Sydney Things to Do Tips by picknick

Possibly the most relaxing way to travel to the Blue Mountains is by Rail.
City Rail offer an extremely efficient service to the Blue Mountains Katoomba Station. Katoomba is the most visited town in the Blue Mountains.

The Scenic Railway is the steepest railway incline in the world and is now one of the most popular man-made tourist attractions in Australia. The ride takes you down the steep descent past Orphan Rock, through a tunnel and the beautiful fern-damp cliff face.

Adjacent to the Scenic Railway is the new Sceniscender, the steepest aerial cable car in Australia. The Sceniscender takes you on a 545 metre ride into the World Heritage Listed rainforest of the Jamison valley. Also at the same site is the magnificent Scenic Skyway. The new Skyway can carry up to 84 passengers across the Jamison Valley at a height of 200 metres. The views are breathtaking.

A visit to the Blue Mountains would not be complete without viewing the spectacular Three Sisters at Echo Point. While the Blue Mountains features so much more than this natural attraction you can’t help but admire the unquestionable beauty of this amazing rock formation.

The character of the Three Sisters changes throughout the day and throughout the seasons as the sunlight brings out the magnificent colours.
The Three Sisters is also floodlit at night looking even more stunning set against the black background of the night sky. For those wishing to know more about the Three Sisters, the Aboriginal Dream Time Stories are well worth a read.

The famous Giant Stairway is also found at Echo Point. If you are enthusiastic and energetic, you can take the 800 steps down to the floor of the valley.

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Website: http://www.bluemts.com.au/

Circular Quay is situated around Sydney Cove, once a shipping region, but now a transport, leisure and recreational centre. It is made up of walkways, parks and restaurants and hosts a number of ferry quays and a train station.

There are a couple of art galleries on Circular Quay, The Museum of Contemporary Art in an art deco building, and the grand looking Customs House.

There are great views of the Harbour Bridge, a short distance away.

On the southern side of Circular Quay is a walkway that leads to the Sydney Opera House and Royal Botanical Gardens; while on the northern side, a short walk along lovely landscaped walkways takes you to the Harbour Bridge and The Rocks, one of the oldest, most attractive and most interesting parts of Sydney.

Circular Quay is at the foot of the central business district and the older, historic end of the city. Buses depart here for Bondi and the eastern suburbs.

There is a major railway station at the quay, which is part of the underground City Circle , which skirts around the CBD. Alongside the ferry terminals are a number of small outdoor cafes and the area is a magnet for buskers of every description.

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The district known as The Rocks, Sydney's first village, has a fascinating history as a colonial port area. Many of the restored old buildings retain their heritage status and now house interesting shops and galleries, quaint pubs and good restaurants. Take a walk along the backstreets and check out the Argyle Stores and nearby Playfair Street. The Rocks Markets, which take over a section of George Street, is a weekend market specialising in Australian homewares, antiques, collectables, gifts and arts and crafts.

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Directions: Circular Quay

Darling Harbour is one of the world's great waterfront destinations. With its spectacular harbour setting, Darling Harbour has many of Australia's key tourist attractions and it’s also a favourite place for Sydneysiders to spend their time relaxing and celebrating.

Must-see attractions at Darling Harbour include:

-Sydney Aquarium - one of the largest in the world with over 11,500 all Australian aquatic animals

-Australian National Maritime Museum – free entry to Australia’s most-visited maritime museum

-Chinese Garden of Friendship – a cultural oasis in the heart of Sydney

-IMAX Theatre – catch a movie on this giant screen, more than eight storeys high

-Powerhouse Museum – home to Australian culture and history

-Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre – Australia’s premier venue for major events and conferences
-Cockle Bay Wharf and King Street Wharf – two of Sydney's favourite dining and entertainment destinations

-Harbourside Shopping Centre – offers a unique shopping, dining and leisure experience.

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Website: http://www.darlingharbour.com.au/content/home/home.cfm

Kids just love to take off their shoes and walk down the steps of this spiral shaped fountain located outside Darling Harbour Convention Centre Forecourt. Even I could not resist taking a photo in the center of the fountain.

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Directions: Outside Darling Harbour Convention Centre Forecourt.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia's most well known and photographed landmarks. It is the world's largest (but not the longest) steel arch bridge with the top of the bridge standing 134 metres above the harbour.

Fondly known by the locals as the 'Coathanger', the Sydney Harbour Bridge celebrated its 70th birthday in 2002, with its official opening in March 1932.

Climbing the Bridge
BridgeClimb started in 1998 and attracts tourists and locals alike to climb the monument. After climbing through catwalks and up ladders and stairs, the view is absolutely breathtaking. There are day, twilight and night climbs and a group of twelve will leave for a climb every ten minutes. The safety precautions taken include a blood alcohol reading and a Climb Simulator, which shows Climbers the climbing conditions that might be experienced on the Bridge.

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Website: http://www.bridgeclimb.com/

The Pylon Lookout
The Pylon Lookout is at the southern eastern end of the Bridge (the Rocks end) and visitors can go and see an exhibition about the Bridge and well as see the spectacular 360° view from the top of the pylon.

There are 200 stairs to the Pylon Lookout™, 87 metres above mean sea level, but on the way up there are 3 levels of exhibits where you will discover the history and construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the men who built it, and the vision of JJC Bradfield, chief engineer.

OPENING TIMES
Open to the public 7 days, from 10.00am to 5.00pm.
(Closed Christmas Day)

General Admission (13 years and over) $8.50
Children (8 to 12 years, inclusive) $3.00
Children (7 years and under) FREE

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Directions: The Pylon Lookout is at the southern eastern end of the Bridge (the Rocks end)
Website: http://www.pylonlookout.com.au/

One of the best aerial view photo you can take of the Opera House is from the pylon lookout on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. See my Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout tip on how to get there.

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The Sydney Opera House is the busiest performing arts centre in the world. Since its opening in 1973, it has brought countless hours of entertainment to millions of people and has continued to attract the best in world class talent year after year.

Even today, many visitors are surprised to find that the Sydney Opera House is really a complex of theatres and halls all linked together beneath its famous shells.

In an average year, the Sydney Opera House presents theatre, musicals, opera, contemporary dance, ballet, every form of music from symphony concerts to jazz as well as exhibitions and films. It averages around 3,000 events each year with audiences totaling up to two million. In addition, approximately 200,000 people take a guided tour of the complex each year. The Opera House operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day and Good Friday.

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Website: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Look at the size of this thing!

The Sydney Opera House, considered a great architectural wonder, contains one hundred and fifty tons of concrete, and takes a height of about 221 feet, a width of 597 feet, with 66,420 feet of glass surrounding it.

Facts:
- Along with the Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House is the city's most recognized structure.
- The Sydney Opera House boasts 20,000 light fittings. Its gleaming white sails comprise 1,057,000 Swedish tiles.
- Uses 6225 square metres of glass and 645 kilometres of electric cable.
- Joern Utzon's design was chosen from 233 entries in the 1956 international competition.
- In 2001 the architect Jørn Utzon was called upon in the capacity of consultant to oversee the refurbishment of his building.

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Website: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com