Explore with Amie

I’m really sorry that this post is coming to you a little later than usual. I have been so busy over the last week with university work and then spent my one free day out in the mountains. Look out for a post about the walk I did coming soon! Today, I’m following on from a post I uploaded a couple of weeks ago on things to do in Sydney, Australia. If you’re in the city for a few days and are looking to explore further afield then this guide will help you! Most of the suggestions here are also accessible by public transport.

Coogee to Bondi Beach Coast Walk

Bondi Beach is perhaps one of the most iconic suburbs of Sydney. It is home to the famous swimming pool as well as one of the most gorgeous beaches I have ever seen. Because it is so iconic, it does get very busy during the summer months. The best way to see Bondi Beach is to make a day of it and walk along the coast from Coogee Beach. You can get the bus from Elizabeth Street, about 10minutes from Haymarket where a lot of the hostels are located. It takes around 35minutes to an hour to get there depending on the route you take. We didn’t hang around at Coogee and just headed straight along to Bondi. This is a beautiful walk and you could stop at many different beaches along the way. You can really make the day what you want it to be. In terms of accessibility, most of this walk is either tarmac or boardwalk however, it does feature steps.

Manly

Another beach option is to get the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Beach. This is another really lovely area for relaxation. We helped ourselves to coffee and ice cream and had a lovely mooch around the shops here. The main beach, again, gets quite busy but, we ventured further afield to some of the coves near the Sydney Harbour National Park. Unfortunately, a lot of the features of this area were closed so we couldn’t explore fully but nonetheless, it was a beautiful day on the beach. Swimming in Australia is just on another level.

Taronga Zoo, Sydney

We opted to go to the Zoo further up the Coast however, if you’re in Australia for longer than I was then you might want to go to multiple. Taronga Zoo in Sydney is a popular option. You can get the bus from Wynyard in the city centre, straight to the Zoo. It costs $49.40 for adult entry and $27.00 for children. Concessions as well as family passes are also available. I cannot comment on how great this is from personal experience but, I have heard it is a fabulous day out to see some Aussie animals for yourself. It also has a heavy focus on conservation as it is a not-for-profit organisation so all the money goes straight back into the upkeep and conservation of the animals. It is home to Kangaroos and Koalas’ as well as Sumatra Tigers, Chimpanzees’, Honeyeaters and many more animals.

Palm Beach

This one is a little niche but, for me, it is one of the best day trips from Sydney. That is especially the case if you’re a fan of the Australian soap, Home and Away. My mum has watched the show since she was a child and therefore, I grew up watching Home and Away everyday throughout my teenage years. Although, I don’t watch it anymore, one of the huge things on my Australia bucket list was to see where the show was filmed: Palm Beach! Regardless, this is another great beach to visit for surfing and sunbathing. I also took a walk up to the lighthouse which gave beautiful views of this area off the coast. It wasn’t an easy walk in the heat but I was very glad I decided to do it. I highly recommend this one! Sadly, one of the main Home and Away sets was being rebuilt when we visited and will be for a while I believe however, it was still great to see some of the other iconic spots.

Blue Mountains National Park

I could write a full post about the Blue Mountains and, in fact, I probably will. When I went to Australia, we decided to stay at a hostel in the Blue Mountains for a number of days and I do think that is the best to see what this national park has to offer. However, if you are limited on time then a day trip will suffice. If you are doing it this way, it may be better to book onto a tour if you do not have access to a car as, a planned itinerary will help you move between the top sights in an efficient manner. You can however, get a train to Katoomba. In my opinion, the two three sights in the Blue Mountains for a day trip are: Minnehaha Falls, Three Sisters and Wentworth Falls. I would also recommend having a lunch stop in Leura which is a beautiful and quaint little town. It has lots of independent shops as well as lovely cafes. We walked here from the Three Sisters and were rewarded with fresh orange juice. Nothing beats getting out of the city and into nature.

Those are my top 5 recommendations for day trips outside of Sydney. I hope this was helpful if you’re planning a trip anytime soon.

Amie x