By Danielle Lockwood and Simone Shomaker.

The stunning city of Sydney holds a very special place in our hearts. The beach, the people, the vibe. It reminds us of Los Angeles but somehow prettier and cleaner. There is so much to do and experience here which is why we wanted to create a Sydney travel guide with all of our favorite places.

Simone lived in Australia for 4 years, while attending James Cook University (JCU) in north Queensland as her fiancé completed his doctorate at the same university. During her time in Australia, Simone moved to Sydney for several months to undergo her yoga teacher training. While there, she lived on the border of Surry Hills and Darlinghurst, right in the heart of downtown. Having no car, she quickly found all her favorite walkable spots, cafes, yoga studios, vintage shops, beaches and sites to see. She got familiar with the city via some of the best public transportation she has ever experienced (hello ferry boat rides across town with gorgeous harbor views). Simone has become the expert on everything Australia as she had 4 long years to explore everything the magnificent country has to offer.

Danielle has traveled to Sydney twice to visit her best friend who moved there after college and was never heard from again. Kidding. Kind of. Danielle’s best friend fell in love with a wonderful Australian, married him and has now made Sydney her permanent home. Every time Danielle has had the pleasure of visiting, she is able to see the city through a local’s eyes. 

While we couldn’t even scratch the surface of everything there is to do, eat and see in Sydney in one post, we will start with our favorites. Think of it as a quick few days in Sydney told from a local’s perspective. We promise we will dive further into each of these in future posts as there are truly too many to list. Keep reading for the best Sydney travel guide for a weekend in the city! 

The Best Sydney Restaurants

It is overwhelming to even try to list how many incredible restaurants there are in Sydney. You can get basically any kind of cuisine that your heart desires and while traveling, we make eating our full-time job. Our Sydney travel guide is complete with all of the best Sydney eats!

Apollo

Words cannot begin to express how INSANELY delicious this restaurant is. Apollo is incredible. The moment you walk in all you can see are chic and beautiful people. Something about the people in Sydney, they’re all stunning, and that is saying a lot considering we are used to beautiful Los Angelenos. Ok back to the food. Along with the beautiful people, upon walking in you are encompassed by the most delectable smell of cheese and bread. The wine is incredible, the food is life-changing, service impeccable. Make sure to get there on the early side as there can be a long wait and you can’t make a reservation unless you have a party over 6. Pro tip: order the lamb and the taramasalata mullet roe dip. LIFE. CHANGING.

Nomad

We dined here a few hours after Danielle was proposed to and this was the perfect restaurant for the occasion. Nomad is a swanky spot located in Surry Hills and features Australian/Mediterranean cuisine with produce grown from local Australian farmers. This is the perfect place to go family-style and try every delectable dish on the menu. The menu rotates based on what ingredients are fresh and available but we can assure you that you can’t go wrong with any dish!

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The Best Sydney Bars

Hotel Palisade

This adorable spot is located in The Rocks on the roof of the Hotel Palisade and overlooks the city and Harbour Bridge. Danielle and her fiancé spent hours here, sipping on their assortment of delicious cocktails and devouring their appetizers. The decor is adorable, the view is stunning and it is the perfect spot to go for afternoon drinks. 

Vue Bar

Danielle loved this place so much that she went for two days in a row. Located in Bondi Beach, this charming bar overlooks the ocean and sunbathers on Bondi. Vue Bar is the epitome of the vibe of Bondi Beach, relaxed yet chic, with incredible cocktails and food. We could spend all day there, admiring Bondi’s beauty. 

Bondi Icebergs

Whether or not you have been to Sydney, we are certain that you have seen the photos of the iconic Bondi Icebergs pool that fades into the ocean. This is the perfect spot to grab a drink in Bondi (and is just down the street from the aforementioned Vue Bar). Make sure to get a spot on the balcony so you can take a photo of the iconic spot and watch the swimmers swimming laps next to the crashing waves. 

The Winery, Surry Hills

Simone is a wine enthusiast and is always on the hunt for a fun new spot to grab a glass and kick back. The Winery in Surry Hills, has the cutest decor and features an outdoor patio with lots of greenery and dreamy lighting. Did we mention they have delish food as well?

Things to Do in Sydney

Sydney Opera House

Ok I know we said we’d tell you how to do Sydney through a local’s eyes but we would be doing our readers a disservice if we didn’t recommend some incredible tourist activities as well. The top of our list for our Sydney travel guide activity is visiting the Sydney Opera House. You can’t go to Sydney and not see this stunning architectural masterpiece. Take a guided tour to learn just how this wonder was built or simply walk around and grab lunch or a drink at Opera Bar right next to it. Better yet, catch a show here!

The Rocks 

This area is actually one of the coolest and oldest parts of Sydney. It is the historic center of the city where European settlers arrived in 1788 and a lot of the old colonial architecture makes up the now modern precinct. Here you will find interesting restaurants, museums, weekend markets, and Australia’s oldest pubs. This area also features stunning views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. 

Manly Beach

We love this beach town so much. You can go snorkeling, paddle boarding, play some beach volleyball, whatever your heart desires. There are incredible bars and restaurants here as well. A couple of our favorites: Manly Greenhouse for drinks and Hugo’s for dinner on the water. Make sure to save some time for shopping as there are heaps of adorable stores all situated right by the gorgeous beach. Manly Beach is just a ferry ride away from the city, it is very worth a day trip!

Cliff Jumping in Watsons Bay

This is the location where Danielle faced one of her biggest fears: jumping off of a cliff into the ocean. This epic experience can be had in Watsons Bay, a beautiful bay with 2 beaches and an enclosed pool. Nielsen Park Jump Rock is where you jump off and while you are about to launch yourself to your violent death by sharks… kidding, we were told there weren’t sharks(??)…you have the most stunning view of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. If we had to choose a final view to see while jumping to our death, this would be the one. All jokes aside, the cliff jump is easy(ish) and fun, just make sure you have someone to help you out of the water and climb up the rocks because that is the tricky part. After you hopefully survive said cliff jump, you can head over to Watsons Bay Beach Club. This outdoor bar is right on the bay and features great music to watch the sunset and drink your well-deserved cocktail. 

Bondi to Coogee Walk

This is our favorite beach walk! Top of our list of activities in our Sydney travel guide. We are warning you that as it is a very famous walk it can be very crowded with tourists. However, if you do it early in the morning you can avoid the crowds and enjoy the beauty of the coastline. This is a coastal walk that goes from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach. The cliffs are stunning and you can stop at multiple beaches to go cool off in the water. It is about 2 hours to walk from Bondi to Coogee so make sure you give yourself some time and then hit the beach after!

Picnic in the Park

+Hyde Park

This is the cutest park right in the heart of the bustling city. Situated in the adorable area of Darlinghurst, Hyde Park is walking distance to many awesome shops. This is a great local spot to bring a picnic and people watch! The perfect way to break up the day if you’re strolling around the city.

+McKell Park

This stunning park has a view of the Harbour Bridge and is the perfect spot for a picnic at sunset. This will forever be one of the most special places for Danielle as this is where her fiancé popped the question, the first day of their trip. The grounds are stunning and you have a beautiful view of the water. Make sure you add this to your park list!

Also make sure to add Rushcutters Bay Park and the Botanical Gardens, both are beautiful for a picnic!

Lastly, and it breaks our hearts to even have to write this but what is happening in Australia right now is absolutely horrific. Over the course of the last few months, Australia has been devastated by wildfires throughout the country. Over 27 million acres have burned, at least 29 people have been killed and over 2,500 homes have been destroyed. What is even more difficult to fathom is the effect it has on Australia’s wildlife. At this point, it is estimated that 1.25 BILLION animals have been lost. Many of these animals are native to Australia and this may bring certain species near extinction. It is devastating to think of and it was incredibly hard for Danielle to be there during the peak of the fires to see it firsthand. While we feel utterly helpless on this side of the world, what we CAN do is donate. We can all do our part to contribute. If you feel it in your heart to donate, here are some organizations that put all of the money towards the fire relief. ANY dollar amount can make a difference!

Australian Red Cross

WIRES

Thank you for reading about our Sydney top favorites! Have you been to Sydney before and have additional places you’d love to add? Comment below!

Xx,

Danielle and Simone

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