Sydney Australia- Part 2

Again, this was featured in the Independent Traveler

"What to See
Take a tour of the world-famous Sydney Opera House. There are a handful of varieties (including an intimate backstage tour), held throughout the day. Of course, schedule permitting, travelers can also take in a show.

The best way to see the harbor is to get a bird's eye view from the top of the Harbour Bridge on a Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb -- not your ordinary stroll across a bridge and not just for the young and crazy. The 3.5-hour trek up and down the famous landmark is safe, slow and suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels; you'll don a bridge suit and wear a bridge harness along the ladder-like stairways and narrow catwalks. Recently added is an Express Climb, which takes only two hours and 15 minutes.

The climbs are guided tours and are offered during the day as well as at night. There are lots of rules and regulations, including: no kids under 10 (and children aged 10 to 16 must be accompanied by an adult), no women more than 24 weeks pregnant, climbers must wear rubber soled shoes, and all climbers must pass a breath-test (for a blood alcohol limit of less than .05 percent).

From the bridge, visitors can walk around the inlet to tour the always-crowded Opera House. It is easy to continue from there through the Royal Botanical Gardens, a collection of flowers and trees overlooking the water, where it is possible to see some of Australia's unique flora without leaving the city.

Get your bearings in Sydney by taking a ride on the Sydney Explorer bus, an air-conditioned motorcoach that offers commentary (and hop-on, hop-off options). The service stops at Circular Quay daily at regular intervals, beginning at 8:40 a.m. You can also board the "Bondi Explorer," which offers the same kind of service to areas outside of the city, including Bondi Beach and the eastern suburbs. The SydneyPass Network also offers a harbour ferry ride (morning, afternoon and evening).

Take a self-guided walking tour of the historic Rocks, Sydney's birthplace (it dates back to Sydney's beginnings as a British convict colony). There are numerous historic buildings (archeological sites and the like); plus, the neighborhood is a lively one, with many shops, restaurants and bars. Today, the narrow, twisting streets are free of criminals and fun to wander through. The shops here sell every kind of Australian souvenir imaginable, but the best come from the Rocks market, which is full of handcrafted and unique mementoes.

Explore Darling Harbour. While one main attraction is Harbourside, a waterfront shopping and dining complex, Darling Harbour is also a nexus for tourist attractions such as the Sydney Aquarium, the IMAX Theatre, the Australian National Maritime Museum and the Powerhouse Museum, which focuses on "creativity," whether through art, technology or science. There are also exhibitions, displays and impromptu music performances, plus numerous restaurants grouped around King Street Wharf. Also worth a visit is the Chinese Garden of Friendship, which features winding pathways, meandering waterways, and exotic flora and fauna.

Visit Sydney Wildlife World, an exhibit of Australia's most exotic critters and plants. You may not be able to find wild koalas lounging around Sydney, but you can get up close with them at the koala sanctuary. The park includes nine sample habitats, such as the Rainforest and Wallaby Cliffs, that supply a peek into different climates and animal homes around Australia. The Sydney Aquarium is right next door, and combination ticket deals are available.
Get out on the water via Harbour Jet (departing daily from the Convention Jetty in Darling Harbour). It's not for the faint of heart -- the speedboat ride offers some commentary, but the real fun is in the 270-degree spins, wild fishtails and other boat-acrobatic maneuvers. Captain Cook Cruises offers a gentler ride.

See Sydney from above on a helicopter tour (offered by several companies, including Adrenalin). They offer views of Sydney's entire extensive coastline, as well as the harbour, the city and even the Blue Mountains out to the west.

Check out Sydney's art scene with a visit to the edgy Museum of Contemporary Art. The Art Gallery of New South Wales features a wide range of art, including Australian, Aboriginal, Western and Asian exhibits.

A slightly different kind of museum is the Powerhouse, which is devoted to celebrating outstanding technology and design. An old power station in the former industrial district of Ultimo has been converted into Australia's largest museum. Exhibitions change continuously (recent topics have ranged from the Great Wall of China to Australian pub history), but are always fascinating, interactive and well planned.

Explore King's Cross, Sydney's infamous red light district. This once-bohemian town is now in the process of gentrifying into one boasting fancy bars and upscale apartments. Take a Crimes and Passions tour to catch a glimpse of the area's seedy, sometimes sordid and always fascinating history.

Rent a car or hop on one of the bus tours that leave from Sydney and go wine tasting in Hunter Valley (a two-hour drive from Sydney), which features some 50 wineries. Boutique Wine Tours will take you from Sydney up to the Hunter in a Mercedes limo and ferry you from winery to winery.

If you have a couple of days to spare, drive out to the Blue Mountains, where draws include beautiful scenery, bushwalking, rain forests, waterfalls, a scenic railway and more. The area is an hour and a half by car from Sydney. It's also a very romantic destination with lots of intimate inns.

Hit the beach! Manly, accessible via a 30-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay, offers scenic walking, watersports ranging from windsurfing to parasailing, and numerous cafes and restaurants. Bondi Beach (reachable by bus from Circular Quay) is Australia's best known, with lots of restaurants, shops and cafes. It's also the most crowded strip of sand in Sydney. Be aware that topless sunbathing is accepted and common.

A hiking path cuts through the cliffs between Bondi and Coogee, another beach suburb several miles south. The walk can be strenuous, but the views of the seemingly endless Pacific Ocean from the top of the cliffs are unbeatable, and there are several other beaches to make rest stops at along the way for a refreshing drink or swim."