Recommendations for a week in Sydney January 2021

blueyez on 15/12/2020 - 18:12
Last edited 15/12/2020 - 18:32

Hi all,

I have been to Sydney only for short stints, and this time a group of us are going - including someone who has never been to Sydney.

Looking for suggestions on where to go and things to see/do/eat haha- there are 4 of us so we could rent a car but public transport is fine. All staying in the city for a week.

We already want to go to the following places
- Bondi
- Blue Mountains (as a day trip, looking for further suggestions though!)
- Manly

We enjoy outdoor activities and fooooooooood! No lack of food in Sydney but suggestions still welcome….

I guess more off the beaten track stuff would be nice

Welcome your suggestions - this is my first holiday in 12 months….!!!

Travel

Comments

  • saintpotter on 15/12/2020 - 18:26
    +3

    Penrith

  • Yummy on 15/12/2020 - 18:46
    +5

    Cabramatta.

  • chrisie on 15/12/2020 - 19:01

    King's Cross :)

    • Yummy on 16/12/2020 - 09:42
      +2

      Are you still in the 80/90s?

  • Tovers93 on 15/12/2020 - 19:09
    +2

    Big fan of the Royal National Park - try Wattamola Beach, Garie Beach or the Figure 8 Pools check tides.
    You could then also combine with the Sea Cliff Bridge before heading back into the city. Car hire needed for this one.

  • WreckTangle on 15/12/2020 - 19:25

    Yeah, Kings Cross might be worth a look. A stroll around Darling Harbour, Barangaroo or The Rocks is pretty (and The Rocks is good for foodies).

  • Sweet3st on 15/12/2020 - 19:58
    +1

    Ferry to Manly is always nice especially at twilight.
    Botanic Gardens and Circular Quay. A visit to the Opera House also nice, they do inexpensive Opera Highlights concerts which are fun.
    Kings Cross/Potts Point lots of bars and nice places to eat.
    Blue Mountains are fabulous especially now with few tourists ;). Wentworth Pass is the best walk imo but challenging. You could stay overnight, I recommend the Metropole in Katoomba or Glenella in Blackheath. Pomegranate in Katoomba is a great cafe and the cult run Yellow Cafe is ‘interesting’.

  • Sweet3st on 15/12/2020 - 20:17
    +1

    Also, Sydney Festival is on, many events are pricey or sell out but there’s plenty of free stuff too.
    Glamping on Cockatoo Island.
    RiverCat to Parramatta.

  • DiLs on 15/12/2020 - 20:40
    +1

    Struggle street, mount druitt

  • Moneyinthebank on 15/12/2020 - 20:44

    The Mercantile for a drink and shamrock pie
    Irish pub friendly and good prices

  • elgrande on 15/12/2020 - 21:02
    +1

    La perouse if you have the hire car.

    Wisemans ferry.

  • SF3 on 15/12/2020 - 21:37

    Walk across the Harbour bridge from Milsons Pt into The Rocks, Opera house, then Ferry from Circular Quay to Kings St Wharf.

  • Ghost47 on 15/12/2020 - 23:13

    As a few tips from someone who is also from Melbourne and has spent too long in Sydney, in order I would recommend:

    • Visit other places in Victoria such as Bright, 90 mile beach, Lakes Entrance, Lorne, Ballarat etc. instead.
    • If you have to come, eat Tan Viet Crispy Skin chicken because it's the best food I've ever eaten and they need to open one in Melbourne. If I were you I would just come, eat that then go back home.
    • If you have to come, don't drive because Sydneysiders can't drive and the roads here are horrible.
    • If you have to come, the Glow Worm tunnel is awesome but kind of hard to get to if you don't have a car.
    • If you have to come, Chatswood is like Glen Waverley/Box Hill on steroids and it's pretty cool.
    • If you have to come, Newcastle is similar to Melbourne and I like it a lot.
    • If you have to come, The Rocks is nice.
    • If you have to come, check out the Reptile Park that's north of Sydney, it looks cool and I've never been so you can tell me what it's like.
    • If you have to come, snorkelling in Manly is pretty fun (I would say snorkelling in Sydney is better than Melbourne).
    • If you have to come, the Royal Botanic Garden is nice.
    • If you have to come, I guess you can check out the Fish Market but IMO it's overrated.
    • WreckTangle on 16/12/2020 - 06:33

      Where’s the glow worm thing?

      • Ghost47 on 16/12/2020 - 09:23
        +1

        Kind of far out past Lithgow I think it was.

    • blueyez on 16/12/2020 - 12:51

      You don't sound bitter at all ;)

      Yes I missed my 6:30am flight last year due to 6am traffic…. there were about 6 of us at the gate as the plane pulled away.

      Would Tan Viet Crispy chicken be better than all the Asian food I'm surrounded with in North West Melbourne?

      And are you stuck in Sydney / why not back in Melb?

      • Ghost47 on 16/12/2020 - 19:00
        -1

        Tan Viet Crispy Skin Chicken is likely the best in the country I'd go as far to say.

        I moved due to the job market here. That's better than Melbourne but everything else sucks.

  • ChocStrawberries on 15/12/2020 - 23:31
    +1
    • Q Station - their ghost tour is fun, or do a day tour. You can even stay there overnight.
    • Cockatoo Island visit
    • Taronga Zoo - if you can afford it, do their Roar and Snore, it's awesome!
  • [Deactivated] on 16/12/2020 - 00:00
    +1

    Janollan caves if their open. Get there early to get more caves in.

    • Tovers93 on 16/12/2020 - 18:32
      +1

      *Jenolan (just so they're able to find them)

      There's also a wild platypus in the lake near the caves!

      • ChocStrawberries on 16/12/2020 - 20:50
        +1

        Their adventure caving tours were outstanding! Not sure if they still do those…well worth it if they do!

        • blueyez on 17/12/2020 - 09:00

          I saw that option and am SO KEEN! But we have to decide as a group… There are also only 5 caves open at the moment

          • ChocStrawberries on 17/12/2020 - 11:06
            +1

            @blueyez: From what I gathered after a quick search last night, they aren't currently running the adventure caving. But it might be worth giving them a call - things seem to change quickly these days!

  • [Deactivated] on 16/12/2020 - 18:37

    Wow op hasn’t had a holiday in 12 months 😳

    • blueyez on 17/12/2020 - 09:02

      I'm no frequent flyer but I have never in my working life worked 12 months without a break… until 2020.

  • randomusername2017 on 16/12/2020 - 20:24
    +1

    I guess more off the beat track stuff would be nice

    Potts Point, Redfern, Waterloo or Kings Cross after dark on a Friday night/Saturday morning..

  • Yummy on 18/12/2020 - 14:44
    -1

    New "hot spot" for OP: Northen Beaches.

  • Ghost47 on 18/12/2020 - 23:04

    Not looking good for your trip OP. I wouldn't fret though, Sydney sucks. Go regional Vic instead.

    • blueyez on 19/12/2020 - 13:15
      +1

      Yeah I signed up for the regional voucher scheme so good excuse to go!

      • Ghost47 on 19/12/2020 - 14:31

        Regional Vic trumps regional NSW too; don't have to drive as far to see nicer things. You can get to the Yarra Valley in like 70 mins or something but here you have to drive 3.5 hours to get to the Hunter Valley from Sydney. Poor Sydneysiders have to spend the best part of a day to get anywhere regional (it's the same for snow).

  • [Deactivated] on 19/12/2020 - 14:00

    no where now

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