Sydney

If you’re flying into Australia, chances are you’re flying into Sydney. Arguably the most famous city in all of Oz, Sydney is an ever expanding mass of over 5 million people, 20% of Australia’s entire population! Constantly battling for Melbourne in size, Sydney holds the advantage geographically, surrounded by beautiful beaches and plagued with near perfect weather year round. It has a very SoCal vibe, beach towns dripping in flip flop clad surfers. The CBD reminded me of San Fran, the smell of bums and $14 coffee in the mornings. And the nightlife, much like San Diego downtown on a Friday night, without the excessive douche-baggery.

While you might get just a taste, Sydney has a rich and complex culture that an outsider can never really get a grip on. Start with the business district, check out the tourist hotspots, spend an afternoon in Chinatown, and see where the wind takes you!