Sydney is built for the warmer months which is luckily most of the year round. Depending on your tolerance for heat November is good for spring weather, December – February is good if you like it blistering hot and March – April is still warm with a cool breeze.
WHERE TO STAY?
The magic of Sydney lives along the beaches in Sydney’s eastern suburbs as well as parts of the inner city. Airbnbs are probably the best way to go – Bondi Beach, Bronte, Clovelly and Tamarama are my recommendations if you want to be near the beach but, if you like a more urban feel, Surry Hills or Paddington are your best bet. The QT in Bondi is a favourite if you prefer to stay in a hotel.
THINGS TO DO
Outdoor Activities:
Bondi to Coogee coastal walk
Catch the Ferry to Manly Beach
Catch a seaplane from Rose Bay
Climb the Harbour Bridge
Hermitage Foreshore coastal walk
Beaches:
I’ll start with the famous beaches:
Bondi
Coogee
Bronte
Manly
Cronulla
Tamarama
“Secret Beaches”:
My favourite secret harbour beaches that locals go to:
Milk Beach
Kutti Beach
Red Leaf Beach
Gordon’s Bay
My favourite thing to do on a weekend is to get to Gordon’s Bay early in the morning and go for a snorkel.
Shopping
Fiveways in Paddington along Glenmore Road and Oxford Street (for boutique shopping including Australian brands such as Zimmerman and Manning Cartell)
Coco and Lola in Double Bay is a gorgeous boutique that carries Australia’s most iconic designers
The Strand (this place is super fancy)
The Queen Victoria Building (this is worth stopping by even if only for the architecture and you can enjoy some high tea in the tea rooms upstairs)
Glebe Markets (for a more eclectic experience)
Pitt Street Mall (this has everything you could possibly need)
Dining:
Totti’s in Rozelle (this place does tapas like no other and their oven roasted flat bread is to die for)
Margaret in Double Bay (my personal favourite Sydney restaurant owned by chef Neil Perry, this place has the most exquisite wood-fire menu and is right across the road from Coco and Lola for the perfect afternoon)
The Boathouse in Rosebay (perfect for seafood by the Marina and the best crab toast)
10 William Street in Paddington (this place has a rustic feel nestled in one of Paddington’s side streets)
Four Ate Five Cafe in Surry Hills (our favourite breakfast spot)
Feeling fancy?
Saint Peter in Paddington (world renowned chef Josh Niland uses seafood to create masterpieces like his famous Yellowfin Tuna Wellington)
Bennelong in the Botanic Gardens
Catalina in Rose Bay
Mimi’s (with large French windows overlooking Coogee beach and a caviar trolley that continuously rolls through the restaurant – this is my favourite spot for treating someone special on their birthday)
Day drinking
(Sydney siders love nothing more than a linen outfit and day drinking by the water)
Coogee Pavilion (this bar is an institution but don’t let that fool you, it’s the perfect spot for cocktails on a rooftop overlooking Coogee beach)
Opera Bar an outdoor bar with views of the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge
Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel (for the full experience catch the ferry from Circular Quay, which will drop you off right in front of the bar)
Continuing the festivities into the evening?
If you’re looking for a night on the town and a dance floor:
The Sheaf in Double Bay
The Beresford (their patio bar is a great place to start, followed by some dancing on their upstairs DF)
Best low key on-the-go bites:
South Dowling Sandwiches (a hole in the wall which makes the best sandwiches and salads in town – make sure you get extra caramelized carrots and a side of the homemade chilli sauce)
Chargrill Charlie’s in Bondi or Rose Bay (they do the best bbq chicken – my favourite thing to do is get a big bag of fries smothered in gravy on the side)
Charcoal Fish (they’re famous for their tuna cheeseburger but I love their fish rotisserie roll with crispy fish skin)
Out of the Blue (the best Chicken burgers in Sydney – tip grab a burger and go sit by Clovelly beach and watch the surfers)
Things to avoid:
The central business district (CBD) which is our version of FiDi. It has the famous landmarks such as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, which you should see, but don’t get stuck there like most tourists do.
