A Sydney Vacation

All pictures in this lens are my own from our Sydney visits.
All names in blue are generally links so please feel free to go and look for more information.
Most red text indicates who and what are in the pictures

In this lens you will see modules on
places Cruisin the Harbour,
getting around
night activities,
tourist attractions
things to do with kids
Things to do for free or cheap!
other links you might be interested in


Sunset in Sydeny

Here are some main attractions that I have think you might be interested in.
I personally have experienced many of these and I recommed them to all visitors for sure

Sydney's icons



Sydney tower is awesome. It is open from 9am to 10:30pm every day except Christmas day. There is so much do here alone, there is the Skywalk which is where you walk on the roof of the tower itself. which is twice as high as the Harbor Bridge and about the same height as the Eiffel Tower. This take approx 60 mins to do.
There is the Observation Deck which gives you a panoramic 360 degree of Sydney with the bonus of 18 binoculars for you to use, there is also a gift shop and more on this deck.
There are also a revolving restaurant taking roughly 70 mins per revolution. It really is a great place to go and see.

Some sights you can see from from the Opera House

The Opera House
Whether you just want to see it for yourself or attend an event this is a must see for visitors.
A short walk from Circular Quay you can go right up to one of the worlds most recognizable landmarks, have your picture taken on the steps have a look at how it is designed or just sit down and take in the amazing view of the Harbor and the Harbor bridge.
Not only can you go to one of many events, they also have tours, these tours can be done in foreign languages for those who need it.
There are cafes, bars and dining facilities. As well as function rooms and you cant forget the gift shop offering a variety of souvenirs.

Harbour Bridge Is a must see when you come to Sydney, Walk across the bridge and get some amazing views of the Harbour, Circular Quay and the Opera House. The Bridge is just over 1100 metres long and is a great walk from north Sydney to the The Rocks on the other side.
Why not do the Bridge climb? Many famous people have done this like Matt Damon, Michael Weatherly (Tony DiNozzo NCIS), Keith Urban, Will Farrel and Glee..
There are different climbs ranging from 2 hours to 3 1/2 hours in length. You can choose what time of day to go up to there is Day, Night, Dawn and Twilight. Look Here


In a photo to the right you will see a plane just above the bridge, if you look where the red circle is you should be able see a group of people on top of the Bridge doing a bridge climb. In the other pic are my 2 youngest kids on the Opera House steps having the time of their lives

Manly Beach is just a 30 minute ferry ride from Circular Quay. This one amazing Beach to go to, with a lovely leisurely walk from the Ferry station through to the Beach you will see loads of tourist gift shops, plenty of places to eat amongst others.
Then across the road and straight onto the Beach which is just beautiful


In the pictures to right you have an image of Manly beach with surfers and the other picture shows a flock of seagulls at the beach. I like the way they are all looking at one coming to land

Taronga Zoo Come and see the Sydney Taronga Zoo, with talks, encounter shows.
See all the animals from the Australian Koala and Tasmanian Devil to the meerkat, elephants and gorillas. Fun for all the family.

The Rocks One of the oldest parts of Sydney,
Not only does The Rocks have a lot of History but it also has markets, art events, lookout, Sydney Observatory and much much more.


Here are some pictures of some old buildings at 'the Rocks' the sign on the building has the date 1844, its called Susannah Place Shop and Museum Terraces

Luna Park Luna Park is a massive amusement park for everyone of all ages.
Its right near all the major attractions so its not out of the way and entry is FREE!!!

I hope you like these places like we did. We are looking forward to our next visit to see them all again and more

There are so many things to do in Sydney with kids

The Opera House Is a must see for all kids, This link takes you to a page that is set up showing you activities for kids to do at the Opera House
They are so fascinated by its design, the steps its surroundings and the views.

Here are the Kids under the Harbour Bridge

Olympic Park Has so much to offer. During school holidays there are over 50 activities with some being Free. There's out door activities from Biking, Skate park, woodlands, wetlands and the fantastic aquatic centre.

Walking across the bridge was fantastic for the kids to get a view of the Harbour and its surroundings. They were constantly pointing out bits and pieces they could see.
Here are the Kids walking on the Harbour Bridge

Koala Park is somewhere to go to be able to cuddle and pat the Koala you can also get you photo taken with them.

Taronga Zoo Kids love going to the Zoo and seeing the animals like Seal, Koalas, elephants, Meerkats, Tasmanian Devil, Gorilla, Reptiles, Free Flight Bird Shows, Chimpanzee, Owl, Giraffe, Big Cats, Penguin Just to name a few
Some of these animals you can have your photo taken with, but booking is required.. these are some of the, Koala, reptile, owl and giraffe.
The Zoo has shops to buy souvenirs and also offers overnight says

Sydney Aquarium This place is amazing for young and old opened 9am to 6pm and offering Café, gift shop and guided tours,
The aquarium has underwater, see-through, glass tunnels where the sharks swim above and around you. There is recreation of a Great Barrier Reef.
You can see, Dugongs, Crocodiles, Sharks, Platypus, Penguins and much much more
Puppeteria this has many shows with over 1000 puppets! Shows include, the three little bears, Wizard of OZ and 20 000 Leagues Under the Sea

Sydney Wildlife See some Australian wildlife right next to the Sydney Aquarium has viewing-only, as well interactive, exhibits:
There are Butterflies, Reptiles, Kakadu Gorge, Koala Rooftop, Nocturnal, Semi-Arid Grasslands, Rainforest, Wallaby Cliffs and Koala Sanctuary

m9 laser skirmish Great for older kids and adults. Want to go around and shoot stuff then this is the place to go

Monorail and Light rail Kids love the view and sights from the Mono rail.

Catching the train and the Ferry were all exciting for them
The Circus is always a great place to take the kids to.

Sydney Beaches Kids love going to the Beach and Sydney has Many fantastic Beaches to go to.

Calmsley Hill farm A freat place to see sheep being shorn and cows being milked.
Opened from 9am to 4:30pm, with loads of activities including tractor rides, animal patting and shows.
They offer a free BBQ lunch or you can go to the Kiosk

Sydney Tower Is so exciting for kids to go to.
My kids loved spotting all the tourist attractions and using 1 of the 18 binoculars to see even closer or further away. There are gifts shops and toilets. Its opened from 9 right throught to 10:30pm for those who want to Sydney at night from way up high!!

Manly Ocean World Opened 10am to 5:30pm
Kids will love the Shark camp, snorkeling and Mermaid Camp.
Some sea life you will see are sharks, giant stingrays, sea turtle plus more.
Like the Aquarium there are see through tunnels to walk through and get up close and personal..

Walking the Harbor with the Opera house and Harbor Bridge behind them and walking up the stairs of the Opera House

Try the Powerhouse Museum. a family of 4 is $20.
Its opened every day of the year except Christmas day.
There are loads of echibits and a lot of history going back over 100 years.
The Powerhouse Museum is a science and design museum with interactive exhibits
Try here for whats available for kids

My son and his sweet tooth n the British Lolly Shop at Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour has so much to offer, it is home to

British Lolly Shop is a great place for those with a sweet tooth, its jam packed with lollies and chocolates

IMAX Theatre Worlds biggest IMAX Theatre

National Maritime Museum, Great Fleet ships to see and loads of exhibtions.

Plus a lot of what is here is in Darling Harbour

Its been a big long day!

Off to bed and sleep to start a new day tomorrow!!

The night just comes alive in Sydney with so many places to go to for young and old.
There is always something happening every night somewhere in the city, from street performances,live bands to large televised events.

Try looking at some of the links further down to see whats on

In the pictures below we have Darling Harbor on the left, The city in the middle and a view of Luna Park


Sydney is full of Night life attractions, there are loads of pubs and clubs all with in the city limits,
Try going to Darling Harbour it is lined with restaurants, clubs and bars.
There is also the Theaters including IMAX and the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

Sydney Observatory is a great place for the whole family to go to. Its opened nightly. Go and have a look at the stars and beyond. Theres so much to do here

Star CitySydneys Darling Harbours very own Casino

IMAX Theatre Worlds biggest IMAX Theatre

And as a bonus there is occasional event and fireworks. Plus your usual take away shops like McDonalds and KFC
There is a shopping centre. with specialty shops, health and Beauty, clothes, gifts, jewellery and souvenirs
Here is a pic of the entrance to restaurant not far from Circular Quay


There are many restaurants in and around the city, from the Sydney tower to Circular Quay and Darling Harbour and across the Bridge to North Sydney. Depending on your taste style and budget there is something for everyone.

The city has many different theaters you can also choose to go to, and also live bands are heard playing at so many different places..
Here are some pictures of The Bridge and Opera House taken at night from differnt spots around the Harbour

Dont forget you can also visit the Harbor Bridge, Opera House and Luna Park at night as well. These places look amazing when the are lit up as you might be able to tell from the pictures

Here are some pics of The City at night and a ferry on the harbour

Try these links below for more information

Sydney Nitelife
Sydney Night Life
Night life guide

Sydney really is a great place to visit at night, the night life, the scenery and the atmosphere are just awesome!

Are you on a Budget but still want to take in as much as possible and still have fun?

We have been to Sydney and been on a budget
but yet we still managed to have loads of fun
without feeling restricted
Here are some things we did you might like

Walking the Harbour Bridge is Free and you get some of the best views of the Harbour, Opera House and more from up there.


Some sights from the Harbour Bridge

Walking off the bridge you get to The Rocks, you can see a lot of Sydneys History here too. Try having a look at the Museum while your here..
Walking around a bit more you come to Circular Quay is Free, and they often have entertainers like musicians and mimes along here. This is also where you catch the trains and Ferries. Keep walking around and you cant miss the Opera House...
Up behind the Opera House and around the cove is the Royal Botanical Gardens. This is just stunning with all the garden beds, the layout is fantastic and if you go out to the tip Of Mrs Macquaries Point from here you can see the Opera House, the Harbor Bridge and plenty more. A great spot to see the sun setting like the very last picture in this module neat to the 2 ferries
Coming back to Circular Quay you can catch a Ferry to Manly Beach and enjoy a relaxing afternoon there or you can catch a ferry to the Darling Harbour where there is a lot of nightlife.

Below are pictures of some nightlife in Sydney that we did for free or cheap!
L to R Luna Park, fountain and Darling Harbour



There is also Hyde park which is stunning with it central fountain and old church across the road. There is also the Barrack Museum for all those history buffs.There are many other gorgeous parks for you to see as well.
There are also plenty of Museums around including the National Maritime Museum.
Catch a train to the Sydney Olympic Park and have a look around there. There is loads of activities, from the aquatic centre, golfing, biking, recreational activities, fun for the kids plus stacks more
There are also ferries to Luna Park book onlime for cheap ride tickets, Entry is Free.
If your traveling to Sydney and want to do things cheaper dont forget to book online, many times you can save loads of money by being 1 step ahead of others..
For traveling and prices please see the "Getting Around" module below

Below are pictures of some of our trips to Sydney that we did for free!



Try taking a stroll around the harbour at night and take in the city and its attractions like in the images below. We have spent many wonderful hours just walking along the harbour edge looking at the city, Luna Park, Darling Harbour, the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the many boats that go back and forth...
Luna park and the part of the Harbour Bridge, 2 Ferries on the Harbour and a view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge at dusk

Like any major city there is loads of accommodation to choose from, depending on taste, style and budget.
We have stayed at 4 different places in Sydney and liked them all.

These are the 4 places we stayed at


Stamford Hotel
We first stayed at the Stamford Hotel and what an amazing place this was.
Located right next to the airport, it is convenient for those who just want to go and rest after their journey. They have courtesy buses running regularly for free.
With loads of facilities it really is a great spot
The rooms are massive and with super thick windows you dont hear a thing from outside, there is underground parking and they also do a range of packages.
It is also only a 5-10 minute walk to Mascot train station and from there it is only a few short stops to Circular Quay where you step out to a view of the Harbor Bridge and Opera House.

The Vibe
For our Honeymoon we stayed at The Vibe in North Sydney
This too is also a nice place to stay, the rooms are a decent size with all you could want and you can get views of the harbor from some of the rooms.
Walk out the front door down the road a bit and cross the street you are at the Train Station ready to go where ever you want to go. Keep walking down the hill instead and you have the Harbor Bridge on your left and then the Luna Park on your right, you can also catch Ferries from near the entrance of Luna Park. From this point you can also see the Opera House, the harbor and much more.

Lane Cove River Caravan Tourist Park.
A great place for families is Lane Cove River Caravan Tourist Park. Winner of loads of environmental awards
It is great for families. We tried hotels but they could only fit 4 in a room (we are a family of 5), whereas the park had family size Cabins that ended up being cheaper than the hotels anyways.
We have been back there twice since and on the last visit the new train station had been built which is only a 20 minute walk from the park entrance and then around 30 minute train trip into the city, maybe a little less.
The cabins we stayed in were huge (Pictures below are of some of our visits showing the family cabins) , seperate bedrooms, full size bathroom, full size kitchen a covered porch to watch the native animals and birds. These designs depend on the size and layout. Some may be a little smaller etc but the website should have pics of them for you to view.
This is definitely our preferred place to stay when we go to Sydney.



Formula 1 Sydney Airport
Going on our family overseas trip we wanted to keep to a budget but wanted to be close to the airport so we went forFormula 1 Sydney Airport These guys were great! They opened up a door to join 2 rooms together (adjoining)
The rooms were older style but quite large and a great price. $109 per room a night.. Just across the car park was Krispy Kreme where we had Brekky at 6am in the morning and just near them was McDonalds. These guys also had a courtesy bus for a small fee per person that ran every 30 minutes.

Try these other links for more accommodation, from hostels, hotels, caravan parks, bed and breakfast etc
Accommodation in Sydney
Sydney accommodation
Another Link to Sydney accommodation

There are a many ways of getting around Sydney such as
walking, biking, taxi, car hire, bus, train, ferry, monorail and lightrail
In this module I will show you some of these and give you links to find out more on

Walking.

There are loads of places to see by foot as I have mentioned in this lens
Walks through the city, around the harbour, through the parks and along the beaches try these link below for more ideas
.
The best Sydney Walks

this is a weight loss site, but it has some great walks listed on this page

Biking.

Stepping up the pace we go to Bike hire, this is something I have not personally done but I have some sites for you to look more into it

Centennial Park Cycles

Bonza Bike Tours


Car Hire

Car Hire is a great way to run to you own timetable. And is a great choice for those who want the freedom to just get up and go. try the links below to see what deals you can get

Thrifty

Discount car

Budget

Redspot

Avis

Carhire.com



Taxis


Need to go somewhere but not sure where that is? Then call a cab Its a great short term solution.
Sydney Taxis

Trains


Trains are definitely our preferred choice of travel. They get you pretty close to where you want to go. And the prices of tickets are great..
Multi day passes are $20 per adult and $10 per child allowing you to go on trains, buses and ferries in the greater Sydney all day
If your doing this on a Sunday then get the family fun day tickets at $2.50 each instead...Wow you cant ask for much better!!

Cityrail Home

Cityrail Tickets

The pictures above right are of the new North Ryde train station and a train

Buses

Buses are great to get even closer to where you want to go. ..
Fares are similar to the trains. But there is a free shuttle bus that runs a loop around the city CBD that you can can use. there are other free shuttle buses in other major suburbs as well, try the link below
Multi day passes are $20 per adult and $10 per child allowing you to go on trains, buses and ferries in the greater Sydney all day

If your doing this on a Sunday then get the family fun day tickets at $2.50 each instead...Wow you cant ask for much better!!

City Buses Home

City Buses Free shuttle bus

Ferries

Ferries are great to go to places like, Manly Beach, Darling Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Luna Park and many other stops..
Try a zoo pass, this gets you Zoo entrance and ferry ride, bus to the main entrance or the sky safari cable car + entrance into the zoo!

Ferries Home

I these pictures above right you have a view from Circular Quay looking out over the ferries with the Harbour Bridge on the left and the Opera House to the right.
The Other picture is one of the ferries at night

Monorail

The Monorail is great for going to all the central tourist attractions like Darling Harbour and China town.

Each trip is under $5 per person aged 6-adult. kids under 6 in small group travel free!

Monorail Home

Lightrail

Lightrail connects the central CBD to the innerwest suburbs of Sydney including Darling Harbour and Star city Casino
Light rail is environmentally friendly and tickets are purchased on board so its easy as.

Lightrail Home

Here are some more links to sights and activities you might be interested in

Sydney Entertainment Centre
Ghost Tours Why not go on a ghost tour! This is for ages 18 years and over

Sydney Comedt Festival Get a good laught here

Karaoke Bus Catch the bus to a fun, singing and dancing!

Museums This link will take you to a page loaded with museums, historical houses and more

Mardigra Check out this amazing and colourful event

For those interested in Markets try these
Paddy's Markets

The Rocks Markets

Paddington Markets

There are many different way to cruise around Sydney Harbour here;s a few link to get you started

Why not go on a river cruise?.

There are so many to choose from, its hard to know where to start. Here are a few link to some you might like

Flagship cruises Hire for Christmas party, wedding, New Year's Eve social cruise on Sydney Harbour
The Opera House
Magestic Cruises These guys do it all they have diner, lunch, sightseeing, and themed cruises like fathers day and valentine's day cruises
Captain Cook Cruises Have on offer, breakfast, lunch, diner, overnight, special event, whale watching sightseeing and much more
Matilda Cruises also do, sight seeing, special events like wedding, theme cruises, private dining rooms and much more.

here are some pics what you can see from the cruise/ferry - Out to the ocean, boats and the Harbour Bridge


Sydney Tall Ships Sydneys only Authentic 1850s style tall ships

Why not go on a whale watching tour

Wild about Whales

There are many other available, plus there are Jet Boats, scenic Plane Tours and Helicopter Tours...