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The 13 Best Unique and Unusual Things to Do in Sydney
Are you looking for the best unusual things to do in Sydney? I’ve got you covered.
I absolutely love Sydney! As a matter of fact, if Sydney would be located in Europe I would immediately move there. But as I don’t want to leave Europe permanently spending holidays in Australia has to suffice.
So far I’ve been to the capital of New South Wales twice and I can’t wait for the next visit. Each time I discover more amazing unusual things to do in Sydney.
13 best unusual things to do in Sydney
1. Cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge
No trip to Sydney is complete without strolling the circular quay with the harbour bridge and the opera house in view. The opera house is a UNESCO world heritage site and the most famous landmark of Sydney.
But going for a stroll at the wharf is a very common thing to do. One of the unusual things to do in Sydney is crossing the harbour bridge.
You can walk over the Sydney harbour bridge at ground level for free. You can even walk on top to an observation deck or walk over the bridge but you have to pay for that and can’t be afraid of heights.
I opted for crossing at ground level and it was a great experience to cross the famous harbour bridge and get a view of the opera house from a different angle.
Another unforgettable experience of Sydney Harbour and the opera house is a helicopter ride over Sydney.
🤩 I love this private Sydney tour because it shows you the city highlights as well as hidden gems!
2. Discover Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden
Crossing the harbour bridge is already a cool experience but so you don’t cross it just to immediately turn back again, a quick rest or even a picnic at Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden is the perfect thing to do in Sydney on the other side of the harbour bridge.
It’s just a short walk from the bridge. When I got there, at first, I just saw a normal public park and thought that was it. But the secret garden only starts behind the normal park, so it’s truly hidden. There’s a small path leading to it. There are multiple paths leading through beautiful fauna to the hidden garden. You can sit down on one of the chairs or benches and rest in the shade of the trees.
When you hear the birds chirping you feel transported to the rainforest far from the city, you only get pulled back by the screams you can hear now and then from the nearby amusement park, Luna Park.
Relaxing in one of the chairs hidden away is one of the best unusual things to do in Sydney.
3. Enjoy a movie at an open air cinema
If you’re visiting the Australian city in summer there are plenty of outdoor cinemas you can visit. One of the best places is in the royal botanic gardens since you can watch a movie and you can see the illuminated Sydney opera house in the background. One of the truly unusual things to do in Sydney.
They also have live music sometimes and I’m sure the great view will make every piece of music even better. You can check the Sydney event calendar for any upcoming events and concerts.
4. Shop at the Glebe Market
Glebe is a super hip and trendy neighbourhood, it’s also super vegan-friendly. My favourite vegan breakfast place in Sydney is in Glebe. You can get a delicious vegan omelette there and some stuffed pastries. In Glebe there’s also the only vegan grocery store in Sydney.
And every Saturday there’s the big Glebe market, where you can find everything from vintage clothes to jewellery and food and drinks. The market is really cool and popular but because it’s so popular there are loads of people. So, prepare to look for the perfect piece amidst hundreds of other people.
5. Explore the coast cemetery
Bondi Beach is the most famous beach in Sydney. As famous as the beach is the walk from Bondi to Bronte Beach or if you want some more exercise to Coogee Beach, or the other way around.
Walking from one beautiful beach to the next is the perfect thing to do on a sunny day. In between Bronte and Coogee Beach, there’s a beautiful coast cemetery.
I know visiting a cemetery might sound weird but it’s one of the great unusual things to do in Sydney. You can walk around the historic cemetery and take some amazing pictures of the cemetery with the ocean in the background.
Afterwards, you can enjoy the panoramic views from the coastal walk on your way to Bondi Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches near Sydney. From there you can back to the city centre by public transport.
But be prepared, the walk can get crowded, since it’s a popular destination for locals and international tourists alike.
Next to Bondi Beach is also the most popular tourist destination on the coast, the Iceberg Pool. Which in my opinion is very overrated. Since I for one would rather relax on one of the beautiful beaches instead of an overcrowded pool.
🏄 You can also take a surf lesson at Bondi Beach!
6. Find tranquillity at the Chinese Garden of Friendship
The Chinese Garden of Friendship is a great place to find tranquillity in the middle of the bustling city. Unfortunately, it’s not free to visit but maybe that’s why the garden is so quiet and peaceful.
You can walk through the garden and take in the beautiful surroundings. And make sure to keep your eyes peeled for big lizards. There are quite a lot but they sit completely motionless so they’re easy to miss until they skittle away because you came too close.
At the edges and at the highest point of the garden you can still hear the traffic noise from outside. But in the middle of the Chinese Garden, you can’t hear the noise from outside anymore. Finding that peacefulness in the middle of a big city is one of the amazing unique things to do in Sydney.
7. Go to the theatre
Going to the theatre is perfect for an evening if it’s raining outside. I think I’ve never been to a musical with that many empty seats, so going to the theatre must be one of the unusual things to do in Sydney.
Tickets don’t get cheaper if you buy them last minute but they’re not that expensive to start with. My ticket was 79 Australian dollars (~50€) at the Capitol Theatre, which btw is an amazing building.
The stalls are quite steep and there are no columns in your way so you have a good view of the stage from pretty much anywhere. My seat was far back but I could see everything very well. I got very cold towards the end because of the AC even though I was wearing a long sleeve shirt and long leggings so you might want to bring some warmer clothes.
I watched Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I had never heard of that musical before and I didn’t know what it was about. But when I first saw the colourful posters for it in Sydney I thought it was about a LGBTQIA storyline but it’s the bible story about Joseph, son of Jakob. So not quite what I expected, I should have read a description beforehand.
The stage design was amazing, and so were the costumes and the singing and dancing. But I didn’t care much for the story, it felt like in bible study when they try too hard to make bible stories interesting and give them a modern twist. Everyone else seemed to know the songs and at the last song, they even stood up and danced along.
So, in summary, going to the theatre is a great unusual thing to do in Sydney but you should read up on the story beforehand to see if you’re interested in it.
8. Talk to a talking dog statue
One of the quirky things to do in Sydney is talking to a talking dog statue. Sydney’s talking dog statue is located just outside the beautiful Queen Victoria Building.
The Skye terrier named Islay was Queen Victoria’s favourite pet and the statue is covering a ventilation shaft. Today it tells you its story in different languages and asks for a donation for the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children.
9. Marvel at a replica of Cook’s ship
At the darling harbour, you can admire a replica of Cook’s ship, the HMB Endeavour, in which Cook made an epic world voyage in the 18th century. Next to the ship, there’s also a cute little lighthouse. If you want to check both of those things out from the inside you have to pay an entrance fee or get a combined ticket at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
The Maritime Museum is wheelchair accessible and in it, you can learn everything about the maritime history of New Zealand.
But even if you only walk around Darling Harbour and look at the ships from the outside the old ship looks impressive with the modern skyscrapers in the back. You can see how far humanity has evolved.
10. Enjoy the view from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair was built on the location of Mrs Macquarie’s favourite view of the city. She was the wife of the New South Wales governor in the early 19th century.
The bench isn’t all that impressive, to be honest, but you have an amazing view of the opera house and the harbour bridge from there. It’s also one of the best places to watch sunset Sydney has to offer.
Keep in mind though that the royal botanical gardens close at nighttime. I forgot about that and had to take a massive detour on my way back to the city after sunset.
The peninsula in the royal botanic gardens is also one of the best places to see Australian wildlife. At dusk, you can also see flying foxes in the park. They look like giant bats and you can see them from quite up close.
🤩 I love this private Sydney tour because it shows you the city highlights as well as hidden gems!
11. Find some cool street art
Sydney might not be as known for its street art as Melbourne is but you can still find some amazing pieces of art when you wander around Sydney.
My favourite street art piece is still by an artist who also did multiple pieces in Melbourne. So even though Melbourne is the street art capital of Australia, it’s still worth keeping an eye out for street art in Sydney.
And because the city is not as known for it it’s one of the unique experiences Sydney has to offer.
12. Marvel at the reflection of St Mary’s Cathedral
If I visit a city in Europe I almost always check out the cathedral because they’re usually masterpieces of architecture. I especially enjoy visiting those big gothic cathedrals, they’re just jaw-dropping when you consider at what time and with which resources they were built.
If I think of Australian churches that’s not what comes to my mind, I’m thinking more of very basic modern churches, not quite my thing since my only interest in them is from an architectural perspective. So, when I walked past St Mary’s Cathedral I was pleasantly surprised.
St Mary’s Cathedral is located next to Hyde Park and it looks quite cool and the water in front of it just makes it better. The church reflects in the water and makes for a great picture. It’s also really cool that underneath the pool is a swimming pool.
🤩 I love this private Sydney tour because it shows you the city highlights as well as hidden gems!
13. See Sydney from above
Everyone walks around Sydney Harbour but one of the unique Sydney experiences is to see the city from above. The best way to do this is with a helicopter tour. You’ll get some truly spectacular views of Sydney.
But if a helicopter tour is a bit too much, you can also take some unique walking tours in Sydney.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability!
If you enjoy helicopter rides you can also do a helicopter tour in Melbourne, Australia’s biggest city.
Unusual day trips from Sydney
There are plenty of day trip opportunities from Sydney and because some of them are so beautiful you might even want to turn them into weekend trips from Sydney.
Enjoy the nature at the Blue Mountains
The most popular day trip from Sydney is a day trip to the Blue Mountains. But getting to this stunning natural landmark by public transport can be a bit inconvenient. So the best way to see everything on a day trip is with a guided tour.
On the All Inclusive Small-Group Blue Mountains Day Trip from Sydney with Scenic World Tour you get to explore the stunning Blue Mountains with a knowledgeable local guide and enjoy breathtaking views from Scenic World’s Railway, Walkway, Skyway, and Cableway.
The small group size of a maximum of 20 allows for a more personalised experience, and the inclusive lunch caters to all dietary needs, just make sure to tell them when booking. With over 3,400 positive reviews, this tour has been a hit with visitors to Australia.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability of this amazing Blue Mountain Tour!
Visit the Royal National Park
The stunning Royal National Park is still quite underrated so it’s one of the most unusual day trips from Sydney.
If you’re looking for a great way to experience the natural wonders of the Sydney area, the Royal National Park Tour is a fantastic option. With this tour, you’ll get to explore the diverse landscape of the world’s second oldest national park, which changes from beach to grasslands to rainforest.
The itinerary can be customized to suit your needs and can include more or less walking. You’ll get to admire the panoramic views from Bald Hill, marvel at the white sandstone of Wedding Cake Rock, look up at the Wattamolla waterfall and more.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability!
FAQ about unique things to do in Sydney
For which thing Sydney is famous for?
The two most famous landmarks in Sydney are the opera house and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
How many days in Sydney is enough?
I recommend at least 2 full days to explore the best things Sydney has to offer.
What is the most entertaining city in Australia?
Sydney is Australia’s most populous city and it also offers the most entertainment.
Is Sydney a walkable city?
The main sights in Sydney are within walking distance from each other. So it’s a great walkable city. You only need to get public transport if you want to go to one of the beautiful beaches.
Are there nice beaches in Sydney?
Sydney has over 100 beautiful beaches. The most famous beaches are Bondi Beach, Bronte Beach, Manly Beach and Palm Beach.
Final thoughts: Alternative things to do in Sydney
Sydney is an incredible city and I can’t wait for the next time visiting. I think it’s my favourite Australian city, although Melbourne comes in at a close second.
So far, I had more time exploring Melbourne since I visited friends there for a few weeks and we did some amazing day trips.
My favourite day trip from Melbourne was the Great Ocean Road because of the stunning scenery. But the day trip from Melbourne to the Peninsula hot springs also really surprised me because I had no idea that there are hot springs so close to Melbourne.
Read More:
- 3 Best Sydney Helicopter Tours
- 13 amazing and unusual things to do in Sydney
- 9 Best Sydney Walking Tours
- Bronte to Bondi Walk: Your Ultimate Guide
- 3 best vegan restaurants for breakfast in Sydney
- Sustainable Day Trip From Sydney to Blue Mountains
- Incredible Day Trip to Great Ocean Road from Melbourne
- Incredible Helicopter Ride in Melbourne: The 3 Best Tours
- The 3 Best Peninsula Hot Springs Tour from Melbourne
- 5 Absolute Best Things to Do Wilsons Prom
- Is Canberra Worth Visiting? It Is For a Stopover
- Canberra Vegan Restaurants You Shouldn’t Miss
