Top Places to Visit in Sydney

May to November is whale watching season in Sydney and you can see thousands of humpback whales migrating along Sydney’s coastline from Antarctica to the Pacific. There are plenty of places where you can see these majestic creatures including Palm Beach and Bondi, you can also book a whale-watching cruise. Almost every global city has a Chinatown and Sydney’s is cited as one of the largest in Australia. Located in Haymarket, there’s plenty to do here from sampling delicious street food to budget shopping, neon lights and a lot more. If you’re a bookworm and like your reading space to be just as aesthetic as the cover of your latest read, you’ll love Sydney’s many cosy libraries that cater to students, readers, workers and more. The narrow, multi-level shopping arcade houses premium Australian fashion designers, including Jac+ Jack, Lover, Sass & Bide and Dion Lee.
The SCG Museum, part of the SCG Tour, paints a picture of some of the most memorable athletic moments on Australian soil, with one-of-a-kind memorabilia and first-hand accounts of the people who lived it. Other gems include Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Bankstown Arts Centre, where there’s a strong focus on Canterbury-Bankstown, Western Sydney, First Nations and CALD artists, and Campbelltown Arts Centre. You can see lovely cherry blossoms around Sydney in spring and it’s a sight activities to do in sydney for sore eyes.

It takes around 30 minutes one way, and the best views are when you walk from north to south. You can’t see much to the west, but you get awesome harbor views on the eastern side, so this is definitely worth doing. Bondi is also famous for surfing, so if you’ve ever wanted to learn, it’s the ideal place. You can book this 2-hour, small group lesson with a professional instructor who’ll show you all of the basics, so it doesn’t matter if you’ve never surfed before. Plus, this particular surf school is super reputable around Bondi and known for being friendly and welcoming.
The museum is considered  a huge treasure of knowledge, extremely intuitive and lively, keeping knowledge of local history and culture. Only in Sydney, can you visit museums all day without boredom, moreover, lots of museums are free entrance. It’s a cafe, roastery, garden, market and restaurant all rolled into one industrial space. It’s also one of Australia’s most Instagrammable spots and breathtaking day or night. They also do exciting themes every few months which make for a picture-perfect snapshot.

You could spend weeks exploring the Harbour City but if you're short on time, this itinerary highlights the best of what Sydney has to offer including iconic spots, beaches, cafes, galleries and more. Whether you’re a seasoned diver or a beginner, the experience of diving straight off the beach is both thrilling and convenient. With private dives available through Abyss Scuba Diving, you can enjoy a flexible and personalised underwater adventure. Stopping for coffee at Forty Baskets Beach is highly recommended, providing a delightful break during the Coogee walk. With its scenic views and diverse landscapes, this coastal walking trail is a must-do for nature lovers and hikers. As you navigate through the winding channels, you’ll appreciate the area’s natural beauty and the tranquility it offers.
Since it’s nestled right in the middle of the Central Business District, there are also plenty of options for bus routes. Are you craving a little history and window shopping at the same time? The Queen Victoria Building in Sydney’s CBD is an intriguing historic site that will spark your imagination (and empty your wallet).
The best thing to do is just turn up, stroll around, and see what hidden gems you discover in this ultra-hipster neck of the woods. Students, hipsters, and artists can always be found hanging out in the area’s trendy cafes, independent bookshops, and great thrift stores (where you can often find some real treasures, just FYI!). Barangaroo Reserve is one of the best places to take a stroll in Sydney. With its plethora of trees and bushes and its abundance of open green space, you’d never believe that this public park was once a storage site for old shipping containers. Some of the rides here are pretty thrilling but there’s plenty for families with younger kids to enjoy, too, like the Happy Swing and the rotating Road Runner ride. The cathedral is definitely worth stopping by, especially since it’s really close to both Hyde Park and the Australian Museum.

Plus, we love the freedom to stop wherever we want and not have to stick to a set schedule. I do think that the best reason to come here, though, is to check out the collection of Australian and Aboriginal artwork. The pieces here give a really interesting insight into the country’s history and culture and show how attitudes have shifted over time. There are lots of walking and cycling trails to explore here, but what we like to do is walk there along the coast from Darling Harbour, stroll around the reserve, and then continue to Circular Quay. This is a flat, easy walk that should only take you around an hour, but it’s really beautiful and an awesome way to soak up Sydney’s magnificent scenery. This theme park is bright, fun, and colorful, and the retro Coney Island makes for some fun Instagram snaps.
Deep within the Royal  National Park is a sandy oasis that has to be seen to be believed. You can take a swim in the emerald waters of the creek-fed lagoon, which is also a great spot for snorkeling, or simply lay back against one of the cabbage tree palms with a good book. If you’re a budding shutterbug, the Wattamolla Waterfall may well rank as one of the most photogenic natural wonders anywhere in the Greater Sydney region and that's really saying something. The school prides itself on the popular two-hour beginners’ course, which goes through the essentials of water safety (including Bondi’s dangerous rips), paddling and how to catch a wave. Each lesson starts on the sand, so you can ask embarrassing questions without fear. Though Sydney has its share of beautiful rooftop bars, it's hard to find a place to drink with vistas as impressive as these.

The beach itself is about 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) long, and it’s nowhere near as touristy as Bondi, so there’s plenty of space to chill out and relax on the golden sand. There are also flags to indicate where you can and can’t swim, so look out for those if you feel like taking a dip. St Mary’s Cathedral is a stunning cathedral – in fact, we think it’s easily one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Australia. It’s very grand and it looks like one of those cathedrals that you only find in historic towns in Britain, but nope, it’s made of Sydney sandstone! And speaking of the Royal Botanic Gardens, they are definitely worth a visit while you’re in Sydney!
The most famous attraction in Sydney, the Opera House is a must-see. This performance center draws millions of visitors every year and is known for its distinct sail-like structure, which is an incredible feat of architecture and engineering. In no particular order, here is our list of the best things to do in Sydney. How about checking out where to stay in the Blue Mountains, it’s a great place to escape the city. Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.
One of the best ways to experience a city is with a local and that’s what this tour is all about, taking you through cool streets and pointing out landmarks you may miss on your own. Best of all, learning the history and significance of these places to visit will make it much more memorable. Visiting Sydney for the first time and looking to know what are the best Sydney tourist attractions? As expat locals, we’ve been tourists too, so we’re sharing what you really shouldn’t miss when you’re visiting this city.