[talisman311]

Hey all, I'll be vacationing in Sydney for a couple of weeks beginning March 1st. Would be hiiiighly appreciative if anyone could recommend some good places to visit and check out as it's my first time there.

I'm 28 so definitely interested in seeing what the nightlife is like down here. But I'm also very interested in checking out some of the scenic sites down there. Anybody know of any good tours offered in the area?

Anyhow, let me hear'em and thanks in advance!

[benaud]

G'day Mate..

Good idea to get some tips from the locals. I'm not from Sydney myself but can reccommend the viator website for tours/ideas. Tripadvisor is magnificent.

http://www.viator.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/

Enjoy your trip and look our for the crocodiles at Bondi.

[QUM01Z]

Hey Mate

Some nice places do dine are

http://www.rockpool.com.au/sydney/bar-and-grill/
http://www.ariarestaurant.com/defaul...ticle&ID=21609

A nice bar to sit for a drink and enjoy the Views Sydney has to offer

http://www.shangri-la.com/en/propert...ant/blubaron36


Hope this info is useful!

[CRT3]

Rockpool +1
iceburges in North Bondi rocking food! http://www.idrb.com/icebergs
also a must is the Ivy!

[talisman311]

Awesome, keep'em coming . I'm emailing this to myself as I type.

Have any of you guys done hang gliding, acrobatic plane rides (http://redbaron.com.au/adventures/flights/aer.html), or rally racing(http://redbaron.com.au/adventures/flights/aer.html)? Sure is nice when you don't live in a litigious society.. You'd never see rally racing in the states, maybe acrobatic plane rides.

[johnnydad]

Hi - are you staying the full two weeks in Sydney itself? In the city?

Are you thinking of hiring a car or skipping town for a few days or do you want things that can be done with your accommodation as a base?

[talisman311]

In short, I'm open to it all. I'll be visiting friends that are on temporary assignment there so I'll have a place to stay for 2 weeks. I'd like to do some exploring outside of the city though, preferably reachable by train, but if it's worth it, I'll rent a car. It'll probably be many years before I make a trip back so everything's on the table.

[johnnydad]

As a local, I still like catching the train down to Circular Quay and walking about the environs - the botanical gardens, Opera House (you generally need to join a tour to see inside which I think is worthwhile), quay, museum of contemporary art (bit weak after Nothern Hemisphere efforts but some special exhibitions are good), museum of sydney, around The Rocks and finish in one of the pubs there.

As said, plenty of tall buildings with excellent dining up top. Good food and excellent value atop Australia Square - the Summit Restaurant - which slowly revolves and is a gem to visit near sunset. Decor is 70's cool and atmosphere great. If you don't want a meal, you can stil enjoy the Orbit Bar.

If you need a swim, you can visit Andrew Boy Charlton pool which is the other side of the gardens, or catch a ferry to Watson's Bay or Manly for beaches. Ferries are a nice way of seeing the harbour under your own steam and will also take you to the Zoo which is a pleasant way to spend a half day and gets you close to some of our wildlife.

Other beach options are generally bus or private car - Bondi and the smaller beaches south of there are pretty and the walk along the cliffs from Bondi to Clovelly is great, with cafes along the route. You can do one way then bus it back to town.

Cronulla is the southernmost beach and on the train line but an hour from Sydney. However you can catch a little ferry across to Bundeena in the Royal National Park where there is a picturesque cliff walk.

Also, the train will take you to the Blue Mountains and from there you can take walks down into the valley, also accessed via funicular or cable car. This gets you a reasonable look at Australian bush flora too.

If you are happy to drive on the left, and can tolerate some poor signage, driving is OK here. Peak hour aside, traffic isn't too dreadful and there are heaps of great spots 1-2-3 hours' drive away - Central Coast, Pearl Beach, Hunter Valley, Jenolan Caves - all potential day trips or easy overnighter.

Hope that gives you some starters. With kids, I'm afraid its been a while since I appraised the local club scene though...

[Bliss]

Hey dude.

Hanggliding at a place called Stanwell park is a must if you're wanting to do that. It's about an hours drive from the Sydney CBD. Or you can even train it there too.

http://www.flystanwell.com/index.php...=222&Itemid=51

Check out the video!

[talisman311]

thanks all, just filled out the visa and will begin my flight to sydney in about 11 hours

[talisman311]

Just got back and the jet-lag is killing me.. Just putting my 2 cents in, but I am truly envious of you guys that live in Sydney. Besides the expensive everything down there (compared to the states). That place is simply amazing! The beaches and coastal walks are absolutely stunning, the women down there are beautiful, everyone's friendly, bars never close, mass transit everywhere, and safety never seemed to be an issue. Can't wait for my next visit.

[Bliss]

Originally Posted by talisman311

Just got back and the jet-lag is killing me.. Just putting my 2 cents in, but I am truly envious of you guys that live in Sydney. Besides the expensive everything down there (compared to the states). That place is simply amazing! The beaches and coastal walks are absolutely stunning, the women down there are beautiful, everyone's friendly, bars never close, mass transit everywhere, and safety never seemed to be an issue. Can't wait for my next visit.

Good stuff man! Good to see you enjoyed it! So what did you end up doing?

[johnnydad]

Thanks for the feedback.

I personally think we are pretty lucky to be down here so it's nice to see others enjoying it