Sarah, a long-time resident of Sydney, Australia and Couchsurfing Ambassador, is here to give us her tips and tricks to help you have the best experience in Australia’s largest city!
Best breakfast in town…
Start your day right – the favourite breakfast of all Sydneysiders is the humble avocado on toast, although each cafe will happily put their own flair on it. Give it a go in one of the many cafes along Crown Street in Surry Hills, teamed with a perfectly brewed flat white. Follow the Aussies: skip the Starbucks and enjoy an amazing brunch from one of the hundreds of independent cafes across the city.
Cutest cafe…
The Grounds of Alexandria on a weekday is a perfect green oasis of relaxation, surrounded by some of the best food and coffee in the country. Famous for being one of the most Instagrammed spots in the country, they focus on highlighting local ingredients across their market-style stalls.
Best place to grab a drink…
Sydney isn’t a cheap place for drinking, but they make up for the price by upping the quality. Sydney is full of incredible cocktail bars, tucked away into alleyways in the city – try some new takes on rum at Lobo Plantation in the CBD (Central Business District), the wide array of whiskeys at Shady Pines on Oxford Street, or the rooftop cocktail bars tucked away along King Street in Newtown.
Also, check out any of the plentiful Happy Hour specials around Darling Harbour. This newly revitalised area has so many choices for enjoying a fantastic local craft beer or glass of wine in the heart of the city to suit a backpacker’s budget. If you’re around on a Friday, feel free to pop in and say hello at our weekly meetup at Helm Bar afterwards!
Or, strap on the walking shoes and have a stroll between the numerous craft breweries around the Inner West, from the well-known Young Henry’s in Newtown to local secrets like Wayward in Camperdown, Batch in Marrickville, The Rocks in Alexandria…
Where to dance…
The Ivy in the CBD is our biggest nightclub, with several floors ranging from mainstream hits, to 90s R&B, to chill beats or EDM on the open-air pool deck. Entry is free on Thursdays – the pool deck is well worth it on a warm evening (take your swimsuit!). Or if you’re more of a rock-and-roll fan, Frankies will be your haven – their fantastic pizza is freshly made all night long.
Where to sweat…
No question, the Bondi to Coogee walk is the most spectacular workout spot imaginable. The 7km walk is full of twists, turns, stairs and public workout equipment, skirted by spectacular views over the ocean and beaches. Start or finish with a dip in the Bondi Icebergs pool, or the free Coogee rockpools!
1 museum not to miss…
Sydney has a fantastic array of free museums – the Museum of Contemporary Art in Circular Quay always has something new and thought-provoking on offer. But if you’re lucky enough to be in town when it’s open (roughly every other month), I’d highly recommend making a trip to the White Rabbit Gallery, an excellently curated private gallery of Chinese art, free to the public – make sure to leave time for a pot of the self-blooming tea in the lobby.
Best view in the city…
Within the city, you can’t fault the O Bar in the Sydney Tower. You’ll get the same view as the paid Sydney Tower viewing platform with purchase of a drink (dress code applies). Or for a more sweeping landscape view, the Dudley Page Reserve in Dover Heights, just north of Bondi Beach, will showcase the true majesty of our Harbour City.
Where is the best local cuisine…
The best thing about Sydney is that we’ve adopted so many great types of food from around the world, and we pride ourselves on their authenticity. Across the CBD you’ll find amazing food from across East and Southeast Asia. Ashfield has some incredible Shanghaiese food, or check out Lakemba for the best Middle Eastern and South Asian food in the southern hemisphere. Aussies like their meat, and any good pub will be able to serve a fantastic steak with a glass of red wine.
For the vegans, check out Lentils as Anything in Newtown for an incredible menu and pay-as-you-feel ethos, and support a great cause while you’re there – all of the staff are volunteers either hoping to get some on-the-job work experience, or just happy to help out.
Best day trip out of town…
The Blue Mountains, about two hours west of the city centre, is very accessible on public transport and is truly a place where you can choose your own adventure. Check out the Echo Point Lookout with its sweeping views, or clamber around (or even rappel down) Wentworth Falls – from strenuous cliffside treks to the family-friendly Scenic World, there’s something for every fitness and ability level.
Where to have some family fun…
If you want to get to know our Australian wildlife but don’t have the time to get out into the bush, Featherdale Wildlife Park will be just the ticket. Lounge around with kangaroos, stroke a koala or get get chased around the paddock by an emu at this all-Australian free-roaming animal sanctuary.
The perfect picture…
The most famous viewpoint of our Sydney icons is from Mrs Macquaries Chair, the northernmost point of the Botanical Gardens. But for a truly incredible view, especially at sunset, you can’t go wrong with the Mary Booth Lookout Reserve just over the harbour in Kirribilli. Bring a picnic and enjoy the show!
A tourist trap to skip…
Don’t bother paying top-dollar for a cruise around Sydney Harbour – our plentiful public ferry services will happily do the exact same thing for a fraction of the price. Take the ferry round-trip to Manly for some incredible harbour views, or up the river all the way to Parramatta!
One experience not to miss…
Kayaking or stand-up-paddleboarding on the harbour, especially at sunrise, is a magical experience. Combine the serenity of a city starting to wake up, with the majesty of the Harbour Bridge looming above you, and you’ll be in awe of this wonderful place.
As well, if you happen to be in Sydney from the end of May to the middle of June, don’t miss Vivid Sydney – a three-week long festival of lights, with intricate light projections on all of the major buildings including the Opera House, as well as pop-up experiences across the city.
