Sydney Travel Forum

Hey Pple,

I'm travelling in a group of 6. We're all fresh grads, so pockets are abit tight. We're a young, fun and energetic bunch.
Anything interesting, yet afforadable stuff to do? Need help in planning. We'll be reaching sydney early june and will be spending 4-5 days there. We have a car.
So do advise on where to go to soak up the essence of Sydney!!
Many thanks guys and gals...

Timothy

hi,
You should go around the Darling harbour area.it is a nice to walk around and there are many food joints around.the maritime museum is free to enter and is nice for a short tour.
circular quay, opera house -- you can cover together.take a boat ride in circular quay,it is not very expensive.
you could go for a walk in the sydney harbour bridge.the climb has a fee,but the walk is free.
the town hall looks nice in the night.you could walk all over,instead of taking a bus,that way you soak in the city better and it is not a long walk.i walked from eddy avenue,down upto town hall and also went to the darling harbour.just grab a map and it is easy to go around.
have fun,

You could buy a day pass and spend a day on the harbour riding the ferries to different places - Manly is a must.

Chinatown is interesting, so is The Rocks, which has some great pubs, and Oxford Street, plus Glebe for restaurants.

oh ok.. sounds good. how about any weekday or weekend mkts?
Heard that the seafood mkt is a must.
Are the prices reasonable?
how about the night life? Any must go to pubs?
Haha everything sounds so good!!

the rocks has weekend markets.in the rocks area there is the sydney observatory which the has the world's oldest working telescope.the shows begin at 8 p.m..
paddy's market close to china town is a must for sovenier shopping.it doesnt get cheaper than this!you can bargain here.
hope this helps,

The Fish Market is a must-visit - I have details and photos in my Sydney Tips.

http://cracker.com.au/inner-sydney-sydney/bargains/flea-markets/classifieds.htm?search=true

here is a link to some of the regular flea markets in inner Sydney

I have heard the balmain market is good - you can catch the ferry to balmain - or the bus

i used to go to the market in Oxford Street paddington a lot - heaps of fun - a real day out

the walk along the cliffs from bondi to tamarama is free

my son - about your age - loves The Clare

http://www.smh.com.au/news/bar-reviews/clare-hotel/2005/10/26/1130302827396.html

near central station

For an inexpensive day out, I too suggest buying daily travel pass for Sydney buses, trains, ferries and taking the bus to Watson's Bay for a look at South Head (short hike) and have lunch at Doyles Restaurant....Doyles have a "fish and chips shop" where one can buy inexpensive take-away meals which can be taken into the dining area behind the shop. Options for returning to the CBD: bus via Bondi Beach or ferry from terminal near Doyle's.

Royal Botanic Gardens are free.

The Captain Cook Hotel in Paddington does a great $8 steak with chips or mash and vegies. The Old Fitzroy in Woolloomooloo is also cheap and tasty and has a laksa menu to die for - all under $10. Thursday nights are your best chance of getting cheap drinks, try the pubs around Broadway (nr Central Station) as the uni is close by and students are always budget drinkers! Otherwise check out this website: http://www.sydneyhappyhour.com/weekdays/ the best way to find cheap drinks in Sydney. Love it!

I would definitely agree that getting an all day pass for the ferries is a great, cheap way to see Sydney Harbour. Go to a supermarket beforehand and buy yourself some cheese and crackers and have yourself a picnic on the top deck.

There's also a free bus that operates in the CBD (Monday to Friday - 9.30am until 3.30pm (extends until 9pm on Thursdays) and Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays - from 9.30am until 6pm. Use this where you can and save some dollars.

Enjoy your trip! There's so much to do in Sydney, I hope you can fit it all in during your time here!

okay thanks guys.. one more question. I understand that it is winter in June. is it advisable to visit the beaches? Manly, Bondi beach? How's the weather like? Cold with strong winds?

>is it advisable to visit the beaches?<

Just see what the weather's like when you wake up - it could be sunny, warm, clear blue sky, no wind.

People swim all year round in Sydney, and there is a good chance of seeing whales in June. The beaches are beautiful and the walk between Bondi and Coogee is always worth doing - we often have clear sunny days in winter, perfect for the walk.

I'll be goin to Blue Mountains as well, planning to go to Katoomba.Are the scenic railway or skyway rides worth taking? Are the Jenolan Caves worth going? Because i believe my group will only have half a day at the Blue Mountains. Any locals free to bring my group around? Will get a nice dinner from us haha...

So sorry to inform abt the dates. Tentatively we plan to go on a weekday.Probably 8 June or 9 june.

Monday 8th June will be a public holiday in Sydney (Queen's birthday). This might have a bit of an impact on your budget as some places might add a public holiday surcharge. Good news is that a lot of Sydneysiders get out of town for the long weekend so you'll have more of the city to yourself.

Blue Mountains is lovely, the caves are great if you get the time. I hope you've got lots of memory cards for all the photos you'll be taking!

Have you read up about Vivid Sydney? You'll be here for some pretty amazing events in Sydney and most of them are free. Go to www.vividsydney.com and you'll see what's on. Also if you search for "Vivid Sydney" on Flickr you'll see pics of the Opera House all lit up - it's so beautiful. So lots to do when you get here!!

I believe Cabramatta is a buzz - a well-known Vietnamese enclave in the western suburbs. On a railway line.

Check out Newtown, close to the city. Catch a bus or train. A young crowd, good eating and drinking, book shops, a scene. Stays awake late and serves great coffee when you surface.