Things to do · Sydney · Australia
19 best things to do in Sydney
19 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Servite et contribuere, CC0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Sydney are Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach. Of the 19 picks below, 11 are free, 6 work on a rainy day and 6 suit children. Allow about 5 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Sydney Opera House
- Free sights
- 11
- Good on a rainy day
- Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Time to see the highlights
- 5 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Opera House | Bennelong Point | 1–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Sydney Harbour Bridge | The Rocks | 1 hour walk; 3.5 hours to climb | Free |
| Bondi Beach | Bondi | Half a day | Free |
| Manly ferry and Manly Beach | Manly | Half a day | Low cost |
| Taronga Zoo | Mosman | Half a day | Mid-priced |
| Royal Botanic Garden and Mrs Macquarie's Chair | Circular Quay | 1–2 hours | Free |
| The Rocks | The Rocks | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Bondi to Coogee coastal walk | Eastern Beaches | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Art Gallery of New South Wales | The Domain | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Museum of Contemporary Art Australia | Circular Quay | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Australian Museum | Hyde Park | 2 hours | Free |
| Hyde Park Barracks | Macquarie Street | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium | Darling Harbour | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Queen Victoria Building | Sydney CBD | 45 minutes | Free |
| Barangaroo Reserve | Barangaroo | 1 hour | Free |
| Watsons Bay and South Head | Watsons Bay | Half a day | Low cost |
| Luna Park Sydney | Milsons Point | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Cockatoo Island | Sydney Harbour | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Chinese Garden of Friendship | Darling Harbour | 45 minutes | Low cost |
The 19 best things to do
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Landmark · Bennelong Point
1.Sydney Opera House
Jørn Utzon's sail-roofed performing arts centre opened in 1973 and is UNESCO World Heritage-listed. It sits on Bennelong Point at the eastern edge of Circular Quay. Guided tours take you inside the concert hall and theatres, but the best way to experience it is at a performance, from opera and symphony to comedy and contemporary music. Walking around the forecourt and the outer promenade is free.
For the classic photo of the Opera House with the Bridge behind it, walk through the Royal Botanic Garden to Mrs Macquarie's Chair.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Popular performances and guided tours sell out at busy times; book on the official site, especially for weekend shows.
- Iconic
- Architecture
- After dark
- Couples
- Views
Landmark · The Rocks
2.Sydney Harbour Bridge
The steel arch locals call the Coathanger opened in 1932 and carries road, rail and a footpath between The Rocks and Milsons Point. Walking across on the eastern footpath is free, takes about 20 minutes and looks straight down on the Opera House. The Pylon Lookout in the south-eastern pylon has a small museum and a viewing platform, and BridgeClimb leads guided ascents to the top of the arch.
Reach the footpath by the stairs from Cumberland Street in The Rocks, walk to Milsons Point and come back by ferry for a different angle.
- Time needed
- 1 hour walk; 3.5 hours to climb
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- BridgeClimb departures, especially around sunset and at weekends, sell out; book ahead online.
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Photo spot
Beach · Bondi
3.Bondi Beach
Sydney's best-known beach is a kilometre of sand between two sandstone headlands, watched over by the lifeguards made famous on television. At the southern end the Bondi Icebergs ocean pool sits right above the surf, and Campbell Parade behind the beach is lined with cafés. In summer it is crowded and lively; from May to November you may spot migrating humpback whales from the headlands.
Swim only between the red-and-yellow flags; the southern end has a well-known rip current that catches visitors every summer.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Outdoors
- Active
- Photo spot
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Experience · Manly
4.Manly ferry and Manly Beach
The F1 ferry from Circular Quay to Manly crosses the harbour in about 30 minutes, passing the Opera House, Fort Denison and the harbour heads for the price of a normal public-transport fare. At Manly, The Corso leads to the ocean beach, and a short path around the headland reaches Shelly Beach, a sheltered cove in the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve popular with snorkellers.
Sit on the outside deck on the right-hand side as you leave Circular Quay for the closest views of the Opera House.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
Zoo · Mosman
5.Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo climbs a hillside in Mosman facing the city skyline, a short ferry ride from Circular Quay. Its Australian animals, including koalas, kangaroos, platypuses and echidnas, are the main draw for overseas visitors, alongside big cats, primates, a seal show and a free-flight bird show with the harbour as a backdrop.
Ride the Sky Safari cable car from the ferry wharf to the top entrance, then walk downhill through the zoo back to the ferry.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Views
- Nature
- Iconic
Garden · Circular Quay
6.Royal Botanic Garden and Mrs Macquarie's Chair
Thirty hectares of lawns, palms and themed gardens wrap around Farm Cove between the Opera House and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The harbour path leads to Mrs Macquarie's Chair, a sandstone bench carved by convicts in 1810 for the governor's wife, with one of the best views of the Opera House and the Bridge together. Entry is free.
Follow the waterside path from the Opera House to Mrs Macquarie's Chair early or late in the day, when the light is softest on both landmarks.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
- Couples
- Nature
- Kids
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Neighbourhood · The Rocks
7.The Rocks
Sydney's oldest European neighbourhood is a tight grid of sandstone lanes, stairs and 19th-century pubs below the southern end of the Harbour Bridge. Small museums and galleries tell the area's story from Gadigal country through the convict era, and The Rocks Markets fill George Street with craft, design and food stalls at weekends.
Stop for a drink at one of the area's 1840s pubs, such as the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel or the Hero of Waterloo, on the quieter western side.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Food
- Shopping
- Architecture
Nature · Eastern Beaches
8.Bondi to Coogee coastal walk
This six-kilometre cliff-top path links Bondi with Coogee via Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly and Gordons Bay, passing ocean pools, sandstone headlands and the clifftop Waverley Cemetery. It takes two to three hours with stops, and every beach has a café or kiosk. In late spring, Sculpture by the Sea usually lines the Bondi to Tamarama section with outdoor art.
Start at Bondi in the morning so the sun is behind you, and pack swimwear for a dip in the Bronte or Clovelly ocean pools.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Active
- Views
- Photo spot
Gallery · The Domain
1.Art Gallery of New South Wales
The gallery spans two buildings in the Domain parkland: the sandstone original with Australian, European and Asian collections, and the newer Sydney Modern building, opened in 2022 with terraces over Woolloomooloo Bay. The Yiribana Gallery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art is a highlight. General admission is free, with charges for some major exhibitions.
Walk the short path between the two buildings and finish on the newer building's outdoor terraces, which look across Woolloomooloo to the Finger Wharf.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Gallery · Circular Quay
2.Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
In an Art Deco building on the western side of Circular Quay, the MCA shows contemporary Australian and international art, with a strong collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander work. General admission is free, and the rooftop café terrace looks straight across the quay to the Opera House.
Pair it with a wander through The Rocks next door; it is also the obvious shelter when a summer thunderstorm rolls in.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Views
Museum · Hyde Park
3.Australian Museum
Founded in 1827, Australia's oldest museum faces Hyde Park on College Street. Its natural history galleries cover dinosaurs, Australian animals, minerals and the 200 Treasures gallery, and its First Nations galleries present Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. General admission is free, with charges for some temporary exhibitions.
Combine it with a walk across Hyde Park to St Mary's Cathedral and the Hyde Park Barracks on Macquarie Street.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
- History
- Nature
Historic site · Macquarie Street
4.Hyde Park Barracks
Designed by the convict architect Francis Greenway and completed in 1819, the barracks housed male convicts and later immigrant women, and it is one of the UNESCO-listed Australian Convict Sites. An audio-guided visit uses objects found under the floorboards to tell individual inmates' stories.
Don't skip the top floor, where rows of hammocks recreate the convicts' crowded sleeping quarters.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Aquarium · Darling Harbour
5.SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
On the eastern shore of Darling Harbour, the aquarium leads through underwater tunnels past sharks and rays, with a large Great Barrier Reef section, penguins and local harbour species. It is one of the easiest wet-weather options for families in the city centre.
Go at opening time or late in the afternoon; school groups and holiday crowds peak around midday.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
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Architecture · Sydney CBD
6.Queen Victoria Building
The QVB fills a whole block of George Street with a Romanesque Revival arcade completed in 1898, crowned by a copper dome and lit by stained glass. Today it holds three levels of shops and cafés; look up for the hanging Great Australian Clock and the Royal Clock.
Use the underground walkway that links the QVB with Town Hall station for a dry route across the CBD on a wet day.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Free
- Rainy day
- History
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Park · Barangaroo
7.Barangaroo Reserve
This six-hectare headland park opened in 2015 on former container wharves and recreates the original shoreline with sandstone blocks and native plants. A waterfront path continues south to the Barangaroo restaurant precinct and north through the restored Walsh Bay wharves towards the Harbour Bridge.
Walk from Barangaroo Reserve through Walsh Bay to The Rocks for a quieter harbour route than the crowds at Circular Quay.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Watsons Bay
8.Watsons Bay and South Head
A ferry ride from Circular Quay, Watsons Bay is a former fishing village near the southern entrance to the harbour. From the wharf, short walks lead to the ocean cliffs at The Gap and along the South Head Heritage Trail to the red-and-white Hornby Lighthouse, with views back up the harbour to the city. Fish and chips on the grass by the beach is a local habit.
Walk to Hornby Lighthouse first, then return to the waterfront for the sunset over the city skyline.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Theme park · Milsons Point
9.Luna Park Sydney
The giant grinning face at the entrance of this 1935 amusement park at Milsons Point is visible from across the harbour. Inside are heritage attractions such as the Coney Island funhouse and a Ferris wheel, plus newer thrill rides. Entry to the grounds is free, with ride passes sold separately.
Walk across the Harbour Bridge to Milsons Point, finish at Luna Park, then take the ferry back to Circular Quay.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- After dark
- Views
Island · Sydney Harbour
10.Cockatoo Island
The largest island in Sydney Harbour was a convict prison and then a naval shipyard, and it is part of the UNESCO-listed Australian Convict Sites. You can explore the tunnels, workshops and prison buildings at your own pace, and a harbourside campground and holiday houses allow overnight stays.
Catch a ferry from Circular Quay and bring a picnic, as food choices on the island are limited.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
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Garden · Darling Harbour
11.Chinese Garden of Friendship
Built for Australia's bicentenary in 1988 with Sydney's sister province of Guangdong, this walled Cantonese-style garden at the southern end of Darling Harbour has a lake, waterfalls, pavilions and a teahouse. It is a calm half-hour away from the surrounding towers.
Finish with a pot of tea in the teahouse overlooking the lake, then walk into Chinatown and Haymarket for lunch.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
- Nature
- Photo spot
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and Australian Museum |
| History | The Rocks, Australian Museum, Hyde Park Barracks and Queen Victoria Building |
| Views | Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Garden and Mrs Macquarie's Chair and Bondi to Coogee coastal walk |
| Outdoors and nature | Bondi Beach, Manly ferry and Manly Beach, Taronga Zoo and Royal Botanic Garden and Mrs Macquarie's Chair |
| Food and markets | The Rocks |
| After dark | Sydney Opera House and Luna Park Sydney |
| With children | Royal Botanic Garden and Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Manly ferry and Manly Beach, Taronga Zoo and Australian Museum |
| On a rainy day | Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Australian Museum and Hyde Park Barracks |
What to book ahead
- Sydney Opera House: Popular performances and guided tours sell out at busy times; book on the official site, especially for weekend shows.
- Sydney Harbour Bridge: BridgeClimb departures, especially around sunset and at weekends, sell out; book ahead online.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Sydney?
Sydney Opera House. Jørn Utzon's sail-roofed performing arts centre opened in 1973 and is UNESCO World Heritage-listed.
+What can you do for free in Sydney?
Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, Royal Botanic Garden and Mrs Macquarie's Chair, The Rocks and Bondi to Coogee coastal walk. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Sydney when it rains?
Head indoors to Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Australian Museum and Hyde Park Barracks.
+What is there to do in Sydney at night?
Sydney Opera House and Luna Park Sydney are best after dark.