Things to do in Sydney that make it the best place to live

After spending nearly two months travelling down the East Coast from Cairns to Sydney, we never really planned on staying here. We knew we definitely wanted to spend a month in Sydney to see in the New Year here, but after that we planned to move on. So why, eight months later, am I still here? Well I bagged myself a cracking job at the Choo Choo Express in the Botanic Gardens, and we found a houseshare with a great bunch of people. And we simply fell in love with the place! After spending most of our year in Australia here, these are my favourite things to do in this beautiful city:

Enjoy the beautiful beaches

Working in the Botanic Gardens I sit literally three steps from the ocean most days. But generally you’re not much further than half an hour from the sea if you’re in central Sydney. And this city has some of the most gorgeous beaches! There’s the famous Bondi, Coogee and Manly beaches, which are lovely. But also check out some of the coastal walks to find some smaller and less busy coves. I love Gordon’s Bay on the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk for its calm and clear waters. Maroubra beach, just south of Coogee, is just as long, golden and beautiful as Bondi but much less crowded as it takes longer to get there.

The harbour beaches along the Manly to Spit Walk are also beautiful and peaceful without Bondi style crowding. Just avoid harbour beaches if it’s been raining that week, as it takes a few days for the polluted water to leave the harbour.

The northern beaches are also pretty special and much quieter. Palm Beach is absolutely stunning and a must see, despite the long journey and the massive, cyclonic storm we got caught in there!

Go diving!

I was pleasantly surprised to find there are lots of awesome dive sites around Sydney! We are lucky enough to have Flo as our next door neighbour, who is an instructor, and we’ve had lots of family dive trips. So fun! We’ve tried out three sites within about half an hour from the city centre – Shelly Beach, Clifton Gardens and Bare Island. We’ve seen Wobbegong sharks, puffer fish, octopus, cuttlefish, groper fish, beautiful little seahorses… every dive has been epic! Get yourself under those waves. 🙂 Check out my post on diving in Sydney here.

Visit the national parks

What I love about Sydney is how you can have a bustling city life with spectacular scenery right on your doorstep. The Blue Mountains is the most famous and somewhere you absolutely must visit – it’s incredibly beautiful. You can either drive, get the train, or do an organised trip. We did the latter and you can read my post on it here. The Royal National Park is also absolutely gorgeous – check out the Figure of Eight Pools and Wattamolla Beach.

Drink all day in the Hunter Valley

This region is famous for its wine making and it’s only a couple of hours outside the city. It’s also a beautiful area with grapevines all around and rolling hills and mountains surrounding it. You can do a day trip, like we did, or go stay out there if one day of guzzling wine just isn’t enough for you. 😉 Read my post on our day out boozing here!

Climb the Harbour Bridge

Or at least walk it! The bridge climb is incredible and gives such amazing views of the city and the perfection that is Sydney Harbour. But it is very expensive, I was super lucky to get it as a leaving gift from my wonderful parents. If it’s not within your budget, just climb the steps and wander across the bridge. It’s still pretty damn high and has great harbour views. And it’s free! The outdoor swimming pool under the Harbour Bridge is also pretty lush!

Top tip: drive or walk to Manly Heads for an amazing view of the city and harbour.

Explore the Botanic Gardens and ride the Choo Choo!

I’m leaving so you’re not going to be able to do my very own Choo Choo Express tour, but the trains will still be there! The city’s Botanic Gardens are beautiful and worth a wander or a picnic at the very least. It’s also a nice way to walk to get to Mrs Macquaries Point for that photo of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. There’s also free tours about the Aboriginal heritage of the area on offer in the gardens and free tours of the Government House at the weekends.

Eat, drink, live… like a Sydneysider!

Aussies generally have an enviable way of life – lots of sunshine, barbecues and beers. It’s a pretty laid back country and although Sydney is very touristy, it’s a great place to experience Aussie life. Keep an eye out for events running in the city while you’re here. We’ve enjoyed block parties, food festivals, live music events, light shows etc – some are free, some aren’t. Either way there’s always something fun going on!

Having said that, I also love the scene in the Rocks area, under the Harbour Bridge. Head to the Glenmore for rooftop cocktails and Opera House views! The Haymarket area in the CBD, near Central station, is a hot spot for backpackers and is a great place to socialise. Nearby Frankies bar will also always give you a brilliant night.

Other nice spots in Sydney: 

– Darling Harbour is so pretty with lots of bars and restaurants and firework displays every other weekend in the summer.

– Hyde Park for the Anzac Memorial and St Mary’s Cathedral; Centennial Park for lots of fruit bats; and Victoria Park for an outdoor swimming pool.

– Check out the model of Sydney in the Customs House just behind Circular Quay station.