Hello- We will be in Sydney at the end of January for 5 days previous to our cruise and would like to schedule some activities in the area. We would like to see the Blue Mountains and have been trying to correspond and get a confirmation with Wonder Bus- the girl that e-mailed me was very helpful but trying to confirm our tour with the man in charge of those things is a real headache- he just will not get back with me. So now I am looking at other companies- considering Activity Tours which was rated well by others on Tripadvisor. Has anyone taken at Blue Mountain tour that they thought was just great?

Also- what other things should we plan on definitely doing while in Sydney- is the Hunter Valley tour worth doing? We'll be staying at the Intercontinental Sydney which is within walking distance of many great sights. What about the Sydney Tower- having a drink or dinner at the top- is that a possibliity?

Any recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks- Melissa

Why are you going there? We can answer your question better if we know what you want: scenery, wildlife, history interpretation, a fun day out with strangers to whom you can relate, ...?

There is a restaurant near the top of Sydney Tower. Not sure if you can just have a drink there. Food was OK, not great, some years back - not sure now.

Don't forget the ferry to Manly from Circular Quay. You don't need a tour - do it at your leisure. Once in Manly, cross the road and walk down the "Corso", lots of touristy shops and restaurants, to the beach. Take your "cozzies" and have a dip in the surf. You can get changed in the Surf Club House. Then walk to your right, past the Surf Club House and around the walkway to Fairy Bower. There's a lovely small ocean pool for another swim if you like, lots of sculptures and views, and a good cafe at the end, where there is a small beach with no surf. They take Japanese tourists to snorkel there. With goggles, you could do that by yourselves too.
For more, you can cross the beach and walk up and around the headland, to see the Pacific Ocean's rocky shores. I love this walk, and always do it when I visit a friend who lives in Manly. With the ferry ride, allow half a day, but if you are really energetic, take all day and you can walk (or take a taxi) from Manly to North Head, for really glorious views of Sydney Harbour, and a sample of Southern Hemisphere plants and flowers.
January can be very hot. Take hats, sunscreen and water.There is a longer walk from Manly to the Spit Bridge, from where you can catch a bus back to Sydney.

Ferry rides to Cremorne are lovely too, past Kirribilli House. (Prime Minister's Sydney Residence). Get off at Kurraba Wharf and walk up the steps and explore a little. Lots of surprises there .From Shellcove Road at the top, there's another staircase across and to your right, down to Shell Cove. Catch the next ferry back.

Also from Circular Quay, there are "Captain Cook" Harbour cruises, but you could also get a commuter ferry around and under the Harbour Bridge to Darling Harbour , past the Casino. Tourist area, but interesting. Lots to see there.

We once stayed at the Intercontinental - great views, and free snacks and drinkies, from the cocktail area at the top, as I recall. Part of it was converted from the old General Post Office, (GPO) and is historic.

We live near the Hunter Valley. If you decide you want to see it, then hire a car and do it yourself. Hunter Valley Gardens are lovely, but January, as mentioned, can be very hot and dry. Personally, I'd choose the Blue Mountains, and go down into the valley for the cool walk along the bottom.

The Blue Mountains are beautiful in January - if you're adrenaline junkies you should look into abseiling (rappelling) while you're there. Abseiling down a 180 foot cliff in the Blue Mts was one of the scarier/cooler things I did in Oz!

Manly is a must-see, and the ferry ride there gives you a great view of the harbor. I'd also highly recommend doing the coastal beach walk between Bondi and Bronte - or going all the way to Coogee. My favorite route was to take the bus (372?) from Central Station in the city out to Coogee beach. You can pick up the path there and walk along the coast past inlets, beaches, surf spots, a cemetary, and little neighborhoods. Finish the walk at Bondi and reward yourself with a beer and some wedges at Bondi Icebergs, a restaurant and swimming club that overlooks the famous beach. Be sure to wear your swim suit along the walk - it'll be hot and there are plenty of spots to jump in the water and cool off!

If budget is an issue, don't do an organized Harbour Bridge climbing tour; just walk across the pedestrian path on the bridge itself for free. You can also get great views of the harbour, Opera House, the Rocks, and the city from the Harbour Bridge Pylon lookout, which is only about $10.

Have a drink at the Opera Bar outside the Opera House at sunset. You can people watch, and you can see flocks of the giant fruit bats from the Botanical Gardens flying overhead.

Sydney is such an exciting city, and while there are many day tour options that take you to the surrounding regions, I'd choose only one and spend the rest of your time exploring the city, harbour, and beaches.

Have an amazing time!!

Thank you all so very much- I am going to take note of all these suggestions. We can't wait for this wonderful vacation to begin.

We did a really nice Blue Mountains tour with OZ trails but it was a few years ago. This year we did a Hunter Valley tour with Boutique Wine tours which we also enjoyed a lot. Both were small groups and very personalised.

I would avoid doing a self drive tour of Hunter Valley if you are going to be drinking rather than spitting out the wines you taste!

Hi Meme5, may I suggest that you ditch the idea of forking out a lot of money for an organised tour in and around the Blue Mountains. Go on-line and select yourself some great motel or one of the many fabulous bed and breakfast style accommodation in Katoomba or nearby Leura. Getting from Sydney to Katoomba is so easy, just hire a car (from Sydney) and drive there yourself (its an easy and scenic 2-1/2 hour trip from Sydney on the M4). Once there, visit the tourist information bureau at Echo Point and request brochures and information on the miriad of things to do and places to see in the area. It is absolutely imperative, however, that you undertake at least one of the many spectacular Blue Mountains walks - I recommend walking along the National Pass Walk (with the track cut through the sides of huge vertical cliffs overlooking the canyons below) and returning on The Overpass Walk. It is a pure wilderness area and, in January, it will be HOT so take lots of water with you on your walk. Alternatively, you can clambour down the scary "Grand Staircase", do a bushwalk along the tracks through the goregous rainforest in the valley below and return via the amazing Blue Mountains vertical rail up the mountain (one of the steepest in the world). There are truly beautiful walks throughout the Park from a 2 hour to 3 day duration - you can get more information, brochures and advice from the tourist bureau. From Katoomba, you can then use the car to travel to nearby scenic areas, eg Jenolan Caves (what a wonderful drive and you can stay overnight at Caves House and visit Jenolan Caves which are one of the most unique, spectacular cave systems in the world). The Blue Mountains area is like the Grand Canyon with trees - you will love it!