Best Tourist Attractions In Sydney

Check out some of the best tourist attractions in Sydney that can be enjoyed by locals and tourist alike.

If you want to find the best tourist attractions in Sydney and activities to do, then Trip Planner is the right place to start. You don’t necessarily need to be a tourist to enjoy some of the best attractions in Sydney, and there’s something in this beautiful city for all ages and types of people.

Trip Planner went through the best of the biggest Sydney attractions and found some fantastic lesser-known attractions. There is a range of prices from free to activities in the hundreds of dollars. Trip Planner included tried-and-tested tourist attractions around Sydney, from thrill-seeking adventures to peaceful scenic tours of gardens and parks. You’ll be sure to find something for you on this list of best tourist attractions in Sydney. 

Go Wild at Sydney Zoo

Sydney’s newest Zoo in just over a century might be a 35km journey from the centre of Sydney, out by Bungarribee. Still, the carefully considered park design, state-of-the-art enclosures, and sheer range of different wildlife species make a visit to the Zoo well worth the trip. The Zoo’s innovative layout takes visitors on a journey around the world on a circuit of paths on which you’ll meet the familiar outback animals of Australia. You can then move onto the aquatic creatures of the world’s rivers, deltas, and then the tree-dwellers of the southeast Asian jungles, and finally, the majestic big five animals of Africa. The Sydney Zoo is one of the most worthwhile Sydney attractions to visit.

Book a Beautiful scenic flight with Sydney Seaplanes

Want to see Sydney from a different perspective? If so, then how about a flight around the harbour on a helicopter or seaplane. What was once Australia’s only international airport is now the base for a fleet of aircraft that’ll take you on beautiful scenic journeys around Sydney. You will fly over the Sydney harbour then out to the Northern Beaches. Depending on the package you pick, you could fly directly to a waterside restaurant after your flight. If you’re lucky during your flight and depending on the time of year, you might even spot a pod of dolphins or whales. Flights run roughly ten times a day all year round.

Go to the Museum of Contemporary Art

The MCA was reborn in 2012 after Two international design competitions, months of construction, and $53 million later. The MCA now boasts 50 percent additional floor space, a rooftop café, a sculpture terrace, and a high-tech education centre. The Sydney Museum of Contemporary art offers an overview of Australian art, with the Today Tomorrow Yesterday display being a particular highlight of the museum. Depending on when you visit, you will also get to view temporary exhibitions that often stay months at the museum, so check back on Trip Planner before you visit to see what’s on.

Horse riding at Centennial Park

You could be an expert jockey or total novice when it comes to riding, but Centennial Park can cater to you either way. Centennial Park is set within huge, lush, beautiful surroundings and a handful of inner-city riding schools. Eastside Riding Academy, Budapest Riding School, Papillon Riding School, and Centennial Stables are all in the vicinity. Riders can go it alone or have a ‘pony party’ with a group of friends. Either way, you choose, you’ll get a good look at the beautiful park when you’re going around the picturesque 3.6km horse track.

Cruise around Sydney Harbour on a Jetboat

If you are a thrill-seeking adventurer, then you need to experience the thrill of a Sydney Harbour Jetboat ride! The 30-minute thrilling ride around Sydney Harbour is one of very few white knuckle excitements you can enjoy so close to the Sydney Opera House. The jetboats go up to 40 knots as they speed from Circular Quay to Rose Bay, then Shark Beach, and out around Clark Island. You’ll have tunes blasting from the speakers along with instructions the driver gives to say when he’s about to spin the boat or pull a nosedive. You can expect to get very wet indeed on this thrilling ride. Warning that taking any valuable onboard will likely mean they are lost to the sea! Even though you’ll be wearing ponchos on the ride, you can expect to be soaked through after the ride. You’ll also have the opportunity to purchase some photos from your boat ride to keep the memories for years to come. Once you’ve done this adrenaline filled ride you’ll know exactly why it’s on our best tourist attractions in Sydney list!

Take a trip to Scenic World

Getting out of Sydney for the day and visiting the splendor of the Blue Mountains is a great option for a short day trip when in the region. What is now called Scenic World is a lot of fun for all ages. Scenic world has the original Scenic Railway that takes you down a 52° incline to the valley floor. Then there is the Scenic Skyway which is a glass-bottomed cable car that travels from clifftop to clifftop. After that, if you still have time, there is the Scenic Cableway which descends and ascends while letting you view the beautiful Three Sisters, Orphan Rock, Mount Solitary, and Katoomba Falls. Once you alight from the cableway, there is the Scenic Walkway, which is a wooden walkway on the forest floor through the trees and bush. 

Snorkel at Fairlight Beach

Australia is well known for its beautiful reefs, but you don’t need to travel all the way to the Great Barrier Reef to see Australia’s beautiful marine life. Snorkeling in Manly, you can see cockatoo fish, leatherjackets, sea urchins, teeny tiny pomfrets, and more. The Dive Centre Manly runs Snorkel tours of three popular dive spots in the area. Shelly Beach is the most popular of the sites, and you can choose to enjoy brunch at one of the many nearby cafes after your dive. The snorkel safari usually goes on for around one hour, and you’ll get to see pygmy leatherjackets, goatfish, and crimson-banded wrasse. The dive guides are brilliant and will point out the fish species and tell you about the marine life as you venture across the kelp and around the dive areas. If you are already a dive pro or you don’t feel you need a guide, then you can hire a mask, snorkel, fins, and floaty for the day for around $30-$50 bucks for the entire day.

Surfing at Bondi Beach

If you’re feeling adventurous on your trip to Sydney, learning to surf at the famous Bondi beach might be right up your alley. Maybe you’re just a fan of the long-running ‘Bondi Rescue TV show, and that is why you want to visit and learn to surf. Surfing is a national pastime in Australia and is a must-try Australian activity. You can book your class at Let’s Go surfing. The Lesson is two-hours for beginners, and the course goes through the essentials of water safety and how to catch a wave. First-timers aren’t expected to be good at surfing, and falling off your surfboard repeatedly is all part of the fun. Once you do finally learn to stand up, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear. If you are a quick learner or it’s not your first time trying, then you can head to the southern end of Bondi Beach to be around those more familiar with the watersport.

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the fourth-longest of its kind in the world. Gazing upon Sydney Harbour Bridge silhouetted against the Sydney sky is impressive, to say the least. Views from up on top of the bridge are pretty amazing as well. The bridge climb is actually more of a walk to don’t worry about any technical climbing knowledge as that won’t be required. The walk is a hair-raising activity to the highest point at the centre of the arch, but once you’re up there, it will feel all worth the effort. Climbers will be able to see Sydney Harbour and its surroundings. Depending on the weather, you’ll be able to see from Sydney Opera House all the way to the Blue Mountains in the distance. Your guide will also provide you with a fascinating history of the bridge’s construction.

Stroll Through Sydney Botanic Gardens

The Sydney Botanic Gardens is considered one of the oldest public gardens in the Southern Hemisphere. The Gardens date back to 1810 when Governor Lachlan Macquarie had a vision for an ‘English parkland setting with a grand house.’ The Sydney Botanic Gardens are a 30-hectare oasis that has withstood bushfires, cattle grazing, a windmill, an aviary, and even a zoo over time. Today the Botanic gardens is an oasis of calm in the urban Sydney jungle. There are many tour options to be found on Trip Planner, and you can explore the place on one of the tours or pack for a picnic in the park.

We hope you enjoyed the Trip Planner guide to the best tourist attractions in Sydney, and we update our lists regularly, so check back next time you are planning a trip somewhere. 

If you are looking for accommodation in Sydney then check out our Trip Planner guide to the Top 10 Hotels in Sydney.

Find the full Trip Planner Sydney Travel Guide Here