Our new service Down Under adds Sydney, Australia to your up ’n coming destination list! So let’s get going. G’day, mates.
After a long flight, you’ll appreciate a pre-booked ride. GO Airport Shuttle can make your trip from SYD — Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport to your hotel or other destination easy, convenient and affordable (with rates starting at just $18!). That should leave you with more time to enjoy your visit, because there’s certainly a lot to see and do.
Here’s one way to go about discovering Sydney: see it the way those first boatloads of Britishers did back in 1788 when they first arrived to colonize the Continent. Yes, Australia is not just an island, it’s our smallest Continent.
Head for the Circular Quay Harbor Area where the boats first landed in Sydney Cove. You’ll find many historical highlights within walking distance of each other, including a choice of nine different ferry lines covering just about anywhere you can think of for a little excursion up or down the coast or just around the harbor. The surrounding area going inland is called The Rocks, so bring good walking shoes to explore its many shops and restaurants. It’s like an open-air museum of Australian history and culture. Weekends can get pretty crowded.
The first “can’t miss” site is the iconic Sydney Harbor Bridge — the world’s largest steel arch bridge. You can attack it several different ways: walk across completely (about 20 minutes), climb to the very top on a tour, or visit the Pylon Museum for a lesson in bridge building, plus a 200-step climb to the observation deck. Any way you choose will give you an incredible view of everything that is modern day Sydney.
While taking in the vastness and beauty of Australia’s second largest city, you could map out the rest of your visit. There are many resources available, from Trip Advisor to Wikipedia. One local source for tours and events is Visit Sydney to get an overview of what’s currently going on during your visit. There’s even a WikiAustralia to explore.
But your second “can’t miss” stop has to be the Sydney Opera House, probably one of the most distinctive and familiar buildings in the world. The locals once described it as “nuns in a rugby scrum.” There’s opera, of course. With culture, comedy, music, dance, and history filling its many concert halls. It’s located right on the harbor on Bennelong Point, named for the first Aboriginal to visit Europe and return. It even has its own opera, created in honor of being “The Eighth Wonder” in the world of architecture.
Plan a tour of the building, if you can, or just walk along the sea wall and watch the trained border collies chase the seagulls away. You might even meet Benny the fur seal who hangs out around the VIP steps. There are lots of restaurants right there, so sit back and enjoy the view. Then come back in the evening for a performance.
Right next door to the Opera House sits the The Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney. There are actually several Royal Botanic Gardens in Australia, if you have a few more days. Here in Sydney, you’ll find a Palace Rose Garden and a summer meadow. Being so isolated from the rest of the world, you’ll likely discover plants that don’t exist anywhere else (check out the Moreton Bay fig trees), along with a quiet respite from the bustling urban world, right in the heart of the city.
Most Top 10 Sydney lists include a sunset ferry ride around the harbor (anytime of day is beautiful, too), a lazy Aussie brunch in one of the cool suburbs of Surry Hills or Potts Point, a night of entertainment in the jazz clubs and dancing venues in Newtown or Darlinghurst, and a peaceful sit in Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, carved out of the mountain.
There are also museums galore. From continental/cultural history featuring the Aboriginal and Gadigal heritage at The Australian Museum, to the huge Art Gallery of New South Wales (NSW, which you might see a lot around town, is actually the official state in which Sydney is located. As a matter of fact, you might even hear Sydney referred to as “Warrane,” it’s original name), to the Museum of Contemporary Art, which has 4,000 pieces to exhibit. You’ll be amazed how something so ancient can look so modern.
You see, Australia is a very old continent with a tremendous history. They take their indigenous roots very seriously. Just about every public place pays homage to the past and to the people who inhabited the island for thousands of years before the Brits even showed up. At one time, 300 indigenous languages were spoken there.
But you came to Australia to see the beaches, surfing, and the animal life, like sharks and whales. “Tie me kangaroo down” has been on your brain for years! For beaches (and sharks, ugh!), there’s an easy bus ride to Bondi Beach (pronounced “bond eye”), with swimming, sunning and costal exploring. And, unless you also have plans to head for the Outback, you’ll find all the Australian wildlife you need just 12 minutes away at Taronga Zoo; dingoes, koalas, kangaroos, even emus (that crossword puzzle favorite).
New South Wales actually offers a wide diversity of activities outside of Sydney: from tropical banana plantations to the north, the snow-capped Blue Mountains to the south, and the wide-open Outback to the west. Tours are available. All you need is time.
Australia sits in the Southern Hemisphere so their weather is usually the opposite of ours. Good for you; over the next few months, it’ll be getting warmer down there while a lot of our country will be getting colder. Now’s a perfect time to try our new service. Just visit Go Airport Shuttle and we’ll make sure you have an “Aussie good time” Down Under, or wherever you go.