The Ultimate Guide Of Bucket List Things To Do In Sydney

Plan To Visit Sydney With This List of Top Things To Do

If you are planning an Australian adventure, chances are you will plan part of your trip to Sydney. This was where we landed first, and we made sure to plan lots of time to explore this beautiful city.

We spent five full days checking out the top highlights and have created this blog to help ensure you have included all the bucket list items that are the must-do activities while there.

Sydney Bucket List

Sydney Opera House

If there is one thing you need to include on your Sydney itinerary, it is to visit the famous Sydney Opera House. It has always been the most recognizable building in the city and we pre-booked a tour to ensure we learned about the structure and to get a peek inside the interior.

Located on Sydney Harbour, this spot was chosen in 1956 on lands that are sacred to the First Nations people. And it was decided that the design of the building would be selected from submissions to a contest.

The design that won was chosen for its modern and ancient styles that reflected the natural surroundings but it turned out to be challenging to actually construct. It was fascinating to learn about the internal construction that includes concrete, steel cables and more than 2000 panes of glass.

And also to see up close, the beautiful Swedish tile that covers the roofs of the three separate buildings.

This building was a completely different style to the Opera House – Teatro Colon – we visited in Buenos Aires.

Visiting two of the five venues was amazing. To see the theatre and concert hall where the opera and ballet hold their annual seasons along with many different groups performing various genres of music, was wonderful.

So much so, that we decided to book tickets to see a performance of Sunset Boulevard with Sarah Brightman a few days later. 

It was a wonderful tour and highly recommended as one of the best things to do in Sydney.

✅ Due to the popularity of this site – pre-booking is essential. This is the tour we took and highly enjoyed.

Sydney Bridge

Another iconic structure in the city is the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This bridge connects Sydney to the North Shore and when opened in 1932 it was the largest steel arch bridge in the world. And now visitors can experience the bridge in several different ways.

Bridge Climb

One of the most popular attractions in Sydney is the famous bridge climb. Using harnesses and tethers, brave people take to the steps and climb up to the very top of the arch. There are options for going up to the top or going all the way across and back again. The views over the Sydney Harbour are magnificent.

✅ Use this easy link to book your experience here.

Pylon Museum

We opted to visit the museum located in the East Pylon of the bridge.

It is a wonderful museum that offers the history and background of the bridge and after climbing up 200 steps, provides one of Sydney’s best views out over the bridge and surrounding harbour.

We found this to be a great option and also a lot more economical than the Bridge Walk. You can book your tickets here.

Pedestrian Pathway

While many people don’t know this, you can also walk across the bridge on the pedestrian path and this option is free! There is an elevator that takes you up from the ground level to the bridge pathway and you can enjoy a walk along the entire bridge. While the vantage point isn’t perhaps as high, it still gives you a great viewpoint of the surrounding harbour.

Viewpoint From Underneath

It is also wonderful to see the bridge from the ground. We recommend taking a walk to the wharf area called Ives Steps. It is where the east pylon is located and there is a nice promenade along the water where you can have great views under the bridge and see the incredible structure that it is.

As you walk towards The Rocks area, you will see the park area that has been built under the bridge and on the weekends there are outside yoga classes being held here.  Check it out for a unique location to exercise.

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Gardens

We were pleasantly surprised by the large amount of green space in this large city. It provides vast open places for walks, picnicking and just relaxing.

Royal Botanic Garden

This garden is an expansive area covering 30 hectares.  Located on a peninsula that is only a few minutes walk from Circular Quay, we were pleasantly surprised to find, like the Jardim Antonio Broges in Ponta Delgado, there was no entrance fee. This is Australia’s oldest botanic garden and it is huge with designated pathways amongst the large grassy areas. 

It has spectacular views of the Sydney Harbour, out to the sea and of course amazing views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. If you continue to the end of the peninsula, you will find the famous Mrs Macquaries Chair.

A large stone rock was carved into a chair for the governor’s wife to have a perfect view of the city. We agree – this is one of the best places with a view of the Opera House.

We loved walking around through the grounds and seeing the numerous trees, plants, flowers, ponds and statuary. There are multiple different kinds of gardens such as herbs, roses, oriental, fern and tropical gardens to name only a few. Plus regular flower beds full of native plants with most of them in bloom during our visit in the spring.

We were also treated to the lovely purple flowers of the jacaranda flowers that were abundant at this time of the year.

The park also offers a couple of spots for having something to drink and eat. It was a wonderful spot to relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.

Chinese Garden of Friendship

If you are looking for an oasis in the middle of the city, be sure to visit the Chinese Garden of Friendship.  Located in Chinatown, this lovely garden is a delight to see.

Once you enter the walled grounds, you are immediately met with a serene picture. A large pond sits at the centre with numerous lily pads floating and large koi fish swimming amongst the plants.

The grounds have many bridges and statuary. There are also 17 pavilions that are strategically placed around the edge of the lake to absorb its positive energy. The winding path and various levels offer seating areas that can be used for quiet reflection or meditation. 

Plants including ferns and bamboo are plentiful all around the garden and they provide a cool, inviting atmosphere. Be sure to check out this incredibly beautiful location.

The Rocks

The Rocks are considered the original area of the city, since it was the first location people landed and created their neighbourhoods. This was where the working people lived and were generally of Irish, European and Chinese backgrounds.

The area was originally slated to be destroyed and redeveloped but a union leader named Jack Mundey helped campaign to keep the area intact and now it has been preserved and revitalized into a trendy area with shops, bars and restaurants. We stayed in this area and found it to be a very convenient location.

Be sure to check out the Suez Canal – a tiny narrow street where gangs in the late 19^th century would conduct the “Rocks Push”. It was here where a young pretty woman would lead someone down the alleyway and then the thugs would mug them.

While not a nice thing to happen, it is interesting to see the narrow laneways with the signs acknowledging this behaviour during a point in the area’s history. Thankfully it is now a much safer location to visit.

✅ If you are looking to understand more about this interesting area and the settlement of Sydney, check out this 5 star rated walking tour. It is the perfect length at only 1.5 hours.

Street Art

We saw many interesting art installations but one of our favourites was located at Angel Place. This is a great installation called Forgotten Songs that shows 120 bird cages strung across the narrow street between two buildings. They are all different styles and sizes. 

When you look up at the cages, you can hear the sounds of birds playing from speakers. This art represents the birds that are no longer there due to the city being built in their space. The names of the birds are also imprinted on placards on the street. It is incredibly impactful, and we encourage you to take a moment to go and see it.

Shopping

There are many places for shopping in Sydney. Depending on what you are after, there is something for everyone. 

Along Pitt Street and the adjacent streets are all the high end designer stores or you can check out The Strand. This is a lovely colonial building that was renovated and includes boutique stores and specialty shops such as Haigh’s Chocolates. 

There is even the largest Lego store in the world located here. The beautiful glass ceilings reminded us of the Galleria Pacific Shopping Mall in Buenos Aires.

The Queen Victoria Building or QVB is another grand historical building that was thankfully refurbished (rather than demolished after sitting empty for many years) and houses many different stores for those that enjoy some quality retail therapy.

We loved The Rocks Market which pops up in the streets on Saturday and Sunday. It is where local artisans and craftsmen bring their beautiful products. Some very unique items can be purchased here ranging from clothing to jewelry and ceramics to soaps, natural cosmetics and artwork.

There was live music, and it is a fantastic place to stroll and also have a bite to eat.

And for a totally different experience, take a walk through Paddy’s Market. It is a massive building with booths squeezed in and narrow aisles. Be prepared to navigate between loads of people and booths literally jammed with stuff – clothing, luggage, children’s toys, kitchen wares, food, makeup – you name it – it is here.

It is almost overwhelming with the sheer amount of things on display. But if you are looking for some inexpensive souvenirs – this is your spot. We picked up our usual magnet and some small trinkets to take home.

Museum of Sydney

The Museum of Sydney is built on the site of the first Parliament building. Here you can view rotating exhibits and artifacts that explore the the First Nations of the area and gain an understanding of their life and culture through art, ceramics, handiwork and interactive displays and the impacts of colonialism on the people of these lands.

Outside the Museum is the Edge of the Trees monument, representing 29 tribes and the forest that the Indigenous people peered from when the new settlers appeared on their lands. The “trees” are made from recycled materials from lost buildings around Sydney.

Each column has organic material such as hair, bone and honey embedded within it to signify the previous ways of life. It is a stark reminder of those who came first on these lands.

Darling Harbour

Another area that is worth visiting is the Darling Harbour. This is a wonderful place in Sydney that has been built around a secondary harbour.  There is a long promenade along the water’s edge where you can take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the views. It has many large hotels, restaurants and bars all overlooking the water. 

There are also several popular attractions in this area including the Aquarium, Madame Tussauds and the Maritime Museum.

This is an area where you can take boat cruises. When we were there, it was very busy with prom cruises, and it was lovely to see all the graduates dressed up and ready to celebrate.

Circular Quay Ferries

Taking a ferry from the main Harbour is a wonderful way to not only see the Harbour and skyline from the water but also to visit some of the beautiful areas out of the CBD (Central Business District). Circular Quay has many different ferries but the most popular seem to be to Manly and Watson’s Bay. 

We chose to visit Watson’s Bay and loved walking the coastal pathway. This area provides lovely views of Sydney, nice beaches and is a leisurely walk out to where the water opens to the ocean. The views here are beautiful out over the rocky coast and at the point is an attractive lighthouse. 

Once we finished our walk we had fish and chips at the famous Doyle’s restaurant. It was the best fish and chips and even rivals our favourite ones that we had in Reykjavik.

Historical Sights

Customs House

A very significant building in the CBD (Central Business District) is the Customs House. This is a beautiful British Colonial building, from 1915, that was originally the entry point for anyone coming by ship and needing to clear customs. The inside of the building is quite different than the outside and is now an archive library.

We started one of our tours here and looked at some of the interesting features inside. On the floor in the lobby area are swastikas that were originally known as a symbol of peace. They were discovered when a renovation was undertaken in the building and the original floors were uncovered.

And in the centre court, there is a beautifully presented acknowledgement of the Indigenous people of Australia and a model of the CBD (Central Business District) under a glassed in area. It gave us a good overview of the city and some of the places we would be visiting. The building is worth popping in for a quick look.

Sydney Hospital

The Sydney Hospital was originally built in the early 1800s. It was quite grand and included two wings. Initially, it only served convicts and the poor. There were many political issues that kept this hospital from flourishing but it was used for several different purposes over the years including government offices.

The architecture is very beautiful to see and make sure you go around back where there is a peaceful courtyard with a fountain. Please be respectful of noise while there as there are still patients housed within the current building.

Hyde Park Barracks

When Sydney was originally being built, the labour used was mainly petty crime convicts that were brought in and housed here. They were serving sentences but were required to work during the day. This interesting building was originally housing that was built for the convicts to provide a secure area for them at night. 

The building has also been an immigration centre for women, an asylum and government offices. It is now a museum that explores the many people that were held there and the impact of colonialism on the Indigenous communities of those times when Australia was first being settled.

✅ We took a fantastic walking tour that covered much of the history of Sydney and passed by many of the major sites. We would highly recommend taking this tour upon arrival as it provides an excellent orientation of the city.

Walk from Bondi to Coogee

We loved how many coastal walks were available in and around the city. One of the most famous is the walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee (which can also be done in the reverse direction).

We started our morning in Bondi and walked along one of the best beaches in Sydney, taking in the surfers and watching the people enjoying beach sports. It is every bit as beautiful as the pictures show it to be.

Then up to Icebergs where you can see the large pool built at the side of the sea.

The walk continues for approximately 6 kms and takes in gorgeous views around every corner. There are many different beaches and bays where you can stop and relax or have a picnic. 

The weekend we did the walk, we were fortunate to also see the Sculptures by the Sea art exhibition. All along the path, there were interesting art displays in all different styles. It made for an even more exciting trek along the path. 

Seeing the beaches in Sydney is a great, free activity.

Day Trip To The Blue Mountains

One of the perfect day trips from Sydney is visiting the Blue Mountains. This area was designated an UNESCO World Heritage site for its natural value. There are 3500 animal species, 1000 species of butterflies and 100 different eucalyptus species.

The entire mountainous area has 7 different national parks located within the region and is truly spectacular. We loved visiting the viewpoints over the forested areas, the numerous waterfalls and taking in the fresh air. 

When you visit this area you also typically stop at Scenic World where you can take a walk through Katoomba where you can learn about the coal mine that was very active during the early 1900s. You can even ride the steepest passenger railway in the world (52 degrees) that was originally used for transporting coal up out of the quarry.

Your visit can also include a ride on a cable car that takes you across the valley at 270m above the ground. The view is amazing and you can even see a beautiful waterfall below.

This area is quite beautiful and the tour we took included stops at many lookouts along the way so you can really appreciate the natural beauty of the entire region. Visiting here is highly recommended as a day trip or even a spot to plan a few days if you have the time.

✅ The tour that we chose was a perfect choice for us – you can see it here. We travelled with a small group and covered a lot of ground. Our guide was terrific and shared his love of this region.

Places To Stay In Sydney

We felt that staying down in the Harbour area or The Rocks area is the best location for visiting the sights in Sydney. This gives you access to the main points of interest and also Circular Quay so you can take the ferries easily. It is also just a nice area for walking around and there are plenty of restaurants, bars and cafes to check out.

The Intercontinental Sydney, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, and the Shangri-La Sydney are all within walking distance of the Harbour and would be our recommendations if looking for a hotel property.

Places To Eat In Sydney

We enjoyed some great meals in the city. There are many upscale locations to try and also a variety of mid-range as well.

After our Opera House tour, we had a wonderful lunch at the Sydney Opera House Bar. The views here are wonderful, and the food was good and reasonably priced. The pasta with ricotta cheese was excellent.

Located in The Rocks is the oldest bar in Sydney – Hero of Waterloo. The night we visited, we enjoyed live music and good pub food in the downstairs bar.  They also have a fancier restaurant upstairs.

In Darling Harbour, we enjoyed a lovely dinner with views out over the water at the Helm Bar. This is an open-air restaurant/bar with a very casual atmosphere. We had great pizza and pasta at this location.

Also in The Rocks is The Glenmore. This is a multi-level bar/restaurant that has a nice patio on the top floor with live music. But we found it to be very crowded and super loud.  If you like a lively atmosphere, this is a good choice. We really enjoyed the prawn toast and the arancini but found the chicken wings lacking a little. Might be better to go there mainly for drinks.

As lovers of gin, we enjoy finding local distilleries and the Hickson House was a great option. It is in The Rocks and has a tastefully decorated lounge and a wide variety of drinks available made with their local products. The gins we had were excellent and we would highly recommend a stop in if you enjoy a good cocktail.

And lastly, we love finding a great hidden gem and the Palmer & Co speakeasy was one of those. Located underground, it is a 1920’s themed bar with a very interesting cocktail list. They also offer live jazz – a great spot to check out.

The Final Word…Bucket List Things To Do In Sydney

Sydney is a dynamic and exciting city with so much to see and do and is worth some time in Australia. There are iconic sights but also many beautiful spots for walking and relaxing along the water. And with plenty of dining options, there is something for everyone.

We spent five days there and probably could have spent more time exploring some of the museums (all free to enter) and other areas by ferry. Be sure to plan enough time in this very welcoming city.