Choose from 130 Fun Things to Do in Sydney
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia explores national identity and heritage in a hugely kid-friendly and fun way.
Like a big abstract Australian storybook, the museum’s creative exhibits use controversy and humor to get you thinking about Australia's big picture.
From Indigenous culture to national icons, personal stories and artifacts, this enjoyable museum has a huge range of exhibits.
To get an overview of the collection, watch the free introductory film or take a guided tour.
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The National Museum of Australia is perched on the tip of Acton Peninsula on Lake Burley Griffin, opposite Capital Hill
Public buses run here, as well as the Explorer Bus.
Mt Ainslie
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Hyde Park Barracks Museum
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Katoomba
- Katoomba is easily reached by train from Sydney.
- You’ll find a range of accommodation and ample dining options in Katoomba.
- Katoomba’s Edge Cinema has one of the largest movie screens in the southern Hemisphere.
- The Blue Mountains is occasionally affected by bushfires in the summer months.
Manly Beach
Straddling the peninsula of North Head on Sydney Harbour, the town of Manly is Sydney’s most popular seaside resort. It offers the best of both worlds, with calm harbor beaches on one side and wild ocean waves on the other.
Linking the two is The Corso, lined with cafes and restaurants. Along with swimming, surfing, wining and dining, Manly’s most popular attraction is of course Oceanworld, on Manly Cove Beach on the harbor side of the town. Sharks and rays swim overhead curving walkways, or you can don a wetsuit and go diving with these monsters of the deep (if you dare!).
Manly is surrounded by gorgeous beaches linked by scenic seaside walkways. Boating, kayaking, surfing and cycling are popular pastimes in summer, while winter is a good time to visit the historic former quarantine facility Q Station or take a North Harbour walk to Shelly Beach or The Spit.
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Manly is on the northern side of Sydney Harbour, on North Head guarding the entrance to the harbor. Manly Cove is on the harbor, while North and South Steyne beaches are washed by the Pacific Ocean and lined by Norfolk pines.
Manly Cove is 7 nautical miles from Circular Quay by ferry, the time-honored and most fun method of travel. It’s 30 minutes one way by ferry and a speedy 15 minutes by Jetcat. To get here by car takes at least an hour from central Sydney, so ditch the car and take the ferry!
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
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Mt Tamborine National Park
Mount Tamborine National Park originated with the protection of the Witches Falls and has since expanded across the Tamborine plateau and surrounding foothills. Popular national park activities include walking the many mapped and marked bush trails, spotting Australian brush-turkeys and listening for the call of the threatened Albert’s lyrebird.
Once you’ve explored the natural wilderness of Mount Tambourine National Park, be sure to indulge in the boutique beers, local wines and specialty crafts from the Tambourine Mountain township, which is known as a luxury getaway destination and hang gliding hotspot.
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Mrs. Macquarie's Chair
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Royal National Park
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Sydney Chinatown
Located in Haymarket between Central Station and Darling Harbor, Chinatown is centered around Dixon Street, a pedestrian thoroughfare full of Chinese restaurants and shops. If you brave the unfamiliar signs, the labyrinths of stores and the enthusiastic street hawkers, you’re in for a rewarding experience.
The Sydney Chinatown is the country’s largest Chinatown, and the place to go for authentic Chinese food, especially if you’re looking for fried octopus balls, Dragon’s Beard Candy, freshly squeezed Sugar Cane Juice, Peking Duck or Tsing Tao.
At the southern end of Chinatown, next to Hay Street, you’ll find a large complex called Market City, which contains a modern shopping centre, restaurants (including an 800+ seat Yum Cha Restaurant), boutique shops, a large indoor entertainment complex called ‘Galaxy World’, and the Haymarket Paddy’s Markets. If you’re in the mood for a film, check out Media Asia on Dixon Street, a great place to check out the latest and greatest films from East Asia.
The best time to visit is on Friday nights between 4 and 11pm, during Chinatown’s weekly Night Market.
Leura
- Laura is known for its meticulously maintained flower gardens. Many of the town’s gardens are private, but they open to the pubic during the annual Garden Festival.
- There are a number of dining options from casual to upscale in the village.
- Give yourself ample time to explore Leura’s town center with antiques shops, trendy boutiques, cafes and coffee shops.
Royal Botanic Gardens and The Domain
- There is no admission fee for the gardens.
- Visitor facilities in the gardens include restrooms, a garden shop, and a number of cafés and restaurants.
- The Choo Choo Express tourist train runs around the gardens, with regular departures from outside the Queen Elizabeth II gate near the Sydney Opera House.
- The Royal Botanic Gardens are wheelchair accessible, and accessible parking and restrooms are available.
- Free Wi-Fi is available.
State Library of New South Wales
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Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens
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Sydney BridgeClimb
Described by those who have done it as "incredible" and an absolute "must-do," the climb is the ultimate adrenaline-fueled way to see Sydney. There are three guided climbs that you can choose from: The Express, The Discovery and The Bridge Climb that all take you to the summit of the Bridge via different routes.
The Express Climb is a smaller group tour (up to 12 climbers), with fewer stops on the Bridge, that allows you to explore its length in just over two hours. The Discovery Climb takes three and a half hours and is a chance to explore the heart of the bridge and learn more about its history and engineering. The Bridge Climb also takes three and a half hours and takes you along the outer arch of the Bridge with unparalleled views of Sydney and beyond throughout the climb.
You can also choose to do any of the climbs at your favorite time of day, departing at dawn (arriving at the summit at daybreak); in the middle of the day; at twilight or at night, when the city lights blaze beneath you.
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Luna Park Sydney
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Star Casino
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Rose Bay
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Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary
A new breeding habitat called Penguin Cove was opened in late June 2012 and now houses a small population of cute Little Penguins. As an endangered population that live and breed on Sydney’s busy natural coastline, the penguins in Penguin Cove are provided a safe place to raise their young and be observed by visitors.
Another big attraction that sets Manly SEA LIFE apart from its Darling Harbour cousin is its ‘Shark Dive Xtreme.’ Thanks to a large colony of non-aggressive but fearsome looking Grey Nurse Sharks, this dive is an opportunity to swim amongst the marine life cage-free!
If that doesn’t whet your appetite, Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary has an underwater viewing tunnel for close up but dry views of sharks, sting rays, turtles and other marine life. There are also a number of interactive rock pools where you can clearly see all the weird and wonderful undersea creatures that call Sydney Harbour their home.
The easiest and most fun way to get to the Sanctuary is on a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Wharf.
St. Mary's Cathedral
There are many notable architectural features in the Cathedral’s design, which was only fully realized 100 years after the architect William Wardell’s death. Most notable is the Cathedral’s local sandstone interior and façade, its beautiful stained glass windows (especially the three rose windows at the entrance and the huge chancel window), and the high central nave.
Don’t miss the Cathedral’s ornate crypt, which features a mosaic floor and an exhibition on the first Australian Catholics, which includes a detailed history of the Cathedral’s earliest beginnings.