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5 Things To Do In Sydney
What
to do in Sydney?
1
Catch the Manly Ferry from Circular Quay, Sydney Harbour to Manly
 Manly
Ferry heading back to Sydney From Manly
The City of Sydney is
built around beautiful Sydney Harbour, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge
stretching from the city centre across the harbour to North Sydney,
and the Sydney Opera House perched on the foreshore next to Circular
Quay.
A ferry is the perfect way to first see Sydney, and an excellent
view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House is yours
for the photo taking. Arrive a little early at Circular Quay to
ensure a good position in the queue. Aim for either the front or
the back of the Manly Ferry for the best view of the Sydney Harbour
Bridge and Sydney Opera House as you depart Sydney Cove.
Your voyage will last
approximately thirty minutes allowing you time to enjoy some of
the best scenery Sydney Harbour has to offer. It can get a little
choppy as you approach Sydney Heads so be prepared to retreat inside.
Upon your arrival in
Manly check out the large new Manly Wharf Pub and Restaurant on
your right. If you can, resist the delicious ice cream, or the Max
Brenner Chocolate Bar, in the Manly Ferry Wharf.
Consider catching the
new Manly Fast Ferry service on the way back across Sydney Harbour
to Circular Quay as it will do the same trip in around half the
time.
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2
Sydney Harbour Cruise
If you'd prefer to sit
through an organised cruise of Sydney Harbour then there are a few
to choose from. You will find most of the major tour operators like
Captain Cook Cruises, operate from Wharf no.6 on the west side of
Circular Quay.
Most of these vessels
are quite comfortable and it can be a very civilised way to see
and hear about Sydney Harbour. Be warned that Sydney is obsessed
with property prices so don’t be surprised if the guide starts
telling you who lives in what Sydney Harbour waterfront mansion
and how much they paid for it.
Sydney
Ferry or Sydney Cruise?
Everybody goes on a Sydney
Harbour Cruise. Just bear in the mind Sydney Harbour looks equally
fabulously the same from the deck of a Sydney Ferry or a Sydney
Cruise Boat.
The advantages of going
on a Sydney Harbour Cruise are that it lasts longer than a ride
on a Sydney Ferry and provides commentary.
The main disadvantages
are that the Sydney Harbour Cruise lasts longer than a ride on a
Sydney Ferry, provides commentary and costs more.
My advice is catch the
Manly Ferry first and then decide. It is certainly easy to argue
that the best way to see Sydney is from Sydney Harbour (but she
also looks pretty awesome from the air).
If you have the time, spend some of it on Sydney Harbour at night
to fully appreciate the city lights.
Sydney
Harbour Cruises
Champagne
Sunset Sailing Sydney Harbour
 Champagne
Sunset On Sydney Harbour
Sydney
at sunset from the deck of a luxury yacht cruising the harbour is
a little special. With a glass of fine Australian sparkling accompanied
by delicious King Island cheeses experience the sights and sounds
of Sydney's magnificent harbour as the sun sets over the city. See
the lights of the city reflect on the water as Sydney begins its
colourful night life. Without wishing to go over board, does life
get any better than this?
Value for money Sydney
Harbour Cruise
 Lunch
on Sydney Harbour - Value Cruise
You'll have great view
of Sydney Harbour's premier landmarks including the Sydney Harbour
Bridge, Sydney Opera House and Fort Denison from your table by the
window or the large viewing decks. Your 90 minute cruise includes
a seafood buffet making this an excellent value tour of Sydney Harbour.
With every table by the window, large viewing decks & the longest
cruising route on the harbour you'll be sure to capture Sydney's
major attractions and picturesque bays.
Sydney Harbour Coffee Cruise with Morning or Afternoon Tea
"The trip was a comprehensive look at the Harbour. Although
I have lived in Sydney most of my life, I learnt a lot about the
different spots in the Harbour, Middle Cove, and the Spit Bridge.
We were a party of 3 staying in Sydney for the Festival. We would
like to particularly thank our commentator who did a fantastic job;
she was very well informed, and her presentation was excellent.
Even with a bit of rain, she shone through".
Coat Hangers and Egg Shells
We think above says it all other than other locations visited.
You get to see the house with broken egg shells for a roof aka the
iconic Sydney Opera House and the most famous coat hanger in the
world aka the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Fort Denison and Martello Tower
Fort Denison always seems to attract
people's interest as it sits on an island in the centre of Sydney
Harbour. The round Martello Tower you will see was completed in
1857, a period when the colony was worried about invasion by foreign
powers. The Martello Tower is the only one of its kind in Australia.
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3
Catch a Sydney Ferry from Circular Quay, Sydney Harbour to Darling
Harbour and return
The ferry ride to Darling
Harbour from Circular Quay lasts approximately ten minutes taking
you under the Sydney Harbour Bridge as you head out of Sydney Cove.
The brief trip brings with it more opportunities to add to your
collection of Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House photographs.
You'll probably stop at Balmain
along the way.
Darling Harbour - Playground
for Locals and Visitors alike
The Darling Harbour project
was publicly criticised at first, but Darling Harbour has grown
to become a popular and extensive Sydney playground for the locals
and a key attraction for visitors. Darling Harbour is also very
popular with kids.
Darling Harbour Attractions
Darling Harbour is full
of attractions including the Imax
Theatre, Sydney
Aquarium, (said to be one of the largest aquariums in the world),
Sydney Wildlife World with over 5,000 aussie critters, the Monorail,
the family friendly Powerhouse
Museum and the popular Australian National Maritime Museum.
In addition, there are many Harbourside shops to browse through
and cafes, bars and restaurants to watch it all from.
Sydney Casino, Star City,
is also worth a mention if only for the The Lyric and Star Theatres.
Darling Harbour Festivals
Darling Harbour is home
to a growing number of Sydney Festivals including the Australia
Day spectacular, a Latin American Fiesta, the Jazz & Blues Festival
and the Hoopla acrobatic and street theatre festival. Check out
the Festivals in Sydney page
for the top festivals currently on in Sydney and the What's
on pages for other top events.
Don't stay in Darling
Harbour for too long
It's very easy, with
so many attractions in one spot, to stay too long. If you have limitless
time and a robust budget then that's not a problem. If you don't,
then you had better not forget the ferry back to Circular Quay.
You still have another 100 or so things to do in Sydney
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4
Walk from Manly Ferry Terminal (Manly Wharf) to Shelly Beach
Manly feels more like a
seaside town rather than part of the largest city in Australia. The
ocean side is east of the Manly Ferry Terminal (Manly Wharf). Just
cross the road and walk the length of Manly Corso.
Stop and wonder at just what Manly Council was thinking off when
they commissioned the steaming "pile of.." sculpture just
outside the ferry terminal.
Numerous pubs, cafes and shops will crave your patron along the
way. Fairy Bower, on route to Shelly Beach, would be my choice for
lunch and the Kiosk on Shelly Beach is also worth considering but
either, or, or not, Manly boasts a million and one places to eat
so you won't starve.
Shelly Beach
As you approach Shelly Beach look out for the rock art to your
right. Shelly Beach is an excellent spot of diving and has free
barbeques and shaded areas behind the beach perfect for picnics.
Once you've reached Shelly Beach you can walk up to and across the
car park for cliff top views out to sea.
Manly boasts many other walks including the chance of seeing a
Manly Penguin - click for links
Manly Bike Tours
.jpg) The
highly regarded Manly Bike Tours
Formulated by local experts the self guided Manly Bike Tour of
Manly and Shelly Beach is excellent value at only $28 per person
for the whole day. Discover secluded coves, deserted beaches and
awesome coastal views of North Head and Sydney Harbour National
Park. The tour includes both bike hire and customised guide map.
The more adventurous can enjoy the tranquil bush settings of Manly
Dam for an exhilarating day of mountain biking.
Manly Bike Tours also conducts a 2 hour guided tour which reveals
all the hidden corners of Sydney’s most beautiful coastal
town. Hear the stories and relive the history that makes Manly such
a special place to visit. As well as bike and helmet hire the tour
includes light refreshments, tour guide, and exclusive access to
landmark attractions. The tour commences at 10.30am daily. Book
to avoid disappointment.
For more details visit Manly
Bike Tours
Sydney, Manly and the Northern Beaches
This is a cram-it-all-in kind of tour. You'll see Sydney, including
Darling Harbour and Cockle Bay, you get to cross the Sydney Harbour
Bridge, view Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge from the
north side of the harbour. Then it's off to the seaside and a trip
to Manly with numerous lookout stops along the way. On arrival in
Manly, you get to walk across the Corso to the sea, then you head
even further north through Queenscliff and past Freshwater Bay.
Alternatively:
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5
North Head, Manly
North Head (not far from
Manly) will provide you with a stupendous view of Sydney Harbour
with coastal cliffs and the city skyline behind. Depending on the
time of year, and if you’re lucky, you may catch a glimpse
of a migrating humpback whale. If it's wet, or very windy, you might
want to postpone this for another day. Too far to walk from Manly
- either drive, cab or bus it (135
from Manly Ferry Wharf - but confirm just in case the route has
been changed)
North Fort
Visit North Fort for
fortifications, tunnels and guns, being home to The National Artillery
Museum. North Fort boasts a cafe with a view to go with the refreshments.
Alternatively, make use of the picnic and barbecue facilities.
North Head Views
Look out of, and for,
the North Head lookouts with sweeping views over the ocean and around
Sydney Harbour. It is the combination of all these delights that
makes North Head such a great place to visit. The natural flora
and fauna of North Head and the Sydney Harbour National Park combined
with great Sydney views and interesting history.
Manly Bike, Hike and
Canoe
 Are
you Manly enough?
This fantastic full day
of biking, hiking and kayaking separates the boys / girls from manly
and womanly. This is a full-on Manly experience you won't forget.
FIRST - Bike to Manly's
fabulous North Head - the northern portal of the entrance to the
harbour with magnificent views. Explore the natural beauty and military
history of North Head.
SECOND - Enjoy a fabulous
hiking experience from Manly to The Spit. Explore the dramatic coastline,
pretty bushland of the Sydney Harbour National Park, panoramic lookouts,
aboriginal engravings and areas of native coastal heath.
THIRD - Wonderful paddle
kayaking tour from Clontarf Beach exploring the secluded sandy coves
and dazzling waters of Middle Harbour.
You don't need to be
an athlete to do this, but if you like to be a little different
and can handle full days adventure this is for you. You will see
close up and personal many aspects of Sydney Harbour most locals
have never experienced.
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One Hundred Things To Do In Sydney, Australia and Sydney100
Travel Guide 2012!
