Guest post by lantz
Map tips: each color represents a different day. Click a marker to learn more about the spot, and click the star in the map header to save the entire map under Your Places in Google Maps.
We bought an Opal Card at the airport, which covers all the trains, buses, and ferries. Perfectly sufficient for transportation everywhere in Sydney, didn’t feel we needed to rent a car. We also bought SIM cards for our cellphones at the airport from Vodaphone, much more reasonable than alternatives and worked very well. Had to unlock our phones before we left. Stayed at the Tank Stream hotel – small rooms, but very nice. It’s close to the harbor, which is where we spent most of our time.
Day 1
Sydney Opera House – just admired from the outside, heard the tour was lame so we skipped it. Tried to have dinner/drinks at the Bennelong restaurant that’s attached to it, but there was too long of a wait.
Royal Botanic Garden – highly recommend. Beautiful area, and free! Right by the Opera House.
Day 2
Taronga Zoo – very nice but very crowded. 30 minute ferry-then-bus ride.
Day 3
Sydney Harbour Bridge – walked across, very neat. You can actually climb the bridge/walk on the top (called BridgeClimb Sydney), which we didn’t do but looks like a lot of fun.
Day 4
Blue Mountains – took a train (2 hours) and then bought a Blue Mountains Explorer bus pass to jump on/off bus to hit different trailheads. It was the perfect day trip and one of my favorite parts of the whole trip.
Day 5
The Rocks – upscale district by the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, fun to people watch. Great place to relax and try to adjust to the time change.
Day 6
Bondi Beach – took the bus (35 mins) and did the popular walk from Bondi to Coogee (just under 4 miles) – beautiful but strenuous at parts. At the end of the walk there is a gathering place that has great food. Buses run to/from both locations, so you can park at one and take the bus back, or just take the bus to one and from the other.
Traveled in January 2018
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