Sydney’s Top Tourist Attractions

A Vacation Planning Guide to Sydney, Australia.

Only a handful of world’s cities compare to Sydney. It may be far down in the Southern Hemisphere, but Australia’s shining urban star has abundant delights for visitors who brave the long trip Down Under. Read more about visiting Sydney at ShermansTravel.com’s Sydney Vacation Travel Guide.

The obvious place to start your tour of Sydney is the splendid Sydney Harbor, officially called Port Jackson. Unless you have a month to spare, don’t even attempt to take in every attraction along its vast, 149-mile shoreline and outlying islands. We recommend sticking to the south shore, home to the main attractions of this bustling maritime city, including the following highlights; the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and the Rocks.

Museums & Galleries
While it constantly vies with Melbourne for the title of Australia’s cultural capital, Sydney offers an abundant repertoire of museums and galleries, and the art scene’s certainly alive and kicking. You could spend days touring its many museums – from masterpiece-filled art institutions and quirky treasure troves to first-class galleries showing the latest contemporary art – or get a quick sampling of the city’s diverse offerings by visiting our favorite Sydney Museums and Galleries; the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Powerhouse Museum, and the Australian Museum.

Parks & Gardens
Sydney’s cityscape is dotted with parks and gardens – from formal English-style retreats to lush subtropical oases, providing many a peaceful sanctuary from the urban hustle and bustle. If not on the beaches, Sydneysiders love to hang out in these verdant havens, so do like the locals do and wander through at least one of the city’s green beauties. The Royal Botanical Gardens, Taronga Park Zoo, and Sydney Harbor National Park.

Sydney's Beaches
You needn’t be a beach bunny to fall in love with Sydney’s golden stretches of sand. It is, after all, one of the world’s most vibrant surf destinations, with over 50 beaches dotting the coastline – from brash Bondi and intimate Clovelly to long-favorite Manly and up-and-coming Coogee. No visit is complete without at least a couple of sun-splashed hours on one of these, even if just for a look at the tanned, bikini-clad sun-worshippers and toned-up lifesavers. Sydney’s excellent transportation network makes it easy to visit any city beach; within an hour, you can arrive from Circular Quay to any the favorites we highlight below. Frequent public buses ply the 45-minute to one-hour route to the eastern suburb beaches (see website schedules and fares), while Manly is only a 30-minute ferry ride away (or 15 minutes, if you take the fast Manly JetCat; see website for schedules and fares).



Shopping
Sydneysiders love shopping, and you will, too, when you discover the colorful offerings of Southern Hemisphere’s shopping mecca. Whatever your consumer style and preference, you can shop till you drop here. For excellent duty-free outlets, head to The Rocks. Fashion slaves shouldn’t miss the funky boutiques in other neighborhoods, especially so Darlinghurst and Surry Hills, or the homegrown designer stores in Paddington. If you want to check out Sydney’s one-stop shopping malls and high-end department stores, the CBD is the place to go.

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Nightlife & Entertainment
You won’t be strapped for choice in Australia’s prime hedonistic playground. For low-key entertainment, we recommend touring the city’s beer haunts, swank cocktail lounges and beachside bars, while nightlife hawks can party till the wee hours at the city’s many happening clubs. High-profile entertainment options abound, too, from first-class theater and classical music to opera and ballet. To help you pick and choose, here are some of our favorite venues; The Australian Hotel, Mercantile Hotel, Longrain, The Victoria Room, Bondi Icebergs Club, Cushion Bar, ArtHouse Hotel, and Home.

Performing Arts
High-brow entertainment options aren’t lacking either. You can catch one of the classical music concerts, operas or ballets at the Opera House; a play by the Bell Shakespeare Company; or a performance by the leading Sydney Theatre Company in their new state-of-the-art theater on Walsh Bay. To get up-to-date schedules of all events, check the Saturday Entertainment section of the Sydney Morning Herald. Tickets for most events can be purchased at Ticketek, or, half-price on the day of the show at Halftix (91 York St.; +61 (2) 9261 2990).

Day Trips from Sydney
Sydney could take weeks to explore, but if time allows, we strongly urge you to get out of town for a taste of Australian wilderness. We’ve highlighted two of our favorite destinations in the vicinity, the spectacular Blue Mountains and vineyard-rich Hunter Valley, both easily accessible by car or organized excursion from Sydney.

by Anja Mutic, ShermansTravel.com

Visit ShermansTravel.com for more about these Sydney attractions.