, bright blue waters and relaxing vibe. The scenic beach stretches some three kilometers. Its wavy rips are perfect for boarding, but locals also head to the calm waters of the unique 50-meter ocean swimming pool for early morning laps. Some of Australia’s most exclusive real estate, including homes of famous celebrities and top-notch entrepreneurs, dot the well-forested hillsides surrounding Palm Beach.

Now named for its shape and the image it brings to mind, Shark Island was once referred to as “Boambilly” by Australia’s aboriginal people. The island was previously the site of an animal quarantine and naval depot, but today travelers flock to its shores for recreation. Settle in under shady trees and enjoy one of the island’s many well-kept picnic sites, or explore the rocky passes and handmade grottos along Shark Island’s beaches.