TOP 5 Things to do in Sydney if you don't want to be the typical tourist 1/3 - Nature

 

I think it's not hard for people who know me well to tell that Sydney is my absolute favorite place to live. On my journeys through Australia & Europe I've met a bunch of people who have been to Sydney. Some of them hype it as much as I do. Some of them find it "boring, to expensive, not that special, or simply just not good enough". Sometimes I just felt that people who were disappointed about this city just have been to the wrong places. There's way more to see than the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. 

 

I've created a little list of my personal things to do and see in Sydney. I am going to split this topic into three different categories. In the first category I'd like to share some cool things you can do in nature. 

 

#1 The Bondi to Coogee Beach Walk 

Yes - it is a little touristy but absolutely worth the experience for everyone. Sydney is surrounded by water everywhere. With more than 200 kilometers of harbour foreshore, beaches and stunning cliffsides it is one of the best things to do. This walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach is combining stunning beaches, coastal views, swimming pools and parks together. 6 kilometers of pure enjoyment with heaps of stairs and viewing platforms! It takes me about 1 and 2 hours to accomplish this beauty. Make sure you reward your walking-efforts with a cool beer at the "Coogee Pavillion" ;) 

Tipp: You get the most out of this spectacular coastal walk during the "Sculpture by the Sea - Festival" in Spring. They display all different kind of art there. Sculptures, pictures, figures and funky obstacles. 

The best: IT'S FOR FREE! 

 

#2 Palm Beach - Northern Beaches

I personally love the Northern Beaches. Especially Palm Beach is an area with a very unique and natural vibe. The golden sand beaches, evergreen bushland and pristine blue waters make this location a real stunner! As it is located quite far out of the CBD of Sydney (approximately 35 kilometers) I'd recommend to plan the whole day in to spend for this activity. You can get there by public transport or by your own car. If you love to spend your free time in nature and do like hiking and stuff I'd suggest to go all the way up to the lighthouse. It is the most northern tip of the Sydney-Area and offers you a breathtaking view over the whole Palm Beach suburbs. A great way to end a day in Palm Beach is the "Boat House". What a nice place to enjoy a fabulous dinner and the sunset in the arvo.

 

#3 Watsons Bay 

Watsons Bay is quite easy to access from the Sydney CBD and can be done straight after work or on a sunny weekend day. You can either take the ferry from Circular Quay or the Bus to get there nice and convenient. Take a walk to the Lighthouse on the very top and make your way further down to the viewing platform where the entrance of Sydney harbour is (worlds biggest natural Harbour). Enjoying a cool beer with some seafood at the "Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel" with a view on the beautiful silhouette of Sydney can't be wrong. It gets even more stunning when you watch the sunset from there in the arvo. 

 

#4 Dee Why Beach

In my opinion one of the most underestimated beaches of Sydney. Yes, Bondi Beach is great and of course Manly is absolutely worth your time! But if you want to see some other beaches far away from the common tourist tracks you should give Dee Why Beach a try. Tourists are rarely seen there - unless they got lost. The beachside offers you a swimming pool on the very southern part of Dee Why Cliffs Reserve and leads you up north to the Dee Why Lagoon Wildlife Refuge. A beautiful Lagoon with heaps of wildlife and some great fauna. Give it a try Guys. 

#5 Barangaroo Reserve Park - near Milsons Point

I remember the day when I got to Sydney for the first time in my life. As probably every tourist I had a stroll through the city; made my way to the Opera House and then down to the Harbour Bridge. I just kept walking and got to a place that was everything else than nice to look at. A devastating, grey, flat area with nothing else than an abandoned water tower and ruined leftovers from buildings. That was almost 4 years ago - times change. Today this place became one of my favorite places in Sydney. The Government of NSW created a fabulous urban waterside park for their Sydney locals which offers heaps of opportunities to sit down and relax. I'm always amazed that you are actually in the middle of the city but find some calmness and quietness there. You can walk along the water from the Harbour Bridge all the way towards Darling Harbour. The modern urban style design fits perfectly into the wild nature and combines nature with modern architecture. 

Five things to do in Sydney that not everyone does or knows about. I hope I could give you guys some inspiration to try something out that you haven't done so far. Please feel free to give me some feedback about my tips or even better - write down your TOP5 things in the comments and I'll try them out.

 

Your biggest fan 

 

Alexx