SYDNEY what to see & do?

Old Jun 10, 2010, 8:38 am
  #1  
CDF
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Post SYDNEY what to see & do?

I am going to be heading down to Sydney for 10 days this coming August and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for day trips using Sydney as a base. I won't have access to a car so either tour operators or public transit will be my only means of transportation. Right now I'm planning on having a hotel in Sydney for the entire 10 days but this isn't set in stone. What I've done in the past when I visit new countries is pick a city as my hub and then plan day trips from that hub. Note: I'm flying into and back out of Sydney.

Can anyone recommend a reputable/good tour company to use for various excursions? I've seen quite a few for bushwalking tours in the Katoomba/Blue Mountains but since I've never been there before I'm not sure what to look for. Are there any other bushwalking tours that I should look into? I want to explore Sydney for a few days but other than that I'm fairly open to heading out of the city. I've heard some people mention taking a flight to Ayers but after checking prices this seems a little out of my budget for this trip. Does anyone know if Sydney has any walking tours like walks.com in London, UK? These are theme based walks and I wouldn't mind doing something similar in Australia if they're available.

I'm just now starting to plan what I want to do (better late than never) so I'm open to suggestions. So far I have the flight booked and I'm looking at the Sydney Marriott as my hotel base (I think I can get it down to $110 US/night). As I mentioned, it's not set in stone that I stay in Sydney for the entire period but I'll probably want to start/end there. Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated. TIA!
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Old Jun 10, 2010, 9:21 am
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If you are into bushwalking there are plenty or walks in and around Sydney that could easily take a day. One site you should look up is the NPWS (National Parks and Wildlife Service) which will have maps and runs many of the information booths in the parks.

There are some guided walks in the city which will take you through a foodies tour, wine tour and I think an "Old Sydney" tour. Just in Sydney for instance you could take the following walks for free and just catch PT to get there. There is the Northern Beaches walk where you can catch the ferry to Manly and then just head north along the Northern Beaches. I would say in a day you could probably get to Long Reef. Alternative head west from Manly and you cn take a walk of Middle Harbour. Take a bus to Palm Beach and head off on a short hike to Barrenjoey Head and the Lighthouse.

For further walks I don't think you need to take a tour company to the Blue Mountains. If you can leave most of your luggage at the Marriott and head up by train to Katoomba and get a room at the local pub and then you can explore from there. There are shuttles between many of the main sights (tourist trolley) and there are a number of nice bushwalks around the three sisters as well as in and around Blackheath.

Another full day trip would be to head down to the Royal National Park and take a ferry to Bundeena. The bushwalks here are a little longer and not for the faint hearted. Bushwalking anywhere is not something to be taken lightly, pack for all conditions and make sure you tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. If you see an NPWS station and you are going to be walking alone let them know. NPWS also recommends that you carry a locating beacon which many of their stations sell too.
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Old Jun 10, 2010, 12:49 pm
  #3  
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Thanks for the information! I'll try to find some of the walks you mentioned in Sydney (I did a pub walk in London) and I always find the guides to be interesting. A couple of things I'm considering:
  1. Ferry to Manly - Split Bridge Scenic Walkway
  2. Ferry to Taronga - Taronga Zoo
  3. Bondi Explorer - Hop on/off to Bondi Beach
  4. Sydney Explorer - Just to check things in Sydney
  5. Train to Katoomba - Maybe a day trip
  6. Ferry to Cockatoo Island - Just for the view
  7. Harbour Bridge Climb - Is it worth the price?
  8. Ferry to Olympic Park

Is there anything in the above list that you wouldn't do or that would be a waste of my limited time? As much as I'd like to include a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, I'm not sure if I can fit the expense in for this trip since I'd probably have to fly. I was looking at getting a 5-day Sydney pass which would allow me to ride the ferry, buses, rail, airport link and both the Bondi and Sydney Explorer. Would this be worth the price (@$132)? It doesn't look like it would cover the train ride to Katoomba based on the rail map that I saw. As always, any feedback is appreciated.
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Old Jun 10, 2010, 1:56 pm
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Originally Posted by CDF
Thanks for the information! I'll try to find some of the walks you mentioned in Sydney (I did a pub walk in London) and I always find the guides to be interesting. A couple of things I'm considering:
  1. Ferry to Manly - Split Bridge Scenic Walkway
  2. Ferry to Taronga - Taronga Zoo
  3. Bondi Explorer - Hop on/off to Bondi Beach
  4. Sydney Explorer - Just to check things in Sydney
  5. Train to Katoomba - Maybe a day trip
  6. Ferry to Cockatoo Island - Just for the view
  7. Harbour Bridge Climb - Is it worth the price?
  8. Ferry to Olympic Park

Is there anything in the above list that you wouldn't do or that would be a waste of my limited time? As much as I'd like to include a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, I'm not sure if I can fit the expense in for this trip since I'd probably have to fly. I was looking at getting a 5-day Sydney pass which would allow me to ride the ferry, buses, rail, airport link and both the Bondi and Sydney Explorer. Would this be worth the price (@$132)? It doesn't look like it would cover the train ride to Katoomba based on the rail map that I saw. As always, any feedback is appreciated.
Personally I would skip the Ferry to Olympic Park - there isn't much at Olympic Park unless you are going for an event. The Bridge Climb is certainly worth it - its a special experience.

You could always do the 5 day pass and then take the Blue Mountains Explorer ticket. You have probably already accessed the CityRail website with what it covers. http://www.cityrail.info

If you go out to Bondi, the beach itself is pretty touristy and during the summer traffic is pretty bad. But there is the beach side walks which take you from Bondi all the way down to Maroubra beach. Personally stop off at Clovelly, have a swim and then head down to Coogee for lunch and then hop on a 373 back to the city.

PS. Its the Spit Bridge - and the walk is great too.
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Old Jun 10, 2010, 3:53 pm
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If you're going to Katoomba and the Blue Mountains on public transport and do some hiking, I suggest you consider spending a night there. By the time you get there via public transport, you'd have lost a good few hours.
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Old Jun 10, 2010, 6:44 pm
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Originally Posted by CDF
Thanks for the information! I'll try to find some of the walks you mentioned in Sydney (I did a pub walk in London) and I always find the guides to be interesting. A couple of things I'm considering:
  1. Ferry to Manly - Split Bridge Scenic Walkway
  2. Ferry to Taronga - Taronga Zoo
  3. Bondi Explorer - Hop on/off to Bondi Beach
  4. Sydney Explorer - Just to check things in Sydney
  5. Train to Katoomba - Maybe a day trip
  6. Ferry to Cockatoo Island - Just for the view
  7. Harbour Bridge Climb - Is it worth the price?
  8. Ferry to Olympic Park

Is there anything in the above list that you wouldn't do or that would be a waste of my limited time? As much as I'd like to include a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, I'm not sure if I can fit the expense in for this trip since I'd probably have to fly. I was looking at getting a 5-day Sydney pass which would allow me to ride the ferry, buses, rail, airport link and both the Bondi and Sydney Explorer. Would this be worth the price (@$132)? It doesn't look like it would cover the train ride to Katoomba based on the rail map that I saw. As always, any feedback is appreciated.
I'd avoid the two Explorer buses. They are really not worth the money paid. Everything they do can be done with existing public transport infrastructure and a bit of walking. Also the new ticketing system makes it Explorers even worse value IMO.

The ferry ride to Olympic Park is the highlight of the trip to Olympic Park. There is really not much once you get there.

I second Leumas' suggestion about staying the night in the BM if you're planning on using public transport, or it will be a very long day.
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Old Jun 10, 2010, 8:51 pm
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Originally Posted by CDF
I was looking at getting a 5-day Sydney pass which would allow me to ride the ferry, buses, rail, airport link and both the Bondi and Sydney Explorer. Would this be worth the price (@$132)? It doesn't look like it would cover the train ride to Katoomba based on the rail map that I saw. As always, any feedback is appreciated.
You are correct, the five day Sydney Pass gives very limited rail coverage, the only advantage is that it covers the airport stations and the Explorer buses.

Instead, go for a MyMulti 3 - at $57 for seven days it is much better value, and will cover you for the entire CityRail network (Newcastle, Nowra on the South Coast, Katoomba, etc) as well as all government and private bus services and government ferries.

Dave
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Old Jun 10, 2010, 9:54 pm
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10 days is a long time in Sydney. I would think about possibly splitting it 5/5 with Melbourne or 7/3 with Canberra. Neither of those should add much in travel cost (about $150 return by air with QF at the moment) and each has its own charms and attractions. The Hunter Valley is one option people haven't mentioned yet. It is the premier wine region in NSW and there are a number of operators that run day trips to the area.
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Old Jun 11, 2010, 3:16 am
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Originally Posted by *A Flyer
10 days is a long time in Sydney. I would think about possibly splitting it 5/5 with Melbourne or 7/3 with Canberra. Neither of those should add much in travel cost (about $150 return by air with QF at the moment) and each has its own charms and attractions. The Hunter Valley is one option people haven't mentioned yet. It is the premier wine region in NSW and there are a number of operators that run day trips to the area.
If 10 days in Sydney is a long time 3 days in Canberra is an enternity.
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Old Jun 11, 2010, 7:32 am
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Originally Posted by thadocta
Instead, go for a MyMulti 3 - at $57 for seven days it is much better value, and will cover you for the entire CityRail network (Newcastle, Nowra on the South Coast, Katoomba, etc) as well as all government and private bus services and government ferries.
Thanks for the advice on this! As far as I can tell, the MyMulti 3 gives pretty much the same coverage as the Sydney pass but for 1/3 the cost. The only thing is doesn't provide is the "Explorer" buses but if public transport is available to Bondi beach, etc. then that's not a big issue for me. I did think that $40 for the Bondi Explorer 24 hrs was a bit steep. It also looks like the MyMulti 3 would cover the trip by rail out to the Blue Mountains. Is that correct or did I mis-read the map? One thing I didn't notice on the MyMulti 3 - does that cover the Airport Link too?

Thanks everyone for all of the advice so far. As I mentioned I'm still in the planning stages so it's not set in stone that I stay in Sydney for the entire 10 days. I'm actually arriving on a Friday morning (8/6) and then departing on a Monday (8/16) so I do have some flexibility - it just depends on the cost. Are there any cities close to Sydney via rail that would be worth my while? I may see if I can leave my luggage at the hotel in Sydney and then take an overnight trip to Katoomba.
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Old Jun 11, 2010, 8:40 am
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Originally Posted by CDF
Thanks for the advice on this! As far as I can tell, the MyMulti 3 gives pretty much the same coverage as the Sydney pass but for 1/3 the cost. The only thing is doesn't provide is the "Explorer" buses but if public transport is available to Bondi beach, etc. then that's not a big issue for me. I did think that $40 for the Bondi Explorer 24 hrs was a bit steep. It also looks like the MyMulti 3 would cover the trip by rail out to the Blue Mountains. Is that correct or did I mis-read the map? One thing I didn't notice on the MyMulti 3 - does that cover the Airport Link too?

Thanks everyone for all of the advice so far. As I mentioned I'm still in the planning stages so it's not set in stone that I stay in Sydney for the entire 10 days. I'm actually arriving on a Friday morning (8/6) and then departing on a Monday (8/16) so I do have some flexibility - it just depends on the cost. Are there any cities close to Sydney via rail that would be worth my while? I may see if I can leave my luggage at the hotel in Sydney and then take an overnight trip to Katoomba.
The MyMulti is a new ticket, came into effect since I left, but reading the map you will be fine as it covers all CityRail trains.

As for doing other cities, it really depends on how you want to spend your vacation, doing a little bit here and there or taking your time, exploring the city, etc. There is PT to Bondi Beach and many of the locations the Sydney Explorer runs you to are walkable in the city. Your original itinerary really does take up much of your time and you can easily spend a day on a lot of the walks.

One of the easier day trips would be a train to Newcastle, its really a small city large town by Australian standards.
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Old Jun 11, 2010, 12:40 pm
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Originally Posted by CDF
Thanks for the advice on this! As far as I can tell, the MyMulti 3 gives pretty much the same coverage as the Sydney pass but for 1/3 the cost.
It actually covers a much greater area, the Sydney Pass only covers you out to around 10km from the CBD, the MyMulti3 covers more than 300km from Sydney (Scone in the Hunter Valley). It will also give you access to private buses, whereas the Sydney Pass will only get you onto government buses.

The only thing is doesn't provide is the "Explorer" buses but if public transport is available to Bondi beach, etc. then that's not a big issue for me. I did think that $40 for the Bondi Explorer 24 hrs was a bit steep. It also looks like the MyMulti 3 would cover the trip by rail out to the Blue Mountains. Is that correct or did I mis-read the map? One thing I didn't notice on the MyMulti 3 - does that cover the Airport Link too?
Anywhere that CityRail operates to, MyMulti3 will get you there, so you can do the Blue Mountains one day, the South Coast line the next (some stunning scenery around Stanwell Park, as well as lower down on the way into Kiama - the railway is actually along the beach at Bombo) and then up to Newcastle the next (the railway runs on the banks of the Hawkesbury River, again, sone stunning scenery).

Dave
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Old Jun 11, 2010, 11:19 pm
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With the MyMulti tickets you have to pay a gate fee at the airport stations, its around $10.
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Old Jun 12, 2010, 3:33 am
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Originally Posted by cavemanzk
With the MyMulti tickets you have to pay a gate fee at the airport stations, its around $10.
$11.80 Adult single

http://www.airportlink.com.au/price.html
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Old Jun 12, 2010, 7:11 pm
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Originally Posted by Leumas
If you're going to Katoomba and the Blue Mountains on public transport and do some hiking, I suggest you consider spending a night there. By the time you get there via public transport, you'd have lost a good few hours.
I did it as a day trip last year, in retrospect would of preferred to spend the night there. If you have to do a same day return you don't really have enough time to explore the area.
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