A Perfect Day in Sydney--what's yours?

Hi there,

For all the locals and those who have been, what would you do if you only had ONE day in Sydney? I'll be travelling to OZ and unfortunately i'll only have 1 overnight stay, specifically: arriving in Nov.15th at 11am and having to be at the airport the next day by 1:30pm...

I've thought about having lunch at Circle Quay, explore The Rocks/Darling Harbour a bit, doing the beach walk from Bondi to Coogee (is that right?), maybe a ferry and a quick surf lesson at Manly, climb one of the pylons in Harbor Bridge, walk through the Botanical guardens, then evening performance at the Opera, visit a pub before retiring. Now, I understand I may need a jetpack to fit all that in, and maybe I'm asking for too much (I was hoping to ride in kangaroos with Nicole Kidman, but I don't want to push it) but if it were up to you, how would you maximize your time, if you were to never return to Sydney again? I'm interested in having the quintessential Sydney experience, willing to rush a little bit, but not too much. Suggestions for "can't miss" sights, restaurants, little pleasures, centrally-located hostels are abso-tively welcome...

Cheers,
Paolo

A gargantuan Welcome to Boots and yes, the jetpacks are not cheap to hire and take some time to master.

Is it 11 am that an international flight gets in? - it'll take time getting through immigration/customs or even getting baggage of the carousel if a national flight.
Check an info desk at airport as I have heard there is one Sydney Pass that covers the Airport to City Train other than small platform entry fee and you'll need to check re use for 24h or if two days needed.

Decide if you want to be 24 hrs hyper and if so stash luggage at airport (storage at international at least) or alternately (Grab a sandwich for lunch on the train)

Get a train into Central station (ask about a return if need be to see if return can be used next day which I think it can) and there's YHA railway square right at central station and as good a place as any to ditch your luggage.

Save the rocks for evening/meal, head for Circular Quay (train) and ask at YHA desk about explorer ticket if not already having the Sydney Pass, but get one to coiver the ferries.
Ferry over to Manly, walk the Corso to the surf side and get into the surf, do a walk to the headland and head back to the Quay (be DLST, so that's good) and get the explorer bus or any bus for South Head, maybe evening meal at Doyles(famous for seafood)as sun is setting, and that could also be viewed from south head, watching the sun go down over the city, and then dins at Doyles or over to Bondi and then back to the Cross (one place where you could hang out until breke if going 24hyper)and on to Rocks etc.

Down the road a bit from Cross, there is Boulevarde Hotel with a restaurant/bar on 25th floor or alternately the Blue Horizon Bar in Shangrila Hotel - both good for a free view from on high.

If you feel you ain't going to be good for the 24hh then the Rocks is good for evening and even check out www.sydneyobservatory.com.au for an evening of stars, and fit in supper on The Rocks somewhere, maybe check out the Casino around the corner a bit.
Putting the head down?, get it up extra early and it could be breke at the rocks/climb the pylon or Bondi/cliffs walk but bear in mind you do not want to be at the airport later than noon and that'll mean curtailing whatever you are doing by 11.30 at latest.

One advantage of 24hhy is you'll certainly sleep well on the plane.

THanks for the welcome and response, gonorth...you have been most helpful. I'm actually flying in from Cairns on a domestic flight that late morning, and leaving international for New Zealand 4:30pm the day after (hence the extra 3 hrs need to be at the airport). That's just how my plans turned out--I will have seen NT/Outback/Reef prior, so I felt I needed at least a day to appreciate the natural/cosmopolitan delights of Sydney.

Hmmmmm.... I technically have 26.5 hrs or so and was originally thinking of getting some shuteye, but the 24hr hyper may be my best bet. So Doyles, free views from hotel bars are now on the list. Must look more into what to do in the twilight hours and the Cross...no "curfew" eh? Thanks for considering the logistics...any more "must-do's"? A favorite pub, Museum, or street corner? Best dessert/cafe? Brekke joint? Catching a performance at the opera worth it? Best place to nap (just in case) without getting arrested or mugged?

thanks to all in advance...

They say three hours these days for international flights but that is a bit over the top I reckon, two being well enough and OK , not Sydney but I have turned up 45 minutes before flights to NZ.

So if you have a little more time (and coming in on national and leaving from international if you want to go 24hhy, and it will be sleeping time in NZ too so you can catch up, but you would lose an hour or so taking your luggage to international for next day), you could do Bondi for breke, it not far from the Cross (but like any City, stay in well lit main streets) and then head back to Darling Harbour where there's the Power House Museum and grab a cheap bite in a foodie hall in Chinatown before heading to airport, but even going 24h, you're certainly going to have your time cut out and we have not even suggested having a walk around the Opera house and along to Mrs Macquaries chair - nice Harbour walk.

I am not in Sydney often enough to have developed any favourites, but down the Rocks end of town, there are a few of the older style pubs that have a decent enough atmosphere.
There's a lot of different areas about the CBD, like Wooloomooloo, Balmain, Glebe (Glebe point road village atmosphere) not too far from Central Railway Station, Newtown, up the road a bit from Central Railway Station, hang a leftie at the University, but you'll just start to suck up time trying to get to too many places.

Manly does it for me far more than Bondi, and maybe you cut Bondi out and do the CBD things (Queen Victoria building) in lieu.

For napping, I'd reckon the Casino having some areas where there's cushy chairs if it is anything like most casinos and I've found that some Hungry Jacks (more so than McDonalds) have an upstairs section away from serving counter and they're open 24h, and if you buy a late snack and head up there, they'll probably leave you alone especially if you ask if thay have a breke menu starting at a particular time, and then sort of asking/saying - I might doze for a while beforehand.

Have a look at www.bbh.co.nz for digs in NZ if not already arranged and Skyway Lodge close to Auckland airport is OK if going there but even if there is a free pick up which should be OK before 10pm. it'll cost you as much in a taxi the next morning to head back to airport for airbus to city, so maybe just head to city and for a good sleep City Garden Lodge is good and a defacto free breke in morning, owner having some sort of deal with a baker and there's great fresh bread and spreads available with coffee/tea etc.

Gargantuan, having recently spent a few days in Sydney and if you are inclined to zoos, way to go.

It is a good zoo, albeit the elephants and currently in quarantine, but the view you get of the harbour is simply breathtaking.

That photo doesn't really do it justice. The zoo is on an incline and you do get a view from a higher point than that. As well the bridge and the opera house seem much closer and larger than what they appear here.

You catch a ferry from circular key to get there. Bit pricey. Think it is $AUD 45.00 an adult for a day at the zoo. Was 120 a family anyway.

On a side note, there was lots of international backpackers there when we were there. Couldn't help but wonder if any were BnAers.

I did the Bondi to Coogee walk and it was beautiful yet if you are strapped for time and are from Cali I'd skip it because you can find something like that here.

Hi garganguan, what i think maybe a good start to the day is if you get the train from the airport to Kings Cross, leave the station through the Victoria street exit, so you avoid the 'main' Kings Cross street Bayswater road i think?? it's been a few years! Then take a right and walk al the way down Victoria street, lovely tree lined road, really Sydney-ish. Near the bottom on the left is a big set of stairs going down, take these down and your in Wollomooloo, trun left at the bottom of the stairs and cross the road and you'll come to Harry's Cafe De Wheels, this is the best place to grab a nice quickie lunch. Pie and peas with mash and gravy for a few bucks. Munch to your hearts content and then keep walking, away from the stairs direction and you come to some more stairs upwards which will lead you into the botanical gardens, bear left and you'll be walking towards Mrs Macqantires chair as mentioned above and then the gorgeous harbour walk round to the opera house and circular quay. From there you can get th ferry to Manly, personally i prefer Bondi cause i use to live there but the surf is suppose to be better at Manly, and do your surfing thing and then back into town for dinner and whatever you feel like doing in the evening.
Just my $0.02 but i can't speak highly enough of the victoria street walk + stairs, Harrys and botanical garden + harbour walk! When i lived in sydney and had some time i would always do this walk, sometimes rollerblade it, and i miss it like you wouldn't beleive!!!!!!!!!
Peace and love, Danny J

Looks like this is the latest thread to go into my "favorites" to be used later in the year.

If you are really, really into aquariums, you might want to hit the one in Sydney. It's still the best I've seen. Loved it!

But if you only have one day, you might have to miss it.

My favorite thing about Sydney was just walking around by the Opera House and Darling Harbour. It was so beautiful.

IMO, The Rocks wouldn't take much time to stroll thru. It's just a cool area.

I actually didn't go to Bondi, but to Manly. It was really nice, and the ferry over is pretty cool in itself.

Sydney is one of my favorite cities. So pretty....

Thanks for all the excellent suggestions. It will have to be a process of elimination given the multitude of options. There is an art and science to travel, for me a hard balance between overplanning and spontaneity. I suppose I could schedule every minute of my 26 hours, but I will likely end up falling asleep on Manly Beach with my belly full of meat pies and tim-tams...

Paolo,
I was having second sleepy thoughts myself, and what with the hastle of getting from national to international and then cost of overnight storage being near as much for a hostel bed, you'll probably have a cleaner start to the day jumping on the train straight to Central and booking a bed for YHA railway square, and then at least you will have somewhere to carsh, even if for four/five hours and have a shower to recharge.

Agree with Gonorth - 2 hours prior to departure for an international flight to NZ should be fine.
Some links you may find useful

Sydney Tower Restaurant
hop on hop off
sydney pass
sydney opera house