I am traveling from New York to Sydney for a business meeting May 26 and will arrive a few days earlier to acclimate. I would like to then do sightseeing after my meeting as a solo female traveler. I would like recommendations on an itinerary of where to go in Australia after Sydney and then how long is needed in New Zealand. I believe I fly into Queenstown. Where to go from there? I will fly home from New Zealand, if possible and have to plan my dates asap to book flights. All recommendations are welcome! I will book tours through Viator or other recommendations. Also, if there are transfer services to know about vs. public transportation? Thanks!

Eleven days is not a lot of time, especially spread over two countries. Bearing in mind you are visiting Australia anyway, I would skip New Zealand and concentrate on one country. What sort of things do you like to see and do?

You could fly Sydney to Melbourne where there are art galleries, museums, shopping, great places to eat etc. You could choose the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast instead for smaller towns, a relaxed feel and beautiful beaches (though there is some damage caused by ex-tropical cyclone). Both places have their own airport.

Late May is heading into our winter. The further south you go in Australia (Victoria, Tasmania), the colder it will probably be. The northern part of the country should be much warmer.

I wholeheartedly agree with Kay. Stick to Australia. You just don't have enough time for both countries.

Thanks so much for that knowledge! Can you recommend where North you would go and visit with the weather? Is it still okay to go to the Great Barrier Reef? What cities do you recommend then or activities in the North? I guess I know less about the North. I didn't realize it was "cold" in South Australia / NZ that time of year vs just not warm? I can take more time if needed, if there is an itinerary that works. I might not get back there any time soon so want to take advantage of my being in that neck of the woods!

Thank you Kay. I didn't see your response initially. I enjoy the things you listed albeit I would rather do active things than be on the beach (it's our summer so will spend plenty of beach days at home). I like biking, museums, nature, small towns, boats. I live near NYC so was told Melbourne is similar and that Sydney has plenty to see w/o going to Melbourne. Do you agree? If you can share some sites or specific towns, that would be helpful. NZ was on the list because people told me it was a "must see" and I like to see the Maouri artwork, history etc. I have a painting at my home from NZ Maouri artist.

New Zealand is a beautiful country but you would only have a few days there if you visited Australia as well. Personally, I would visit NZ at another time when you have longer.

Sydney and Melbourne are both big cities but I think they are quite different. Sydney has a wonderful harbour, you would enjoy the ferry rides to Manly and other places. There are some great coastal walks, I'll try and find the website I've used before for walks.

The Blue Mountains are not that far, you could get the train there but not sure how easy it would be to get around once there. There would also be guided day tours. Perhaps the TripAdvisor forum on Sydney might be helpful.

The Great Barrrier Reef is in the far north. Trips to the reef are weather dependant but May or June should be OK. (Wet season is Nov-Apr and not a good time to visit the far north.)

If you live near New York, you may not think our cold weather is truly cold!

For the reef, you'd fly to Cairns. Boat trips leave from Cairns and Port Douglas. Cairns is a spread out city, Port Douglas is smaller, more touristy and has higher prices. I really like Port Douglas but Cairns has its advantages. They are about an hour apart by road.

Thank you again for your response. Yes, I will look into tours for Blue Mountains and Great Barrier Reef. How much time would you recommend I stay at each? Also, I might extend my trip to go to NZ since I don't know when I'll be able to get back this way. It's worth it to me. I will look into lesser costly hotel or airbnb options to make the stay affordable so if you have suggestions, that would be helpful still. And perhaps the order of the itinerary knowing that I will have to start and end in Sydney.

Much appreciated!

We were in Australia and New Zealand last fall for a total of 6 weeks: 3 weeks in each country. If you only have 11 days, I agree to stick with one country: Australia. If you can extend your trip, and you don't think you will return to this part of the world, then include NZ. Spend your time on the South Island. The Hooker Valley Track at Aoraki Mt. Cook was one of the highlights of our trip along with the Milford Sound Cruise. Depending on where you go, you would fly into Christchurch or Queenstown.

I agree that Melbourne and Sydney are very different cities architecturally, ambiance, etc. We loved both cities, but I think Sydney is especially wonderful with its magnificent harbor especially when it's illuminated at night. The ferry ride to Manly was one of the highlights of our trip. I think the Blue Mountains are better appreciated if you can spend a night or two but I realize you might not have the time.

If you wish, you can click on my name to read my trip reports.

Thanks so much Karen. Your information is very helpful. I will look to see what I can extend. What clothing did you bring for Fall?

We were there last October and November, so it was their spring. We had almost perfect weather. Temps were in the 60's and 70's. I brought long pants and a combination of short sleeve and long sleeve tops. And layers; that's the key. I had a zippered fleece with a hood, a waterproof windbreaker, and a lightweight puffer jacket that's easy to pack. Oh, and another lightweight jacket. The only time I wore all of them was when we saw the Penguin Parade. It was freezing sitting by the water at night. You should check the weather apps for May/June. June is the beginning of their winter. I used Metservice for New Zealand. Weatherspark is a good site for both Australia and New Zealand.

>> I believe I fly into Queenstown
Am not sure why you wrote that. You could fly from Oz to many cities in NZ.

>> I will fly home from New Zealand

That pretty much means that you will depart from Auckland AKL on a nonstop flight to the USA.

For nonstop flights:
Sydney to Melbourne is 1 hr 35 min
Sydney to Cairns is 3 hr 10 min
Sydney to Auckland is 3 hr 5 min
Sydney to Queenstown is 3 hr

Really, going to NZ is nbd as far as travel time goes, though you would have to spend some time for I&C on arrival there, also no big deal. Domestic NZ flights are short and not expensive, ime (years ago).

Besides Sydney and Auckland you could fly to the USA from Melbourne or Brisbane.

But, of course you can visit NZ on this trip, especially if you extend your time. It is a problem, though, that it seems that you haven't done any research on visiting either country. You might be able to book NYC-SYD-AKL on one ticket for a price comparable to the SYD roundtrip. But if you just book a roundtrip to/from Sydney then you have time to figure out where to go (in Australia in this case).

It amuses me that you got a lot of advice to skip NZ and stay in Oz. Reminds me when I was in Rotorua NZ having lunch at a table with a family from Australia. I told them how we were flying via Sydney both ways between LAX and NZ and only spending a night or two in Sydney on the return. They found it hard to believe that we were flying all the way to NZ when we could have spent our vacation in Australia. Funny because here they were enjoying their vacation in NZ.

Lots of outdoorsy things in NZ.

Well, I suggested they stay in AUS since they are flying to Sydney for a business meeting and only have 11 days to work with. Had they been flying to NZ for a business meeting and only had 11 days to work with, I'd have suggested they stay in NZ.

Thanks

Thanks again. I think I have my itinerary now so I'd love additional input! I also like bike tours which I don't know the best place for that. So again, May to June and winter months so will stay north as others suggested. Mostly, I organized the itinerary using AI - so not sure if it's good. The first week in Sydney because I have business. Second week is my time to travel around. The recommendation is stay in Cairns for the rest of the time. Do you agree? I heard Melbourne is cold and rainy to not go there and not sure if my time allows Brisbane (or if worth it) I've decided not to do NZ since my time is limited) See itinerary below. I can maybe add a day if needed.
Australia: May 22 – June 5

🛬 May 22 - May 23: Depart Newark - Sydney

• Evening: Relax with a stroll around Circular Quay and enjoy dinner at a local eatery and shops.

🏙️ May 24 - May 25: Explore Sydney

• Morning: Join the Sydney Opera House Official Guided Walking Tour to learn about this iconic landmark.​
• Afternoon: Visit the Royal Botanic Garden and take in views of the Harbour Bridge.​

May 25 - Rest - Stay local: Prepare for work meetings

• Markets, boutiques, Pubs in Paddington? Bondi beach?
• Rocks Walking Tours 1.5 hours - The Rocks Historic Precinct (look at E’s itinerary)

May 26 - Work all day

9am-7pm

May 27 - Work Meetings part of the day or Sightsee

• and/or Sydney Harbor Cruise (2 hrs. 35 mins)
• Bondi Beach?
• Blue Mountain Tour: Embark on the Blue Mountains Day Trip from Sydney Including Scenic World (~$132), which includes visits to the Three Sisters, Scenic Railway, and a river cruise back to Sydney.​Viator
• Look into 4WD tours Blue Mountain

May 28 - Work

May 29: Blue Mountain Tour (if didn't do it) or extra day

May 30 - Leave Sydney to Cairns (best airline?)

• Evening: Explore the Cairns Night Markets for local crafts and affordable dining options.​

Cairns, Port Douglas & Daintree Focus (6 Nights)

• Overnight in Cairns

May 31: Daintree Rainforest & Mossman Gorge

• Full-day guided tour*]
  • Aboriginal Dreamtime Walk at Mossman Gorge
  • Daintree River crocodile cruise
  • Cape Tribulation walk
  • Optional local ice cream and fruit farm visit
• Return to Port Douglas for evening
• Overnight in Port Douglas

June 1: Port Douglas Exploration

• Morning at Wildlife Habitat
• Afternoon: Shops, galleries, and cafes along Macrossan Street
• Optional sunset at Rex Smeal Park or marina dinner
• Overnight in Port Douglas

June 2: Great Barrier Reef Adventure

• Full-day snorkeling or glass-bottom boat tour
•  
  • Group-based, solo-friendly tours available
• Return to Cairns by evening
• Overnight in Cairns

June 3: Kuranda Scenic Railway & Skyrail

• Morning Skyrail cableway to Kuranda
• Explore Kuranda Markets, Aboriginal galleries
• Return via historic Scenic Railway
• Optional massage/spa in Cairns
• Overnight in Cairns

June 4: Atherton Tablelands & Thermal Pools

• Guided day tour*]
  • Millaa Millaa Falls
  • Innot Hot Springs or Babinda Boulders
  • Stop at a local dairy or winery
• Return to Cairns by evening
• Overnight in Cairns

June 5: Depart : Fly back to Sydney and then home Newark, NJ

What you have is very manageable and good. Note that May 25 is a Sunday and Paddington Markets is open on Saturday if you want to be there when the market opens. Going to Paddington and Bondi on the same day makes sense, as the two are proximate; there are frequent city buses that go from Paddington to Bondi.

Instead of a harbor cruise, take the public ferries. Circular Quay is the hub for the yellow-and-green ferries but Barangaroo Wharf is convenient for numerous ferries as well. Get one going out to Manly, which will allow you to see much of the eastern harbor. If you like walking / hiking, going from Manly to Cabbage Tree Bay will give you wonderful beach, ocean, coast views, and Manly to Spit is highly recommended if you have the time (3-4 hours). I also like the ferries going west, towards Cockatoo Island or Parramatta, for views of that side of the harbor; you don't have to go all the way to Parramatta unless you have reason to. Even a quick hop between Circular Quay and Barangaroo will give you awesome city center views.

If you really want to squeeze in Melbourne or Brisbane, you could probably take 3 nights from between Sydney and FNQ, but I would save it for a future visit, perhaps with NZ. Weatherwise, I've been to Melbourne in July; as a fellow NYer, it was fine (I recall temperatures in the 40s and 50s).

Hopefully you will want to come back again and again, like I did.

Thanks for all of your help. My itinerary changed now due to business. I will be one week in Sydney (Fullerton Hotel end of May) and then go to Cairns and do all the things in that area with Cairns as my starting point. Please tell me what hotel to choose. I've read bad reviews on the Crystalbrook Flynn, average for the Doubletree hilton. I like being near water if possible, nice pool(s), beautiful atmosphere and walking distance where possible since solo or easy access. I will go to tours each day primarily based on your suggestions. What hotels do you recommend? THANKS!

As a Fellow NYer, I'd totally appreciate hotel recommendations especially in Cairns. In Sydney it's the Fullerton near work, but QT was also recommended? Thanks.

The Fullerton Hotel in Sydney is nice. I recall the rooms being fairly large and spacious. Unless you want to be right at the harbor, the Fullerton is well situated. You can easily walk go Circular Quay, and you have the metro, tram lines, and buses right outside your doorstep.

I haven't been to Cairns but if you want a place with a pool and such, you may also want to look at Port Douglas. It's more of a resort town and smaller than Cairns. From what I know when I was doing my research in the area, other than Cairns, most of the day tours also pick up and drop off in Port Douglas.