Sydney, Australia...everything you could ever want in a vacation. Nightlife, delicious food, movie-like beaches, kangaroos, sexy accents...you name it, Sydney has it.
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The most obviously touristy spots in Sydney are the Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge. Of course these are two must-sees, but I’m more into the adventure part of traveling and not totally for the tourist-driven sightseeing. The walk from Sydney University to Newtown, then to Sydney Park, is totally worth it. The park is an absolutely beautiful location. Exotic birds flew around and pathways sprawled throughout multiple ponds. Obviously my favorite part was the dozens of dogs roaming around. We intended to stop for lunch at the famous Mary’s in Newtown, but unfortunately it was closed, so we opted for Paddy’s Market. Instead of the foreign market type of setup we expected, we basically walked into mini-china. Unfortunately I lost any appetite I had once I saw dead ducks hanging from the ceiling.
If you’re looking for a scenic walk, hop on a quick ferry out of Sydney Harbor to Cremorne Point and walk along the coast until you reach Mosman Warf (about 1.5 miles). From here, grab an Uber to Manly Beach. I highly suggest stopping at Hemmingway’s for lunch. Not only is the food delicious (the quinoa and kale salad, with avocado obv, is TO DIE FOR), but the location is right along the beach and atmosphere is super cute.
If you’re down to explore some more, walk from Manly Beach to Shelly’s Beach, then to Sydney Harbor National Park. If you aren’t big into hiking, I suggest ubering directly to this starting point so you can enjoy your time in the park, because it’s absolutely gorgeous. Every couple of miles the scenery in the park completely changes. You’ll even find big-ass lizards slithering around! For a New Englander, this was UNREAL. If you’re anything like us, you’ll be exhausted by the end of the walk, so call another uber. Also, keep in mind that when an Australian refers to a “bush walk” it doesn’t mean you’ll be walking in the trees/bushes, it means you’ll be trekking through terrain.
The Blue Mountains are a MUST for any nature-lover. This is definitely an activity you’ll want a tour guide for, and it’s a full day excursion, so plan this one in advance. We met our tour group around 7:30 AM and drove about 1½ hour via bus from Sydney to the mountains. The mountain region is enormous, so our tour consisted of multiple different stops and mini-excursions. Our full day of hiking and sightseeing ended around 3:30 PM, and we made it back to Sydney around 5 PM.
Coogee Beach is an iconic stop for tourists. From here you can start the coastal walk to Bondi Beach. On your way you’ll bump into Giles Baths, a secluded little area where the ocean meets the cliffs to create a natural pool. The views along the coast are breathtaking. Bondi Beach is exactly what you’d expect – ton’s of twenty-something year olds prancing around in their swimsuits cheering their drinks. It’s literally a scene out of Bay Watch.
The Food
Our AirBnb was located in Forest Lodge, a small suburb of Sydney. Although our host was SO, SO sweet and welcoming, I’m refraining from linking the AirBnb here because of how disgusting it was. I’m not exaggerating when I say the carpet hadn’t been vacuumed EVER. This was the singular negative AirBnb experience we’ve ever had. Luckily the majority of our time was spent outside the apartment.
The most populated area around Forest Lodge was Glebe so most of our meals took place on the town’s main street. I HIGHLY suggest stopping in at Fundamen, an Italian restaurant run by a Chinese family. Once we found this gem we continued to go back – you HAVE to try their smoothies; made with ice cream and honey, they are unlike anything I’ve had in the States. Their breakfasts and Greek salads are equally delicious.
Pastabella offers superb Italian style pasta. I suggest the homemade sauce – a mix between pesto and Neapolitan – SO GOOD.