Holiday in Sydney, Australia

[PersephoneSmith]

I’ve booked myself a flight to Sydney for a holiday next spring. I’m super excited but I have no one to share it with!
Please share your best tips if you have been. Hidden gems I might not find on trip advisor :D

Head down the coast for a few days in Byron Bay! Sydney is stunning and definitely one to tick off the bucket list but it’s very much a major city and lacks authenticity in places. Byron is lovely for a chilled, proper Aussie vibe. It was my absolute favourite place we visited in all of Australia.

My top Sydney recommendation is the Manly ferry - best (& cheapest!) way to see the opera house and harbour bridge.

Byron Bay sounds lovely, nearly 14 hours on the train though, that’s a lot!
I did think about actually staying in Manly for a few days.

You can get quick, cheap flights to Byron from Sydney. Approx 90 mins and shouldn’t cost you any more than $100AUD. We did that train ride once - never again! 🤣

I’m a wheelchair user, I can’t cope with internal flights on small planes, unfortunately.

What do you like to do? Whatever, though. Don’t bother with an expensive tourist harbour boat ride. Get the Manly ferry from Circular Quay and envy those for whom this is their commute to work

Manly is lovely as is Watson’s Bay, you can also get the ferry there and go to Doyle’s, either the fish and chippy at the dock, which does really lovely tasty food and not just fish and chips or Doyle’s on the beach, which is a bit pricey but worth treating yourself.
The botanical gardens are stunning and although we’re not in wheelchairs, I would imagine it’s pretty accessible.
The Chinese garden of friendship is stunning, it’s by Darling Harbour and is so tranquil you’d never know you were in the city centre.

I like galleries, theatre, museums, culture, architecture, food :) just googling trips on the train from Sydney and it suggested Terrigal and Wollongong.

That’s amazing, thank you

Wollongong is near where we stayed. Trains are very easy, no booking needed and compared to the UK, cheap. Buses are also very good and accessible. Get an opal card which you can load up for all public transport.I take it you won't be driving as you referred to trains. Go a bit further south to Shellharbour and Kiama, gorgeous coast and lovely little towns. Lake illawarra is nearby and lots of lovely paths along beautiful beaches. But Sydney itself has excellent galleries and museums, botanical gardens are truly lovely and easy to navigate. The view as you come around the corner and see the bridge an opera house is stunning. Ferry to Manly great 20s buildings and food. If you like zoos Taronga park-just doing the native animals took us a day.
Im so envious OP, wish I was going again. You'll have a blast

The Art Gallery of NSW is great. It’s quite a while ago, but I was bowled over by this https://whiterabbitcollection.org/

Also, if you are happy to train, go to Canberra. It’s a weird city in some ways, but the National Gallery is well worth a look.

I hadn’t thought about Canberra, not a bad idea!