Sydney Travel Guide

 
by Astraeus
 
  •   Sydney
    by Astraeus
  • Bondi Beach, Sydney
      Bondi Beach, Sydney
    by cal6060
  • Sydney harbour
      Sydney harbour
    by betska
  •   Sydney
    by Lerie
  •   Circular Quay
    by cjg1
 

Flights to Sydney

All fares Ashburn (IAD) to Sydney (SYD) found by travelers in past 48 hours*
Today's lowest fares
JunJulAug
$1,732 $1,916 $1,628
Search Flights

Pro

AmazingAdventures profile photo

 Excellent public transportation, lots of attractions, great climate, this city is a photographers dream 


Con

SydneyGal profile photo

 crowded, sometimes impersonal, superficial people, overpriced real-estate! 


In a nutshell

willy_wonka profile photo

 sydney - definitely australia's BEST city! (sorry melbourne!) 

 

Explore Sydney

Things to Do  

Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House, Sydney

 170 Reviews  Of course the Sydney Opera House is one of the things one must see in Sydney. For one thing, it was made a World Heritage Site in 2007 And we did see it. We saw it first from the ferry on the day we arrived, and expected to see it on the hop-on-hop-off bus tour. But we missed it there because it... 

Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains, Sydney

 100 Reviews  The Blue Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located about a little over an hour out of Sydney, the Blue Mountains are nestled among plateaus and some pristine rain forest. It's home to places of interest like Flat Rock, which affords excellent views of the surrounding areas of the valleys.... 

Hotels  

Park Hyatt Sydney

 5 Reviews and 510 Opinions  A luxurious setting, conveniently close to the city centre without the hubbub. You can have it both,... 

Radisson Plaza Hotel Sydney

 7 Reviews and 964 Opinions  The Radisson Plaza is one of Sydney's grand dame hotels. Located in the city centre less than 10... 

Restaurants  

The Rocks and Circular Quay Restaurants

The Rocks and Circular Quay Restaurants, Sydney

 82 Reviews  The Orient Hotel is one of our favorite pubs in the Rocks. They have a nice selection of beer, wine and mixed drinks as well as food. The pub has a brasserie upstairs as well as a Bier Garden. We prefer the casual atmosphere of the pub and have enjoyed spending time here enjoying a few pints. The... 

Chinatown Restaurants

Chinatown Restaurants, Sydney

 41 Reviews  Mushashi is a restaurant my husband is very familiar with; having come here many times before so I knew I would have a good meal. We decided to meet some friends here for dinner after a day of wandering Sydney. This place is very popular so a booking is a definite must if you don't want a long wait.... 

Nightlife  

Sydney City Bars / Clubs

Sydney City Bars / Clubs, Sydney

 53 Reviews  We got to see two sides of Ryan's in the matter of just a few hours. We were to meet up with friends at 530 one evening and happened to be near so went to check it out early. We sat there in the back in one of the round booths just chilling and having a drink enjoying a break. Nice. Quiet.... 

The Rocks / Circular Quay

The Rocks / Circular Quay, Sydney

 42 Reviews  The Australian Hotel is an old pub in the Rocks section of Sydney. The orignal pub was opened in 1824 and this location has been around since 1913; which makes it a popular Sydney institution. After wandering the back streets of the Rocks in 2010; my wife and I decided to stop here for some drinks.... 

Transportation  

Travel Passes

Travel Passes, Sydney

 32 Reviews  The color coded travel passes went away in 2010 and were replaced with the My series of tickets. MyMulti replaced these specifically and allow you to travel on all city buses, all state ferries and light rail while also allowing City Rail within three zones. These zones create the MyMulti1 for the... 

Ferry / Jet Cat / River Cat

Ferry / Jet Cat / River Cat, Sydney

 66 Reviews  When I get into a place in the morning after an overnight flight, I like to do something that will keep me awake until a reasonable hour to go to bed on the new schedule. Outdoors if possible. Sometimes we take the hop on hop off bus and ride up on the top in the fresh air. But someone told me that... 

Shopping  

Clothing

Clothing, Sydney

 21 Reviews  The taxi dropped us off early, so we wandered around the shopping mall while we waited for the restaurant to open. We saw all kinds of miniskirts which my granddaughter and I agreed Barb (her mother/my daughter) would never wear. Westfield Sydney Shopping Hours Monday - Wednesday 9.30am -... 

Markets

Markets, Sydney

 40 Reviews  Paddy's Market is best described as a huge flea market in the Chinatown vicinity. Vendors sell their wares from stalls throughout the building. There is an abundance of souvenier type items from stuffed animals, key chains and shirts. Prices range from vendor to vendor so if you are a smart shopper... 

Local Customs  

Tipping and Prices

Tipping and Prices, Sydney

 14 Reviews  It took me half way through my second stay to finally learn this practice. Tipping here is not done. Sure its appreciated but you come off as a tourist more than your appearance and styles. Seriously folks. Its not needed and not done here. Minimum wage in NSW is in excess of $15 per hour and... 

General Sydney/Aussie Customs

General Sydney/Aussie Customs, Sydney

 24 Reviews  Here in Australia they drive on the left side of the road. This can make an American a bit batty trying to get accustomed. Remember when crossing the street to look right. Before the Sydney Olympics they decided to paint signs on the street corners to advise pedestrians to "LOOK RIGHT" to avoid any... 

Warnings and Dangers  

King Cross

King Cross, Sydney

 14 Reviews  Kings Cross is the place to be for a gang rape experience by maori bouncers and prostitues whilst your partner gets beaten up out the back. I guess you could say we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Bag snatching / Pickpockets etc

Bag snatching / Pickpockets etc, Sydney

 16 Reviews  Sydney is mostly safe, apart from some dodgy areas. Here are some areas that you should avoid and places you should be safe: SAFE: South Sydney (Cronulla, Woolooware, Sutherland). East Sydney (Vaucluse, Rose Bay, Double Bay). Bondi (relatively safe) Most of the city AVOID: Redfern (if you have... 

Tourist Traps  

Souvenirs / Shopping

Souvenirs / Shopping, Sydney

 12 Reviews  Watch out with souvenir shops. Some shops charge 3 times as much as other for exactly the same item. Usually the shops in the main streets and fancy shopping malls are expensive, but you really need to be careful. If you find a shop that is cheap for one item, it may well be expensive for another.... 

What to Pack  

Clothing

Clothing, Sydney

 31 Reviews  I went to Doll House and had the worst experience of my life. I ordered a dress 3 months before my formal and it didn’t come in. she told me the the dress was customised but was told a week before my formal that they could not do it and was told to chose another dress from the shop which upset me as... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Scenic Walks

Scenic Walks, Sydney

 25 Reviews  On my first morning in Sydney, I arrived at my hostel, exhausted, jet-lagged and in need of a shower. My room at the hostel wasn't ready yet, so I was recommended to talk a walk and explore. I was pointed to a path that took me along the Botanical Gardens. The name of the path was Mrs. Macquarie's... 

Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains, Sydney

 50 Reviews  Ok, the Blue Mountains are not "off the beaten path", but they make for a great day trip out of Sydney. The train ride from Sydney to Katoomba takes about 2 hrs and you'll step out into a beautiful scenery of steep hills covered with gum trees. The name "Blue Mountains" derives from the blueish mist... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Olympic Park / Olympics

Olympic Park / Olympics, Sydney

 9 Reviews  Australians are a sports loving people. There are a number of world class venues where you can watch a wide array of sports. You can visit Olympic Park which was the site of the 2000 Olympics. Here you can watch some Rugby League, or Aussie Rules or even some tennis. Check out the various team... 

Favorites  

Beaches

Beaches, Sydney

 38 Reviews  New tourists to Australia will undoubtedly have this iconic image of Bondi Beach with sunny skies, scantily clad people and benign surf. However, as you can clearly see from the pictures, Bondi Beach isn't always like that. Some days you can't even swim in the baths. A few thought they might the day... 

Comments

* Pricing and fares have been collected during the three days prior to today's date. Actual pricing and fares are provided by air carrier and suppliers, whose prices change frequently and without notice.
Map of Sydney