A Saturday Afternoon Exploring
Sydney is such a big place that you can’t possibly squeeze it all into one weekend. So here’s how we spent our 24 hours in Sydney, and prioritised what to see on this visit.
We arrived in North Sydney around lunchtime – timed to arrive after 12:30 pm to take advantage of the free car parking in the streets rather than pay hotel car parking prices! As it’s the business district, it isn’t so busy on a Saturday but the one-way streets do make it trickier to navigate!
First stop was Betty’s Burger’s and Concrete to hydrate and taste test the concrete – We opted for the Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake (not quite lemony enough for our taste) and the Biscoff (delicious)!
Taking the scenic route down to the water, we explored Wendy Whitley’s Secret Garden in Lavender bay – a relaxing oasis in the middle of the city, and giving you great views of the bridge through the greenery – before walking around past Luna Park and the Olympic Swimming Pool back up to the train station to catch the metro to Circular Quay.
From there, we wandered into the Opera Bar for an expensive beer with an iconic view.
Pro tip – get a table right on the water front but as far away from the Opera House as possible. This allows you to capture both the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge for that perfect shot!
Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden 
Sydney Harbour Bridge from Lavender Bay Jetty 
The view from the Opera Bar
It was also fun to watch the dog officially on Seagull Patrol, having a fantastic time chasing the birds while simultaneously performing his civic duty by protecting our chippies from the pests, who hovered far too close to our heads when he wasn’t around!
This being my first time in Sydney (apart from Hotel Quarantine), I was offered a choice of Plan A or B to decide the afternoon itinerary, and given my inability to make such a big decision we flipped for it.
Plan B turned out to be a ferry trip to Manly. The views from the ferry were incredible; the bridge, opera house and the city skyline. I would recommend the trip even if you don’t get off the boat the other side (but you definitely should)! It was a windy one though, and I would taste the salt spray for the rest of day.
In the time it takes to get from Circular Quay to Manly Wharf, you go from bustling and touristy to laid back and relaxed. There was a great vibe about Manly despite it obviously being a wealthy area, and it was a pleasant stroll from the wharf to Manly Beach along the pedestrianised street with music pumping, water fountains and a nice mix of shops and restaurants. The beach itself was hardly full – after all it was still spring and a cool 21 degrees – but it was enjoyable to stand in the sunshine, looking out to sea and taking a moment to appreciate life.
And of course, you can’t visit the seaside without having ice cream, and how fortunate we were that there was a Ben & Jerry’s store just across from the beach! We both chose flavours not available in the UK (Cherry Garcia and The Tonight Dough) and a few scoops later we sat relishing both the ice cream and the view.
In no hurry at all, we ambled back to the ferry and arrived just as one was about to depart. The return trip wasn’t quite so pleasant as the wind had picked right up, and yet we were stubborn enough to stay outside!!
But it was worth it not only for the trip to Manly itself, but also as the spectacular Sydney skyline came into view once more.
After admiring the Christmas Tree outside the Customs House, we hopped back on the metro over the bridge, alighting at Milsons Point in order to capture the opposite view of the Opera House, Sydney city skyline and the Harbour Bridge, as well as the purples of the Jacaranda Trees.
It had already been a long day, so we traipsed up the hill to check into our hotel, before heading out again once dark to take advantage of the fact that we were close to the waterfront to capture the same views by night.
I look forward to finding out what plan A was someday soon!
Customs House Christmas Tree 
Sydney by Night 
Luna Park by Night
Sunday Morning in Kirribilli
On Sunday we took a leisurely stroll down to Kirribilli in search of breakfast and found the Kirribilli markets. The markets are held close to Milsons Point Station and essentially in the shadow of the bridge.
The atmosphere was fantastic, particularly around the ‘Eat Street’ section where the smells of the food stalls, both sweet and savoury, combined with the fabulous music was enough to lighten anyone’s mood! We sampled food from the Pig Baron, Winnie Yap, Luna Cakes, and the Handmade Chocolate Emporium. However, I think my favourite stall was the pottery at @Menom_som.
The whole place was alive with activity, and it felt like some normality after the restrictions of the past year. It was nice to forget about it all for an hour or two as we wandered through admiring the displays, from art to jewellery through to clothes and handmade dog treats! I was a little sad to leave the markets and the hustle and bustle of Sydney to face the drive home.
But it’s been a fun 24 hours in Sydney, and I very much look forward to returning soon!
Kirribilli Markets under the bridge 
The Handmade Chocolate Emporium Stall 
MeNom Som Pottery
Recommendations
- Stay: Meriton Suites North Sydney for value vs location
- Eat: Betty’s Burgers and Concrete for a good burger and tasty frozen custard
- Do: Visit the Opera Bar – great atmosphere & outstanding views.
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