crazymina

Very excited for my 3rd trip to Sydney. I've seen a bit of it, but wondered if anyone had any suggestions for the threepeat visitor.

Some things I have seen/done include: bridgeclimb, CBD/rocks/DH, manly, watsons bay, newtown, blue mountains, oxford street, balmain, king's cross/elizabeth bay, walk across the bridge to the otherside for exploration, and the gardens.

Things I haven't done that are considered "touristy" are a trip to Bondi or going to the zoo. I was thinking of doing both this time around.

We won't have a car, so we'll have to take public transport. Any suggestions would be appreciated, although I would probably be happy just hanging around enjoying April in Sydney.

Alan

Do Taronga Zoo, by all means, Crazymina, but if you decided to do Bondi, you should take the Watson's Bay/Dover Heights bus, which will take you beyond Bondi. Ask the driver to let you off at Dudley page Reserve. This is probably the most miserable reserve in the eastern suburbs, but the view of Sydney from there is amazing, and one that few people have seen.... your photographs from that spot will be quite a hit.

You say you have done Manly, but have you done the Spit Bridge-Manly walk? April is such a great month to do this that I am already planning to do my annual walk there, on April 17.

April is also the month to visit Mt Wilson, near Bell in the Blue Mountains. You will need to hire a car for this, but it is definitely worth it.

You seem to have already used the ferries well, but this time the Wollowich ferry and then walking up through Hunters Hill might be a good choice... this is a very beautiful part of Sydney.

Have you seen Castlecrag, the suburb that was designed by American Walter Burley Griffin after he had designed the city of Canberra? The homes he designed are all, of course, protected nowadays for their historical interest; a stroll around them might be something a little "different".

Finally, your walking explorations around Sydney this time should definitely include Millers Point and the Observatory, if you haven't done those yet.

Welcome back! Keep that April 17 day free if you like four-hour walks!

Alan

Sorry, pressed the button before checking for typos... in addition to my usual two-dozen errors, I mistyped one important word: Woolwich.

alice13

The Rocks usually means the lower half - so check out the Upper Rocks where the Observatory is and have a good wander around the back streets. Find the path and steps that go down to harbour level. And walk back around to CQ - you will pass the HQ of the Sydney Theatre Company - you could see a show.

Spit to Manly is wonderful, but if you want something shorter pick up the brochure at the Sydney Ferries office. Or, one of my faves - check out the Hermitage Foreshore walk - details from the NPWS office at Cadman's cottage.

Have you been to the Art Gallery of NSW? The State Library for the free exhibitions? The Aquarium?

Have you been to a performance at the SOH? GO - and take your interval wine or coffee out on to the terrace harbour side.

The Museum of Sydney is also worth a visit.

crazymina

Oh, this is excellent, thank you both so much!

Alan, I was just thinking last night before I hit the sack, "hey, I think there's a Manly walk that I haven't done." I will definitely do that this year. I'll try to get out there on the 17th, but most likely it will be the 18th or 19th, as we will probably be spending the weekend with our friend in Sydney. Maybe I can get him to the do the walk too! I definitely love long walks.

The other suggests are great...I went back to my Sydney Guidebook last night and realized I had done most things in the Sydney section. Both your suggestions are new to me, and I will print this out and take it with me.

And I forgot the thing that most first time tourists do...I've never seen the inside of the Opera House...so the suggestion to see something there is one I will check into.

Thanks again!

margo_oz

Mina

Aim for the walk on the 17th - that's my birthday, and you, your SO and Alan & family can have a drink for me!

Me - I'm aiming for Sean's Panaroma (but may not get there!)!

One other thing I did recently - take the tour to Fort Denison - organised through the National Parks, at John Cadman cottage on the western side of the Quay. We took the ferry across, had lunch there, did the tour - a fine way to spend a bit of a day - and my favourite thing - having lunch in sight of the water.

THE NPWS at Cadman Cottage have some great suggestions. (some of them are clean! )

crazymina

I'll definitely have a drink to you Margo (not that I need a reason to have some cool refreshment! p)

If that's the restaurant you mentioned in the earlier restaurant thread I posted Margo, I have it on my notes at home to try to get to for a lunch. The website looked perfect for what I wanted. But we shall see what the budget allows after Tetsuyas!

Thanks for the other suggestions

Jane_in_Sydney

The Powerhouse Museum has some good exhibits and otherwise I agree with the above. Ferry to the zoo is a great trip, I still love it! If you are driving, the Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens are nice and you can check out some of the less toruisty parts of the mountains.

Depending on your interests, a really Aussie thing to do is attend a weekend sporting event - cricket or rugby league being the most likely suspects depending on time of year.

crazymina

Thanks Jane. I would really like to take in a game of some kind. My boyfriend is a sports nut, and he likes to teach, so I would have fun watching something new with him. (he's already tried to explain cricket, but I am afraid I still just don't get it!)

Jane_in_Sydney

Here is a useful site for an idea of what is on around Sydney: www.ticketek.com.au

Assuming you don't pick something huge, you won't actually need to buy tickets before you get here - for many things even on the day is fine.

margo_oz

Mina
Go to a sporting event, by all means - there's some great fun to be had.

Unfortunately there won't be any cricket - the season's over - and the Aussies are preparing to take on their traditional rivals, the English (Poms), in England later in the year (I'm still hoping to get over for the last Test!)

But an AFL match, or rugby, Union that is, not rugby league - which looks, and is, similar to all-in brawling. I think you just miss the next round of the Davis Cup (tennis) (Aus vs Argentina). There's probably a heap of other things.

Keep out of trouble - the American Consulate may not be that keen to rescue you, after I've had a word with them!

crazymina

Thanks Margo. My boyfriend loves all sports so I am sure he will be willing to oblige me and figure out where to go.

But aha! You can have a word with the consulate all you want...it's my boyfriend who has the appointment with them and you don't know his name. Neener neener! But his name probably starts with "crazy" too, to be with the likes of me.

guarantor

We spent our 5th trip to Sydney, in Coogee. Rented a flat for a month. It was an entirely different Sydney experience. Coogee Beach is a self contained suburb in the city. The beach, cliff walks, and small town feel, was something special. We didn't have a car, but busing was no problem. Randwick racing was not to far away. The Coogee RSL was great

I wouldn't stay in Coogee, if it was your 1st or 2nd trip, but I think you would enjoy it as a 3rd timer.

SusanInToronto

We stayed in Coogee last year for a few days, and I loved it. We had spent a lot of time in Sydney the first time (mother-in-law lives there), so I felt we had seen a lot of the 'sights'. It really did feel like we were staying in a small town (with good restaurants) this time around.

crazymina

I remember a backpacker I met who was staying there. She said it was great. Now it looks like we will rent a car for a day. We may head to Palm Beach...there was a fantastic sandwich place up there we want to try again.

In the world of sports, my friend emailed me to say he was planning for us to go to an AFL match (thanks for the suggestion Margo). The Sunday after I arrive, apparently Adelaide and Sydney Swans are playing at the SCG. That would be great fun since my friend is from Sydney and the boyfriend is from Adelaide.

Of course, I don't understand what I will be watching. I thought football meant soccer, but I went to their website, and it looks similar to American football without all the padding. Is this the Aussie Rules game that I've heard of? If so, I heard that is a wild game. An Australian once told me it was "rugby on crack."

Thanks again everyone!

guykb

I'd vote for Coogee too - it's a great place to stay and beats Bondi hands down. The only negative for Coogee is that there's little or no surf, as there's a reef just off the beach which soaks up all the swell. Mind you, if the surf's too big at the other beaches, Coogee can be excellent.

When in Coogee, you can walk around the cliffs to Bondi, stopping for refreshments along the way in Bronte and Tamarama, averting your eyes at nudists at Gordons Bay (probably not there in April anyway). From Bndi Im pretty sure you can get a bus back to Coogee (taxi fare would be cheap anyway) if you're too tired to walk back.

Another place to think about visiting (but you'll need to hire a car) is the Southern Highlands - Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale. Some great places to explore. You can do a day trip going down to visit Kangaroo Valley and returing via Bulli Pass. Kangaroo Valley is spectacular (http://www.kangaroovalleytourist.asn.au/).

guykb

Actually crazymina, AFL is really nothing like american football. Rugby League would probably be the closest to grid iron. AFL is most like Gaelic football if you know that game.

Actually, btw, a real AFL fan doesn't call it football - it's 'footy' (with a hard t sound so you pronounce it more like foody). Don't be surpised if your boyfirend from Adelaide is not a crows fan. Most reasonable footy followers in Adelaide support Port Adelaide, and there's a bitter rivalry between the two teams. It's said that Port Adelaide fans support two teams: Port and whoever is playing the Adelaide Crows.

crazymina

Guykb, yes, I believe you are right. And I have heard my boyfriend call it "Footy". This should be interesting and quite the cultural experience!

And I do remember him mentioning something about Port Adelaide. Thanks for your other suggestions. I'm printing them all out and taking it with me.

margo_oz

Mina
AFL = Aussie Rules.
This is the game that the men with great legs play!

guarantor

Another thing you should consider :

Thanks to Virgin Blue, Airfares within Australia are ridiculously low. While we were in Coogee (I was doing some stuff at the University of New South Wales), we managed to snag some great weekend excursions off the internet. For example, Sydney/Melbourne (with taxes) was about $100. And our hotel, which we booked lastminute through Wotif.com was a great deal.

I remember our first trip to Sydney back in "82. If you walked into a travel agency and asked about last minute deals or cheap flights, you got laughed out the door. That's not the case now. Australia has the best travel deals on earth, imo.

Take advantage if the current situation. Because, that situation may not be around in a couple of years. Use Sydney as a base, and see the country.

G