Sydney Things to Do

Believe it or not, winter snow skiing opportunities are but a hop, skip and a jump from Sydney city. Just head to the Snowy Mountains, about a half day’s drive to the south, and find yourself gliding down the slopes in no time.

Sydney remains a coveted destination for cruise ship visitors, and the popularity of a port stopover continues to grow. The year of 2013 will see 265 cruise ship visits to the port at beautiful Sydney Harbour where travelers then get the opportunity to explore the city’s top attractions. Timing varies by cruise ship itinerary, so sometimes travelers must keep track of how long they have for their shore excursions. The best options are to visit the attractions closest to the harbor, or to sign up for a guided shore excursion.

Ballets, musicals, comedy shows and concerts fill event calendars in Sydney, so the possibility of booking into a night out or two during your stay is extremely high. The most coveted destination for a show in Sydney would be at the world famous Sydney Opera House, right on the stunning Sydney Harbour, as it had been constructed inside to produce and carry the richest, warmest sound. Other popular show locations include the ANZ Stadium, the State Theatre, and the Allphones Arena.

Planning the perfect day in Sydney could go every which way depending on your personal travel style. With beaches galore, big city comforts, a glorious harbor, food of international flare, mountains and rainforest filled national park… one has to pick and choose wisely in order to create the perfect day. We’ve been racking our brains at Viator, so here’s what we recommend if you have to cram in one last brilliant day in Sydney city.

Seeing the opera Carmen on Sydney Harbour is an unforgettable experience. With a picturesque harbor setting, vibrant colors and beautiful music from the opera performance, the atmosphere is almost magical.

When Sydney lovers speak of this city’s beauty, they are often referring to the beauty that comes from being a city on a harbor, and with close proximity to beaches of worldwide fame. The water connects Sydney city with suburbs that would otherwise take an hour to drive to – thus providing a logistical benefit while also being scenic. One might say that you haven’t experienced Sydney until you’ve taken to boat or ferry or even a kayak, and we at Viator tend to agree.

People gather far and wide to experience and take part in one of the world’s biggest LGBT events: Sydney’s Mardi Gras. From the second Thursday in February to the first Saturday in March, LGBT festivities occur across the city of Sydney, such as the Bondi Beach Drag Races, with the culmination being the famous Oxford Street parade.

To get a better grasp on the layout of the expansive Sydney city and its over 600 suburbs, a trip up to some of its heights would be in order. As a person who took this approach on her first visit to Sydney, I can attest that not only does this help you to gain a perspective on where suburbs and landmarks lie (much better than looking at a map from street level), but it also provides spectacular, sometimes 360 degree, views of this beautiful harbor city.

Check out any guidebook on Sydney and you’re sure to find the usual suspects at the top of their “must-do” lists: Bridgeclimb, Blue Mountains, Harbour Dinner Cruise. We wouldn’t argue with any of that. But what about the lesser-lights of Sydney experiences? In a city with 130 things to do listed on the Viator site, what are some of our favourites from nearer the bottom of the list?

You don’t have to travel far to experience Sydney’s closest national park. At only 32km from the city, the Royal National Park is just a stone’s throw from the CBD and reachable by car, bike, ferry, train or even tram!