In this second part to our series of blogs in Sydney, we finish off our Top 10 Things to do when you are in Sydney.
Read Part 1 here of highlights to see and do when picking up your Sydney motorhome hire.
Sydney Tower Eye
6. Sydney Tower Eye
The tallest structure in Sydney and the second tallest observation tower in the southern hemisphere. If you are looking to get your bearings in the city, this is a great place to start your adventure! It offers incredible 360-degree views of the city and it is an interesting way to get an understanding of the scale of the city.
Remember to take your camera!
For the cost of a single ticket standard admission into the tower, we recommend checking out their site directly as they often run specials and combine their passes with some of the other tourist attractions in Sydney. Check out their site here before visiting and see if you can save a few $$.
Open: 09:00 – 21:00 (times vary depending on season, check their website)
Find out more about the Sydney Tower Eye.
Queen Victoria Building
7. The Queen Victoria Building
If shopping is your thing, then for an incredibly graceful and elegant shopping experience, you’ll want to visit the Queen Victoria Building. While the huge range of variety in shopping options is of obvious appeal, the building itself is an architectural marvel that adds a touch of class to the shopping environment with many fine details in its craftsmanship that the discerning eye can appreciate.
Intricate tiling, stained-glass windows, metalwork, facades, and its amazing grand staircase are just a few of the things that make even simple window-shopping at the Queen Victoria Building a wonderful experience.
Regardless of whether you enjoy shopping or not, a visit to the Queen Victoria Building is a highly worthwhile time investment while in Sydney – even the restrooms are impressive!
Located at 455 George Street, a short stroll from the beautiful Hyde Park or Cockle Bay Wharf, you’ll discover a world set back in time. Pop along and enjoy a relaxing cuppa and soak up the incredible historic atmosphere. Opening hours: 09:00 – 18:00 Mon-Sat (Level 1 & 2 opening at 10:00). Sunday hours 11:00 – 17:00 (Levels 1 & 2 opening at 11:00).
8. Government House Sydney
Located on Conservatorium Road alongside the Royal Botanic Gardens and overlooking Sydney Harbour, this quite magnificent and very regal structure demands adoration!
This possibly one of the most well-maintained and well-preserved examples of colonial-style architecture in Australia. It has been home to 27 governors since its construction in 1846 and is one of the city’s true “hidden gems” with an interior that has a hint of gothic influence.
The house itself is set in 12 acres of superb gardens that are a riot of colour when visited within certain seasons. A destination where many high-profile international visitors are accommodated, and high-powered government meetings take place, Government House is appropriately decorated with beautiful paintings and exquisitely crafted furniture that make viewing the interior a spectacle in and of itself.
Guided tours are available although numbers are limited, and they often soon fill up, making waiting times sometimes long. As the venue is used for Vice Regals Functions throughout the year, from time to time it is closed to the public. Please check this website to see when they are closed.
With its ease of access both to and from the city along with the peace and quiet of the area, it makes it a great and easy getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city centre and a refreshing location to spend a few hours to relax and recharge while soaking in some history.
Tours run every 30 minutes from 10:30 to 15:00 and takes 45 minutes. Admission is free however, for security reasons all visitors are required to present valid identification when registering for a tour.
Tel: +61 (0)2 9228 4111
Address: Macquarie Street
9. Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo, Sydney
Home to over 4,000 animals from over 350 species – native and rare and endangered exotic animals, the award winning Taronga Zoo is one of Sydneys most famous attractions.
The magnificent spot, overlooks Sydney Harbour and is a convenient 12-minutes away from the city by ferry. Admission includes daily keeper talks and shows, and access to the Sky Safari, Sydney’s only cable car and is open 365 days a year!
There’s plenty happening here with animal encounters, shows and talks, tours, tiger trek, keeper for a day, kids activities, wild ropes and even a squirrel monkey jungle walk – which we recommend doing, a one of a kind experience that allows you to enter their habitat and the monkeys walk around you and are quite inquisitive. Make sure you don’t have any food in your pockets is all we’ll say!
Enjoy the breath-taking views of Sydney Harbour from the zoo and enjoy a fun filled day here at the zoo. We suggest booking your tickets directly with them online and save yourself 20% off the ticket price. Online ticket price start at $41.40, concessions $32.40. Check prices here.
Open: 09:30 – 16:30 (May-Aug) and 17:00 (Sept-Apr)
Tel: +61 (0)2 9969 2777
Find out more about the Taronga Zoo.
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, Sydney
10. Mrs Macquarie’s Chair
If you are still in the vicinity of Sydney Harbour then for those history buffs, check out the view of the Sydney Harbour from Mrs Macquaries chair which is just north of the Royal Botanic Gardens. It is a free attraction steeped in history as it was carved out of sandstone rock by the city’s convicts back in 1810. The Governor of the time Lachlan Macquarie commissioned it for his wife. Due to its location, it’s a popular tourist attraction as you will bear witness to the picture-perfect views of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge within a single frame! Top Tip: Grab the No.144 bus as it’ll drop you off within walking distance.
Most of these highlights are best to do before you pick up your motorhome hire from Sydney. Or if you’re on a bigger motorhome holiday, park up and train into the city to save a parking headache!
Now we couldn’t just stop at the Top 10, in fact there is so much to do in and around Sydney that we haven’t listed.
We’ll follow up with another post soon for spectacular things to do around the Sydney area such as the Blue Mountains National Park or more coastal walks and even bush walks to name but a few! Watch this space, but for now we’ll leave you with a couple of other well known and famous things to go and see while you spend some time in Sydney.
Bondi Beach, Bondi
– Bondi Beach
No visit to Sydney is complete without a trip to Bondi Beach!
With its sweeping white-sand crescent beach, this is possibly on of the most iconic beaches of not only Sydney but of Australia!
It has recently been dubbed one of the Top 10 beaches in Australia, almost purely for cultural impact reasons. So, while it may not strictly speaking be the most beautiful beach in Australia, it certainly is one of the most famous.
Bondi has a grassy hill that slopes onto it and a series of casual lunch options coupled with a few higher-end restaurants that make getting food a relatively easy (albeit pricey) proposition.
If you are travelling there with your own vehicle or before you head off in your motorhome hire from Sydney, parking can be an absolute nightmare. Due to the popularity and crowded nature of the beach, you will most likely have to park so far away you may as well have gotten public transport there or you’ll be expected to pay the exorbitant hourly parking fees for the privilege of being closer to the action, so keep this in mind.
Sydney Beaches
If walking is your thing, then we suggest that while you are there, taking the 6km clifftop Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk which we recommend doing if you have a relatively good fitness level. Take the bus to Bondi and have a mooch around there first and then take the coastal walk. It can get hot so be sure to take water and sunscreen with you although there are water fountains along the way. This is a medium grade urban walk with some steep gradient paths and several staircases along the track. However, there are plenty of rest stops with great views and seating along the way – you won’t be disappointed.
Check out the Bondi to Coogee Walk website if you are interested in finding out more about this walk and others available from here.
– SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, Sydney
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium is a great aquatic attraction that features five separate habitat exhibitions of Aussie ocean, estuarine and river creatures. An underwater adventure in which you’ll be able to walk and explore the rich and diverse aquatic life and habitats of Australia’s ocean-dwelling animals.
Home to thousands of salt water, fresh water, cold water and tropical fishes, mammals and dozens of others of amazing species on display. There is the usual expert commentary and plenty of information boards provided along the way plus a range of free show-and-tell sessions as you see the animals being fed and much more.
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium is situated in a convenient location near Sydney Harbour’s Circular Quay making accessing it a breeze due to all the available transport options.
Our TOP TIP: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium can often get very busy. To beat waiting in the queues, we recommend that you buy your tickets online here, you’ll also find some possible combo deals on tickets too which could save you money.
Open daily from 10:00
Address: 1-5 Wheat Rd, Darling Harbour.
Download your FREE copy of our Top 10 Things to do when in Sydney here!
For any of your campervan or motorhome hire Sydney travel requirements, get in touch with us to find out what vehicles we can source for you that best suit your requirements. We’ll look at the type of holiday you are after and recommend the best vehicle for you. Check out our special offers too to see if we can save you $$ on your trip to Australia.
You can also find out some great ideas on where to go with your Sydney campervan hire too!
Get in touch with us now to see how we can help you!
All images are supplied courtesy of Tourism Australia.
-
Tags: Campervan Hire
