SYDNEY
Off The Beaten Path
Not everything is Bondi Beach and Opera House, and while being stationed downtown is fairly handy, Sydney is an unbelievably sprawling city, hard to imagine when you simply look at a map. Definitely check out the obvious spots but don’t forget to get lost and wander down the wrong streets or you’ll miss the very best that Sydney has to offer.
The Birdcages
Angel St. between George and Pitt Streets
Finding this art installation was a happy accident as I stumbled drunkenly through the CBD on a Friday night looking for an Italian restaurant to stuff my face. At first I thought it was just twinkling metal objects so I turned down the street for a photo op. As I stood in the alley swaying from side to side, trying to take one decent photo, I began to hear faint chirping coming from above, convinced there were actual birds up there! There were not, and come to find out this art installation is a beautiful and poignant ode to the Sydney of yesteryear. You can read more about that here.
If you find yourself stumbling through the streets of Sydney some time, look up and you might just discover something magical.
The Grounds
7A/2 Huntley St, Alexandria NSW
The Grounds of Alexandria opened in 2012 and has since expanded to Sydney CBD and Eveleigh. Known for their eccentric style and immersive food options, The Grounds has quickly become an up and coming trend all over the world. Their properties remind me of Vanderpump Garden but with a seasonal twist. Grounds chooses a theme, decorates the entire place to the hilt, and then creates a delicious menu to celebrate it. When I went it was a candy land theme, which was wildly decadent but just enough. I know for 2024 they’re celebrating the summer with Fiesta at the Grounds, complete with a complete Mexican overhaul to their menu, including bebidas y cervezas. Don’t forget your cameras; you’ll want to pose next to the neon cactus.
Taronga Zoo Experiences
Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman NSW
I don’t do zoos, and I don’t do zoos that parade as “sanctuaries”. There’s nothing like eating an $18 hotdog while you stare into the cold, lifeless eyes of a motherless animal behind bars. However, Taronga Zoo was referred to me from many local Australian so I got to digging. They are a not-for-profit organization committed to education and conservation, Don’t believe it? See for yourself.
Taronga hosts a lot of really cool experiences, but I was floored by the Roar ‘n Snore, a once in a lifetime opportunity to sleep on the grounds and see the nocturnal animals in their natural environments. Another cool way to experience Taronga is to stay in the hotel, complete with suites that open up directly to the zoo enclosures. Imagine sipping your coffe while a koala munches eucalyptus ten feet away!
Scenic Bushwalks
Manly, NSW
If you’re looking to do a scenic bush walk and Bondi to Coogee is far too busy, I suggest checking one out in Manly instead. A short ferry ride from Circular Quay will drop you into a totally different scene from Sydney CBD. The south eastern tip of Manly is almost exclusively park lands. Walk 15 minutes or hop the bus (but be careful because it only comes every hour) over to Little Manly Beach. There you’ll follow the trail through Collins Beach on your way to Fairfax Lookout. Incidentally you’ll pass this cemetery with amazing views and interesting history. Once at Fairfax, you can head back into town or follow the trail all the way to Manly Beach, hugging the coastline and, if you’re lucky, spotting a few whales in the distance.