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Great Things to See and Do in Sydney

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

You have to experience Sydney's Mardi Gras at least once in your life. It's wild. Think thousands upon thousands of gay people taking over the streets of Sydney, costumes, floats, marching drags ... all of it ending up at an all-night party at the Fox Studios. It's enough to send shivers down your spine. And if you can't make Mardi Gras at the beginning of the year, consider coming to Sydney for Sleaze Ball in October or November, or for New Year's Eve. All are highly recommended.

Go surfing

It may not be an obvious choice, but leaving Australia without trying surfing is like visiting Norway and not going skiing. And where better to have your first surfing lesson than at Bondi Beach? The local surf school caters for beginners who have never ridden a board before, and provides boards, wetsuits, and two hours of friendly tuition in small groups of about six.

Catch the Manly Ferry

Seriously. It leaves from Circular Quay, and takes you to Manly Beach and back. And it's one of the best (and cheapest) ways to enjoy a cruise with the locals on Sydney Harbour. At Manly, wander down The Corso to Manly Beach, pick up some fish and chips, and enjoy the sun, sand and surf. It's magic. A less-touristy alternative is to catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Old Cremorne, then take an easy walk along the foreshore to Cremorne Point and pick up the ferry on its return to the Quay ... wonderful views, without the crowds.


Climb the Harbour Bridge

One of the most successful additions to Sydney's "must do" list is BridgeClimb. So get your gear on, strap up, and join a small group climb over the top of this Sydney icon. The views are to die for.

Lunch at Bondi Beach

You can't come to Sydney and not enjoy lunch while gazing out over the Pacific at Bondi Beach. Bondi's main drag, Campbell Parade, is lined with cafes and restaurants: try Sean's Panorama at the northern end; Yulla or Fu Manchu at the southern end. After lunch, go for a walk along the cliffs to Sydney's gay beach, Tamarama, renamed Glamarama in honour of the beautiful people.


Eat your heart out

You may have heard the hype already about Sydney's food and wine culture. The truth is, dining here is extraordinarily good. Splurge at least once on one of the following: The Boatshed, Acqua Luna, Level 41, Tetsuya's, Claudes, or MG Garage. Oh, and bring your credit card

A night at the Opera

Book tickets for a performance at the Sydney Opera House. On any given night there's bound to be a choice of fine music, theatre, and/or opera. Be sure to get there in time for a glass of champagne before the show, and revel in the atmosphere of Sydney's most beautiful building.

Saturday in Paddington

Walk the walk along Oxford Street in Paddington on Saturday morning, along with every other style maven in town. Stop for coffee, visit the Paddington Markets, block the traffic while you chat for a while with your new best friends, and pick up something stylish from Saba or Isogawa.

Pick up

... your weekly copy of the Sydney Star Observer, the best gay and lesbian newspaper around. The other free gay newspaper is SX; both can be found at cafes, music stores, bars and nightclubs along Oxford Street and King Street. Also look out for the classy gay mag, DNA (available in newsagents); and Lesbians on The Loose, published monthly and available free.

Cruise the Hunter Valley

Get out of town for a weekend. Go north to the vineyards of the Hunter Valley and sample some fine Australian wines, or head west to the Blue Mountains, just under 2hrs from Sydney.